Red Tree Communications | What is Responsive Web Design?

What is Responsive Web Design?

summest — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:50:53 +0000

So, what is a responsive website? What does it look and feel like?

According to Wikipedia, responsive web design is an approach that ensures all the pages of the website look, work and feel perfectly on any device. Whether it is a tiny old cell phone with a screen width of 320px, a modern phablet with 7 inches screen, a big iPad, or a TV with a massive diagonal line, all the main aspects such as content, design, and especially functionality should perform consistently to provide users with an excellent user experience.

In technical terms, responsive web design implies a set of instructions that help web pages change their layout and appearance to meet different screen widths and resolutions.

The concept of a responsive website appeared due to non-effective and ill-suited ways of handling screen sizes. Originally, pages were built to target a particular device. This approach implied creating a range of designs for each responsive tier resulting in different versions of the same page. However, with the mobile web becoming a reality and more and more devices with non-standard resolutions appeared, this approach has quickly become irrelevant since it could not handle this variety efficiently.

In the early 2010s, largely thanks to a gifted Ethan Marcotte, developers started to switch from popular adaptive design (an approach that implied creating several versions of one design) to responsive design (an approach that suggested only one yet flexible version of a website that stretched or shrunk to fit the screen). Although that technique was pretty new and untested, nevertheless, its benefits were hard to ignore. Even now, those advantages prove to everyone that a responsive website is the only way out. Let us consider them.

Benefits of Responsive Web Design

The main benefits of using a responsive website are

consistent visual experience;
better user experience;
no need for redirects;
lower bounce rates;
lower maintenance needs;
high web page loading speed;
no extra fees for creating and maintaining different versions;
easy analytics reporting.

Even though responsive design is not flawless, it has its cons, for example,

It is not fully optimized;
It can slow performance;
It may suffer from web browser incompatibility;
It makes it challenging to run advertising campaigns;
It makes it challenging to offer different things to different users depending on the device used;

Nevertheless, it had and has significant advantages over other solutions. Therefore, nowadays, responsive web design is a standard for websites.

Optimize Your Site’s Loading Speed

summest — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 01:23:33 +0000

Google usually doesn’t talk publicly about the ranking factors in their algorithm.

So when they talk a lot about a specific ranking signal, you KNOW it’s a big deal.

Site loading speed is one of those rare ranking factors.

This is why I highly recommend making your site load as quickly as possible.

(Especially on mobile devices.)

Your first step is to benchmark your site’s current loading speed. That way, you know where you’re at before you start making changes.

I recommend the super-helpful PageSpeed Insights tool.

After all, the recommendations you get from this tool come from Google themselves.

Plus, it doesn’t just tell you if your page is fast or slow. The tool gives you a detailed report that includes ways you can improve.

If you want to dig deeper with page speed stuff, check out Web Page Test.

It’s a free tool that tends to give a more accurate feel of how your site loads to actual users.

Either way, here are a few ways you can improve your site’s loading speed.

Compress Images: This is a big one. Images tend to make up the bulk of a page’s size (in terms of KB). Which is why I recommend using a tool like Kraken.io to shrink your image sizes.
Use Lightweight Themes: Bulky WordPress themes can slow things down. So if your theme isn’t optimized for speed, consider switching to one that is.
Use Lazy Loading: Lazy loading images can boost your site’s loading speed by 50% or more. The downside is that images show up as users scroll down the page, which isn’t great for UX. So it’s a tradeoff.
Use a CDN: CDNs serve images and other media on your site on servers that are close to your users.

Source: Backlinko “SEO Best Practices”

10 Things to Look for in a Web Host

summest — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 18:12:41 +0000

To get all the best benefits of web hosting, you need to find the right web host. With so many options out there, a newbie will understandably struggle to figure out how the different providers compare and which criteria are the most valuable to judge each option by.

No matter what type of website you’re launching, these are ten of the most important features to look for in a web host.

1. They have a strong reputation in the industry.

One of the best measures of a business in any industry is their overall reputation. When a business consistently serves customers well for years, word gets around. But how do you find out what a company’s reputation is?

Look for evidence from third-party sources. Have they earned any web hosting awards from reputable organizations or websites? Can you find reviews of them from tech publications? If so, what do they say?

Just as importantly, what do reviews from their actual customers say? A little bit of sleuthing on Google will uncover a lot of information about what people have to say about the web hosting company you’re considering. If it’s generally positive, then you can trust you’ll be in good hands.

