The massive number of mobile users is just one of the reasons why having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for your business’s success. Let’s dive into the main reasons why you shouldn’t ignore the importance of mobile-friendly websites in this mobile-first world we’re living in.

Mobile-Friendly Website: What Does It Mean?

But first, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about mobile-friendly websites. A mobile-friendly website is designed to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across a range of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. This means that the site automatically adjusts its layout, images, and content to fit smaller screens without compromising usability or aesthetics.

Key features of a mobile-friendly website include:

• responsive design
• fast loading times, especially if you use multimedia content like images or video marketing.
• easy navigation
• readable text without the need for zooming

In short: a mobile-friendly website aims to create a seamless experience for users to make sure that they can access your content easily, regardless of the device they’re using. Look at the example below. The left one is a mobile-responsive website, and the other is non-responsive. You can see how the mobile-responsive site automatically adjusts its layout, images, and text to fit the smaller screen. It provides a clear and user-friendly experience.

In contrast, the non-responsive site appears cramped and requires users to zoom in and scroll horizontally to read content.

Reasons Why You Should Have a Mobile-Friendly Website

Despite all of the huge benefits, only 35% of businesses have mobile-optimized sites as of now. Now, let’s explore the key reasons why prioritizing mobile optimization is not just beneficial but necessary for your online success.

Reason #1. Improved Overall User Experience

A mobile-friendly website is one that visitors can easily navigate, read, and interact with your content, no matter what device they’re using. When users have to zoom in, scroll endlessly, or deal with awkwardly formatted pages, frustration quickly sets in. It only takes a few seconds for them to leave the site and maybe never come back again.

A well-optimized mobile site, on the other hand, offers smooth browsing, fast load times, and an intuitive interface to keep visitors engaged and encourage them to explore further. According to the statistics, mobile-optimized websites increase engagement online by 15%. Once you keep them engaged, that’s where you’re closer to reducing bounce rates and driving conversions.

Reason #2. Boosted Search Engine Rankings

Mobile optimization isn’t just for the aesthetics. It’s critical for staying competitive in search engine results. Search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their rankings. Since 2014, Google has used mobile-first indexing, which means it primarily evaluates the mobile version of your site when determining search rankings.

If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re likely to fall behind in search results. It’s harder for potential customers to find you. A mobile-friendly website both improves user experience and boosts your visibility. That’s how you can climb the ranks and attract more organic traffic.

Reason #3. Increased Conversion Rates

Providing a seamless mobile experience means that you make it easy for visitors to follow through on their intent. This will help you increase conversions and satisfy customers.  Even when you’re on a service platform like an investment advisor, having an optimized mobile interface can significantly improve user engagement and trust.

When users can effortlessly browse, shop, or complete forms on their smartphones, they’re far more likely to take action, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting your business. Meanwhile, a clunky, hard-to-navigate mobile experience often leads to abandoned carts and lost leads.

Reason #4. Broader Audience Reach

A mobile-friendly website allows you to tap into a much broader audience. With more people relying on smartphones for everything from shopping to consuming content, a site that’s optimized for mobile makes sure that your site is accessible to a wider range of users. Whether they’re on the go, commuting, or simply prefer using their phone over a desktop, a mobile-friendly site meets them where they are.

A generator set store, for example, can attract potential customers who are researching options while out in the field or on the move. Just make sure that your website is mobile-friendly, so you increase the likelihood of capturing their interest and converting them into buyers, regardless of their location or device preference.

Reason #5. Staying Competitive

If your competitors’ websites load faster, look better, and are easier to use on mobile devices, guess where potential customers will go? To stay relevant and competitive, you need to make sure your website matches or exceeds the mobile experience your competitors offer.

Remember that a mobile-friendly website keeps you in the game while at the same time helping you stand out as a modern, user-centric business that prioritizes convenience and accessibility.

Reason #6. Positive Brand Credibility

Users often equate a professional-looking, well-optimized mobile site with reliability and trustworthiness. If potential customers encounter a site that looks outdated, loads slowly, or is difficult to navigate on their devices, they may question the professionalism of your brand and seek alternatives.

On the other hand, a responsive, mobile-friendly website signals that you are in tune with modern technology and user needs, which can foster confidence in your products or services.

Reason #7. Cost-Effectiveness in Marketing

Let’s say your site is optimized for mobile. That means you can maximize the effectiveness of your digital marketing campaigns, including social media advertising and email marketing, which often see higher engagement rates on mobile devices. But how so?

If you provide a seamless experience, you reduce bounce rates and increase the likelihood that visitors will convert. This will make your marketing spending more efficient. Not to mention that a well-optimized mobile site can improve your search engine ranking, which can lead to organic traffic and reduce the need for expensive pay-per-click campaigns.

