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Local SEO Basics: What It Is and How to Do It

By Derek Robinson

If you have a business website, it is likely that you have heard about SEO or search engine optimization because it is always a hot topic. A simple explanation is that it is the practice of structuring and writing web content with an aim of improving rankings on search engine result pages. Have you heard about local SEO though? It is important that you understand local SEO basics: what it is and how to do it for the best results.

In most cases, people are using their mobile devices and computers to search for businesses near them. This is the case even if they are not interested in buying anything online.  If you have no plans of optimizing the website for the local search, it is possible that you are locking out a lot of potential customers. The following information will shine some light on this topic.

Search Query Intent

Google has recently become all about the user’s experience. This means that it works extra hard to provide more than just results based on the keywords. Google works by determining the intent of the query by the user based on a number of elements. For instance, if you search the word ‘art’ on your computer, Google will include pictures of art, or art ideas. If you use your mobile device for the same search, the results might include art galleries near them. This is because most people searching for a business on their mobile phones are probably looking for the physical location or address.

In this case, Google will consider the keyword as a first priority, then, it will look at the location of the user and the device they are using to make the search. It is common for local results to appear in most searches which means you should focus on your local SEO for the sake of your business.

Advantages of Local SEO

According to statistics, about 68% of adults have a smart phone. This means that they are always accessing the internet on the go. Website searchers are not just based on online purchases; there are a lot of people using the internet to look for offline businesses that are near them. This simply indicates that even businesses that do not sell online should do their best to invest in local search engine optimization. This is because studies show that 78% of local searchers done on mobile devices end up in offline sales.

More than 50% of the people making local searches do not have an idea of the name of the businesses they are searching for. They simply use general categories to search. This means that with a website optimized for local searches, you can attract a great deal of traffic to your online or offline store. You just need to use relevant keywords and everything will work in your favor.

How To Improve Local Website SEO

The main reason why local SEO is used is to create pages that describe the goods and services offered and an explanation of where they are offered. This explanation should include the state, city and area. The information should be included in the on-page elements like Meta descriptions and page titles. Most importantly, the pages should all contain the address and the phone number of the business. Google bots pay attention to contact details on the pages and this makes it easier to present this important information.

In an example, let us say you have a moving business in New York. A good title for your top article written for SEO purposes should include ‘Moving Company in New York, NY’. To enhance the efforts, you can include other relevant keywords surrounding this industry. A good idea is to focus on the other services that you might offer while providing the moving services in New York. These should be the problems that customers looking for these services will want solved by a moving company. A few titles might be:

Packing services in Hannover, NY

Storage in New York, NY

Special Moving Services in New York, NY

Same-day Moving in New York

Long Distance moving in New York, NY

As you increase your list of relevant keywords, your traffic will increase with them. This is because people will be searching different things related to this industry and they will most probably come across your website if you have optimized it for local search.

It is important to follow the best local SEO practices to push your website up the local search engine result pages. To be on the safe side, working with a professional in SEO will give you the kind of website that your target audience will find easily and this will consequently increase your traffic and sales.

What Motivates Users to Download Apps?

By Derek Robinson

This is a simple straightforward question, right? Well it is a simple question with a simple answer. First you need to know why the user is looking for an app. The simplest answer is so that they can solve an existing problem. So, what motivates users to download apps? Motivation is the keyword here. This is the driving force that leads to a user wanting to download a specific app, in this case, your business’s application.

If you scratch the surface of the question, you will realize that it needs a broader look and this will basically complicate the answer. In most of the things that we do in our daily lives, there are multiple apps. All industries have countless applications and more are still being developed. The question is, if there are all these applications in the same industry, what will motivate them to download a new app?

Again, it is likely you will go with the simplest answer which is that the new applications are better than the existing ones. The truth is that the mobile app era has been around for some time and pretty much every one making an app knows how to make a good fresh one. This means that the newness is not the only thing behind the motivation.

It is not all about the problem that the app will solve for the user or about the quality of the app; it’s about both of these qualities and more. One download and use is different from the others but the most important thing is that it helps the user solve a problem better than other apps can. Most users download an app because someone told them to download it, they saw an advertisement or because they have nothing else to do.

Suddenly, there is no simple answer to what motivates users to download an app.

