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Tag: mobile responsive website

How to Simplify Your Website?

The general theme and content of your website are very important, however, it always doesn’t have to be complex. Simplifying your web design can be done by taking small and easy steps. Simple tasks like focusing on putting the important website elements, removing the unnecessary things, reducing the number of pages your site has, getting more content, and using the right number of colors are just some small steps you can take to simplify your website. 

The simpler your website gets, the more user-friendly it will become. For most businesses, simplicity is the key to a sleek, user-friendly website. It will be easier to use and navigate around your website if you cut down on additional elements. But sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what to cut and what to keep. Here are a few easy tips from the pros on how to simplify your web design or website in general. 

Identify the Most Important Elements 

This is the most important and the easiest step. Many websites have the most important information about their company on the homepage, mixed with a lot  of unimportant features, like social media feeds, irrelevant photos, and even outdated ads. Strip down to the bare minimum of what you want clients to see once they land on your website and get rid of all the other clutter. Put only the most important content on your homepage.

Use the 80/20 Rule 

The 80/20 is 20% of your website content will go towards 80% of your site’s value. Consider what brings the most value to your site – whether it be your online store, or signup forms. Putting these features front and center and eliminating or redistributing other elements can provide the user with a distraction-free page where they won’t be tempted to click away from items that are on sale or that signup form that they’ve been hovering their cursor over.

Reduce the Number of Pages 

One way to simplify your web design is to narrow down your website pages. This gives users the time to focus on the important parts of your site. It also creates a cleaner and more organized experience. Review your website and remove the unnecessary pages that you know you really don’t need or merge pages that cover similar topics. 

Stick to a Limited Color Scheme 

Choosing the right colors is crucial when it comes to website design. It can be easy to go crazy with lots of bright colors, but a crazy color scheme can actually be very distracting to  your website’s users. Limiting yourself to a color scheme of only two to three colors is a great way to simplify your website’s design. One trick to expand the colors of your website is to use different shades of the same colors to provide subtlety and texture. 

Get Your Call to Action Above the Fold 

Research shows that most people spend more time above the fold of your website. This is one of the most important parts of your website that helps drive more traffic to your site. Whatever is displayed in this sweet spot is what every visitor to your homepage will see first. Make sure that you put a lot of rich content in this part of the website, including any call to action such as “call us today!” or “Check out our store!”. 

In this digital age, a well-designed website is not only about aesthetics, but more for overall user experience. At iManila, we create highly-functional and beautifully designed websites that can support your business objectives – whether that means driving awareness, generating leads or increasing sales. With 25 years of experience in the industry, iManila is committed to providing our clients with innovative digital solutions. We are a full-service website development and digital marketing agency ready to help you with your website design and development, hosting, and digital marketing needs. Let’s talk and we’ll help you keep your website relevant and up to date. 

Essential Elements for Website Success this 2021

What makes a successful website? In this day and age, having just a website is not enough. You would need a website that is effective, optimized, and visually appealing. An ineffective website can be a waste of time and money for any business. 

Luckily, we have laid out in this article some essential elements to bring out success for your website. Take inspiration from these to bring out the best in your website this 2021. 

Know your goals

This is one of the most crucial steps to having a website. Websites do not serve the purpose of having one just because everyone has it. Websites should be designed to cater to the goals that you want for your business. Ask yourself the outcome you expect from your website visitors when they go into your site. 

Once you have figured this out, this is where you can build a strategy. This is the only time you can start to think of the things such as what name, title, logo, or tagline your website will have. Take the time to also read through our recent blog to know more about online business resilience this 2021 And must haves for a successful digital workspace in 2021.

Clear navigation

A website is only good if your visitors actually understand it. This highlights the importance of having site navigation that is clear and straight to the point, which will help users explore your site much faster and see the content that they are looking for. Good site navigation is also one of the best practices of good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as it helps search engines index your website pages easily. 

Good home page 

In this day and age, people are having shorter attention spans. This becomes a challenge for marketers as this means you need to capture users’ attention in the shortest possible time once they reach your website. For a majority of visitors, the home page is where they will first set their eyes on your site. In this short span of time, 90% of visitors already make a decision about your website with just one look at the homepage. 

