by Nick Throlson | Nov 17, 2017 | WordPress
WordPress development has developed from being a mere blogging platform not just to a full-fledged content management system but to the best and most popular website development system. Every creative web development company has either tried it out or still uses it now.The features that attracted WordPress web development companies are numerous and some of them have been discussed right here.It is very popularWordPress development has gone from obscurity to the most popular content management system in the world and its popularity still grows. In fact, no other content management system comes even close. Do you know what it means to control over 4 percent of the entire internet? Yes, WordPress does.More than 55 percent of CMS based websites are developed on WordPress. Here is the bomb, more than 15 blog posts are published on WordPress controlled websites every single second.If you think this is some kind of deliberate hype or exaggeration, you can verify the figures.Even popular brands use WordPressWould you believe it if someone told you that sites like The New Yorkers, The Next Web, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and even the world famous CNN?s blogs all run on WordPress? Well, that is it. They all do and even many more. If these kinds of websites can be built on WordPress doesn?t that tell you the kind of functionalities and power behind the WordPress?Remember, these are all different types of sites with different purposes. This underscores the versatility WordPress offers. So, in case you still see it as just a blogging platform, this should change your impression.Some academic institutions run several online courses on their WordPress based websites and countless communities and high traffic e-commerce websites are built on WordPress and they work seamlessly. However, that does not mean that it can no longer be used for blogging. It is still a veritable tool for blogging. CNN?s blogs are all built on it.Availability of numerous pluginsWordPress has so many plugins for different functions and instead of having to write lengthy codes for different functions, you just need to use some of the plugins from WordPress. Imagine, programming without coding. This is fun. This is why a lot of web designers and developers have joined the bandwagon of WordPress.There is already a plugin for virtually everything you might want to do. This saves you a lot of time and effort. Even though WordPress has both free and paid plugins, its free plugins are more than 45,000 in number. Can you beat that? The plugins are so many that, the ones you won?t need will be a multiple of the ones you will get to use. And you know what? More plugins are being created every day.WordPress is built on PHP so if you are an expert in the language, you might want to flaunt what you?ve got by customizing some plugins. However, if you value your time, it might not be necessary. Why would you want to start coding from scratch when you can make use of plugins? Don?t you want to impress your clients with an improved turnaround time?Non-developers can also make use of WordPressIt has great tools for setting up online business sites like creating online retail stores. So, you don?t have to be a pro to be able to use it. WordPress websites can easily be integrated with different payment gateways. Being able to hand some tasks by yourself will reduce your website development cost as your developer won?t start from scratch.Only a very few people are aware that WordPress also has a lot of plugins that are useful for backend tasks. So, it can be used for intranets too. You can self-host some apps and save some cost.It can also be used for membership sites where members log in with their passwords to have access to some facilities of the sites. The most beautiful part is that you don?t need to have programming skills to be able to do some ?wonders? with WordPress.It is completely freeWordPress is open source and completely free to use. You can even make the change that you want to the site?s codes without paying any money. You don?t also require any kind of license to access WordPress. Although there are paid plugins, you can also get many free themes and plugins. The best part is that you can earn money by the side of WordPress by creating your own premium themes and plugins for other people to use.WordPress skills are highly sought afterWith some WordPress, you can get several kinds of jobs because the WordPress services are in high demand. You can get a job in a creative web design company or you can also get a job as a site manager in jobs that run their sites on WordPress. Having WordPress skills already makes you a website designer and developer.Sites built on WordPress are very easy to manageSites built on WordPress are quite easy to run and maintain. You don?t have to be a website developer to be able to manage WordPress sites. There are several WordPress communities online that you can consult if you run into any problem. Some of them would have run into same challenges and probably fill you in on likely solutions.WordPress is easier to learnIf you intend to learn WordPress, you can get numerous online resources to help you get started. And if you put your heart to it, you can be up in three months. You may not be a WordPress expert by then but you should have learned enough skills to make you earn some serious cash.Free web hostingWordPress offers two types of web hosting ? free and paid for. As you will expect, free web hosting comes with limited facilities and resources. First of all, WordPress.com is attached to your web address. You also enjoy limited free themes. Free web hosting comes with limited storage space and no video storage. Most importantly, you can?t turn off ads as you have absolutely no control over them. The biggest problem with free web hosting is the addition of WordPress.com to your web address. No big company will take you seriously with such a ridiculous web address. WordPress paid web hosting is very affordable. Why not just upgrade your account to a paid one.Now you know the secrets behind the rapid growth and popularity of WordPress. You may also want your next website built on the best content management system in the world ? WordPress.Author Bio:Kenneth Evans is Analyst and Content Marketer for top app development companies. As a Content marketer, He has been contributing to various blogging platforms and Forums.