The quality of the application is no longer the only thing that determines its success. There are other factors such as the audience you are targeting, what they need, what they desire, the problems they are facing, the people around them and the marketing strategies you employ. This means that just having an app does not make the cut if all these other factors will not be put into consideration.

The Little Things Matter

A recent study by Yahoo explains a number of motivations that drive users to download new applications. These motivations are broken into a number of categories

A user has a problem they think can be solved by an app
A user is bored and looking for something interesting such as a game
A friend recommended the app
They have an app that does not meet their needs

In most cases, people think that apps downloads are purely based on problem solutions. According to the study by Yahoo, the top reason why most people download apps is boredom. Yes you heard that right, boredom. 80% of the people downloading applications are simply bored and want to download something interesting and this is how they find themselves on popular app stores.

The second reason is recommendations from other people. A user will be motivated to have the app on their phone because a friend told them the app is good or they came across an advertisement. Friends are most convincing when it comes to recommendations and this is according to a study by Google. There is power in word of mouth and the Yahoo study shows that the main reason why most people will avoid your application is because of negative reviews. The next time you see a negative review, you should think about this statement.

There are many people trying to get rid of ads but studies show that a good number of people downloaded apps as a result of advertisements. This means that advertising should not be ignored. You can significantly increase the app downloads by advertising to a target audience with a focus on demographics, device used among other metrics. You just need to make sure the ad is created in an interesting way.

Apps Can Solve Problems

After boredom, word of mount and other motivators, the fact that apps can solve problems comes in. According to the study by Yahoo, though the main motivators are boredom and recommendations, an app that does not seem to solve problems as effectively as new apps will be abandoned. If there is a problem in solving problems, the user will most probably download a newer or different app.

Most of the app downloads happen on the go when the user faces a problem. This is referred to as the hungry audience. This is because they are always looking for something the market is not currently offering. This means that when the app is downloaded, it will not be used all the time and might actually be deleted after the problem is solved. This puts problem solving as a common motivation why apps are solved.

Understanding the Motivations and Reasons

Increasing conversion rates, improving engagement and improving loyalty are all daunting tasks but absolutely necessary. If you do not know why people are using your app, nothing will make sense.

In today’s world of technology, applications are part of everything we do. People spend an average of 30 hours every day on apps every month. This is according to a study by Nielsen. Any situation that starts with ‘I want to’ will mostly end up with the user opening an app and finding what they want. It is your responsibility to find out what they want and make sure the process of finding it is easy.

To have a successful app that is downloaded multiple times, you should ensure that you find out the reason why the app is downloaded and the motivation behind the download. Understanding why a user will download an app will give you an idea of what to include in your app for more downloads. A good idea is to work with professional developers to get a great app. If you are here, then you are in the right place.

5 Goals to Set at the Start of an SEO Campaign

By Derek Robinson

SEO or search engine optimization purely depends on planning. The goals you set at the beginning of this campaign will determine the direction the project takes and how effective it will be. If you make a mistake and aim for the wrong target, you will just end up wasting a lot of resources and time working towards the wrong goal. To get your campaign moving in the right direction, you will need these 5 goals to set at the start of an SEO campaign for a strong foundation and better results.

1. Choose your Audience

The process of choosing an audience is not as easy as most people would think. You might be aware of the target demographics and an idea of the type of audience your brand is made for but there are completely different elements to consider when it comes to search. For instance, is there a part of the target audience that will be using more of search than others? Is there a direct competitor focusing on one segment of your audience?

It is time to ditch the strategy that only focuses on the age, education levels and sex in the demographics. The focus should be broader and include the user’s preferences and interests. Focus on the buying stage that the audience will be. What will they be thinking about when making the search? These targets should be cautiously set to ensure that the campaign sets towards the right direction right from the beginning.

2. Think about the Niche

The next step is to choose the right niche. Search engine optimization is a competitive strategy and will be getting more competitive. This means that choosing your niche should be among the crucial steps before the campaign starts. Of course you can rank higher with money time and important resources. Keep in mind that the big companies and corporations have created a foundation in this space. This is why you should select a new niche. This should be a specialized area that has less competition and visibility. This should carefully be considered and you should look at your venture and compare it to the existing competition. Look at things that make it unique and focus on what you have that your audience cannot get from the competitors.

This comes to the uniqueness of your venture including targeting a unique audience and adding special element to the content. Whatever you go with, it should give you an edge over your competitors and make you stand out for more attention. It should also be something your target audience will want to see. Standing out of the crowd will make sure that you are getting more traffic than your direct competitors.