Wrapping Up: Create Your Mobile-Friendly Websites Now

Mobile usage continues to soar, and the need for a website that caters to this audience has never been more pressing. Prioritizing mobile optimization not only gives the best user experience but also positions your business for success in a competitive digital landscape. Start investing in a responsive design now to improve engagement, boost conversion rates, and build a strong presence for your brand!

The post Why a Mobile-Friendly Website is a Must in Today’s World appeared first on DesignCanyon.

Instant Support, Lasting Impressions

To thrive in an unpredictable business climate, enhancing your website’s customer support is crucial. Integrating live chat features allows you to provide real-time assistance, a move that can significantly elevate customer satisfaction. Ensuring that your contact information is clearly visible and easily accessible removes barriers to communication. Additionally, a well-organized FAQ section and robust support resources preemptively address common concerns, streamlining the user experience and reducing overhead on customer service teams. 

Dynamic Website Dynamics

Dynamic websites are crucial for maintaining an adaptable and effective online presence. They adapt to each visitor, offering a tailored browsing experience through fluid navigation and regular updates to site features. By customizing content to match individual user profiles and interactions, these websites enhance engagement and usability. These strategic enhancements ensure your website is not only accessible but also remains at the forefront of user experience design.

Content That Connects

Your website should become a hub of engagement through compelling content. Initiating a blog that delves into topics relevant to your audience not only boosts your SEO efforts but also positions you as an authority in your field. Including engaging video content can increase user engagement rates, while offering free resources and guides fosters goodwill and encourages repeat visits. These elements together create a dynamic content strategy that attracts and retains customers. 

Trust Through Transparency

Leveraging social proof can transform your website from a simple service portal to a trusted community cornerstone. Showcasing customer reviews and testimonials prominently supports authenticity and fosters trust. Highlighting real-life case studies and success stories demonstrates the practical value of your offerings. Additionally, displaying any industry awards or certifications you have earned further solidifies your reputation as a credible and reliable business. 

Community at the Core

Building a sense of community directly through your website can significantly enhance customer loyalty. Establishing forums or dedicated community spaces encourages active engagement and interaction among users. Promoting user-generated content not only enriches your site’s content but also deepens users’ investment in your brand. Hosting virtual events and webinars provides a platform for direct interaction, making your digital presence a lively community hub. 

Continual Evolution

To ensure your website remains effective and engaging, regular updates and testing are imperative. Conducting A/B testing helps identify potential areas for improvement, allowing for data-driven decisions that enhance user experience. Keeping your content and design fresh ensures that your business adapts to current trends and user expectations. Furthermore, actively seeking and incorporating feedback from your audience guarantees that your website evolves in alignment with their needs. 

Branding That Stands Out

In the digital realm, a strong, consistent brand presence is more important than ever. Ensuring that your website reflects your brand identity through consistent visuals and narratives builds recognition and loyalty. A compelling brand story resonates with your audience, and professional-grade visuals and graphics leave a lasting impression, significantly enhancing the overall aesthetic and appeal of your site. Additionally, leveraging multimedia elements like interactive graphics and animation can further differentiate your brand from competitors. 

Agile Adaptations

Staying ahead in a fluctuating market requires a keen eye on industry trends and consumer behavior. Regularly updating your product or service offerings in response to these insights ensures that your business remains relevant and competitive. Maintaining flexibility in your operational strategy allows you to respond swiftly to market shifts, safeguarding your business against potential downturns and maximizing opportunities for growth. This proactive approach not only helps in adapting to current market conditions but also prepares your business for future challenges and opportunities.

For small businesses aiming to navigate the challenges of today’s economy, strategic website adjustments are not just beneficial; they are essential. These enhancements are fundamental to building resilience, facilitating growth, and ensuring long-term success. By prioritizing a website that is as dynamic and adaptable as the market itself, businesses can position themselves to capitalize on opportunities and secure a competitive edge in any climate.

The post Boost Your Business: Essential Website Tweaks for Surviving Economic Shifts appeared first on DesignCanyon.

Your “About Me” page presents a prime opportunity to showcase your unique qualities, captivate visitors, and establish meaningful connections. This article will explain how to make the best “About Me” page that distinguishes you from the competition, guiding you toward creating a captivating narrative that leaves a lasting impression.

Understanding Your Audience

When it comes to your website visitors, it’s crucial to understand who you’re speaking to. Take a moment to identify your target audience. Are they potential clients, fellow professionals, or enthusiasts in your field? Research their needs, desires, and pain points to tailor your content accordingly. What makes an excellent website will depend on who you ask. Therefore, knowing how to cater to your audience’s interests would be a good idea. Find out how they express themselves online and use the appropriate tone on your introductory page. Remember, an engaging “About Me” page speaks directly to your audience’s hearts.

