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September 29, 2018 Read

The Good Time to Market What You Have to Offer

The meaning of marketing has slightly changed in recent years. Now, it refers to a series of activities that take place throughout the year. But why has this status changed so considerably? This is because, unlike in previous times, marketing is a diversified, more planned, and carefully executed task. Every current business needs to adapt to this mode of marketing. It is necessary in today’s times, given the availability of multiple options for customers. But it’s not possible to meticulously plan and execute throughout the year. So, what’s the solution to this? Well, for starters, if you are a businessman who is seeking the answer to your marketing-related queries, like how to market your business? This is the right blog for you. You can do all the needed hard work and then market your offering during the good times of the year. Now you may counter this statement with an obvious question of yours, “What’s the good time to market your offerings?” When should you tickle your marketing cells the most? So, the question that still lingers on is, “What’s the good time to market your offerings?”. Numerous marketing experts have often provided valuable answers to this question. Why do I say valuable? This is because this step has been proven to yield satisfactory returns at the end of the marketing campaign. Most marketing gurus have often recommended the time of festivals and special occasions as the most fruitful time of the year to carry out your skillfully planned marketing campaign and the most efficient service-selling techniques. What these times bring to any customer is a strong reason to utilise their spending capacity. Thus, a marketer gets a compelling reason to promote their offerings in an influential way. This has become the currently prevailing marketing mantra of success. So, if you are running a business and seeking answers to questions like ‘how to market your business?’ then spend all your tactics, ideas, and methods to make the most of these occasions towards your own success. How does this work out? To explain this further, I would like to present you with the results of a survey conducted. The survey considered two businessmen, A and B, who operate in the same market and offer similar products. So, there is just a month to go for Thanksgiving. A decides to plan a marketing event, especially for that day. So, he starts planning, budgeting, scheduling, sharing ideas, and more with his workers. On the other hand, B doesn’t take any such initiative. Instead, he goes with his usual strategy of non-prioritising any such moment. He continues to perform in the same way throughout the year. At the same time, A and his team spend days nearing the event working excessively hard for what they have imagined as a viral marketing campaign. They can ultimately carry out whatever they have imagined. B still stands firm on his stance against special marketing. During the Thanksgiving season, their usual sales figures range from 300 to 400 items. The survey revealed that B successfully sold a total of 300 items that day. But it’s seen that A’s sales figures rose considerably. He sold 500 items that day. Therefore, statistics show that A experienced a 40% rise in sales figures, while B maintained a stable sales chart. But what really made this difference? The answer lies in that special marketing campaign. A was able to attract and convince several people, beyond their usual customer base, to try out their offerings. B did not face losses but missed out on this extra profit opportunity. Why is this the right time to do so? It becomes imperative that you begin your marketing campaign well in advance of the actual festival or occasion date. Any viral marketing campaign depends on these very moments. If you ask any marketing expert about the viability of this time, they will all explain that it is indeed so. Several factors support this theory. Let’s explore them below. Stand out from the crowd. What a festival special marketing campaign will do for your business is boost its sales and reach. You need to stand out from the other prevalent competitive strategies existing in the market. So, what better than a special occasion to make that dream come alive? If you manage to make a marketing campaign that soaks in the joys and highs of that occasion, then your customers are bound to notice them sooner or later. Press releases Special occasions are the ideal time for a running business to promote itself and its work in the media. Experimental, edgy, and unique service-selling techniques will receive a significant attention boost with the aid of substantial press coverage. Which festivals or seasons should fill your target list? Your target should be to leave no major festival or primary season unturned. The next major festival, which people worldwide are eagerly anticipating, is Halloween. Halloween is a time of year when people like to bring their imaginations, fantasies, and crazy sides out. Moreover, the concept of Halloween is interesting enough to conceptualise quirky and exciting marketing campaigns. The next significant moment that follows Halloween is Thanksgiving Day. This is a special moment that most people celebrate wholeheartedly. So, imperatively, it becomes vital that you capitalise on the importance of this day and run an all-viral marketing campaign. Your primary goal should be to capture people’s attention with a marketing theme that reflects the grandeur of this special day. The following essential days on your list should be Christmas and New Year’s. Again, these are a special time for many people. So, it becomes vital that you utilise this opportunity to increase your brand awareness and take your business to a whole new level. You must also consider the wedding season. This typically occurs around the end of the year. It’s one of the biggest times to celebrate and spend money to your heart’s desire. So, you must capitalise on these.

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September 27, 2018 Read

Graphic Design Contests vs Freelancers vs Agencies – Which one to Approach?