3. Focus on the Right Keywords

Though commonly misunderstood, keywords are crucial in search engine optimization. Keywords have always been important though a lot has changed especially with Google algorithm changes and the ever evolving rules. A good example is the Hummingbird update. The keywords you choose to focus on at the beginning of the campaign will play a major role in the direction the entire process takes.

As you do this, you will need to get a balance between low competition rating keyword and high search volume keywords. The most important thing is that the keywords need to be relevant to your website and should be what the target audience is looking for. This is where you need to do some deep research and come out with keywords that will work for all involved aspects.

4. Traffic

When you have your niche, target audience and keywords decided, it will be easier to execute the strategies or at least know which angles to take. The momentum of the project is driven by the intensity to execute it. For instance, most people know that content and the links they should have but do not know how much they require. You also need to know the amount and the time you should invest. The most important thing you should pay attention to is the traffic.

Determine how much traffic you want to drive and how fast you want to see the results of your efforts. When you understand these dimensions involving your traffic, you will know where to put your resources and how to measure the success rate of your campaign.

5. Conversion Rate

Though the conversion rate is not directly linked to the SEO campaign, you can optimize your website to improve the conversion rate. Albeit this might not affect your ranking in any way, the conversion rate will be affected positively. This will greatly determine how profitable your SEO campaign is. Picture a situation where your site is getting over 5000 visitors in a month and none of them are buying from you. This means the conversion rate is at its lowest and your efforts to drive traffic are all for nothing.

This is why you should include your conversion rate as a part of the SEO strategy. Focus on all elements that can be used to increase this important rate such as designing a specific landing page and call to actions that will bear fruits.

Setting these goals is not an easy task and being accurate is not obvious. However, it is better if you set these goals with support of research and reasoning. Make sure if there is any guesswork, it is limited to the minimums. The benefit of setting goals is that you will know what you are working towards. If by any chance there is a target that is not working as planned, then you have a chance to change things as you see necessary.

Setting these goals is not about perfection, it is all about ensuring that you are on the right path and creating a framework that you can work on for better results and growth.

10 Big Mistakes You Should Avoid When Redesigning Your Website

By Derek Robinson

Websites are the representation and the foundation of your business online. These important assets need to be taken care of and updated according to the changes in the world of business and technology. The most common reason businesses redesign their websites is because they are not attractive or interesting to the target audience. They need a new look and the best way to accomplish this is through a professional redesign. The following are the 10 big mistakes you should avoid when redesigning your website.

Before we dive into these mistakes, we should look at reasons why the redesign is important. Some businesses want to change their products and services, while others want to launch new services and products.  A redesign will give your website a new appearance that will attract more traffic and meet all the new rules set by search engines. To achieve this, the process needs to be carried out by professionals. Making simple mistakes could end up making your site worse than it initially was. These mistakes will also cost you a great deal in money and time especially due to the downtime.

If you decide to go ahead with the redesign, the following are mistakes you should avoid by all means.

1. Not having the Correct Goals for the Redesign Project

Prior to starting any project or fixing a problem, it is important to understand what the problem is and find out the causes. Without this kind of analysis, finding out what to solve, where to look and the expected results will be a difficult task. Creating a plan for the website redesign starts with setting of goals, the processes involved and which need more attention than others.

If all the analysis and the goals are complicated to you, the best thing to do is find a website you want your site to look like. You can then explain to the designer from here and this will be easier and it will make more sense.  Not having goals means the project can go any direction and you might not like the results.

2. Putting Aesthetics over Functionality

The reason you are redesigning your website is so that it looks better but most importantly, it works better. The truth is that sometimes these two elements will overlap and you will need to choose one. A good appearance is important but it should not be prioritized at the expense of functionality. No one wants a website that looks like a million dollars but functions like 1 cent.

Above every other aspect, you should always ensure that the site is delivering on functionality. This means that is has great search and is created in such a way that the target audience can find whatever they need fast and easy.

3. Lack of Website Analysis

You cannot set your goal without a proper analysis of the existing website design. You will need to analyze the metrics to find out what needs a change and what needs an improvement. This analysis will give you an opportunity to understand the problems you are currently facing and an identification of things that are working and those that are not. These elements should be incorporated in the redesign for the best results.

