Web Development: 3 Fast Ways For Business Of Any Size

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Web development|Web Development: 3 Fast Ways For Business Of Any SizeCan a business exist without a website? It all depends on the industry and services provided or products sold. Nevertheless, the website for the vast majority of companies is a showcase of what they offer, and the quality of its performance and content affects whether the user will make a contact or purchase attempt. Your brand needs to be seen for your business to gain interest, build trust and generate profit. Website development is the key to making these things happen.

Moreover, as of 2021, there are around 5.2 billion global internet users. It means that 65.6% of the population around the world is using the internet for a vast variety of reasons. If you want to capture people from different sources including social media, paid ads, and search engines you need to lead them to the website of your company.

The question is what is the best way to develop a website if there is nobody in your company who is capable of building it? By reading this article you will find out about 3 fast and effective solutions.

Web development: what does it include?

What does web development include? It can range from developing a simple single page of plain text to complex web applications, e-commerce sites, portals, and social network services. No matter its type website development includes:

  • web design – the process of designing graphics, user interfaces, and writing web markup (instructions to the software used for viewing a webpage on how the page should look and work);
  • web engineering – writing code for servers and applications using programming languages as well as building page integrations with content management system (CMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) platform.

Web development: what skills do you need?

First of all, you need to be aware that there is a difference between web and software development – different programs/programming languages are used and the final outcome of the developer’s work differs as well.

  • Web developers are mainly responsible for building web applications and websites that run on internet browsers.
  • Software developers, on the other hand, focus on computer programs for desktop and mobile devices.

Both specializations require a strong attention to detail, a knack for problem-solving and programming experience, however, they have different maintenance requirements, workflows, and levels of complexity.

Web development consists of two areas of work: front-end (the user-facing side) development and back-end (the server-side) development, so in most cases, you need at least two developers to build your website.

  • Front-end web developers take care of how a website looks and functions from the users’ perspective, make it easy to access and browse, and ensure the website is compatible with operating systems and devices that display content.
  • Back-end web developers are responsible for the technical aspects. They work on administrative components such as the server, the database, the operating system, and the software and make sure these components run smoothly together.

An alternative is to hire a full-stack developer who possesses knowledge in both front-end and back-end development. It requires years in the field to build the necessary experience and become such an expert but they can create a website from start to finish. The full-stack developer knows how to design a website, user experience and is able to use the necessary programming languages and technology stack.

Keep in mind that if you plan to build a great website you first and foremost need talented and effective developers who also understand the business perspective and represent a proactive approach.

What are the best options if you need to build a website?

Before you decide which of the available options are best for you, consider the needs of your project and company. If you need a web developer permanently to take care of your site and implement changes often or if you have more than one project in mind, you might be better off hiring full-time web developers.

In most cases, it might be a good idea for companies that have complex online stores, SaaS companies, or news sites. Otherwise, you risk investing a lot of money in the recruitment process, and later in the permanent salary of a specialist that you will not need.

What can you do instead? Below we mention 3 fast ways to web development:

Cooperate with Freelance Web Developers

Nowadays, there are many online job platforms, such as Upwork, Fiverr, YouTeam, Gigster, and others where you can find all types of developers with whom you can cooperate on a one-time project basis.

Pros: you can find freelancers from all over the world; developers are ready to work for a reasonable price; usually a short project implementation period; you can review the profiles of candidates and see examples of work; you don’t waste time on the recruitment process.

Cons: you are not guaranteed high-quality work – there are often no vetting processes; lower cost might mean that the project will be made in the simplest possible way, both technically and visually; you cannot count on the developer to advise you on the best solution; the chosen developer doesn’t need to be fully dedicated to your project; you risk losing money to build a website that will not meet your expectations.

Use a Dedicated Team service

When your project is complex you can quickly find a dedicated development team through an IT staffing company. You cooperate with a dedicated team that is not just a group of developers working on their tasks, but they act as a part of your company and support you.

Pros: such a team is fully allocated to you and dedicated to your project; you take an active part in a decision-making process; delivering results and high quality is ensured; the capacity of the team is set on the workload needed to finish the project until and must be delivered until the agreed time period; the fee is charged monthly and you only pay for worked-hours; you get access to work-proven and skilled developers.

Cons: not the right solution if you need to build a simple business website; even if you don’t need to manage tasks of the team, it requires some engagement from your side; cost might be higher compared to hiring freelancer due to high-quality and experience of developers.

Outsource the entire Web Development

Outsourcing has become a very popular process. Outsourcing web development means that
your project will be developed by a third-party company that acts as a contracted partner to perform and manage website development work.

Pros: you free up your time so you can focus on your business instead; the maintenance commitment of the website is usually a part of an outsourcing contract and lies on the side of the provider; software houses face higher liability than in cases of other services, which makes it less of a risk for your business.