Why Businesses Lose Clients

Losing clients can be a real blow to any business. There are various reasons why clients leave, but one significant factor lies in their online presence. Websites play a crucial role in shaping a business’s online presence, acting as a virtual storefront that potential clients visit to evaluate its credibility and offerings. A poorly designed or outdated website can quickly deter prospects, leading them to seek solutions elsewhere.

Additionally, the “About Me” page, often overlooked, holds immense importance in establishing a personal connection with potential clients. If this page fails to captivate visitors or lacks authenticity, it can hinder trust-building efforts and result in lost business opportunities. Businesses must recognize the significance of these digital touchpoints and invest in creating compelling websites and engaging “About Me” pages to retain clients and attract new ones in today’s digital age.

Crafting a Compelling Story on Your “About Me” Page

This part of your website is perfect for telling your story and revealing the unique journey that led you to where you are today. Share the experiences that shaped you, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the moments that ignited your passion. Don’t be frightened to share stories of personal triumph and your company’s ups and downs. Those details will make you sound empathetic and approachable. However, you should also avoid coming off as goofy or unreliable. Infuse your personality, sprinkle it with anecdotes, and create a narrative that resonates with your readers. Let your story be a magnet that draws them in, leaving them eager to learn more.

Showcasing Your Expertise

Now it’s time to shine a spotlight on your expertise. Dedicated introduction pages are where you demonstrate your knowledge and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Showcase your qualifications, certifications, and noteworthy achievements. Incorporate testimonials from satisfied clients or colleagues to add social proof. Let your readers know that they’re in capable hands.

Engaging Visuals and Multimedia

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, and this also holds true for your “About Me” page. Choose high-quality images that capture your personality and align with your brand. Include videos that offer a glimpse into your world or showcase your work if possible. Implement color schemes that make your website easy to use for the visually impaired. Infographics and visual elements can enhance engagement and make your page visually appealing. However, you should also remember that sometimes less is more. Don’t overcrowd your page since that will make the important elements more difficult to recognize. Leave enough space to give the essential features room to breathe.

Creating a User-Friendly Layout

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information, so design your page with a user-friendly layout. Opt for a clean and organized structure, making navigating easy for visitors. Link the page to other relevant pages on your website. For example, if you include social proof, offer visitors a link to more testimonials and reviews. Use headings and subheadings to guide them through your content smoothly. And remember, in this mobile age, ensure that your page is fully responsive across different devices.

Writing Compelling Content

Get ready to weave some magic with your words! Start by crafting an attention-grabbing headline and an opening statement that piques curiosity. Then, delve into your unique value proposition. What makes you special? How can you help your readers? Engage them with storytelling techniques, injecting passion and excitement into every sentence. Remember, it’s not just about what you say but how you say it.

Adding Call-to-Action

Don’t leave your visitors hanging! Guide them to the next step with a well-placed call to action. Encourage them to engage with you further, whether through subscribing to your newsletter, contacting you for a consultation, or following you on social media. Make it easy for them to take action and keep the conversation going.

Optimizing for SEO

While your introduction page is all about connecting with humans, optimizing it for search engines is also important. Conduct keyword research to understand what your audience is searching for. Incorporate relevant keywords in meta tags, URLs, and headings throughout your content. But remember, don’t overdo it. Balance is key.

Proofreading and Editing

Before you hit that publish button, take a moment to proofread and edit your new website page. Check for grammatical errors, typos, and clarity. Ensure your language is clear and concise, leaving no room for confusion. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from others. Fresh eyes can catch things you might have missed.

Testing and Analyzing Performance

Once your page is live, it’s time to track its performance. Dive into your website analytics to analyze visitor engagement, bounce rates, and other relevant metrics. Use this data to iterate and improve your page continually. Remember, your “About Me” page should evolve as you do.

In Conclusion

To make the best “About Me” page, you’ll need creativity, authenticity, and a deep understanding of your audience. Use this opportunity to forge connections, showcase your expertise, and leave a lasting impression. Embrace your unique story, infuse it with compelling visuals, and write in a tone that resonates with your readers. Let your website be the starting point for meaningful connections and exciting possibilities.

The post How to Make the Best About Me Page appeared first on DesignCanyon.

Let’s examine some facts that will provide you with a better understanding of React’s benefits before embarking on building your SEO-focused website.

Building a Website with React for SEO – Facts to Consider

When building a website for SEO, it’s crucial to address common challenges and implement effective solutions. By focusing on issues and utilizing React solutions, your website can achieve SEO results.