After the re-launch, it is also crucial that you monitor the elements you had analyzed. This will help in immediately identifying the problems and fixing them before they cause any problems. You will also get a chance to find out how much the redesigning has helped your site and your business. This means that the metrics are important and the professionals handling the process can avail them.

4. Limiting your Budget

It is crucial to have a working budget to prevent overspending and under spending. Most website owners are on the lower side for obvious reasons. If your last redesigning project was half a decade ago, it does not mean the cost you paid is the same. Things have changed and so has the cost. A few years ago, all that was needed in the redesign was a few tweaks and an online brochure. Well, there are more things to be handled now and this increases the cost. Businesses are in competition with each other and all are trying to improve aesthetics while maintaining an impressive functionality.

With things such as responsive designs and content management, your website will do more than you can imagine and you cannot simply expect to pay a small price. Though you should not overspend, limiting your budget will mean that the changes will be limited and this will not be much of a change for your website and business.

5. Having an Unrealistic Deadline

Okay, it takes time to redesign a website properly. Though it should not take a whole year, you should not expect to have a new design overnight. There are a number of phases that have to be followed such as researching, wire framing, creating content, design change, web development and testing. Depending on the wideness of your site and the work that has to go into each process, the project can take more than three months.

In most cases, website owners will want the process handled fast. This is based on fear of losing clients for the time the site will not be working. The process can be handled faster and this means a few corners will be cut. The resulting website will be a good example of a mistake. The clients you were so afraid of losing might actually not appreciate the hurriedly done redesigning.

6. Forgetting About the Client During the Redesigning Project

As you handle the redesign, it is crucial that you let your clients feel at home. They should know what you are doing and that you have not closed your business. If you have a physical store, you need to let them know that the shop is still open. This is possible through social networks which can represent your website while it is getting a facelift.

Keep in mind that a first time visitor that visit the site during this transition might actually never come back regardless of whether you inform them what is happening or not. After the redesign, make sure you inform your customers that you are back and that there were some changes done to improve their experience. These simple gestures can greatly tell your clients that you really care about them. Whatever you do, never forget about your customers.

7. Giving the Redesign Task to the Wrong People

Simply put, the redesign project will turn out as good as the people handling it. In this age, websites are important assets in the business world and they need to be treated as so. If you are changing the design, you need to make sure it is professionally handled; there is no room for trial and error. Go for designers with exceptional design abilities and technical skills. They need to be aware of what goes on in your relevant industry. Choosing an incompetent designer will end in a catastrophic website and this is something you just cannot afford.

8. Content Strategy Neglect

Excellent functionality and great design is half the journey. It does not make any sense to have an attractive website that is at the bottom of the ranking list on search engine result pages. Everyone is aiming to be on the first spot. After the redesign, you should reinforce the new look with fresh interesting content. The content strategy you select should involve all the buying steps your customer should take.

Using the metrics from the previous analysis, you can organize the content based on the visitor’s behavior. Note where the visitors are paying attention to and where they are not. The content strategy should include relevant information such as news, industry details and other things your target customers will like. You should ensure that the content you are writing is interesting to your audience and friendly to search engine. This is where SEO comes in. The content should be optimized to push your site to the top of the search result pages.

9. Forgetting About Mobile Users

If website redesigning is in your mind, it is important not to forget about mobile phone users. Most of the website visits today are from mobile devices. There are more people using mobile phone to access the internet than those using desktop computers. This means that the redesign should not lock out the mobile users at all costs.

Probably, your website will get more mobile phone users than other users. As the developer is planning on starting the project, you should make sure they optimize the site for mobile users. They should have an experience as good as the desktop user. Most mobile users will not stay a second longer if the site is not mobile friendly. Your guess is right; they will visit your direct competitor.

10. Discontinuing All Efforts After the Launch of the New Website

Most people feel as if all the work is done after the redesign process. Well, if you stop putting in more work, the redesign was actually for nothing. Running a website is not just about having an attractive design and useful content. What was useful yesterday might not be all that useful today. This is where the smaller important tasks come in. You need to make content updates to attract customers and generate sales.

Smaller adjustments are beneficial in seizing sudden opportunities for engagement, conversion rate and sales. You should focus on growth and no growth will happen if you do not keep on working on the website to address the current changes.