While seeking graphical essentials, marketers often become confused about which should be their target destination – design contests, freelancers, or professional agencies. Indeed, are you dwelling on the same concern? Surprisingly, the solution to your concern resides in just two aspects. Before commencing a graphic design work, you have to reckon with your financial plan and your fundamental objective. However, it is also possible that you can create your own graphics. However, hiring professional designers is a relatively better idea. Not only because they make something more unique and engrossing, but hiring a team also assists you with more time and effort that you can put into another side of your business. Now the question is, which one would be fruitful for your business? Here we have a detailed analysis for you. 1. Cost factor: Cost is something that always matters. Isn’t it? While researching this topic, we have discovered that hiring a freelancer typically costs around $75-$100/hr on average. This can range from as low as $25 per hour to as high as $300/hr. Now, if you desire to launch a contest, then it would add a little more to your budget. However, if you outsource your project to online graphic design services, it will likely make a dent in your wallet. It may be as low as $10,000 or as high as $50,000 or more. Regardless of your preference, the cost will vary depending on the intensity of your project. 2. Options: Are you looking for an ocean of options? In this case, consider opting for a design contest. This process is initiated by launching a contest on DesignCrowd, 99designs, CrowdSpring or any other website that you prefer the most. This will provide you with a diverse range of options and multiple perspectives to fulfil your single desire. However, confusions act as a bonus in this approach. Launching a contest may be a great idea, but you may fail to reap the benefits if your project involves multiple components. We believe, on this account, that freelancers or a branding and web design agency are the best and offer perfection. Let us sort this out with an example. Say you need to create a brand image, i.e a logo, some infographics, brochures, and business cards for your business. No doubt, you can launch a design contest for each item. However, this will be time-consuming and also costly. To avoid these pitfalls, it is always better to prefer a freelancer or a graphic design agency and outsource such a project. 3. Timeline: In the battle between 99designs and freelancers, a freelancer typically takes a few weeks or a few months to create your design. Whereas, if you are running a contest, you will hardly get 7 days to choose the winner and a maximum of 12-15 days to get your final files. This timeline, of course, varies for different contest segments. On the contrary, if you hire a company to perform your task, you will have to work with them for months. Otherwise, you may choose to pay more to expedite your work. 4. Efficiency: Have you jotted down all your requisites? It’s essential to know what exactly you want. If you can respond to your question, then freelancers can assist you in developing an effective business solution. However, this doesn’t mean that graphic design agencies or design contests are worthless. In comparison, freelancers take the lead in this regard. Additionally, working with freelancers offers more pros than other variations. Because you can make direct contact with the designer, nothing can be better than having direct communication, especially when you are seeking something crucial like graphic design. This allows you to explain your needs to them in detail, track your project, identify mistakes while it’s in progress, and make improvements whenever and wherever needed. However, if you are likely to do the same with the contest participants or the design agency, you will have to encounter multiple intermediaries. In any case, every methodology is associated with at least one disadvantage. Freelancers – Since you are directly connected with a freelancer, you have to be efficient and smart enough to choose a perfect freelancer from the ocean of designers. Design Contests – According to the above analysis, launching a design contest is a time-consuming process. You may not get the coveted outcome at one glance, but you should not lose patience or fail to submit your feedback to the potential participant. An active participation from both sides is mandatory in this case. Agency – Hiring a branding and design agency can be pretty expensive compared to previous approaches. However, if you are not overly concerned about your budget and want something truly compelling, then hiring an agency should be your choice, rather than an alternative. So, have you decided which one to prefer for your project? We recommend investing in a design agency that will not only serve you as a client but also assist you in developing and branding your business. A wealth of graphic designers is accessible both online and offline. Yet reaching the one associated with a branding agency will serve you exactly what you need.