A good homepage for your website should contain everything that visitors need to know and it should clearly state what your business is offering or doing differently than your competitors. Making sure that your logo, tagline, promotional messages are impressive and direct-to-the-point are vital in making visitors stay longer on your website. 

Mobile-Friendliness

A majority of visitors prefer viewing websites via their smartphones and this has brought into popularity the concept of designing mobile-friendly versions of websites. Good responsive website designs adjust to the screen of the viewer whether they are reading from a desktop computer, a tablet, or a phone. This means that text, images, and other elements are not compromised just because the viewing screen is different. 

Visible call-to-action

Going back to your website’s goals, what you want your customer to accomplish in your website should be clearly displayed in your call-to-action. This can range from “buy now” or to a request for quotation, or to contact you through your contact numbers. 

This is where website visitors become a business lead or conversion, and call-to-action buttons should act as a guide on how to get there. A good call-to-action design should make itself clear to your visitor even if they are not seeking it out at first, and should convince them to click that button to take the next step to purchase your product. 

Aesthetic design

Much of the work of a website would depend on its visuals and design. A good design on your website that serves its purpose and matches with your brand identity should impress your visitors and be a deciding factor for them staying longer in your site. It also serves as a way to set you apart from competitors and make you stand out from the pack. 

It is important to know key elements that make websites a success. These serve as good foundations for what you want your website to be. Even for those with little, to no experience in making websites, knowing this information is a great way to better think of a strategy for your business and identifying how a website can contribute to its success. Set your business for success in 2021 with iManila!

Having a partnership with the right website development agency can help make your website goals into reality. iManila is a full-service digital marketing agency ready to help you with your  website development, hosting, and digital marketing needs. See what a business like iManila, with over 25 years of experience in the industry, can do for you and your business. Contact us now to learn more! 

The Importance of Identifying the Right Target Audience

Picture this: you are thinking of all the possible marketing tactics you can employ for your business. The carousel ad you saw on Facebook showcasing different products, the Instagram story Ad while you were browsing your stories, and the Google Display Ad that you saw as you were surfing the web made you wonder the kind of reach your business can get simply by trying out these different digital marketing efforts. But when you sit down with a marketing expert and they ask you about who you are targeting, you realize you haven’t thought about that part yet.

Who is the target? 

Knowing who your target is the first step for any company when it comes to developing an effective marketing strategy. A target market is a set of individuals that share similar needs or characteristics that your company hopes to serve. These people are targeted to be the end users who will be purchasing your product.

How do you determine the target market?

Because you want to get the most sales out of your marketing efforts, perhaps you’re thinking about capturing the interests of as many people as possible. However, in marketing, the opposite holds true: the more defined and clear the target, the more chances your marketing will work.

When you define your product and what it does, it becomes easy to determine who the end users will be and what they will like the most out of your offering. The key is understanding the needs of your customer, their pain points, and how you can meet that need with your product. This is possible through market research such as customer focus groups, industry reviews, or market surveys.

Making specific messages

Once you have successfully narrowed down a target market, then you can begin thinking of messaging that can appeal to them. This is important as it is about how you approach and come off to your possible clients. How you would approach selling coffee to someone who wants the premium coffee experience would be different to selling coffee to a busy worker who needs coffee to stay awake. Each target segment has different and unique needs and the message has to be one that clearly gets across how their needs can be met with the product.

Getting the audience right 

Usually, the target audience is also the intended recipient of your marketing message but sometimes, it isn’t so clear cut. There are some products where the buyer of the product is not the same as the end-user, so in cases such as this, it is important that the messaging is to the person who is making the purchase. In some cases, this does not ring true. An example would be toys for kids because while the parents pay for the toys, the kids get to influence their parents to buy the toys so in this case, it works that the toys are marketed directly to them.

Being more cost-effective 

Knowing who your desired target market is, makes it easier to make decisions when it comes to budget allocations. If you have a much narrower targeting, you will save on money and get a better return on investment. For instance, you would get better results by targeting women aged 20-30 and into cooking rather than targeting just women. Your money is not going to waste on wasted audiences if you have clearly defined your target audience because you are taking out of the equation people who are unlikely to purchase your product.