In time and money, website redesigns can be a good investment which explains why you need to be cautious when carrying out this project. Avoiding all these mistakes will ensure that your project is worth your time and your money. You just need to focus on the important elements and your website will be a strong driving force in your business’s growth. Of course, there are other mistakes that people make but the 10 are the most common and carry the most weight.

Working with professional designers in your redesigning project will reduce the chances of these mistakes occurring and save you a great deal of money and time.

Why a Website Redesign Can Boost Your Traffic

By Derek Robinson

So, have you been planning to redesign your website? If you haven’t then you probably should start thinking about that. It is a good idea to give your website a new look and we have a number of reasons why a website redesign can boost your traffic and consequently increase your sales.

The world of business on the internet is on a constant change. There are trends that will stay with us for a week, some for months and some for years. They all share a common element; they become outdated at a particular point. A while ago, owning a flash website was the in thing. Today, not a lot of people have flash sites. This website as a technology is slowly dying and giving way to new technology of today.

Let’s dive into more details and explain why it is important to give your website a different design.

1. A New Look Gives Your Website Professionalism

Quick question; can you dress like you are straight from the 1950’s and meet a client for serious business that is not about dressing like you are from the 50s? We don’t think so. The impression the client will get is that you have outdated and still stuck to the old era.

Similarly, you cannot invite people to a website that looks like it is from the 90s. You do not want the cheesy, mobile unfriendly and bad graphics to give your clients doubts about your business. Most clients will start questioning your products and services based on how old and uncared for your website looks. To give it a boost and a new face, a redesign is one of the best ways to do this.

2. Your Site needs to be Friendly to Mobile Devices

It is likely that when your website was built, the only thing a mobile phone would do is to call and text. There have been major changes and mobile phones have surpassed computers in access to the internet. Not most people actually thought we will come to this but now that we are here, it is important to make the necessary changes.

People are now accessing social platforms, reading news and buying items from their phones. Smartphone have become the new computers and are convenient because they are easy to carry around. If your website is unfriendly to these devices, the users will move on to another website very fast. A redesign with make sure you are not losing this important traffic and the consequent sales to your competitors.

3. Changes are Inevitable

Initially, your visitors were attracted to your site because it looked innovative and professional.  Time passes and what used to attract them is now not that interesting. It is natural that clients will start looking forward to changes on your website. They will want to see fresh content and a different look. The best way to do this is through a website redesign.

4. Most Old Websites are SEO Unfriendly

The reason SEO is very important is to ensure that the website is found and ranked by search engines. Most old websites do not follow the modern SEO practices and rules set by major search engines such as Google.  Not all new websites do but it’s more common in older sites.

There is not much that can be done on older websites in relation to SEO. There will be a time when the website will not be doing any good to your business without these practices. The best solution is to change the design and include the practices.

5. Your Call to Action Needs to Work

Initially, most websites did not have a call to action on all pages. Today, you do not simply expect people to browse through your site and go to the contact page. You should therefore have a call to action on all the site pages. This will ensure that your visitors know the next step when they come to the end of the text. Whether it is downloading something, buying goods or services, subscribing or getting a quote, you need to be clear on what you want the visitors to do.

These are some of the reasons why you need to redesign your website if you have not done it in the recent past. As you make this important step, it’s a good idea to work with professionals in this web designing.

If you have any more reasons why redesigning your website is important or general ideas about redesigning feel free to share.

Something About Ecommerce Website and Rebuilding

By Derek Robinson

Most ecommerce store owners will want to rebuild their websites at some point. We will tell you why working with a professional will help you get a good one. There is something about Ecommerce website and rebuilding it that you need to know before you go ahead with the project.

This rebuilt will be for different reasons including the following:

– The current website slow leading to customer loss

– The current ecommerce store feels and looks old

– Direct competitors have rebuilt or built a new store that is better looking

– The conversion rates have dramatically dropped.

– Current store upgrades are taking more time and spending more money

Whatever the reason behind the rebuilt is, the storeowner will be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that having a new site will solve their problems in one blow. At this point, you need to keep in mind that the reason you have an ecommerce website is to make it easy to sell and make it easy for consumers to buy.

If the rebuilt goes right, you might see an increase in customers, sales, profits and an improvement of operations. However, it is worth noting that rebuilds can be a pain in the neck and can result in unforeseen risks and costs.