Cons: besides contracted cost, the extra ones may occur so there is a risk of going over budget; developers who work for software houses usually have several projects to handle which may impact the quality; due to lack of proper communication you may receive a website that doesn’t fit your expectations; you don’t have an influence on your website development.
Summing up

Currently, thanks to the popularization of remote work, your business has the opportunity to use a much wider range of solutions. However, remember to analyze the needs of the project before deciding to cooperate with a freelancer, IT staffing company, or software house. Consider which of the solutions will bring you the most benefits and guarantee that your website will not only look good but also be technically adapted to your company’s needs.

The “Golden ISA” of Post-Pandemic Business Presence

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Post-pandemic Business|The "Golden ISA" of Post-Pandemic Business PresenceThe pandemic has completely transformed the business environment. As a result, companies of all sizes have adapted to meet the new challenges. Maintaining your interactions with remote customers is no easy task, especially for small shops and businesses that are more experienced with face-to-face practices.

The post-pandemic business world focuses on digital strategies. Your audience has learned new behaviors during the health crisis. Therefore, if you are going to digitize your company presence, you need to ensure you can meet the new expectations of your customers. Not sure where to start? Here’s a clue for you: Golden ISA. Indeed, business experts recommend the GISA or Golden ISA approach to bring your small company to the post-pandemic requirements.

Golden Google

G in GISA or Golden stands for Google. As the leading search engine platform, your Google presence needs to be part of your strategy. Indeed, Google is the holy grail of marketing and customer acquisition for small businesses. In a post-pandemic world, being visible online requires dedicated SEO. Experts recommend local SEO strategies that utilize the benefits of Google Maps, using Google My Business. Boosting your local rankings means that your business is more visible to local searches and mobile users in your vicinity. Additionally, your Google Maps presence can provide all the information customers need before committing to a visit or a purchase: Reviews, opening hours, photos, and targeted content.

I for Information technology

There is no going any further forward with dedicated IT services. For most small businesses, having an in-house IT team is not an option. Therefore, you need someone who can help manage cybersecurity risks, tech issues, and IT network to make the most of your resources. When IT is at the core of your business processes, you can’t afford delays or frustrations. SMBs need to compete with corporates in terms of IT effectiveness, reliability, and security.

S for Social media

People are looking online for your brands. They turn to your social media network for support, inspiration, guidance, and information. Your social media activity will help position your brand’s attractiveness and popularity. Unfortunately, social media channels are a crowded place. If you want to get noticed, you need to make sure your strategy differentiates your brand from your competitors. Don’t be afraid to start new trends rather than relying on the overused marketing content and campaigns. Ideally, partnering with a professional agency can enable you to be creative without committing a costly faux pas.

A for Almighty apps

A responsive website doesn’t match the functionality and ease of use of a mobile app. Indeed, apps can significantly increase your sales with unique features such as notification, discount, and simple payment methods. A business application doesn’t need to compete for visibility on search engine result pages. On the contrary, customers can have direct access to your products without the risk of competing brands affecting your reach. In an age where most people carry their smartphone everywhere and rely on it for most of their interactions, a business app is the safest way to always be by your customers’ side.

Your online presence must meet the needs and behaviors of a post-pandemic market. The smartphone is at the heart of many interactions, from information research to transactional exchanges. Therefore, maximizing your efforts to be visible and user-friendly to local users and smartphone buyers can go a long way. Finally, it’s crucial to maintain your tech up-to-date and safe for all in a digital environment. Without reliable tech, your business activities become less effective.

Building A Customer-Facing App That People Love

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Customer-Facing App|Building A Customer-Facing App That People LoveThere are so many business models that can benefit from creating an app for their customers, and so many ways in which those benefits might be seen. If you are keen to try and create the perfect customer-facing app, there are a lot of things that you might want to bear in mind along the way. In this post, we are going to take you through a few of the essential things that can help to create a customer-facing app that people are going to really love. As long as you follow these tips, that should be a lot easier.

Focus On An Idea

It is generally best to have as specific an idea as possible, a real niche, which you can then focus on as fully as possible. Doing that is going to mean that you are much more likely to deliver exactly what you need to deliver. If your app becomes too full of different ideas, it can start to have this flabby kind of look and feel to it – so that is something that you are going to want to be aware of from the start. Hone in as tightly as possible, and people will get more out of it.

Use Intelligent Design

An app is much more likely to work well if it is built up properly from the very start. That means that it is built with some kind of intelligent design, which is something that you can easily make sure of as long as you are using the appropriate app development software. Using something like FileMaker could be a good way to go, but to really make sure you are using it right you might want to look into getting some Claris FileMaker Consulting too. That way, you can make sure the app’s essential design is really strong.

Ask For Feedback

You should aim to ask for feedback from your app’s users on a regular basis. They will be essentially testing it a great deal, so speaking with them is something that is going to really help you to work out what you might need to change or improve. You can seek this feedback on the app itself, on the Play Store and App Store, and online through your website, or any other means you think might work well. However you do it, make sure that you really act on it.