Now let’s delve deeper into some of the facts.

Loading time and user experience

React websites may encounter longer loading times due to the process of parsing, fetching, and executing JavaScript. This can be attributed to factors such as server response time, bundle size, or network latency, which ultimately affect the user experience. To improve user satisfaction and meet Google’s core web vitals requirements for loading speed, React helps optimize loading speed through techniques like code splitting, lazy loading, image optimization, and server-side rendering. Implementing these approaches will improve the user experience while also increasing retention rates.

Initial content rendering

The concept of content rendering refers to when a React application renders with minimal or no meaningful content visible until JavaScript kicks in and populates the page dynamically. This can potentially have effects on both user experience and SEO since search engines may not fully grasp the content during their crawl.

To address this issue effectively for React applications, you can leverage server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG) using libraries like Next.js. By employing SSR techniques, in React development, content can be pre-rendered on the server side before display on the client side.

Sitemap

A sitemap is a file that provides information, about the pages and files on a website. It helps understand the relationship between pages. Search engines like Google use sitemaps to crawl and index websites efficiently.

However, React does not have built-in capabilities for generating sitemaps, which can make it slightly challenging for React websites to rank on search engines. But React developers can create sitemaps manually or use third-party libraries like Next.js that offer plugins for generating sitemaps. This makes it easier for React websites to enhance SEO and improve search engine rankings.

Page metadata

Effective management of metadata is crucial in React web development for both SEO and user engagement. One significant aspect of React is that it renders all content, including tags. However, implementing tags for each page throughout the website can be difficult in React.

The goal is to provide users with search results that match their queries. Search engines achieve this by sending bots to analyze web pages, index keywords, and evaluate the structure of the content. Based on these factors, algorithms rank pages based on their relevance, ensuring that users find information.

Features to Consider while Building a React Website for SEO 

React JS: A popular framework

React JS is a widely used JavaScript framework favored by developers for constructing SEO-friendly websites. It offers a component-based architecture, enabling developers to build reusable UI elements. Also, its versatility allows developers to create both single-page applications (SPAs) and server-rendered applications.

Today, React remains the go-to choice for building modern, responsive, and efficient web applications. Nearly 12 million websites are powered by ReactJS. Compared to other frameworks, React has proven to be easier to learn, allowing developers to efficiently construct websites.

React Development and SEO – Powerful Combination

Optimization (SEO) is often perceived as challenging, while it is true that search engines may encounter difficulties. However, React’s versatility and client-side rendering capabilities enable developers to overcome these challenges and craft engaging, responsive, and interactive websites that captivate users.

By utilizing SEO templates and leveraging React libraries and UI frameworks effectively developers can achieve desired results. Hence, incorporating server-side rendering or static site generation (SSG) can further boost SEO by providing search engines with pre-rendered content for indexing.

Boosting SEO with Server-side Rendering

Server-side rendering (SSR) plays a role in improving the search engine optimization of React websites. Through SSR, React components are pre-rendered on the server side before being delivered as rendered HTML to search engine crawlers. This does not affect the page loading speed. Also, it contributes to better rankings in search engine results.

Implementing SSR is an effective React Performance Optimization technique which helps developers to strike a balance between creating interactive websites while ensuring optimal visibility and performance, in search engine rankings. Ultimately, this drives traffic and boosts overall SERPs.

The Power of Isomorphic React Apps

Isomorphic React apps have the potential to significantly strengthen search engine rankings.

These applications also referred to as Universal React applications, combine the benefits of rendering on both the server and the client side. By generating content on the server to sending it to the client these isomorphic apps produce HTML that’s friendly for search engine optimization (SEO) allowing search engines to easily index them. As a result, they experience improved discoverability and achieve rankings on search engine results pages.

React has a vast community of users and developers

React boasts a vast and thriving community of users and developers. Developers from diverse backgrounds contribute to its ecosystem by creating reusable components, plugins, and libraries, enriching the React experience. This community actively shares knowledge through forums, tutorials, and open-source projects, making it accessible for both beginners and experts.

The collaborative nature of this community ensures React’s continuous growth, innovation, and adaptation to industry needs. It further helps solidify its position as a leading choice for building modern, efficient, and interactive web applications.

Conclusion

Making a React website SEO-friendly can be demanding, but it is essential for driving traffic and generating revenue. React’s flexibility, server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG) capabilities empower developers to create web applications optimized for search engines. So don’t give up on your passion for ReactJS; instead, use the above-mentioned solutions and create an SEO-friendly website with React for your next project.

The post Building SEO-friendly Website Using React – Facts & Features appeared first on DesignCanyon.