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September 21, 2018 Read

Top 6 JavaScript Frameworks Used By the Web Developers

JavaScript, as we know, is a highly regarded scripting language, or to be more precise, it is a high-level programming language that enables the creation of interactive and responsive web pages. Not just these, this scripting language offers multiple advantages. Thus, JavaScript, along with HTML and CSS, is often used by developers to enhance web application development with robust features or create one that implements advanced functionalities. However, developers frequently wind up in confusion as they proceed with their web development tasks. Why so? This is due to the advent of an array of JavaScript Frameworks. An assortment of frameworks and updates is released every day, making it difficult for developers to choose the most fruitful one for their project. Are you facing the same trouble? This in-depth guide will serve as a valuable resource for you to draw a conclusion. The top JavaScript Frameworks of 2018 that have won the support of thousands of developers are as follows. 1. Angular 5: Angular 5 is often the priority for the front-end developers. The latest version of Angular 5, freshly coded in 2018, is integrated with a full-featured framework. This includes default language, building toolchain, state management, and data fetching. The inclusion of TypeScript as the default development language has significantly contributed to the framework’s efficiency and speed. Some practical features incorporate: 1. Angular 5 supports the TypeScript 2.4 version. 2. Errors can easily be detected. 3. String-based enums have been introduced as a new feature that can express an enum as a string rather than a number. 4. Ensures simpler but progressive web app development by eliminating irrelevant code. For example, Google AdWords, AdSense, PayPal, Amazon, Gmail, and so on. 2. React Native: Another popular JavaScript framework of 2018, React Native, is used to create cross-platform mobile applications. This can be Android, iOS or both. Guys, you will be surprised to know that the use of React Native has increased in recent years. Therefore, Android developers should not forget to utilise this configuration when enhancing web or mobile app development. The features include: 1. Allows web developers to design a standout app using only one configuration file. 2. Excels in doing the momentous task of developing new builds for Android and iOS. 3. Update apps smoothly. For example, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Dropbox, and others. Definitely, you are aware of all these social media apps. 3. Node.js: Like Angular 5, Node.js has also been in the market for a long while now. This JavaScript runtime environment incorporates all the functionalities required to run a JavaScript program. This framework basically utilises an event-driven and single-threaded loop to create web applications. Features of Node.js are as follows: 1. They are easy to install and easy to execute. 2. Codes are platform independent. 3. Concurrent structure for developing network apps. 4. Supports HTTP and TCP protocols. 5. Accelerates Page loading. For example, LinkedIn, Walmart, Netflix, Uber, and others. Definitely heard of these names, right? 4. Meteor.js: Best JavaScript frameworks of 2018 also include Meteor.js. It is an open-source platform that allows developers to design real-time web apps. Just like Real Native, Meteor.js also can generate cross-platform code. This eventually speeds up the development task. The features are as follows: 1. Responsive design that implies the web design can be run on both desktop and mobile devices. 2. Real-time updates For example: Down to Chill, Glympse, SuiteCharts, etc. 5. Vue.js: Vue.js has currently stimulated the web market. Although the framework was initially released in 2014, it has only been highlighted in the last couple of years. The latest JavaScript framework of 2018 is considered the easiest to learn and use. The featured framework enables developers to build user interfaces, and its adaptable architecture facilitates seamless integration into projects with a diverse range of JavaScript libraries. Thusly, the developers hardly put any optimisation effort into web development. Developers often prefer Vue.js for enhancing web app development due to its following features. 1. The Vue.js framework comes with a small size. It’s easy to download and use. 2. A simple structure thus saves time. 3. Easy integration. 4. Improved TypeScript integration. For example: Alibaba, Xiaomi, Adobe, Grammarly and so on. Interesting right? 6. Ember.js: Wanna create scalable user interfaces for your website development? Ember.js is basically based on the MVVM pattern that holds features like: 1. Empowers the web developers to utilise future JavaScript and transpile it. 2. Well-characterised structure. 3. Supports data binding. For example: Intercom, Apple, Yahoo, and other brands. Are you heading for web application development? All the aforesaid JavaScript frameworks are designed with their own pros and cons, and selecting a JavaScript Framework has a significant influence on your business. If not planned well, implementing a new technology can lead to consequences such as complex execution, high maintenance costs, and more serious hazards. Therefore, it is indeed necessary to be smart enough while using them in your undertakings. Although picking an appropriate framework may seem like challenging work, it can certainly be overcome if studied appropriately. And if you are still unable to make out, then hiring professional web developers will obviously be the most effective solution for your concern. However, be sure to avoid committing to unprofessional and unreliable agencies, as they can have a detrimental impact on your business. Are you ready? Here we go.

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September 17, 2018 Read

How To Select The Most Capable Digital Marketing Agency?