2. They promise at least 99% uptime.

If your website is for a business, any time it’s not available loses you money. Even if this is a website you’re starting for fun, you risk providing a disappointing experience to visitors and losing followers if they can’t access your website each time they try to visit.

The main job a web hosting company has is to keep your website up and accessible online. Every web hosting company will have to do occasional maintenance that will temporarily take your website offline. And if servers aren’t properly maintained, they could overheat or break down, which means more time your website is inaccessible.

One of the big differentiating factors in the quality of web hosting providers is how well they manage the types of issues that can take your website offline. In industry parlance, the amount of time a web hosting company guarantees that your website will be available is called uptime, and reputable web hosting companies routinely promise at least 99% uptime. The best web hosting companies go even further, offering 99.9% uptime with a money-back guarantee.

3. They offer a variety of plans.

Today, you’re looking for a hosting package that delivers what you need right now. But you have big dreams for your new website. You hope that in the coming years, the number of people that find your website and become regular visitors will grow. Maybe you hope to continually create new content to add to your site as well.

In either case, you need room to grow. Most new websites get everything they need with an affordable shared web hosting plan, but as a website grows in size and popularity, at some point you’ll want to upgrade to a cloud hosting, VPS hosting, or possibly even a dedicated hosting plan. When that time comes, you’ll have a much easier time making the transition if you can stick with the company you choose from day one. An upgrade is simpler than a full migration to a new company.

So before you choose the right hosting package for today, take some time to think about what you’ll need tomorrow and beyond and see if your provider has plans to match your future needs as well.

4. They provide 24/7 customer service.

When you’re up late at night working on those website fixes you’ve finally gotten around to, the last thing you want is to hit an issue you need customer support to resolve and realize you have to wait until the morning to get an answer.

Any time your website has a problem, you want it fixed fast. And you should be able to work on your website on your own schedule, without having to wait on the business hours of your web hosting company’s support reps. So make sure your web host offers top-notch customer support at all hours of the day. Bonus points if they offer a number of ways you can get in touch, so you can choose between phone, email, or live chat based on what works best for you.

5. The price is right.

Web hosting is a necessary cost if you want to have a website, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. Simple shared web hosting plans start at less than $3 a month. When deciding on the right hosting plan for your site, keep in mind that web hosting isn’t a one-time cost. Web hosts use a subscription model for billing.

Make sure that the cost is something you’re comfortable with moving forward, and that it seems in line with what the plan is worth. While many new websites will manage just fine with the cheapest type of hosting plan, some will find it well worth spending more for additional features and higher bandwidth. Sometimes spending more is worth it, just make sure the value matches the price.

6. Their account interface is intuitive.

While the main service web hosts provide is keeping your website published and accessible, they also provide an interface that allows you to do a number of important web management tasks, such as:

Domain name management
Setting up redirects
Managing your SSL
Managing your domain email addresses
Adding new applications or databases to your website
Managing your backups
Upgrading or renewing your hosting solutions

You don’t want to spend a lot of time learning how to do some of the basic, but important work involved in running your website. Look for a web hosting provider that makes it all intuitive with a good interface and simple processes.

7. They provide ample resources for getting started.

Even if the overall design is intuitive, you’re still likely to have questions about how to do certain things with your website. Before choosing your web hosting provider, look into the type of resources they provide to help you learn how to use their products. They should have comprehensive support materials such as tutorials and how-to articles.

What’s even better is also having an active support community where you can turn to other people who use the web hosting provider for help with your questions. See if the company has an active forum, in addition to their other support resources and customer service team.

8. If you have a site already, migration is supported.

The idea is to find the right web hosting platform from day one, but not everyone meets that ideal. If you’re on the search for web hosting solutions because you’re not happy with your current web hosting company, then you want to find a provider that will help you with the process of transferring your website over. Look into what the migration process is like. Consider talking to a support person there for details, so you know what you’re getting into.

If they can make the process relatively simple and painless, then you’ll be able to switch over quickly and get back to focusing on the work of running your website.

9. They support domain name management as well.

Web hosting is one of the necessary elements all websites need, a domain name is another. One of the most important steps in starting a new website is finding and registering your domain. And it’s just as important to keep your domain name registration current for as long as you keep your website.

While it’s entirely possible to register your domain with a different service than the web hosting provider you choose, you’ll have a much easier time staying on top of domain name management if you keep it all in one place. Make sure your web hosting provider allows you to manage your domain registration and renewals in the same interface you use for managing your web hosting.