If you aren’t a designer, you can try to notice the industry’s current brands and what makes them a name to reckon with. Here is my observation on some of the products we regularly use, which we continue to realize what makes using them such an easy and enjoyable experience.

3 Products with Exemplar Interfaces and Functionality

Air BnB

Airbnb is a marketplace where you can book vacation rentals and list your home as an AirBnB for tourists to stay for a few days in a foreign place. They build trust through the feature that allows you to connect with these strangers who enlist their homes, get acquainted, learn about the place, and then book your desired stay once you are comfortable.

When you enter the website, you will notice the unique search bar with a direct message telling you exactly what the website is about.

Book a place “Anywhere, Any week, and Any guest.” The section below includes the following:

• Top-level categorization of houses.
• Types of stays.
• An option to filter out your landing page.

The website is to the point in terms of listing stays with a clear image of the house, the location, distance from your current home, availability dates, and lastly, the price per night in bold.

When a platform can get strangers to stay in their homes and vice versa, you can learn a thing or two to build your platform. It has a simple exchange of words and an inviting copy, clean layouts, information upfront to make a decision quickly, and transparency throughout.

Instagram

Instagram is a content-creating platform that has taken the digital interaction game to another level. Local businesses looking to expand, small-scale change-makers trying to make it big, NGOs extending help to lives in need, and knowledge that needs to be shared across the globe, Instagram makes it all possible.

It is easier to lock down the criteria to appease a small target audience. But when the range is extensive in terms of age, geographical location, and use cases, the interface can get messy.

Instagram makes it a breeze to use its platform with its natural gestures for interaction, high security of intellectual property, focus on content, call to action, strict community guidelines, and customizability.

This platform is a typical example of the “Hook” model explained by Nir Eyal as a framework for designing addictive products where the users use your product out of a habit loop. AI helps in this process by learning user interests, most viewed pages, most interacted with content categories, and other such patterns to deliver precisely what is of interest to you on your daily feed.

Reels abide by the 20–40 seconds attention span principle, which is the right amount to grab a user’s attention and deliver the information, leaving the user more informed than before and addicted to such easy-knowledge consumption.

Notion

Like Instagram, Notion is a diverse tool serving people from various industries as a project management and note-taking tool. It allows integration with external tools like GitHub, Figma, spreadsheets, and other regular data-heavy workspaces into one.

You can represent data visually through kanban boards and tables with tags, assign teammates to a task and create workspaces for your organization and child pages for individual teams.

Most importantly, the design is consistent across web and mobile for a seamless transition and on-the-go working. Notion is smartly kept black and white to help focus on data points and grasp information at a glance. You can change the formula of tables to suit your specific workflow showing great customization.

You can use templates or draw out a single system that can be duplicated for multiple workflows instead of users wasting time on building from scratch.

Final Thoughts

Go through some of your commonly used apps, note the exact experience you like, and try and replicate the same for your brand. Even if you can’t do the same, see what aspect of it appeals to you and how best to incorporate it into your product flow, be it in design, branding, marketing, or even integrations. Don’t just build a product; create an experience.

The post Design Your Business For Success by Observing These Everyday Products appeared first on DesignCanyon.

For this reason, it is more than imperative that you do everything you can to build yourself an attractive online profile. Whether you’re building a professional profile on LinkedIn, trying to set up a lighthearted page on Twitter, showcasing the visual elements of your craft on Instagram, or even earning substantial income as an adult webcam model on Chaturbate, an optimized profile is key and its benefits can not be overstated.

Why a Perfect Profile is Absolutely Crucial 

As time passes, the internet continues to become an incredible hub of vast information the likes of which we’ve never seen before. From basic informational content to strictly entertaining one, there is practically nothing you’re looking for that you won’t find online.

As well as this sounds, it does come with its own slight shortcoming – a declining attention span. Nowadays, with numerous apps and games and software vying for attention, there is little time to get familiar with new things.

And if you’re an entrepreneur looking to establish a solid presence online, you’re going to have to find creative ways to capture people’s attention.

An attractive, well-optimized profile is the way to go.

What Every Profile Needs

Luckily, an attractive, well-optimized profile shouldn’t be impossible to build. All of them usually share a few key elements that should you find a way to incorporate into your own page, you should be on your way to capturing people’s attention in no time.

We take a look at the most important of these elements below.

1. Accurate and Entertaining Text

Online profiles differ from platform to platform in terms of the design elements they employ, but if there’s one thing all profiles have in common, it is the presence of certain text-based information that they all simply can’t do without.