What is digital marketing? It is the marketing of products or services in the virtual world through the use of digital techniques. Digital marketing also caters to display advertisements, mobile marketing, and other digital media. Digital marketing is the future. Currently, it has established a unique and unavoidable presence for itself. The business world is constantly evolving. Therefore, it has become imperative for every businessperson to adapt to this evolving trend of internet marketing. Otherwise, it has become increasingly complex nowadays to even survive in this world of cut-throat competition. A brief insight into a digital marketing agency Online marketing may seem like an easy task, considering its overall summary. However, executing every technique correctly often ends up being an extremely tough and tiresome job. With the advent of this trend, a new kind of business has emerged. Nowadays, new firms are established to cater to the digital marketing needs of firms in various ways. They are credited with being a Digital marketing agency. These agencies provide a specialised service to their clients in the form of multiple techniques that are well-suited for the virtual world. However, the main problem arises in selecting these web design and marketing agencies. This business is growing tremendously. As a result, you will find numerous such firms operating everywhere, offering similar services to their customers. Therefore, with so many options available, it can be challenging at times to identify the most effective firm. So, what can be done about it? Some simple ways of choosing the most effective digital marketing firm When it comes to internet-based marketing, it goes without saying that you need to go for only the best agency that will help you to meet your goals in the best way possible. So, how do you go about it? Let’s explore your options here. You should have clarity in your thoughts. When attempting to hire the most efficient web design and marketing agency, the first step is to chart out a clear path in front of you. Digital marketing is a vast field, and there is much more to it than meets the eye. There is Search Engine optimisation, website development, content management, blogging, social media marketing, inbound marketing, and a lot more. So you need to define your needs first. Have a good discussion with your business partners or team members about your digital marketing requirements, and then proceed to search for the best firm. The best digital marketing agency will be able to cater for the best of them for you, only when you can clearly state what you require from them. Information about their expertise You should consider exploring the expertise of a digital marketing agency that you believe is the most capable for your requirements. You need to consider how expert a company is, irrespective of its business scale, office size, and experience. Numerous small-scale businesses outperform most big names. They have a hunger for success and so work with tremendous dedication and hard work. There is no fixed parameter of success and expertise. Therefore, extensive research is required to identify the most capable digital marketing agency. An expert company can provide you with services that will elevate the level of your business. So, choose wisely. Know about their works. Digital marketing companies can be best verified through their work. This not only counts for what projects they are currently working on, but also how they have performed over the years. You should review the work of your shortlisted agencies. Every company now keeps a sample of their best or most acclaimed works on their website. In addition to these, you can review their clients’ websites and verify their digital marketing success. Here are some key steps to consider when searching for a digital marketing agency. This will give a more than fair idea about the credibility of these firms. You need to take this step to assess their viability for significant projects. Another major aspect of digital marketing is content writing. So, be sure to check out these works as well. Try to determine their ability to utilise trending internet marketing techniques, as well as their measures of success. Some other parameters for finding the best agency Apart from these, there are undoubtedly other key parameters to consider when looking for a digital marketing agency. You also need to consider these factors to achieve success here. Know about the team of experts. What makes a good digital marketing firm? A team of expert employees. A team only succeeds in completing its tasks in this line of work when it is creative, enthusiastic, and passionate about it. Eventually, their skills will make your brand shine and propel it to the pinnacle of success. You can find out more about the expert employees of various Digital marketing companies by having a chat with them. Form a budget You need to set aside a separate budget for your digital marketing projects. Additionally, when selecting the best digital marketing agency, having a set budget can smooth out the process. So, with a set budget in mind, you can negotiate with these firms and finalise a mutually satisfying deal. A budget is necessary to select a firm. It will bring further clarity to your thoughts and help you stay on track. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t compromise on the quality of work while saving a few extra bucks. When it comes to success, only quality matters and not an economical deal. These are some of the most crucial factors that you should seriously consider while selecting the best digital marketing firm. Related Blog ⇒ 6 Top Inbound Marketing Strategies you need to know besides Digital Marketing

