by Nick Throlson | Jan 30, 2018 | WordPress
WordPress remains the single most popular website development platform accounting for almost 6 out of every 10 websites on the internet. From small businesses to global brands, WordPress comes with enough features and power to serve all their needs. This, however, doesn?t mean that if the majority of websites on the internet use the same platform, they are alike. There is a huge diversity in WordPress development and the tag of ?open-source? means that it is consistently updated with cool new features that further propel its popularity.This means that while WordPress remains the natural choice for businesses, WordPress development companies have to constantly reinvent themselves with new capabilities and features to deliver websites that match the latest trends. Now, given that this platform spans across the Internet, the trends of WordPress are actually a precursor to the overall web development trends to follow. So, let?s take a look at what?s in the store for this year:1. Single-page Websites
The problem with most of the online services today is not that they fall short of doing any particular thing, but that they do too much! When users visit any website, they are virtually bombarded with tabs and links that lead to another page with other similar links and tabs with information scattered all over. This, instead of making them informed, makes them confused. One of the key trends we are now witnessing is simplicity- simplicity without subduction.As the name suggests, single-page websites arrange all the information on a single page2. Parallax Scrolling
It was initially used in 2D games but is now a popular choice for website design to help create a more immersive user experience. The basic concept is that when the users scroll, the background moves slower than the content on the front. This creates an illusion of depth thus giving the website a unique feel and inciting higher user interactions.3. Microinteractions
Microinteractions are a pretty effective tool for improving the usability of websites while ensuring that it remains fun for the users as well. These are snippets of animations, gifs, or other components that make websites more vibrant and engaging.4. Mobile First Websites
The term mobile-first has been tossed around for quite a while now. But more often than not, the implementation has been towards a responsive design- that adjusts according to the type of device it is accessed from. While this has enabled businesses to deliver a uniform experience across all platforms, the focus is now shifting to exploit the prominence of mobile devices with the explicit mobile-first approach. This prioritizes interface and features for small devices and later, tailoring them for desktop use.5. E-commerce Themes
The immense success of eCommerce businesses in the last few years has also transformed how eCommerce applications are developed. While there are a plenty of frameworks and tools dedicated to building virtual stores, possibly none of them come with the simplicity of WordPress. Keeping that in mind, WordPress also offers an array of eCommerce themes and other tools, to create virtual stores by using only WordPress. This is one of the trends that are guaranteed to take off in days to come.Overall, it is the combination of simplicity and powerful components that has made WordPress the favorite among all web developers. And as the community grows and the technology is empowered with more capabilities, it is to expand its footprint to the extent that the only natural choice for building websites would be to hire WordPress developers.
by Nick Throlson | Jan 22, 2018 | Business, Marketing
When you start a business, you will probably hear all sorts of advice about how you need to save money in any way that you can to avoid going under. However, there are plenty of things that you will need to invest in to ensure the successful running of your company. It is these that we will be discussing in more detail in this article.DesignThe design of your small business really makes a big difference to the overall public perception of it. A typical customer actually pays a great deal of attention to things like your logo, and this is what is likely to make them trust you over your competitors. And the branding of your company will also be highly visible throughout everything that you do from your business cards to the signage outside your offices, so it is an important decision. MarketingUnless you have a clear marketing background, you should consider outsourcing your marketing needs to a professional agency. This involves clearly knowing the target audience of your product, targeting them in the most effective way possible, and being consistent throughout all your activity. Strong marketing helps to maximise your business sales, so it is extremely important.TechnologyStrong technology can really help to streamline your business and remove tasks which would otherwise be complicated and expensive. Remember, if you are looking for funds for your company, you can always utilize a small business loan online. Obviously, technology encompasses a wide variety of areas including instant messaging systems, website design and an integrated phone system.Accounting ServicesOne of the first and most valuable services that you can look to outsource is your accounting. A professional accountancy firm can help you to optimise your business, as well as reducing waste and inefficiencies. If you try to do everything yourself and you don?t have a great deal of experience in this area, you may well find that you are spending more money than you are saving.InsuranceProtecting your business from all the threats that exist out there is one of the most valuable things that you can do. You never really know when disaster could strike, and if you aren?t prepared to deal with it, your business could end up being affected massively. Legal AdviceJust as accountancy is an area of expertise that is worth spending money on, so too is legal advice. There are a myriad of legal issues that can affect businesses of all kind, so if you are not experienced in this area, you can easily get into all kinds of trouble. You may only need this on a temporary basis or it may be something that is ongoing. Either way, it can be invaluable.So, these are just a few of the things that your business needs to spend money on when you are first starting out. Obviously, you need to create and maintain a clear budget to ensure that everything is properly accounted for. ?