Keep It Small & Simple

The size of the app is hugely important – too big and people are unlikely to want it to take up the space on their phone, too small and it might seem that it is not really doing anything. Find a good balance by including just the right number of elements, and by having it coded properly so there is no extraneous code. At the same time, you should focus on trying to keep the app as simple as you can, as in doing this you are going to find that people tend to get a lot more usage out of it.

5 Ways To Turn Your Social Channels Into Extremely Attractive Pages

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Social Media Channels|5 Ways To Turn Your Social Channels Into Extremely Attractive PagesWhether you’re looking to start a business or create a small project on the side, you’re probably going to need to make yourself present on social media. If you want to grab attention in 2021, you’ll have to do it using the internet. The world has changed and is now a lot different from how it was around fifteen years ago. People are glued to their screens and get a lot of information from the likes of online encyclopedias, websites, and social platforms.

If you’ve not been used to this kind of thing as you’re quite the old school type, then it can make the stress of running a business even more difficult as you have an entirely new aspect to learn about. The good thing is that social media and the subsequent platforms are pretty simple to use. They take a few minutes to get used to, but then you’ll be set afterward. If you need help with your social media accounts regarding their attractiveness and popularity, here are a few points to heed:

Do Something Different From The Rest

If you behave exactly the same as everyone else, you’re going to look like just another pretender in a cookie-cutter market. It’s very easy to do this because you fall into the trap of wanting to look as professional as the rest. It takes guts as well as creativity to stand out, however. Think of new ideas regarding how you’re going to address users and what everything is going to look like.

Use Visual And Interactive Ideas

People will see you as a more attractive prospect if you allow them to engage in what they’re reading. If it’s just a case of reading something and then moving onto something else, then they’re not exactly going to remember you all that well. If they have to do particular things in order to get some satisfaction, they won’t forget their actions. Clicking links, playing games, entering competitions, and these kinds of ideas all work well.

Work With Professional Marketing Services

You might think you have everything handled regarding your ability to create a successful page, but there will still be more areas that you’re lacking in. This is where social media services for businesses will come in handy. They explore areas that you didn’t even think of before. Their experience will help you to expand your reach as well as turn your page into something even sexier than it might already be.

Ensure Your Grammar, Spelling, And Overall Presentation Are High-Quality

Users will NOT take you seriously if you cannot communicate properly. That’s just how this world works. If you cannot use proper spelling and grammar as a business or side hustle, then how are you going to be expected to help customers/clients out with more difficult and convoluted problems?

Be Consistent

If you’re not taking this kind of project seriously, then why should anyone else? You should always strive to be more consistent in the things you do, and these kinds of projects are the same. If people see regular updates, then they’ll know you’re a serious outfit.

Digital Marketing Tips for Wineries

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Marketing Tips for Wineries|Digital Marketing Tips for WineriesA few years ago, wineries relied on traditional adverts for success. However, digital marketing has taken over traditional marketing channels, and any business that wishes to remain competitive must adopt internet marketing. Internet marketing is a more effective way of reaching customers, and the growing number of digital and social media platforms have made it possible for wine suppliers to connect with consumers directly. The following digital marketing guidelines will lead you to the right customers, increase your sales, and expand your business.

1. Design a great website

A website acts as your digital storefront and all other online marketing strategies should lead people to your website. Prospective customers will judge your business according to its webs’ performance, and it is important that you invest in a well-designed, functional and user-friendly website. The website should be compatible with mobile phones and be optimized for speed. It should also provide detailed information on your products.

2. Content marketing

Effective content marketing can help to improve search engine rankings, attract new leads and increase sales. However, content marketing for wine suppliers will only work if you know how and what kind of content to create. Blog posts and articles are the starting point for your content marketing strategy. Creating relevant topics and SEO-optimized content will increase traffic to your site. Ensure your content provides answers that prospects may be looking for on the internet. Conduct thorough keyword research to help you come up with relevant topics to create. In addition, be sure to create an email list to retain your audience and get returning visitors.

3. Optimize the use of social media platforms

At a time when every other business is utilizing social media marketing, your wine supply should not be left behind. If you don’t have active social media pages for your wine supply, you are likely already lagging behind your competitors. All you need to do is find a suitable network for your wine brand. Know where you are likely to meet your consumers and win them by posting relevant content concerning your brand. Here are some tips that can help you succeed in social media marketing:

  • Have a strategy for each platform
  • Be consistent with your content
  • Stay updated on what’s trending
  • Invest in a team to create and share your content
  • Engage with influencers

4. Make an email list

Email marketing is another effective way of reaching your wine consumers directly. Have a list of people’s emails where you can be sharing your brand’s information. Apart from boosting your sales, email marketing enhances your brand awareness. You will also be able to reach your customers on time and stay connected with them. In addition, sending an email is cheap because you can reach several customers at once.

Endnote

The entire world of business is going digital, including the consumers of your wine products. With dozens of online platforms available, you stand big chances of expanding your winery business. All you need to do is develop a smart digital marketing plan and explore better online tricks to keep your revenue flowing.