Now that you know about the first step to an effective marketing campaign, you are ready to move onto the next stage. Here in iManila, we believe in the importance of getting the right message across to the right audiences. We are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals through the right digital marketing. Learn more about how we can work together. 

Debunking the Most Common Website Myths

It is always a milestone for a business to have their own website as it’s a great way to expand their online presence. It can be exciting, but there are also a lot of myths about having your own website. 

We’re here to debunk those common myths and help you get on the right track to having the best business website possible!

Once you have a working website, you’ll attract visitors

Getting the website working and online is only half the work. What happens here is that there is a mismatch in expectations with business owners with how websites can give them the results they want. 

The truth is that it takes time, resources, and skills to attract website visitors. There are many factors to consider such as search engine optimization, paid search ads, video ads — in short, a lot of promotional means to get the right amount of traffic to your site. Once you put in the action then effort, that is the only time you’ll be seeing an increase in your website traffic. 

If your website looks good, you will start getting sales

Closely related to the previous one, while a well-designed website may be grabbing the attention of your visitors, it doesn’t necessarily equate to a sale. 

It is true that to attract new people and to give visitors a good user experience you would need a beautiful website, but at the end of the day, it’s still the quality of your products and services and brand reputation that weighs more. If all you are offering is aesthetic but your products or service fail to follow through on its promises, it will fail because people will be able to see through it. A business first and foremost must focus on its own products before worrying about aesthetics and appearances. If you are focused on delivering the right value to your site visitors, your site would work its magic even without the over-the-top designs. In short, your product should speak for itself, your website is merely a tool in helping your message get across to potential customers. 

Once your website is up, the work is done

This again is a mismatch of expectation as websites need ongoing attention much like any other business that needs to be nurtured and maintained. 

Website maintenance is a thing and part and parcel of this is renewing your domain registration on time, protecting your site from any potential threats such as viruses or cybercrime, keeping your design up to date in line with current trends, and investing in promotion to keep the site visitors coming. 

Your website needs to have all the features the other websites have 

There is a misconception that more features means your website will be better. While you may get a lot of inspiration by viewing websites of other brands, you may start to notice some of them have certain elements such as carousels for their headers. But again, it is always important to know the value of each decision as these can hinder your customers from properly navigating your site and getting them to do what you intend them to do. 

For websites, simplicity is key. The bells and whistles would not matter to your customer if they can get their business done on your website in the most direct and simple manner. It is always about the value that the customers get from your products or services. If you are thinking of having a certain feature, know that if it wouldn’t add anything of value to your customers then it’s better left out. 

What’s next?

For different people you may ask, websites may mean different things for them. However, it is important to know what it is that your business really needs as everyone has different approaches. Each business works differently. It is nice to research more about how you can create the kind of website that suits the purpose you intend it to and helps you achieve your business goals. Starting with debunking these common website myths, we hope to be able to guide you in creating your dream website. 

Getting the right experts on board can help ease any worries you might have about building a website on your own. Rest assured that you can find the right partner in iManila, who has been in the industry for over 24 years. Learn more about how we can help you build your website and how we can make it work for you. 

What are the different types of websites and how to know which type of website do you need?

Nowadays, the competition in the market is very tough. One way to make your business successful is to make it active online, and the first step to doing this is by creating your business website to serve as your virtual window and front door. The key to make your business website effective is to take a look at what your business needs and ensure that your site accomplishes the main objective of your business. 

Here are different types of websites to help you choose which fits your business.

Brochure

A brochure website is the simplest type of website, because it only has a few pages. It is primarily used to serve as an online brochure, it gives an overview on what the business is all about and it displays contact information on how you can contact the business. This type of site is typically used by small businesses that need to boost their online presence. The content from brochure websites are mostly static, which makes it perfect for startups and small businesses who want to start making their business active digitally.