by Nick Throlson | Oct 24, 2017 | WordPress
WordCamp Riverside | November 4-5, 2017 Riverside California
Riverside?s inaugural WordCamp, ?happening at?SolarMax Technologies.?The camp will be from 8 am ? 5 pm on both days.Event Location:?Address:?3080 12th St, Riverside, CA 92507Purchase Tickets & Sponsorships Here
by Nick Throlson | Oct 11, 2017 | Business, Web Design, WordPress
A website has its dignity in this technological era. A business cannot be considered without a site in this modern time as website plays a role of backbone for a company. Just admit that a human being who cannot move without spine same like a business can?t achieve high ranks and will not be able to run forward without a website. To make a business successful, one has to build and maintain an eye-catchy website so that company will be able to target his envisioned audience in limited time. Lots of things should be considered before development and creation of the website as website contains different factors which can affect business growth. Some significant elements which should not be neglected at the time of website development are summarizing here.Website design
The most important thing you have to consider before the development of a website as a business owner is that you have to make a website design which is bright enough for your customers and also for your visitors. Try to make appealing design and avoid ambiguous theme which may cause to disperse your visitors and affect your customers. Navigation between the screens tabs for online shopping and integration of social apps should be displayed vibrantly. Selection of color scheme for your website is also an essential part so colors should be used in such a way that they have a fresh and attractive effect on minds of the visitors. The logo of your website also works for you to make your business successful as a logo is the identity of your brand, so you have to maintain a logo which represents your brand effectively.Quality content
The content of a business website is the power of business, not only the power but also a reliable weapon to attract customers. It is mandatory for a business website to publish quality content on its site so the business owner must maintain check and balance on the content which is going to be published on his website. There is a strong reason behind marinating quality content on a website the idea is that people and visitors associate the standard of the brand and its products with the content published on the website. If visitors read quality content, then they assume that this name is providing reliable services so as a result, you will be able to give growth to your business. Responsiveness
According to the latest research, it is observed that most of the audience is the mobile user so according to this observation, your business website should be responsive as you will be able to target more audience and ultimately will be able to generate more traffic for your site. That?s the reason that most of the business consultants in UAE maintain a responsive website as they have an understanding of the importance of a responsive website for their business. At the time of designing, you have to consider a web design which is not only mobile friendly but also able to display properly on all other devices like tabs, iPhones, etc. Backend infrastructure
For a successful website, it is compulsory for a site to maintain robust backend infrastructure because all purchasing is done through website especially in case of e-commerce business. So, if backend of the website is handled with care then you will be in a condition to make a trusty and healthy relationship with your customers as all information provided by the customers at the time of purchasing will be stored in the backend.Effective domain
To select a domain name for your website, you have to understand the nature of the business and website you are going to maintain as the domain name is the thing through which your website will be able to locate on the internet. Under the consideration of the nature of your website, you have to choose a domain name which reflects your brand and services so your customers will be clear enough about your services. It?s suggested you have to choose shorter and comprehensive domain name as it will be effective for a business website.The growth of the business is the dream of every business holder. Before the advancement in technology that task was difficult, but the invention of latest technology and usage of the internet make this job easy for business owners. A business owner just has to maintain a website with some standards and rules, and the rest of the work website will do for his business. Author Bio: Jessica Watson has been writing for websites and magazines for three years now. She had a fair share of writing in various niches but her main focus is technology, business, finance, and social media. Currently associated with a business consultancy firm Aurion UAE.