Examples of these are the display name, username, and bio texts. Now these may all seem like basic elements that can’t really do much in terms of optimization, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

While appearing seemingly basic on the surface, giving these elements a proper thought rather than going with the first words that come to mind can actually go a long way to set you apart.

2. The Visual Element

The visual element of any profile is perhaps its most important. The reason for this is simple. People are more engrossed by what they can see than by what they can only read. This is why every well-designed, well-optimized profile must employ visual elements to some degree.

Usually, this is done through a profile picture and a header image. Putting some thoughts into what you upload into these spaces can go a long way in giving your page a decent jolt.

You could also consider coordinating the visual elements one way or another; either by employing the same color scheme, text scheme, and so on. The possibilities are limitless.

3. Even More Visual Elements

Profile pictures and header images are the two most common visual elements in an online profile but they’re not the only ones. Depending on the particular platform in question, you may have the option to take your visual optimization even further by making use of cover images, or entire background designs.

If you happen to belong to a platform where this is possible, well, let’s just say this is your chance to shine. With a cover image design, you can really go all out and do something truly unique and stunning.

Your followers will appreciate this and will have no choice but to follow and be engaged. In case you don’t have a strong design skill on your own, you can also consider making use of professional design templates from a site like Designurbate to spruce up your profile in no time.

4. Making Use of Pins

Pins are a new feature of most social platforms that allow you to save some of your old posts at the top of your profile page for people to see. Instagram, in fact, is one of the latest sets of social platforms to allow content pinning.

Pinning is absolutely vital seeing as it allows you (for visual platforms) to highlight some of your best content right at first point of contact so they don’t have to scroll through tons and tons of content to find them.

Pins can also be vital for text-based platforms like twitter where you can simply pin your best tweet and make it visible immediately. You can use this to showcase your talent or just pass across vital, interesting information. It’s all up to you.

5. External Linking 

To get the most out of any social profile, you have to master two things – how to make your profile attractive enough to build a large following, and how to redirect these followers wherever you want them to go on the internet.

The best way to achieve the latter is by making use of the external linking feature of most social platforms. Your external could be your personal blog, newsletter, e-commerce store, or even other related profiles. The possibilities are pretty much limitless.

Summary & Final Thoughts 

Along with maximizing visual and text-based elements, making use of pins, and prioritizing external linking, your online profiles can also benefit greatly if you cross-link your other social profiles. Not only does this show trust and versatility to your followers, it also lets search engines know more about your page and how to better group everything regarding your brand together in search results.

At any rate, optimizing your social profiles and making them the absolute best they can be is the ultimate boost you need to come out of obscurity and start to dominate your field. Follow the steps above, and you should find yourself with a highly engaging profile in no time at all.

The post Building the Ideal Online Profile: An In-Depth Guide appeared first on DesignCanyon.

Why you need an SSL

Just in case you’re not in the know about the benefits of SSL, we’d be remiss not to give you a quick primer. An SSL certificate is a type of digital certificate that you can install on your website to create a secure, encrypted connection between a user’s web browser and your website. Data sent over an encrypted connection is basically rendered unreadable while it’s in transit, so it can’t be read by third parties. The encrypted connection is created via the HTTPS protocol, which you’ve probably noticed in your browser’s address bar whenever you’ve visited a secure site. So, in summary, SSL certificates basically keep personal user data safe.

Now that you’re convinced of the importance of SSLs for your website and its users, it’s time to find out which one you should choose.

As the name implies, single-domain SSLs secure a single domain (such as example.com). Wildcard SSLs are less self-explanatory going by name alone. A Wildcard SSL certificate will secure a single domain and subdomains of one level that are linked to it.

Let’s take a closer look at each type.

Benefits of a single-domain SSL

If you have a single website with no subdomains, and no plans for adding any subdomains in the future, then a single-domain SSL certificate really is the best option. It’s a simple solution for securing a simple website with minimal functionalities. 

Benefits of a Wildcard SSL

If you have a single domain and one or more subdomains, a Wildcard SSL is really the most practical choice. You could theoretically protect each subdomain with a single-domain SSL, but it would likely become hard to manage and expensive. With a Wildcard, you only have to keep track of a single certificate. 

The great thing about a Wildcard SSL is that you don’t even need to have created your subdomains yet. This kind of SSL will automatically protect subdomains you already have, as well as any subdomains you add to your site in the future.

What does a subdomain of one level look like, anyway? Some examples might be shop.example.com and shoes.example.com. There are many reasons one might have multiple subdomains linked to their site. It can be beneficial to separate out the areas of the site that have different functionalities, such as a mailbox, login page, or an e-commerce store. It could even be a version of the site in a different language. Some programmers also like to use subdomains as testing environments. 