There are store owners with horror stories to tell. They got a rebuilt and the sales went to zero for a few days before the team could try and fix the existing problems on the new website. Prior to starting the rebuild process, there are a number of important questions you should answer.

Can your Business Afford the Ecommerce Rebuild?

One of the main risks that you face with an ecommerce rebuild is the fact that the process can wipe out your sales. So, can your business handle a few days without business? If the ecommerce is just a part of a larger business, it can tolerate the drop while the website is being fixed. If your business is entirely web-based, chances are that it cannot handle a complete shut down for a few days.

If you still need to go through with the rebuild, you need a plan. You should have a plan on how you will reverse the sales after the down time. The period could be long with multiple tests and checks or it could be just a simple process that does not take long.

What if the Rebuild Takes Longer and Spends More Money?

Almost all rebuilds take longer than planned and this brings with it extra costs. There are always important things that are overlooked during the process and they come back to bite your business. Think about if the business can really afford the process if it lasted twice as planned and doubled the budget. Keep in mind you will be closed for a longer period and will have to dig deeper in to your pocket without any sales.

Instead of one big rebuild that takes several months, you can think of smaller processes that will be rolled into one. This will prevent the extended downtime that might result in losses. This means that there will be limited changes which will cost less. You will also be in a position to track the process better and you can step things up or put them on hold when the budget is tight.

What Will the Ecommerce Rebuild Fix?

It is important to know what problems you will be fixing with the planned rebuild. The rebuild is risky and expensive and if you choose to follow this path, you should be sure that it will benefit your ecommerce website a great deal. This means that the rebuild should be fixing problems that other simpler and less expensive processes cannot solve.

Keep in mind that the problems that warrant a redesign are not minor things such as home page rearrangements. They should be significant changes like switching to one-page checkout, redesigning the showcasing and listing of products and adding backend testing frameworks to all store components. These are major changes that could bring significant benefits to the store.

It is, however, better to focus on one significant change than the entire project. This way you will prevent time wastage that goes to other unimportant elements that also waste resources. When the focus is on one problem, the decisions made will be clearer and this will ensure that the process is handled faster than usual. The only important thing is to ensure that the rebuild actually handles the main problems your ecommerce website has been facing without throwing it into other new problems.

To cut the long story short, the ecommerce rebuild can work, but you should expect chaos. It is likely that you will spend more than you budgeted and the process might take longer. The impact might not have the fireworks or be as big as you imagined. It’s just good to be prepared. For a better deal, you might want to consider working with professional web designers in New York for an affordable and fast ecommerce website rebuild.

Reasons Why HTML5 Is The Future

By Derek Robinson

Reasons why HTML5 is the future has become quite clear that more people are now accessing the internet via mobile devices than those using desktop computers. For this simple yet important reason, it is important that all businesses ensure that their websites are responsive to these widely used devices. There are many types of mobile devices and different operating systems which increase the challenges for the support of mobile devices.

Are you in search for a solution that will work perfectly? Well, HTML5 might be the solution you need. To start with, its capability to run anywhere is the main reason it manages to stay influential in the mobility world.

A while ago, HTML5 was mostly used for purposes of static catalog development and light weight micro sites structuring. However, HTML5 has since evolved and moved through many changes to attain WORA maturity in handling different applications in different mobility levels. The levels may include social engagement, gaming, trading business intelligence, entertainment and lifestyle. According to statistics, HTML5 has a share of about 68% in the mobile development world and its growth is progressive. The following are the benefits and reasons why HTML5 is the future:

The Semantics

Essentially, this means that there is a new set of tags that will enhance your HTML code and this will make it increasingly meaningful. Conventional developers use a lot of tag div. Now they can easily develop with the new tags which include nav, header and footer and this makes HTML more productive. When it comes to classification of different web page parts, HTML5 will provide all the necessary semantic elements.

Storage And Offline Benefits

If you are worried about the storage of user’s data for fast upload to servers, you shouldn’t. HTML5 will give you a bank you can use to store the data and synchronize it to the server when you need to. This feature will ensure that your application is working even when the user is to online and will greatly enhance performance.

It is not a good thing to have an application that will still function well without internet connection? It is and HTML5 can help you achieve this. HTML5 can create an experience that can be reached by users with or without the internet. In addition to this amazing feature, you will also be able to save important data to databases locally.

Interesting Connectivity

HTML5 has the capability of speeding up and boosting real time chats, and games. It also works in the delivery of improved communication. The connection and the video conferencing control is done in the browser directly and this does not require external applications or plug-ins.