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September 13, 2018 Read

Uncover the Differences Amid Mobile App vs Desktop App Design

With the advent of mobile apps in late 2013, the digital market landscape underwent a dramatic shift. Internet usage of mobile apps surpassed that of desktops, and by the end of 2016, browsing using mobile apps had surpassed desktop applications. Consequently, today, desktop design has been replaced with web and mobile app development, and it has become a challenge for marketers to keep pace with this digital evolution. Are you an entrepreneur and heading to start your own venture? In that case, you should first learn the difference between desktop and mobile app design. These allow you to shape your business and reach your potential audience. Excited? Travel down the blog and you will be able to make out the diversities. 1. Screen Size: The very first visual difference that a layman can understand is their screen size. Most of you may wonder, what’s the use of advertising this difference? Guys, this means a lot when it comes to designing a mobile app. Screen size influences several aspects of design, including navigation and content prioritisation. Mobile app design includes a smaller screen size. This means less room for text, graphics, and other digital content. Isn’t it? Well, does that mean you have to say ‘no’ to some graphics or information? Umm.. to some extent, yes. Designers, when developing these mobile apps, prioritise certain content, eliminating some graphics and other irrelevant elements. Desktop app design, on the other hand, is far from such a hassle. This allows it to incorporate its design with a wide range of digital content, rather than deferring to different pages. 2. Interactions: Today, almost every mobile device uses a touchscreen, which offers a different way of interaction to the users. Instead of clicking on a link or browsing with a cursor, users can easily tap their screen and interact with varying elements of the interface. This is what is called gestures. So, as a designer, you need to keep in mind that today, interactions using cursors have been replaced with mobile gestures. Not sounding a bit deal? Nevertheless, this actually means a lot. Mobile apps may not allow you to hover or rollover, but you can easily get in touch with an endless slate of gestures, literally at your fingertips. Swiping, shaking, and waving are the new trendy features of mobile apps. 3. Dropdown Menus: One of the main differentiating elements of mobile app vs desktop app design is the dropdown menu facility. Dropdown menus are quite feasible on desktops, but incorporating them into mobile apps is no less than a challenge. These menus are more appropriate or work better in a more user-friendly environment. 4. Organising content: As we mentioned earlier, the desktop format accommodates any content, regardless of size. This traditional multi-column format provides excellent flexibility for design layouts, images, and UI elements. On the other hand, mobile apps can’t include broad content, so they utilise the scrolling feature to make it visible. Amazing right? Nevertheless, the desktop screen also features scrolling, but unlike the mobile screen, you are allowed to use scroll bars to scroll down. Such a technology not only occupies your screen space but also allows you to enjoy the fun with gestures. Additionally, mobile apps can be switched between portrait and landscape mode. You can call it a curse or a blessing for the marketers. Why so? Twin modes may allow better functionality and user personalisation, but on the other hand, mobile app designers are pressured to design twice (in both modes). Quite an exhausting work. Isn’t it? 5. Integrated features: Designing a mobile app involves incorporating numerous integrated features that serve as a valuable bonus for marketers. These include direct calling, messaging, voice calls, and location functionalities. Additionally, you can entertain your customers with exclusive gateways, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, multiple cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetic sensors. Will you get such direct features in your desktop app? Certainly not. These actually tailor your business to provide easier interactions and enhance your visitors’ experience. Our motive behind uncovering the difference between mobile applications and desktop applications is to make you realise that developing a mobile app should be your priority. If you are planning to create both a desktop and a mobile app, it is recommended to go mobile first. As of today, a majority of digital users prefer to browse mobile apps over desktop applications. Especially if you are about to create an e-commerce business app, you should also have sufficient knowledge of the prioritised elements or list down the design elements that you need for your mobile app development. Interested in bringing down your website to your fingertips? Research on professional mobile app developers. Remember, they know better than you, in all respects. Instead of digging out more problems, outsource your Android app development task to them. They will create a responsive, attractive, user-friendly, and most importantly, SEO-friendly mobile application to serve your business needs. Developing websites and creating web or mobile apps are entirely different endeavours. Therefore, toeing the line above, we guess, will be pretty beneficial for you. Furthermore, you should also ensure that your website design is compatible with your mobile speed. If not, then, unfortunately, you have to lose many customers. Are you done with your mobile app? In that case, you should not forget to update your website and mobile apps with the latest technology trends. After all, every new day brings a new technology that evolves and changes the market landscape. Hold on! We are not asking you to update your site or app on a daily basis. This is something freaky. However, you should renovate your site at least every three to four years.

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September 5, 2018 Read

Website Redesign – When and Why is it Needed?

We all have something or other, quite near to our heart, especially when it is technically in working condition, and we don’t really bother to replace it. The same applies to many marketers. They are not actually concerned about the website redesign, as they feel that “what’s the use of unnecessary investment when the site is still working?” However, history suggests that it is indeed needed. When and why we are going to investigate in the following. Website design and development are the primary needs for every digital marketer in today’s chapter. But assuming this to be the first and last investment on this platform is where you all go wrong. For most of you, website redesign is like beating around the bush. But avoiding webpage updates can result in a loss of benchmark for you. The following are the signs your website needs a redesign. 1. Outdated version: Is your webpage applicable to mobile apps? Perhaps, it is. But this is not our question, indeed. We doubt whether your website is mobile responsive or not. With the advent of new technologies, the market has encountered multiple changes. The website that you developed a couple of years ago offers the same design for both desktop and mobile. However, such a design is now completely outdated. Just imagine, your viewers are surfing your mobile website and the content is not well-displayed. Do you think they will engage themselves with such a destructive site, spending their precious time? Obviously not. Neither the viewers nor your existing customers will become potential customers, nor will they show further interest in you. Ultimately, at your worst, you will lose the identity and reliability you have gained over the past few years. To avoid these pitfalls, it is essential to redesign your existing website based on the latest marketing trends at least every 4-5 years. 2. Template Sites restricts advantages: Small businesses often rely on template websites to create their online presence. But these sites limit the advantages and restrict the future goals. Therefore, to achieve prosperity, you need to get your own customised website that can scale your business appropriately. Ignoring template sites for web design or expanding on that further will offer numerous advantages. Better hosting, extensive graphics, and endless creativity help your business gain more reliability, fame, and enhancement. These are the main reasons to have a website without template designs. 3. Targeting a new audience: A redo of your website design and Professional Website Development are also required if you aim to target a new market with a new audience. Approaching a new market means new visuals and new usability to appeal to them. This is when you actually need to redesign your website. The updated website will include new demographics, locales, different preferences, new search keywords, interfaces, text tone, and interactions, among other updates. All should be based on the market audience, their tastes, and demands. Remember, the more user-friendly your website is, the more you will be able to engage your viewers. 4. Re-Branding: It’s not always the case that when the web page looks outdated or when the site restricts engagement, you need to redesign your website. There are also other reasons to redesign your website. Among those upcoming reasons, rebranding is a significant factor. Rebranding implies a change in brand values, a shift in the marketing sector, a change in the business name, logo, or advertising themes. Whatever it may be, recreating your website is indeed necessary to reflect your brand’s personality. Every little aesthetic change can benefit your business from consistency. However, if you are unwilling to do so, your website will be ranked as outdated by default. 5. To follow the trend: Sometimes it is necessary to flow with the trend – how many of you agree with this? Just as we avoid or think twice before wearing too outdated clothes, the same reasoning applies to the site as well. The digital market is evolving daily, and so is its marketing strategy. Therefore, it is essential to update your site periodically. Now, obviously, you can’t update regularly. But yes, you can do this every 3-4 years. This will reward your web page with higher rankings, and in turn, benefit Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) with faster posting. 6. Business goals are hampered: Leaving all the aforesaid reasons behind, it is actually very necessary to update your website if it is not meeting your business goals. Websites play a significant role in business growth. It actually influences the target conversion rate and attracts traffic toward the business. A high bounce rate or low email sign-ups are typically the result of an outdated website design. What are the different types of redesign you can look at? Redesigning your website is not always an easy endeavour. There are three common types of redesign approaches to consider. Periodic Update: This is the standard update that every marketer should perform, regardless of your business size and type. This enhances the business functionality, keeps your design trend up-to-date, and refreshes your SEO strategy. Strategic Refocusing: Such an update is required when you encounter any significant changes, such as rebranding your business or entering a new market. Updating and modifying your brand image can significantly enhance business promotion. Data or Customer-based redesigns: Similar to strategic refocusing, this type of redesign emphasises the changes dictated by the customers’ data. A rapid decline in conversion rate can be a vital reason to choose this updated design type. To learn how to create it, you will have to wait for our next blog. Till then, you explore whether your web page needs any improvement based on the latest digital marketing strategies.