Conclusion

Now that you know the difference between these two types of certificates, which SSL you choose should be a simple choice. It basically comes down to whether or not you have subdomains and if you would like to add subdomains in the future.

If you’re happy with having a single domain, then a regular SSL certificate is perfect for you. If you have a single domain with linked one-level subdomains, or plan on creating some at a later date, then you should choose a Wildcard SSL certificate.

The post Single-Domain vs Wildcard SSLs: Which is Right For You? appeared first on DesignCanyon.

Monitoring options, such as a log management tool from Papertrail, can help you to identify different trends and patterns occurring across your webpage. This can provide you with information pertaining to traffic, unique visitor hits, script errors and even security breaches before they become a more major problem. Monitoring is effortless, easy to read and can be used by site owners of all kinds. It’s a tool you’ll love having in order to get a clear view of the internal workings of each page.

Keep Customers Happy

Monitoring can be used to identify issues with speed and downtime. Because of this, utilizing this service can prevent the problems that your clients might have when trying to access one or more pages on your site. Load times and speed can vary from one device to another, and some sites are simply data-heavy and difficult to load quickly on a normal laptop or smartphone. However, when you’re made aware of speed errors, you’re able to correct the problem so that customers can get back to using your webpage normally. The same can be said about script errors, like when a customer tries to send an email using a form available to them.

Improve Revenue

When using monitoring services, you get to see how many unique visitors you get each day, where they’re coming from and where they go after leaving. This can be useful when making changes to your marketing and advertising goals, and it could mean improved revenue across the board. Likewise, when your clients are able to use each page of your site properly without errors or load issues, this means more sales and inquiries than ever before.

Claim the Competition

Let’s face it, most businesses have a lot of competition available to them on a day-to-day basis. Whether you’re based online or offline, chances are that you have a multitude of competitors who are working hard to take away your steady flow of clientele. The beauty about monitoring is that it allows you to pick up on different patterns. You get to view your unique visitor hits and where they’re coming from. You can also check your search engine ranking, which is an incredibly important aspect of SEO. By keeping the page running to the best of its ability, you’re preventing downtime which would have your visitors going elsewhere.

Protect Your Image

As a company owner, your image is key to your future success. Monitoring allows you to identify and even prevent a security breach before hackers can get personal information from you and your customers. This can prevent your business name from becoming tarnished and keeping people from wanting to use your services simply because of a past security breach in the system.

The post Four Reasons You Need to Consider Monitoring Your Website appeared first on DesignCanyon.

In this article, we will be showing the 10 things every good business website must have.

1. Accurate Contact Info

Visitors to your website should be able to access your contact information easily without much fuss.

Your business address, phone number, email and other relevant contacts must be displayed clearly at a conspicuous place on the website. Failure to include an accurate contact info may result in the loss of major clients.

It is also imperative to provide potential customers with other ways of interacting with your company apart from calls or emails. One cost effective way of doing this is by making use of conversational marketing chatbots.

2. Easy Navigation

One way to create to a great user experience is to make sure that your website is easily navigable. A huge percentage of your visitors will be mobile users and they will expect the website to be easily navigable and mobile friendly.

In addition, your website should be easy enough for a first-time visitor to navigate through. If a lot of visitors to your website find it difficult to navigate, you might lose their attention in no time.

3. Unique to your business

Your business website should show design and content unique to your business and your brand. If your website design and brand is unique and engaging, then getting web users approval won’t be difficult.

On the other hand, if your design and content is not unique to your business and brand, you might end up losing them, even before you have them.

4. Feedback page/Email

Your website should have a feedback page where you can receive comments and feedback from users, visitors and customers. This will go a long way in creating a better user experience for your clients.

You should also make sure that customers can find the email address or the feedback page.

5. Reviews, awards, testimonials, etc

The first thing a potential customer wants to be certain of is if your business is trustworthy, especially if it is their first time hearing about your business. So how do you convince a first-time client to trust you and do business with your company?

It is simple! All you need is third party validations such as honest reviews, awards and testimonials.

You can create a page to showcase all of your reviews and awards on your website. This page can successfully convince your clients that you already have clients like them and they have nothing to worry about.

6. Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Your customers’ security should be one of your topmost priority. Your website represents your brand and if it is not safe you might as well not have a website at all. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.

This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. SSL is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers.

7. Clearly Stated Objectives

Your business website must clearly state the objectives of the business. Are you there to generate leads, sell products or services? Clearly stating your objectives will give your customers a sense of clarity, prevent confusion and help you reach your goals more efficiently.

The stated objectives should be as precise as possible and be placed where website visitors can easily see.

“At Formal Site, we spend time to research competitors websites to see what’s working and not working in the industry. That’s why all of our clients websites have high conversion,” says Steve Harris, a manager at Formal Site.