Video Multimedia

HTML5 has the ability to integrate video and audio smoothly into browsers. This will not require any Silverlight or Flash. Initially, there was no solid way videos could be incorporated into website pages. This resulted in a need for video player development. These players were functioning well but the need for external plug-ins meant that you had to go through the annoying process of downloading them. Today, HTML5 does the work for you. Videos will run smoothly and users get a good browsing experience without any delays.

3D Graphics and Special Effects

Initially, developers had to use JavaScript or Flash/CSS in the fabrications of animations for website visual effects. HTML5 comes with new tags such as canvas which gives developers the ability to provide great visual effects that are similar to those produced through flash.  It explains why experts are saying it might be the right point to say goodbye to flash. Additionally, you will get other mazing features geared towards web graphics. These include WebGL, 2D Canvas among many other features. This just gives HTML5 more credits and authority in this sphere.

Integration and Performance

HTML5 will ensure that all your apps are fast and robust. This will allow you to handle multiple threading in the browser directly. There will be a JavaScript web worker running in the background and this will not need the assistance of any other scripts. Most importantly, it will not in any way affect the pages performance. Though the web worker will be busy running in the background other functions such as selecting and clicking will be much faster.

Flash Replacement

Without a doubt, mobile devices have won the computer vs. mobile devices war. They have taken over the world and more people are starting to use them in internet based activities. HTML5 is one of the most ready tools for a future full of mobile devices. It has the capability of developing modern applications and mobile sites. Adobe is already indicating the death of flash and developers will have to depend on HTML5 to handle web app development in the near future.

Mobile browsers have already embraced the use of HTML5 in the creation of mobile ready project. This is based on its uncomplicatedness in designing and building projects for smaller screen displays operated through touch. It will improve the markup tags including audio and video, animation canvas aspect, and modern semantic elements such as header, article and aside. This will give a different appearance and meaning to web page elements.

So, why Is HTML5 The Future?

According to statistics, about 60% of developers have already transformed to development through HTML5 for major projects. 19% native mobile developers are now using less of the traditional technology. For this reason, it is quite clear that HTML5 is becoming the new platform of choice. The technology in web development is maturing and improving every day. It is a matter of a short period before development through HTML5 surpasses any other native development methods.

There will always be people who believe they need native mobile application for more important platforms. Most of the developers are opting to go with the working smart and not hard bandwagon. In the near future a web application will be required to work for most of the mobile platforms if not all. For this and many other reasons, HTML5 is believed to be an important tool in future web development.

Reasons Why Your Website Design Is not working

By Derek Robinson

So you have had a website made and now your business is up to date with the current technology. Unfortunately, your website is not serving the purpose it was created for properly. The only reason behind failed web design and development is in the creation. We will have a look at some of the common reasons why your website design is not working as expected. You need to talk to a web design expert to have this corrected immediately.

Cluttered Homepage

If your design is involves a cluttered home page, then you can expect that the visitors will be greatly slowed down and this will significantly affect your website’s performance. We are not saying that your website home page should have limited things. What it means is that you can have all the topics you want but they have to be presented in an orderly manner. This way, your visitors will find what they are looking for faster. The reason you have a website is to provide information about your business online. When the website is not doing this, then it has failed.

Your Web Design Just Involves Paragraphs Of Texts

When your website is all about long paragraphs that have no visual breaks or some images to break the monotony it is highly unlikely that you will pass your message to enough target audience. Most users are in search of information they can scan through quickly and get an idea of what they are looking for. Simply put, blocks of text without any breaks or without some images are boring. Not many people will read through these blocks of texts and this just limits your website’s ability.  Web design professionals will help you with the layout of a perfectly balanced website content that will attract users and keep them reading what you have to say.

No or Improperly Placed Call To Action

Your web design and development is all about driving your visitor to what you want them to do. This is why you will explain what your business has to offer then tell your visitors what to do or where to go next. This is what is referred to call to action. If your site does not have a call to action or the call to action is not properly placed, then this will be a big problem. As your design is laid out, it is important to give the call to action the attention it deserves.

Unresponsive Web Design

It is sad that there are still many websites that will not format properly to fit in a small screen of mobile devices. This means that the design is unresponsive and you are losing a lot in matters of target audience. Note that most people now use mobile devices to access the internet.