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August 30, 2018 Read

99designs or DesignCrowd – Which One Should be Preferred?

Seeking the top logo design service? 99designs and DesignCrowd are both crowdsourcing creative platforms that facilitate collaboration between professional designers and clients. These platforms organise contests for designers, where they create digital assets, including logos, web designs, and graphics, for clients and win prize money. It is a win-win for both parties – for designers as well as for the clients. So where lies the difference? On the face of it, both of them may appear similar. However, if you dig deeper, you will find several distinguishable factors. 99designs is the largest online graphic design service platform, connecting graphic designers with projects and contests to work on. It includes approximately 1.4 million registered professional designers in its community and has paid out $200 million to date to the designers. This featured, sizable platform offers a wide range of design products, including logos, web design, music album covers, 3D designs, and more. In contrast to 99designs, DesignCrowd is a small online community with just 640000 designers and $47 million in revenue to date. Though both platform maintains a global presence, DesignCrowd can reach only a limited audience in comparison with 99designs. This difference in size reveals the formal difference between the two. Is that all about the differences? Of course not. This was just a clear factor to distinguish the two, apparently. And a lot more to come in the way. 1. Design Contest pricing: It’s hard to compare the contest pricing between the two platforms. However, we have still managed to draw a comparison. Let us have a look. Both design platforms allow you to choose packages at different price points and charge an additional amount for every extra feature. However, relative to 99designs, DesignCrowd packages are generally cheaper. Well, that doesn’t mean DesignCrowd is bad for designers. DesignCrowd works in principle – the more you pay, the more DesignCrowd offers you with the design submissions, regardless of the designers’ efficiency. While in the case of 99designs, a more expensive package implies the participation of high-level designers in your contest. Consequently, you can expect a lot of high-level submissions accordingly. 2. Design Quality: Paying extra on 99designs will offer you a better selection of designers. This obviously doesn’t imply that designers at DesignCrowd are bad. Many are actually talented. But 99designs, compared to the latter, offers designers far better consistency. For the startups, DesignCrowd arranges its designers according to their five-star ratings. Clients essentially provide the ratings, and therefore, if they fail to do so, the platform also fails to store their designs in its system. According to the statistics, among 600,000 designers, only about 42000 have their individual ratings. In the case of 99designs, designers are ranked based on a personal assessment conducted by the staff. For this, the graphic designers are asked to submit a bio that includes their repeat clients, contest wins, response time, and their specialisation. These classifications categorise designers as Entry-level, Mid-level, or Top-level, enabling clients to find a suitable designer for their project. 3. Design Contest process: In the battle between DesignCrowd and 99designs, the process of conducting contests is remarkably similar. Clients provide a design brief according to their preferences, and the designers must design their concepts accordingly. Finally, in the end, they will give feedback to their selected designers and both offer a guaranteed money-back. But where lies the difference? In 99designs contests, the briefs are more in-depth, whereas DesignCrowd offers standard, one-page briefs. However, 99designs always strives to understand the clients’ preferences and assist designers thoroughly. As a result, it encourages the designers to produce far better results. Furthermore, both DesignCrowd and 99designs offer direct hiring on projects. However, DesignCrowd mainly focuses on design contests rather than directly working with designers. Now, since you are well aware of all the differences, it will be far easier for you to find a helpful platform. If you are highly concerned about price and expenses, then it is better to prefer DesignCrowd. On the other hand, if you are concerned only with graphic designs, their quality, and hiring hardcore designers, then you should skip to 99designs. So what’s your choice? Whatever it may be, you will get a lot of impressive ideas on logos as well as on graphics.