8. Clear Call to Action

One of the biggest flaws a business website can have is to lack a clear call to action. You might be wondering what a call to action is. A call to action (CTA) is a piece of content that has been designed and placed exclusively to get a user to perform a certain act.

This could include signing up for a newsletter, choosing to download a brochure or order form, buying/paying for a product/service.

CTAS can be very important in marketing strategy and getting new clients for your business. Hence, they should be placed appropriately, where users will be able to find them quickly.

9. Fast Speed

After you attract your audience, you will need to keep them and one way of doing this is to have a very responsive and fast platform.

Having a very slow website will only get your customers bored, irritated and eventually go away. To prevent this, make sure all your designs and pages are very responsive and fast.

10. High Quality Content (about us, service pages or blog posts to educate prospects)

It is a popular saying that ‘content is king’ and this is absolutely true. The content on your website will determine the first impression you make on your users and also determine if you can hold their attention for long.

Always make sure your content reflects your brand, services and products. Content should also be precise as possible and appropriate for your targeted audience.

Furthermore, a good business website should have an “About us” page, service pages and blog posts.

An about us page will give your customers a direct summary of what your company is about. On the other hand, blog posts are a great way of engaging your audience and sharing your journey with them.

Great content is the foundation of every high ranking website. Your SEO campaign will produce better results if you have great content on your website.

In conclusion, now that you know what makes up a good business website, it is time to finally restructure that old website and revamp your business!

As a small business, you should really personalized your website to cater your target market. Serving a smaller market gives you much more flexibility compared to big companies who operate nationwide or worldwide.

Having a business website is very important because you will definitely miss out a lot of opportunities to engage with your potential customers if you don’t have a website.

It makes a lot of sense because most people would like to learn more about your products or services, and most importantly, they want to learn more about your company. A good business website will  make the process of turning leads into customers much easier.

The post 10 Things Every Business Website Must Have appeared first on DesignCanyon.

A website’s reputation can be compromised by different things like malware or bad customer service. It’s always important for you to actively be building your online reputation after you launch your guide (to learn more about starting a blog, check out this DreamHost guide). The following are a few of the many ways to build up your blog’s reputation and membership.

Content Marketing

The content on a blog is the most important factor in having your blog recognized as a thought leader on a topic or in an industry. Start reaching out to well-known writers that can be recruited to become consistent contributors; this will not only yield more traffic, but help build your blog’s reputation as a reliable resource. 

Your team should also be doing outreach on a daily basis in order to find opportunities to write for other sites in the industry. This will not only help as far as reputation goes but it will help the blog rank for industry terms which can be valuable when it comes to partnering with companies. Content marketing can happen on your blog as well as great content tends to be shared around industry blogs.

Partnering With Favorable Businesses

Partnering with businesses that are well-known and respected can benefit a blog immensely. Companies of all sizes do this as these enterprise relationships can be mutually beneficial down the road. Blogs might not always have the opportunities to partner with businesses but this doesn’t mean they cannot partner with other blogs. Blogs that are partnered can generate great content across website and have multiple readerships to gain traffic from. This doesn’t just mean putting them in a blogroll but rather sharing ad revenue and promoting each other’s content and contests.  By partnering with trusted names it becomes an easy way to gain credibility among a vast amount of people who recognize the trusted name.

Use Your Website To Humanize The Employees 

Readers want to know who is behind the musings of a blog as knowing the authors can make a post better in some respects. Use the blog posts or a section of the blog to let readers know a bit about the blog team. This can be a great place to highlight accomplishments along with things like pet peeves. Companies usually have a “Meet The Team” section on their website in an effort to shed the image of being a soulless corporation. Not all articles need to be in the most serious tone as humor can shine with some employees and their writings. Personal stories and posts can be helpful but make sure not to saturate the content calendar with these as the readers are still looking to read valuable insight and information.

Invite Thought Leaders To Join Posts or Podcasts

Inviting a thought leader in an industry to contribute a blog post or be a part of a podcast can be tricky. There will be those people who will join you for a fee and those that will do it for the exposure. Weekly podcasts or posts from a guest can be a great way to attract people each week to see what will be new on the blog. During the podcasts allow members of the site to ask questions via social media to engage them in what is being talked about. Engaging with readers and listeners is a perfect way to build a sense of community as well as gain notoriety in an industry.

Starting a blog is easy, getting that blog to be respected in a niche is a bit more difficult. Use the above tips in order to turn your blog into a thought leader in an industry. This will be more profitable than you could have ever imagined!

The post How To Build Up Your Blog’s Reputation appeared first on DesignCanyon.