10. They offer satisfactory security options.

Hackers and data breaches are an unfortunate part of the online world today. Every website owner ought to prioritize security. While there are a number of steps you can take to make your websites more secure, one of the best things you can do for website security is choosing a web host that treats it as a priority.

A good web hosting company invests in powerful firewalls, includes SSL certificates as part of their plans, and offers affordable security software or other add-ons to enhance your website security. Research the company’s reputation for security to make sure you’ll be in good hands.

by Kristen Hicks, HostGator

10 Things to Do With an Old Computer

summest — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 18:53:06 +0000

Do you have an old computer that’s taking up space? Don’t throw it away! This list provides ten things you can do with an old computer to keep it out of the dump and may even save you money.01of 10

Upgrade It

Vesnaandjic / Getty Images

Upgrading an old computer is an excellent way to squeeze more life from it. Though many upgrades are possible, focusing on the RAM and storage is best.

Running short of RAM can hamper performance, so adding RAM can refresh an old PC. A RAM upgrade is most useful when a PC has less than 4GB of RAM installed.

An old mechanical disk drive can also hold back PC performance, so consider replacing your old hard drive. If you can afford to do so, replacing it with a modern solid-state drive will make the PC more responsive.

However, not every PC allows upgrades, so research this before you purchase new hardware.02of 10

Use It as a Garage or Hobby PC

Lucy Lambriex / Getty Images

Old PCs can make great companions in ways you’d never use a new computer. A great example is an old ThinkPad used in the garage. It could be great for tracking to-do lists and recording the progress of a garden or other mess-making projects.

Most people would never use a new PC for such work. It’s a dirty, sometimes even damp, environment. Since many old PCs are no longer helpful for many tasks, you don’t have to feel bad subjecting them to more abuse.

Though its capabilities will be limited, most old PCs can access websites, document editing apps, and streaming video.03of 10

Play Retro PC and Console Games

An old computer is still quick enough to handle retro console and PC games from the 1980s and early 1990s.

You can play these games through an emulator. The emulator uses software to mimic the original game console or PC.

A massive library of emulators is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Retroarch, a program that can manage multiple emulators, is a great place to start.04of 10

Use It as a Home File Server

Filezilla

A home file server can be used as an alternative to cloud storage services. It will make files accessible to multiple computers in your home and even on the Internet.

Home file servers are best on a dedicated computer that’s always on, which is an excellent use for an old computer. A file server is not a demanding task, so most old computers can do the job.

There are many ways to set up a home file server, but downloading free FTP server software is an excellent place to start.05of 10

Use It as a Game Server

Most old PCs can run a game server. Unlike the clients connecting to it, the server doesn’t need to render the game’s graphics.

Turning an old PC into a game server can give you a dedicated virtual space to play with friends. You won’t have to pay a monthly fee, as you would if you rented the server.

A Minecraft server is a great place to start, but many old, popular games offer a dedicated server option.06of 10

Make It a Media Center PC

Plex

Most old computers are powerful enough to work as a media center PC. You can stream media or host video files you own.

Installing software such as Plex can help you connect multiple services and media files with one interface. You may even be able to access files from smartphones and tablets.

Those who love over-the-air TV can install a TV tuner to watch or record local TV broadcasts.07of 10

Make It a Home Security System

Krisanapong Detraphipat / Getty Images

Want to use home security cameras to monitor your home while you’re away? An old computer can help.

Many security cameras can connect to a computer on your local network and record video to it. Look for home security cameras known as “IP cameras.” These connect directly over a local network or the Internet.

You will also need software to manage the cameras. Many options are available, but iSpy is the most popular free option.08of 10

Keep It for Guests

Maskot / Getty Images

Adding a guest PC can make a guest room more comfortable. It’s handy if a family member or friend frequently visits since they’ll no longer need to pack their computer.

Turning an old computer into a guest computer is simple. All you need to do is set up a new local account for your guest.09of 10

Donate It

MG Photography / Getty Images

You can often repurpose an old computer. If not, don’t throw it away. Consider donating it first.

The donation centers near you will vary depending on your location. Alternatively, you can put the computer up for free on a local ad board like Craigslist.10of 10

Recycle It

HollenderX2 / Getty Images

If an old computer is too slow to be useful or no longer working, it shouldn’t go in the trash. Computers can be hazardous as they degrade and should be recycled.