by Nick Throlson | Sep 5, 2017 | Business, Web Design, WordPress
While in our every other post, we always talk about how businesses that follow latest technology trends can transcend their competitors, this time we are asking you to unroll your sleeves and stay away from few oddballs. Because not every time a new thing is good for your business growth. As web development and mobile app development are our favorite subjects, here, we?re going to point out some development risks every startup business or an established brand should avoid if they want to go online. Most startups launch with a bang, work for a year and then just disappear for the various reasons they didn?t heed attention to in the start. And we don?t want you to fall in the same category. For developing a customer-centric eCommerce website, a reader?s favorite blog site, a talked about social networking website, a profit-generating B2B website, quick launch and long project life are the secrets. Since your website is the online representation of your business, you can?t risk its existence. There are a couple of things you need to consider before, during and after web development, ensuring that you have a growth-driven website at the end.Risk #1: Doing it all by yourself?Don?t force pieces that don?t fit.? So, if you know business but aren?t an expert in technical development/ design and coding, you shouldn?t do that. The problem begins when each of you start believing that developing a website/web app can be done either by yourself (having a little knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or by asking a friend to do it as a freelance developer. You don?t have to be good at everything; it?s better to focus on your business idea, take charge of the sales and marketing before and after launch. Don?t risk your website in the hands of any run-off-the-mill developer.Solution:Hire a reputed, reliable web development company capable of delivering top-notch solutions and converting your idea into a professional, scalable online platform. Risk #2 Developer?s ProfileWhile startups and businesses look for full-scale web development agency to outsource their project, they fall for web developers that have a similar portfolio as their own project. Some decision-makers assume that it?s plentiful if the developer they hired has delivered the project that aligns with their planned idea. Hold on to this thought! All projects are not the same, even if they seem alike. And if you want to stand out, you need to bring the individuality.Solution: Find a dynamic and innovative web developer who is flexible in working with an advanced and new technology bundle pertaining to the same web vertical. A broad competence is more progressive and creative as they can propose expertise from other domains, other business areas and bring forth a future-ready solution.Risk #3 Lengthy IterationsIt?s not true that anything that?s done with attention-to-detail calls for a long wait. Of course, focus and step-by-step approach are paramount, but not at the sake of project getting delayed. A project development process horizontally involves different expertise from different departments, moving from one phase to the other. The common steps to any web development project include sketching the idea, prototyping, UI/UX design, development, quality testing and final launch. But in the course of implementing each of these linearly, you tend to lose a lot of time and may end up launching your project when it?s outdated.Solution: To avoid such a case, go for smaller development cycles, where the developers or designers don?t wait for days for BA?s to give them the blueprint of the whole project and then start on. As soon as a mockup for one screen is finalized, the design and development teams should work collaboratively to devise a final product in a relatively shorter time.Risk #4: Fixed time estimationThere?s hardly any project we have seen in our lifetime, which doesn?t require a scope change or a new addition to what?s planned initially. Once the development team starts the work, many times, it happens that business owners come forward with a new functionality which wasn?t discussed before or sometimes they even change the complete plan going forward. So, fixed time estimations are bothersome. Instead of completing a web project on time, strict estimates spoil the flow. Solution: Typically, the website owner and Project Manager should understand this time game and keep a hidden buffer at each stage of development. ?This leaves room for adding novel features or make changes during development.Risk #5: Project delivery at onceWith a sack full of web development companies onboard, the options are limitless. Not only early deliveries and cost-effectiveness are remunerative. Imagine if you receive a d?class? website in just two weeks of development, will you be happy? Clearly, no. This happens because as a business owner, you are only concerned with the end-product, insensitive to what the developers and designers have been doing. Project delivery at once is harmful because that risks the whole project. Even if it?s a one-page website, you should be allowed to see the website?s progress time and again.Solution: Think big, but pay attention to details regularly. Ask for the web developer to deliver the project at the end of each development cycle, which actively demonstrate how the project looks like and where it is heading. Exactly the way we do it.Over to youDon?t shillyshally ? take a wise decision sidestepping these risks that may pull you down from marshaling a high-quality robust website/web app. ?Be cautious during the website development so that you are not screwed up by the developers, bearing a far-higher cost.It?s time to get your physical business on the desktop and mobile screens of your potential customers and construct the best lead-generating system, with a revolutionary design.