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August 25, 2018 Read

10 Ways for Website Designing to Improve Your Mobile Speed

The Cost of a Slow Website Imagine standing in a long queue, waiting for your turn, but never getting it. Frustrating, right? You might even leave and avoid returning. Now replace yourself with your customers and the queue with a slow-loading website. The storyline is the same. A delay in loading your web page causes: Fewer page views Lower customer satisfaction Reduced conversion rates Clearly, that’s not what you want. Even a few extra seconds can have a significant impact on traffic and sales. Why Mobile Optimisation Matters Since mobile users now outnumber desktop users, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial. A professional website development approach alone isn’t enough—you must also optimise for mobile performance. Here are 10 ways to design your website for faster loading and better engagement: 1. Optimise Images Images are essential, but they can slow your website if not properly handled. Reduce file size, crop, compress, and save pictures in the correct format before uploading. Small changes here can make a huge difference in load speed. 2. Choose the Right Hosting Cheap or slow hosting can gradually harm your website’s performance. Invest in a reliable hosting plan or dedicated server to ensure your site loads quickly and handles traffic efficiently. 3. Optimise JavaScript JavaScript adds interactivity but can slow loading. Place scripts at the bottom of files, minimise code, and use asynchronous loading to prevent delays. 4. Implement Lazy Loading Lazy loading lets content load progressively—first the essentials, then the rest. Google recommends this approach to speed up websites and improve SEO. 5. Enable Caching Caching stores frequently requested files on a user’s device temporarily. Enabling it reduces load times and improves the user experience. 6. Minimise Redirects Excessive redirects slow your website. Remove unnecessary ones to improve mobile speed and accessibility. 7. Use Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) AMP leverages a streamlined HTML and JavaScript framework to improve mobile load times dramatically. This Google-backed approach ensures faster, smoother browsing. 8. Eliminate Tap Delays Mobile devices often wait for double-tap actions, which slows interaction. Adding the correct header code can remove this delay. 9. Consider Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) PWAs deliver interactive, dynamic content without requiring installation or updates. They also work offline, offering a faster and more engaging mobile experience. 10. Remove Unused Plugins If your site runs on WordPress, unnecessary plugins can slow it down. Deactivate or delete unused plugins to maintain efficiency and speed. Take Action Test your website speed now. If you notice delays, consider implementing these tips for improved performance. Alternatively, share your findings with your professional web developer for a more effective solution.

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August 22, 2018 Read

Feature Your WordPress With Essential Beta Plugins

WordPress, as you know, is a content management system (CMS) based on an open-source, free platform that includes a featured plugin architecture and a template system. You must have already incorporated it into your business website for better productivity. Isn’t it? Even the Web Developers Association uses WordPress marketing plugins to build successful blogs for you. However, if you are not using this online platform, then you are simply paving the way to the failure of your business. Furthermore, WordPress is gaining momentum by adding more features, allowing existing users to stay longer and attracting newcomers. And you know what, you can test these features before installing them on your site, thus preventing yourself from future pitfalls. The testing is done by using beta plugins. Beta plugins weed out WordPress features to make improvements. There are a significant number of Beta Plugins available for WordPress; among them, we have listed only the 5 essential ones. Keep reading the blog to note them for your future purpose. 1. Two-Factor: Two-factor Authentication (2FA) is not a new buzz; rather, it has already been standardised throughout various industries, ranging from banking sectors to social media. 2FA in WordPress offers email authentication codes, the Google Authenticator, FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F), and pre-generated single-use codes. Speaking informally, these WordPress essentials enable back-end users to verify all their accounts using multiple options, thereby keeping your website a bit safer. In short, two-factor authentication is a great option and will remain a great option if safety is more critical for you. 2. Preferred Languages: Websites are used by people all over the world; they’re not for a specific group of users. Isn’t it? Therefore, to make your browsing more convenient, WordPress allows users to select their preferred primary language. This plugin checks explicitly whether the chosen language is available or not. If it’s not found, the software defaults to English. Isn’t it amazing for your customers to browse your website? 3. Shortcake: Adding shortcodes to WordPress doesn’t allow you to view the post until you post it on your page. This is something quite annoying, and you must have faced this often. Isn’t it? Shortcake plugins in WordPress aim to fix all such problems. It includes preview and editing options for those shortcodes. For example, the plugin supports various Facebook elements, including posts, quotes, PDF files, videos, image comparisons, and streams. In short, it can be said that Shortcake predefined User Interfaces (UIs) enable you to preview your shortcodes and also let you register custom shortcodes to a predefined UI. These are not only beneficial for your users, but also for you. 4. Core Media Widgets: A dozen widgets, including calendars, text, custom HTML code, and comments, are already featured by WordPress web developers. However, when it comes to media-focused widgets, the picture takes a Sharp Turn. To solve this issue, the Core-Media Widgets plugin offers options for audio, video, images, and galleries. These can now be added anywhere, at any time. WordPress updated with these plugins is ready to serve all your desired needs, undoubtedly. 5. Customise posts: Want to edit a post, but without navigating to its actual editing page – is this really possible? Customise Posts, one of the most interesting WordPress plugins, is set to change the page template without requiring an edit page. It basically allows users to edit page and post content within the WordPress Customizer itself. The Customizer holds an editing button, which, once clicked, enables you to tweak the page, including the title, featured image, author, and even the passage. This also authorises enabling and disabling of comments for your posts. You can perform all this without returning to the dashboard, thereby saving a significant amount of time from your busy schedule. 6. Dark Mode: Often, people have a problem browsing screens at night. Agree or not? The Dark Mode plugin optimises your screen to make it easier for users to browse at night. The plugin enables the night-light feature in WordPress, thus making the website more accessible. You may have already noticed this feature on your mobile apps, such as Google Maps, which changes its colour to a dark shade. The same is aimed at this WordPress featured plugin. Developing your website using a feature-rich WordPress platform is not only effective for your business but also for your viewers. Are you already using this CMS-based platform for your website? In that case, consider updating to the latest version of WordPress to help your business stand out. Looking forward to outsourcing your web development task in Chicago, USA? There are a significant number of professional web developers in Chicago; you can easily get in touch with them for more improvements and perfection.