A variety of recycling programs are available. Staples has a trade-in program that may provide store credit for old devices. Best Buy also recycles old electronics for free.

Most PC manufacturers have recycling programs, and many pay for shipping. These programs can be helpful if you live in a rural area without easy access to a recycling center.

by Matthew S. Smith, Lifewire

6 Things You Need to Do to Prevent Getting Hacked

summest — Tue, 10 May 2022 16:22:00 +0000

THERE ARE TWO big reasons why people get hacked. Flaws in software and flaws in human behavior. While there’s not much you can do about coding vulnerabilities, you can change your own behavior and bad habits.

Just ask former US president Donald Trump, whose Twitter password was “maga2020!” Or Boris Johnson, who revealed details of sensitive Zoom calls at the start of the pandemic in 2020. (These world leaders will have had specific security training from protection agencies too.)

The risks are just as real for the average person—even if the stakes aren’t quite so high. If your accounts aren’t properly protected, your credit card could be compromised or your private messages and photographs stolen and shared for all to see. Working out if your accounts have been hacked is a time-consuming and potentially frustrating process. You’re better off taking some steps to mitigate the risks of getting hacked in the first place. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Arguably the most effective thing you can do to protect your online accounts is turning on multi-factor, or two-factor, authentication for as many of your accounts as possible. The method uses a secondary piece of information—often a code generated by an app or sent via SMS—alongside a password.

This secondary piece of information helps to prove it really is you trying to log in, as the codes are often accessed on the phone in your pocket. Even if you do have a password that’s easy to guess (we’ll get to that shortly), an attacker is unlikely to get access to an account with multi-factor authentication turned on unless they have your phone.

There’s a guide to all the accounts that support the method here, but in the first instance you should turn it on for all the accounts that hold personal information that could be abused. Like messaging apps such as WhatsApp, social media including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and your email accounts.

Not all forms of multi-factor authentication are equal though. Code-generating apps are considered more secure than getting codes via SMS, and beyond that, physical security keys provide an even more robust layer of protection.

Get a Password Manager

Let’s talk about passwords. It’s 2021. You shouldn’t be using “password” or “12345” for any of your passwords—even if it’s a throwaway account.

All the passwords you use for your online accounts should be strong and unique. What this really means is they should be long, include a mixture of different character types, and not be used across multiple websites. Your Twitter password shouldn’t be the same as your online banking one; your home Wi-Fi network shouldn’t use the same credentials as your Amazon account.

The best way to do this is by using a password manager. Password managers create strong passwords for you and store them securely. If the fact that they can stop you getting hacked isn’t enough to make you consider using one, a password manager also means you never have to struggle to remember a forgotten password again.

From our testing of the best password managers out there, we recommend trying out LastPass or KeePass.Learn How to Spot a Phishing Attack

Quickly clicking can be your worst enemy. When a new email or text message arrives, and it includes something that can be tapped or clicked, our instincts often lead us to do it straight away. Don’t.

Hackers have used the pandemic as cover to launch wave after wave of phishing attacks and dumb Google Drive scams.

Anyone can fall for these types of scams. The main thing to do is to think before you click. Scam messages try to trick people into behaving in a way they wouldn’t normally—with, say, pretend instant demands from a boss or messages that say an urgent response is required.

There’s no foolproof way to identify every type of phishing effort or scam—scammers are constantly upping their game—but being aware of the threat can help reduce its effectiveness. Be cautious, think before you click, and download files only from people and sources you know and trust.

Update Everything

Every piece of technology you use—from the Facebook app on your phone to the operating system that controls your smart lightbulb—is open to attack. Thankfully, companies are always finding new bugs and fixing them. That’s why it’s crucial you download and update the latest versions of the apps and software you’re using.

Start with your phone. Navigate to your device settings and find out what operating system you’re using, and update it if you’re not on the latest version (iOS 14 is the latest for iPhones; Android 11 is the latest from Google). For apps and games, Apple’s iOS 13 and above downloads updates automatically, although these settings can be customized. On Android, auto-updates can also be turned on by visiting the settings page in the Google Play Store.

Once you’ve updated your phone, you need to work out what devices to update next. Generally these should be done in order of potential impact. Any laptops and computers you own should be high up the list, and then work back through other connected devices in your life. Remember: Everything is vulnerable, including your internet-connected chastity belt.

Encrypt Everything

Protecting your communications has never been easier. Over the last half-decade, companies handling our personal data—including the messages we send and the files we upload to the cloud —have realized that encryption can help them as well as their customers. Using encrypted services means that what you’re sending is better protected against surveillance and won’t be accessible if your device gets lost or stolen.