by Nick Throlson | Sep 3, 2017 | Business, Web Design, WordPress
There are today no second thoughts on the way eCommerce development has taken the entire consumer market by storm- with billions of people using the channel to generate revenues worth hundreds of billions of dollars. But few people actually realize that it is in fact just the tip of the iceberg- with a much larger B2B (Business to Business) component lying underneath. If we go by statistics, B2B eCommerce is at least 4 times that of B2C and is expected to account for a staggering $6.7 trillion market by 2020. So, if you happen to be in the business or are looking to step in, now would be a good time to take a second look at your web development strategy and make the most out of the current boom.While most of the technical aspects for B2B web development remains the same as others, there are some innate factors that ultimately decide the fate of such businesses. And though you can hire any well-regarded web development company to take care of the design and development, following are risks that you must lookout on your own before you actually do:1. Expertise overratedOne of the crudest mistakes that businesses make while choosing web developers for their project is that they look out only for expertise in technologies that their project demands. While that is obviously a plus, it isn?t nearly enough to meet all business requirements in future. Especially in this age of ever evolving technology and ever shifting business priorities, there is no one technology you should lean your business upon. So, while expertise must always be a preference, experience in the industry and competence in widest possible technologies is what you must also consider before finally trusting any web development agency with your business prospects.2. CopycatsThis is more applicable to those who are just starting out or are looking to bring major overhaul to their online presence. These businesses generally find a web developer who has created a product that they would like to copy. In their opinion, it won?t only save the efforts that would otherwise go into analysis and design, but has the additional benefit of being a tried and tested product.But in their rush to save a few bucks and efforts, they overlook a very fundamental aspect- no two businesses are exactly the same and if there are, eventually only one of them will succeed. So, unless you are willing to invest the required efforts and resources to turn your idea into a unique product, there is essentially no leverage you will have over competitors.3. TimelineAs mentioned in the beginning, B2B eCommerce is an immensely huge market with countless businesses competing to make their mark. And every day that you stay out of the competition, is a potential lost opportunity. Many businesses in the hope of launching a perfect B2B platform spends too much time in the development and testing phase and by the time it is ready, they realize that the market has moved on and their product has become outdated even before launch! To put it simply, there is no such thing as a perfect website and the best one are those that keep users engaged and push for maximum sales.4. Static development cycleGenerally, web development follows a fixed procedural cycle- requirement gathering, design, development, testing and deployment. While this approach may serve well for small projects, B2B is certainly not one of them due to the sheer number of clients and much higher financial stakes. Unless the development cycle is flexible enough to incorporate the needs of both these components, there will always be a doubt over business feasibility in the long run.Since the most valuable suggestions and feedback any business can get is from their clients, a better approach would be to start with a prototype and get feedback from all stakeholders. This will not only help you document the requirements precisely, but will also pave the way for the future course of action that is expected.Closing RemarksCreating a B2B platform isn?t an easy task and something that must only be done after in-depth research and with utmost commitment. Having worked with businesses of all scales and industries, we have the first-hand experience of the unique challenges and opportunities they have from web development services. And it is this industry insight coupled with technical competence that our clients bank upon to prosper their business.
by Nick Throlson | Aug 14, 2017 | Social Media, Web Design, WordPress
When it comes to having a modern, up-to-date and, therefore, successful website, many businesses are lacking. Businesses believe that all you have to do is be online, have your products or services available, and customers will be flocking to your website. This is incorrect. To get click-through rates, you cannot simply rely on ?just being there.? You must transition into the digital era and make use of the internet and all the separate avenues available to you. This is how to bring your website into the 21st century. Update Your LayoutIf your website follows an obvious, quite static template, you need to swap it out for one which is user-friendly and more aesthetically pleasing. Modern and minimalist designs are popular, and a ?less is more? approach makes navigating through your website less stressful and more appealing. Have a select few of pages and tabs available, include images, and keep everything simple. Wow them with quality over quantity. Lucid Digital LLC and similar web design companies can offer your user-friendly web design that?ll optimize your sales and revenue.Additionally, you will need to remove any ?spammy? ads, as Google is likely penalized your site and lower your ranking. Websites solely based on ads and generating revenue are being heavily targeted by Google?s latest update, Fred.Mobile FriendlyNowadays, people are more likely to access the internet via their smartphones than their desktop or laptop. This is because people live busier lives, and smartphones can be easier to access and can also run smooth enough for optimal web surfing. Your website need to be available across multiple devices, otherwise it will lead to frustrations and people won?t click through (or they?ll abandon ship when they can?t get to or buy what they want). Social MediaHave your website linked to your social media accounts, and have your social media profiles link back to your website. Doing so allows you to fully utilize your social media marketing; you can post images of your product on Instagram, for example, and have it link back to the relevant page so people can purchase it easily. If you show your social media accounts on your website, people can easily ?like? your Facebook page or follow your Twitter and Instagram, making it easier for them to see you company updates or promotions. Onsite SEOBetter your onsite SEO by improving your website?s content. You want relevant and useful keywords, and there?s nothing more jarring than seeing a website talking about outdated or irrelevant products/services. Plus, if you were prone to keyword stuffing or posting empty content, then removing them and starting afresh will better your Google ranking.Offsite SEOIf your website isn?t easily found or crawling up Google ranking?s, you will need to consider offsite SEO as a means of becoming more noticeable. Competition is fierce, so you need optimal online visibility to become successful. You can implement SEO with content marketing, useful meta descriptions and hiring reputable SEO professionals who understand the digital marketing practice.