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August 17, 2018 Read

Wikipedia – an Inevitable Part For Branding Your Business. Why?

Wikipedia is again a new buzzword in today’s digital market. Although there are multiple ways to brand a business, creating a Wikipedia page is yet another option. To explore the reason, you have to keep reading this article till the end. However, before proceeding, you should be clear about the definition – what is Wikipedia? Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia based on an openly editable content model and is one of the most notable websites, according to Alexa’s ranking. To be more precise, Wikipedia is the 5th most visited webpage in the world with respect to Alexa. It aims to create neutral, unbiased, and accurate information. However, unlike other encyclopedias, this encyclopedia doesn’t hire external content writers to make posts. Instead, it is an open-source web page that, when used properly, can be an effective online marketing tool for your organisation or personal branding, along with professional website development. Approximately 80% of consumers conduct online research before making a purchase commitment to a retailer. Perhaps you also belong under this category. Hence, the detailed information on the online encyclopedia convinces your viewers and turns them into potential customers. Let us explain why and how Wikipedia has become a critical brand management strategy for marketers. 1. Enhance brand Visibility: Creating a Wikipedia page implies creating an article on your business profile. As a result, whenever a person Google your company’s name, they will discover your Wikipedia page as one of the topmost searches. These enhancements altogether increase your brand visibility and allow more viewers to visit your site. 2. Builds credibility: Wikipedia can build your brand loyalty – a statement that may surprise you at first. However, the online encyclopedia significantly contributes to building trust among customers. This is all because of its authentic content. Customers often get worried about scams and fraud. They hesitate or tend to think twice before investing in any products or services. Wikipedia assures you about the authenticity of your company and, in turn, encourages the viewers to become potential customers. This portrays your business with integrity and enhances your online reputation. 3. Boost search engine rank: Wikipedia page, regardless of the company type, is consistently ranked on the first page of almost all search engine results. This is mainly because the online encyclopedia itself is ranked 5th by Alexa. Therefore, it can be concluded that this online encyclopedia allows you to beef up the search engine rank of your company, which is quite essential to create brand awareness. 4. Increase your sales: The more credible the brand, the higher the sales – this is beyond doubt. Today, every person relies on a brand to make their purchase. Unless and until the brand assures credibility, the person is unlikely to purchase that particular brand. Agree or not? Well, the Wikipedia page serves half of the work. It influences customers’ decisions and leads to a significant increase in sales. 5. Enhance traffic: All the above-mentioned points are related to each other, and so is the traffic enhancement. Is your business notable? Your answer will be positive only when there is a massive enhancement in your traffic. Any business is considered successful when the company can draw an enormous audience with its features, its potential, and its comprehensive services. Therefore, creating a Wikipedia page allows you to boost your business as well as your reputation in the digital market. So coming to the end, like other professional web development services, the online encyclopedia also proves to be the best tool to boost your SEO efforts and help you to get an instant advancement in your SERP rankings. However, writing solid content for Wikipedia is not so easy. There are various Wikipedia guidelines available for businesses. Follow these before you overload your page with irrelevant content.

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