If you think your design is not working properly, it is time to talk to a professional web design company.

Advantages Using Animation Video With Website

By Derek Robinson

The world of web design is changing fast. From the blocks of text that were initially used to the modern websites with videos and now, the inclusion of animation ideas, the changes are coming in fast and strong. Web animation comes in different forms and shapes and can be the subtle feature on the website or be the focus element on the page. Animation can have a positive effect on your online presence. There are a number of advantages using animation video with website and we will have a brief look at the main ones.

Animation Is An Attention Grabber

The World Wide Web is full of websites in your line of business. Since you are competing with millions of other sites, having a specific unique feature will work positively in making your site more notable. Animation comes in different forms for different reasons you can use animation to distract the user during loading time especially for portfolios, minimalism and flat designs. Animation can also be used in the web menu, especially with moving icons and the hidden menus that are revealed with a click of a button.

Slide shows and galleries are other popular places where web animation is used in most websites. This is just a simple way of content display in a unique attractive way that attracts attention. Whatever form of animation selected, it should serve its purpose without distracting the visitors from the important content.

Web Animation Makes Your Website Stand Out

Most of the websites have static content. Adding animation to your site will make it stand out from the crowd. As mentioned, there are many different ways you can make use of animation to give your website a unique look. To get your website notices, you need great web skills and innovative content.

As you select your animation you should remember that mobile-first principle is becoming the model of choice in web design. Keep in mind that most web views are coming from mobile devices and you should incorporate this as you add the animated content and features.

Animation Achieves The Impossible

In most cases, the reason why most people use animation in their websites is to achieve something that is impossible to achieve using photos or real videos. If there is something that you might find impossible to express clearly using text or photos, animation will do a great job filling up this gap.

Messages Through Animation Last Longer

Any message you pass through visual and audio presentation will last longer in the mind of your audience. A short animated video introducing products/service or your brand can have significant impact on traffic visiting your website. A study indicates that people are 50% more likely to remember information they got through audio visual formats. This simply means that animation can help you communicate better and sell more products and services through your website.

Flexibility

Animation is flexible and can give you the advantage of introducing a number of products is short simple video. Some visitors do not have the time to flip through the website looking for specific products or services. Using an animated video can help you introduce all the services at once.

Always Remember Less Is More

A popular saying says that too much of something is dangerous. This applies to animation. Make sure you are not overloading your website with animated content. As mentioned, the animation should not interfere with the content. Where there is too much animated content the content might not send the message it was created for. Just make sure your website gets the right amount of animation in the right places and all will be well.

Difference Between Informational and Ecommerce Website

By Derek Robinson

The modern world is all about websites. Almost all businesses have websites and those that do not are missing out on a great deal of benefits. When it comes to websites, there are different types. In this brief post, we will have a look at the difference between informational and ecommerce website. Both are websites but the fact that they serve different purposes is what draws a line between them. We will look at each of these websites and what they are created for and the audience they serve.

Informational Websites

Informational websites are the kinds of websites that provide information to the public. These types of websites vary and can range from taking care of your automobile to medical information. These websites are used by people or businesses to display their work and describe their services while the actual transactions and service delivery takes place offline. The main purpose of such a website is to allow the target audience to learn more about you and your business and what you do. In most cases, people would like to do their own research prior to contacting you or your business. Informational websites give you the ability to present as much expertise and knowledge as possible. This gives your audience a chance to learn more about you before they make that important call.

Ecommerce Website

An E-commerce website is a site specifically designed to facilitate commercial or business transactions involving information transfer online. E-commerce websites include but not limited to auction sites, retail stores, business-to-business services, financial management sites and music sites. Some of the popular e-commerce sites are eBay, Amazon, Zappos, Overstock, iTunes among many others. While the purpose of having a website is to promote services and products on the internet, an ecommerce website takes everything a step further. This website gives your audience a chance to buy products and services directly from your website. This saves you a lot of expenses and gives your audience convenience. With such a site, people can now shop in the comfort of their homes.

Conclusion

The difference between informational and ecommerce website is what they are designed to do. Like their names suggest, the informational website will basically provide information about a company and its products and services. An ecommerce website on the other hand will give the consumers a chance to buy products and services directly from the website regardless of where they are (of course they need internet connection and there might be some terms and conditions to be followed).Now you know the difference.