Blog

Blogs are online journals that provide information to your website visitors. Because nowadays, people rely on the internet if they have a question or are curious about something, a blog provides the answer to that. It is regularly updated by a small group and can be written in laid back style. Blog websites are important, because they add features and interest to your site. It is also a must to keep it updated as much as possible for more website visitors.

E-commerce 

E-commerce websites are online stores which allow your consumers to purchase on the site itself. It features online payments as well. The main objective of an e-commerce site is to urge your website visitors to buy your product or service. This is especially suited for businesses selling multiple products. This type of website focuses more on functionality than visual aesthetics.

Portal

Portals are centralized places to share information for internal purposes of a business or organization which can only be accessed by the people within the organization. It involves a login process that grants the employees access to their accounts for work purposes. This can also be used by schools, allowing students to access details of their classes and their grades.

Informative

Informative websites convey specific educational, and instructive ideas to capture a learning audience. It serves as your business marketing tool. This type of website is usually content and design-driven in order to share more information to your audience. It is important to make compelling and informative contents to keep your visitors come back for more. The visual design of informative websites should be aesthetically pleasing as well in order to capture the attention of the consumers.

Portfolio

Portfolio-type of websites give information about your business which showcases your work. It is focused on collecting samples of past works which can be used as an online portfolio. The main objective of a portfolio website is to display compelling content and visually enticing designs to get clients. It gives an idea to the visitors on what the owner can do.

Websites play an important role to keep your business going because it reaches an audience online to give you more sales. Especially nowadays that people rely on the internet when they need something, it is a must to plan your website that fits your business to maximize its function and achieve your goals for your business. If you are planning to enhance your presence online, now is the perfect time to start your website.

iManila is equipped to help your website dominate online. All our website packages are built to provide an aesthetically pleasing website, increase your search engine visibility, and empower your organization. Visit our website at https://imanila.ph/web/web-design-and-development/ to learn more about how we can develop your business’ website.

 

How to keep your CMS safe and secure

Website security is one of the pillars of running a business online. Website hacks are not an uncommon phenomenon with 30,000 new small business website hacks a day together with corporation breaches. Rather than waiting for the inevitable, being prepared for such attacks is always a good preventive measure that can save you time from constant web debugging or worse – loss of income from your website and loss of company credibility. 

Hackers have targeted the top three open-source Content Management Services (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal due to their popularity. As technology evolved, these three CMSs have evolved to be more secure through patching its loopholes. 

Common Security Threats to CMSs

  • Data manipulation: Changing parameters and SQL injections are common hacks used. Malicious SQL statements are being inserted in entry fields for execution. 
  • Accessing data: This means using SQL injections or Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks as a way to jeopardize user data. A web application is used to send the malicious code using a browser side script. 
  • Code Injection: Causing lost or corrupted data, lack of accountability, or revoking access, this is the kind of attack that can affect the whole server that runs the website. 

With the common threats illustrated above, here’s what you can do to ensure your CMS stays safe at all times. 

Update your CMS Admin Password 

If you are the type to just use a common password for the majority of your sites or don’t update your administrator password in the past months, then take this as a sign that you need to start doing so. 

The chances of a hacker knowing one or two of your logins is not a slim one. Using a strong password together with a password storage vault can be handy in helping you keep track, organize, update, and manage passwords in one place. Taking an idea from password generators can come in really handy if you do not want the hassle of coming up with one from scratch. 

SSL Certificates 

With the encryption that an SSL Certificate can offer, users are protected from hackers and those attempting identity theft. It has become the PCI standard especially for e-commerce websites that accept sensitive information such as credit cards and personal data. Since 2018, Google has started ranking websites without SSL Certificates lower and most hosting providers provide free SSL or SSL at a low-cost option. 

Website Monitoring 

Constantly monitoring your website is one of the best solutions that can also help you understand common issues and threats. There is an abundance of online services that can offer a way for you to monitor your website 24/7 and help with security measures such as Google Search Console with their alerts and cPanel with their server error logs. 

