Big Splash Web Design, eCommerce & Internet Marketing

Choosing the right web hosting service can be absolutely critical to your company’s continued success and business growth. Conversely, choosing the wrong company can lead to problems which threaten the existence of your business, or cause serious financial discomfort. For instance, a company which doesn’t provide an appropriate level of security for its clients could be hacked, leaving clients exposed to data theft. A hosting company which is unreliable may cause excessive downtime for clients, and in the commercial world downtime represents loss of revenue. With all this in mind, here are some tips which can help you choose the right web hosting company for your business.

Check out the reviews

You can find out a great deal about the reputation and reliability of many web hosting services simply by reading online reviews from existing and past clients. You will also be able to find out about any persistent issues commonly referred to by customers. Sometimes you’ll even see company responses to customer complaints, and these will also tell you a great deal about the company you’re checking out.

Pick the right kind of host

Before you can choose the right kind of web host, you’ll have to know exactly what you need in terms of hosting options. For example, you will require a lot more features from a web host if your own site is one which will have live streaming, and offer visitors the opportunity to upload their videos. If you expect to have tremendous visitor traffic, you’ll want to make sure that your site is not hosted on a shared server, and you should instead seek a dedicated server.

Find the right package

Don’t get fooled by the low cost of shared hosting, because along with that economical cost, you’re also likely to experience less responsive service. That can be a big problem for you if visitors to your website begin abandoning because of slow response time. It would be far better for you to have some kind of dedicated setup if you expect to have heavy traffic on your site, and when it’s important to provide your users with a high quality user experience.

Get enough bandwidth

Even as a new website, you should make sure you have more bandwidth than you actually need in the beginning, because you will almost certainly grow over time, and need that extra bandwidth very soon. It would be best to avoid signing any contract which locks you into a specified bandwidth, because more than likely you will be charged additional fees when the time comes for you to request greater bandwidth. 

Don’t jump on the lowest price

When you’re starting out as a small business, it’s best to avoid choosing a web hosting company which simply presents you with the lowest offer. While it might make economic sense, you may also find that you get poor customer service, unacceptable downtimes, and slow service that does more harm to your business than a higher budget hit would. Evaluate pricing in terms of what you’re getting for the money.

Many individuals and small businesses are content to put up a website based on a template, especially if it’s their first foray on to the Internet, because it’s simple to install, requires little tailoring, and it’s ready to go pretty quickly. However, it isn’t long before owners realize that their template-based websites look like hordes of other sites on the Internet, and offer little of distinction to visitors to make them stand out.

Little or no design time is needed in such cases, because the design has already been decided, and all that’s really needed is to plug in the name of the business before you’re off and running. But isn’t your unique business entitled to its own unique website – and as a business owner, aren’t you entitled to present yourself to the world in a way that’s entirely your own?

Advantages of a custom website compared to a template website

A website needs to be more than a pretty template that appeals to the masses; it needs to function as a window to the world for your business, inviting Internet users to learn more about your company and its products and services. Every web page, and every piece of content should be somehow informative to readers about just what it is that you do, and how their lives can be made better by continuing buying from you and by reading the useful information you provide. That’s what custom web design is all about.

A custom website is always more SEO-friendly, which will cause you to be ranked higher by search engines, whereas a template-based site is relatively restricted in its implementation of good SEO practices. You can’t really use good online marketing techniques either on a template site, especially on your front page, which is crucial to getting your message across. If you really want customers to find your website, it should be a custom website instead.

Another advantage of having your site custom-built is that you’ll get continuous support from the designer/developer, both technical and informational. Template-based sites have little or no support available, because all the work has been done already, and you have to accept it as is. In other words, you’re on your own.

The advantage that should stand out the most though, is the fact that a custom website stands out from others by virtue of its higher quality and sophistication, its superior functionality and ease of navigation, and its uniqueness in a setting where so many websites look virtually the same. When customers view cookie-cutter websites, they tend to form that same opinion of your business – that there’s nothing special about it, and it’s just like all the rest.

Rise above the crowd

From the above, it should be clear that a custom website is the way to go, from almost any angle you choose to look at building a site. To earn all the benefits of a custom built website, contact a web design team like Big Splash Web Design, and make your small business website perform like a Big Business company.

With over 4 billion mobile devices in use worldwide, smartphones are now commonplace. As the technology behind the phones continues to develop, consumers are browsing the internet more often on their phones than on their desktop computers.