by Nick Throlson | Jan 21, 2018 | E-commerce, Web Design
The world of e-commerce is exciting and filled with possibilities. You?ll have read many success stories about people who?ve made their fortune with an online store and perhaps even felt inspired to give it a go. If you?ve always wanted to work for yourself, e-commerce could be a great option, a venture that allows you to call the shots and reap the rewards. It sounds great, but it?s not exactly easy. Think you?ve got what it takes to make it big in e-commerce? Take a look at the following before you dive in.Getting started
Getting set up with an e-commerce website isn?t as simple as just having an idea and building a website. It has to be a great idea and an outstanding website to stand any chance of success. This 7 part guide on how to get started in e-commerce explains the step-by-step processes you need to go through to build a successful online store. You?ll need to do a lot of research and testing to find out if people even want to buy your product. The initial research is worth it, however, to make sure you don?t invest a lot of time and money into something that won?t pay off.You?re going to need help
An e-commerce business has a lot happening behind the scenes. Not only does someone need to manage orders and deal with queries, but there are also people responsible for the website maintenance, marketing, finance and other areas. This may all sound like something you can do yourself, but you?ll soon find that it takes a team to get this working. To get a team in place, you might need to source investment or take out a business loan - something that could be a gamble if your venture doesn?t take off.It could be a long time before you see any profit
There?s a misconception that the money to be made online is instant, and sadly this couldn?t be further from the truth. Your success depends on many different things, and you could go months or even years without seeing real profit. Many people have to retain their income from elsewhere to get by during the launch phase of an e-commerce venture, so don?t think about quitting the day job just yet. There are many mistakes that people make with e-commerce at the beginning, so if you make sure that all bases are covered before you begin - you could see a profit sooner than expected.E-commerce is a great money-maker if you know how to play it, and could be the start of a profitable new adventure for you. At the heart of every great e-commerce venture is a fantastic website, and there are a lot of elements you need to make sure your website is a success. Do your research, ask others how it?s done and make sure you know what you?re doing before you throw yourself into the world of e-commerce.
by Nick Throlson | Jan 10, 2018 | Business, Marketing, Web Design
January might mean the time to be making new resolutions personally, but it may also be time for businesses to do the same. One resolution all businesses should pin to their office wall is revisiting and refreshing their current marketing strategy. To continue to grow as a thriving business in today?s busy modern world, keeping track of the newest trends can make the difference between making that 1000th sale or missing out altogether. Below are a few trends that are key to watch out for this upcoming year: ?Hello Siri, Alexa, and GoogleVoice-activated search is becoming increasingly popular in 2018, especially with the introduction of devices such as the Google Home Hub and the Amazon Echo to our homes. These devices have revolutionized the home by allowing consumers set alarms, play music and order shopping using their voice alone. The smart technology means marketers now have the power to create a specialized copy using advanced keywords to help consumers find even more services and products related to their voice command. ????Smartphone TrafficAs millennials become the focus more of marketing in 2018, it?s safe to say traffic sources are currently to be found primarily from smartphones, rather than desktop computers, as they grew up with the power of the internet at their hands. Traffic from smartphones is predicted to continue to rise in 2018, meaning creating engaging, yet concise, copy that?s small-screen friendly is key. Your current content on-site and your search engine optimization strategy may need to be revisited to allow your consumers to read your copy easier on the small screen. It?s time to move away from chunks of paragraphs, each heavy with keywords, and instead craft content people can read and view on the go. This could mean turning more towards videography and infographics, rather than text-centered articles. ?Social Media and Live VideosTapping into social media isn?t a new idea or a new trend, but it?s arguably one of the fastest growing marketing platforms for the digital age. Nearly 800 million users log on and post to Instagram every month. Social media channels are ideal for sharing a variety of rich-media posts, including videography. Live Videos came into their own in 2017, but in 2018, the trend continues to grow. They provide real-time engagement with visitors to your social media channels, with Facebook and Instagram being the ones to watch regarding Live Videos. They can target potential audiences as consumers chose to watch a Live Stream and continue to scroll past advertisements. ??Augmented and Virtual Reality The popularity of smartphone game Pok?mon Go was able to show marketers that there is a channel waiting to be tapped into for their next step in their strategy. Pok?mon Go was one of the first that used AR content to create an immersive game by tracking the users? locations and time-zone to adapt their experience. Augmented Reality offers consumers the opportunity to experience immersive story-telling from their favorite brands, and it?s one to watch in 2018.
by Nick Throlson | Jan 10, 2018 | Business
Changing your career can be a daunting prospect to many people, but there are a couple of life hacks that can help you to make the change seamlessly, and with as little stress as possible. There are some risky way and less risky ways to change your career, and knowing how to go about the change is always really important. Follow these ideas and you will have your new job in no time.So many people are dissatisfied with their job, feel undervalued or underpaid, or perhaps just want to try something that has a bit more impact on the world. Whatever your reasoning, there has never been a better era in which to learn new skills, and try something new. There are lots of ways to find a new career that you love, so soak up some of these great ideas, have an open mind, and be prepared to find yourself a new career.To Quit or not?Whether to quit your day job or not is up to you, and depends on what kind of person you are. Some people find it really beneficial and liberating to quit their current job and use that adrenalin to throw themselves into the job search. This can be fantastic if you don?t have dependents or have some money saved up in the bank.For many though, they are unsure about what they want to try next, or how long it could take to find another income in their new line of work. Taking your time with it, and having an idea can be good before you make any decisions. You can apply, and try out other fields while still having your current job. Being smart, and not rash, can really pay off.Educate YourselfGoing back to school can be a great way to get a taste of the new field you are looking to go into, and looks really good to employers too. If you are changing career, you have loads of experience working, and a qualification on top of that lets them know you are serious. Why not check out your nearest supply chain management masters, nursing course, or law conversion course.There are plenty of courses out there for any field, so see if there are any that are applicable to you. Many courses also offer a hand on experience with work placements working in actual businesses. This looks great to employers and can give you a taste of what it is like working in the new career you want to try. Adding qualifications to your CV is never going to hurt, and you can get a taste of what it?s like working in the new career your thinking of going into.There are loads of ways you can get into a new career, from doing internships, gaining new qualifications, to just asking around. Whatever you do, and whatever you want to go into, there has never been a better time to change careers. Information and opportunities are easily accessible online, and many people change their career many times throughout their lives.