Security Plugins 

Despite security updates and patches of CMSs, sometimes additional security measures are still important. While server configurations are one way to get security, not everyone can access or have the ability to secure a server properly. A plugin or extension proves to be the easiest way to ensure the server is configured correctly with the right security. Examples of the ways you can protect your site are through Firewall Protection which can help block brute force and DDoS attacks, restricting IP addresses, and more. Some of the available plugins are as follows Sucuri and WordFence (WordPress), Akeeba Admin Tools and RS FireWall (Joomla), and Security Kit (Drupal). 

While plugins can be helpful, it is worth noting that it is important to keep all plugins updated and to keep an eye out for security risks. It is important to download plugins from the official website and developers to face less security threats, malware, and other compromised data. 

Security should always be the utmost priority and thankfully there are a lot of helpful resources available that can help secure your CMS website. If you are new to CMS then don’t let that unfamiliarity get in the way of securing your website. Let a partner agency like iManila assist you with your website. We have a variety of website maintenance and server management services for your different business needs. Drop us a message and see how we can work together! 

Mobile App vs Mobile Website: Which is Better?

Reports show that 58% of website visits come from mobile alone in 2018. As for online shopping, 40% of users do online transactions on mobile. One can’t deny the importance of mobile in this time of business. The question then isn’t about whether your business needs a mobile strategy or not — but whether your business needs a mobile app or a mobile responsive website. 

There are many factors to consider whether a mobile app or mobile website is better suited for your business needs. We’ve made the choice easier by weighing out the options for you. 

 

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps are the ones that can be accessed natively whether Android or iOS. This offers a much faster and responsive experience compared to a website. Here are some of its key features: 

An Interactive Experience 

Apps are generally more interactive and let users interact and experience more value through this new engagement channel. Instead of just displaying words or text the users can interact with its specific components. An example is with Instagram and how users can post their photos on the app while they are limited only to viewing through the website. 

Customization

This allows the user to get the most out of their app experience. From the get-go users are given the freedom to customize and tailor the app to their tastes. Apps can also track user engagement and allow it to offer recommendations to the user which helps better their experience. Businesses can experience being able to send out tailored notifications to its users based on their location, interests, and behavior. 

Intuitive Interface

Apps have their own interface which allow users to have a more immersive experience. Users of certain operating systems also get to experience the same tailored functionality with the app that meets the same characteristics and functionality that they expect. This is a limitation of responsive websites as it offers the same functionality and experience across different devices. 

Offline Accessibility

While a great majority of apps cannot function without internet use, information already loaded can still be accessible for its users. Some apps still offer some type of functionality while offline. This allows the users to still be able to make use of the app with or without connection to the internet. 

Device Capabilities

This allows the app to make use of capabilities users have in their smartphones such as GPS or a camera. Using these capabilities makes for a better experience for its users. For example the app would need to access the location of the user in order to better tailor the restaurant coupons that it offers the users. 

 

Mobile Responsive Website 

This is essentially your website that is customized so that it can be viewed and accessed the same across different devices with different screen sizes. 

One Size Fits All

Responsive websites can be accessed with devices of any operating system (Android, iOS) as long as there is internet connection. This means that they come completely free of charge unlike some apps. But while it is compatible, factors such as internet connection, quality, and speed are still factors that can affect the mobile web experience. 

No Updates 

Unlike apps that need to be constantly updated, websites do not interrupt the user’s experience as websites are easy to update, support, and fix bugs. The best part is that the users would not even notice when a website is being updated, and they can get right into the website experience without any hiccups. 

Cost Effective

This is more of a benefit to businesses but should you wish to establish your business in more than one platform, cost is an important consideration. However, it still depends on the complexity of the responsive mobile design as a complex one can cost just the same as a mobile application. 

With both options presented, the right choice still depends on the company and their business objectives. Should you wish to interact and engage with customers on a deeper level then mobile apps are your best bet but if you aim for mobile-friendly content for a wide range of people then mobile responsive websites should do the job. 

If done correctly, they can be an invaluable tool at helping get your brand out there. If this sounds like something you want but are not sure where to start, then let a partner agency help you achieve your business goals. iManila has been in the industry for more than two decades and has helped thousands of clients improve their work through technology. Let us help you take your business one step further with a mobile strategy, drop us a message to learn more.