People can use their phones to access websites, transfer money, and buy products online. As this shift in buying patterns continues, it’s becoming necessary for businesses to create a mobile optimized version of their website.

By providing customers with an easy and accessible way to connect with your business from anywhere and at any time, you’re making certain you’re not missing out on potential customers who might find your site via a mobile device.

What Is A Mobile Website?

All standard websites can be accessed via a smartphone, but mobile websites are specifically designed to suit the device’s small screen, slow speed, and limited functions. Mobile sites show users exactly the same vital information, but in a way that it is easier and faster to navigate. By creating a mobile website for your business, you will be able to make the most of the new advertising opportunities that this technology offers.

Since the iPhone was first introduced in 2007, the number of people using smartphones has continued to increase. Studies show that since mid-2011 the average person now spends longer on their phone than they do on their PC. As a result, a more specialized mobile marketplace has emerged. A mobile website differs from a standard website in a number of ways:

• – Pages are more compact so that they are easily viewable on a smaller screen
• – Websites load faster to suit limited smartphone capability
• – All data is simplified to make it easy to negotiate
• – Flash and other multimedia elements that are not compatible with all mobile devices are avoided

How To Create A Successful Mobile Optimized Website

A typical user spends an average of 77 minutes per day on their smartphone, so creating a well-designed, mobile optimized website can boost your business’s online visibility and yield significant results.

Here are just a few features that a successful mobile website should include:

Simple layout

The most important difference between a mobile site and a standard site is the way that it is laid out. Your website needs to be easy to read on a much smaller screen. The key design aim is to prevent the user getting lost in navigation. Here are just a couple of changes that should be made:

• – Cut out all non-vital information
• – Limit the number of categories you have
• – Reduce the number of links per page
• – Prioritize links in order of popularity and importance
• – Avoid using forms or tables

Fast download speeds

The larger the data size of a page, the longer it will take to load. This is true of every website, but keeping data size low is particularly important in those designed for smartphones. If your website is slow to load, users can quickly get frustrated and move onto other sites. The more pages they are able to view in a set time, the more likely they are to see something they want to buy.

Integrate with map

A wide range of mapping functions can be included as part of a mobile website. The technology is able to alert a customer when they are close to your premises or navigate them directly to it. This feature is particularly useful for small and local businesses which often go unnoticed when standing next to larger chain stores.

Connect with offline media

Smartphones are carried with people wherever they go, so the devices have an unprecedented ability to connect online and offline forms of advertising. QR codes are scanned by a phone’s camera and will connect the web browser to a specific webpage, such as a landing page or buying page. The code can be added to magazines, posters, brochures, and any other form of print advertisement.

The Results You Can Expect From A Mobile Website

By creating a mobile optimized version of your website, you can increase your sales, boost your visibility, and make a positive difference to your business’s image. Here are just a few of the possible advantages:

Higher Google ranking

The higher up that a website appears in search engine results, the more likely it is to be visited by customers. This is especially true of the mobile internet because scrolling through results on a smartphone can be difficult. Search engines like Google are able to recognize when a person is using a smartphone and will feature mobile optimized websites higher in their search results. Your easy-to-read site will have an automatic advantage over your less up-to-date competitors.

Positive customer experience

Once a customer enters your site it is important that they have an enjoyable experience. If a webpage is difficult to read, then a user looking for specific information will simply move onto a more suitable site. By having a clear and concise layout, you can ensure that each visit creates a positive impression of your business.

More sales

Expanding your website to meet the needs of the mobile market is an ideal way drive up your profits. Making the buying process as simple as possible and reducing the number of steps it takes to get from landing page to purchase is key in maximizing sales.

A better brand image

Having a user-friendly, mobile optimized web page will give your business a contemporary, technology aware image. As mobile websites continue to become a mainstream reality, businesses without them are being left behind.

How To Get Started With a Mobile Website

Creating a mobile website opens your business up to a huge marketplace that is continuing to grow. However, without extensive online marketing knowledge, developing a successful mobile website design and overall advertising strategy can be almost impossible. Awkward navigation, convoluted design, and unnecessary graphics can all frustrate and put off potential customers.

If you are looking for an easier way to make the most of this emerging technology, an online marketing specialist can help you to create and manage your mobile website. Hiring the services of a professional will not only save you time and money in the long run, but it can also give you peace of mind that your website will be a success.