There are two main end-to-end encrypted messaging services, Signal and WhatsApp. Messages (including photos and videos) plus voice calls and video calls are encrypted by default within both apps. They both also let you use disappearing messages, which remove what you’ve sent after a set period of time. The practice can help keep your chats private, even from those that have access to your devices. Our advice is to use Signal where possible, as it collects less metadata than WhatsApp and isn’t owned by Facebook. But if you can’t get your friends to move to Signal, WhatsApp offers a lot more protection than apps that don’t use end-to-end encryption by default.

For your emails, encrypted provider ProtonMail can protect your messages, and there’s also the option to use burner email accounts for mailing lists and purchases where you don’t want to hand over your personal data.

Beyond your messages, encrypting the files on your devices can help reduce the chances of your data being compromised if you’re hacked or lose your devices. Both iPhone and iOS encrypt your hard drive by default. Just make sure you use a strong password or PIN for your devices. A little more effort is needed to encrypt the hard drive on your laptop or computer. Turn on Apple’s FileVault to encrypt your startup disk, and on Windows you can turn encryption on through the Settings menus or use BitLocker encryption.

Wipe Your Digital Footprint

The past can come back to haunt you. The old online accounts you no longer use and the login details that belong to them can be weaponized against you if you don’t do anything about them. Hackers frequently use details from previous data breaches to access the accounts people currently use.

Reducing the amount of information that’s available about your online life can help cut your risk of being hacked. A very simple step is to regularly delete your Google search history, but you can also use privacy-first Google alternatives.

Beyond this, there’s a lot more you can do to reduce your digital footprint. Find the old accounts you no longer use and delete them. It’ll reduce the amount of spam you get and reduce the number of ways hackers can target you. Use Have I Been Pwned? to find your information in old data breaches, use a VPN to boost browsing privacy, and download Tor if you really want to boost your online anonymity.

This story originally appeared on WIRED UK.

How To Update Your WordPress Website And Why

summest — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 16:54:43 +0000

post from https://www.designerblogs.com/.

Having a self-hosted WordPress site means that it’s yours. You own it. You and you alone are responsible for running it and keeping it updated. It’s very much like owning a car. In order to keep a car running in tip-top condition, you have to perform regular maintenance on it like changing the oil, checking the tire pressure, using the proper type of gas, etc. A self-hosted WordPress site must be maintained on a regular basis in much the same way. Your themes, plugins, and WordPress version should always be functioning with the most recent updates to keep your site running at its prime.

Updates can be a little scary because on rare occasions they will cause a problem with your site. Sometimes a plugin you update may not be compatible with an existing plugin on your site and it can cause issues. Because there is always a small risk of updates creating problems, it’s important to make sure you always have a backup of your database saved before you do any updates just in case something should go wrong.

If you ever run into issues after performing an update, contact your hosting provider and they can help you restore your most recent backup (if they offer such a service). Keep in mind that issues caused by updates are very rare, so please don’t let the fear of this prevent you from backing up your site.

Why updates are so important

WordPress is always working to improve its software. Each update they release is packed with security fixes, bug fixes, and new features. Here’s a look at why these updates are so important:

1. Security Fixes

According to WPBeginner, 83% of hacked WordPress blogs have not been updated. Hackers are always on the hunt for sites to destroy. Hackers watch the release notes for updates and as soon as they learn of a vulnerability they start their attacks on sites that haven’t been updated. When you keep your site updated, the updates patch up those vulnerabilities which strengthen your site against malicious attacks. Updating your site as soon as an update becomes available will reduce the time that your site is vulnerable.

2. Bug Fixes

Software bugs can come in many shapes and sizes. Some bugs cause minor mechanical issues after an update. For example, a recent update we did on our site, caused our sidebar to completely disappear! We notified Genesis of the “bug” we experienced with that particular update and within just a few hours, they pushed out an update that fixed the bug and resolved the issue. Other bugs can be more serious and can cause major security holes leaving you vulnerable to attacks.

Fortunately, the amazing team at WordPress and most plugin developers are quick to act against security threats and often push out an update before you even realize there has been a problem. Performing updates as soon as they become available ensures you will have the most secure and stable versions of WordPress, plugins, and themes possible. Unstable versions can crash your site or leave you prone to being hacked.

3. Adds Features and Functionality

Ever since its initial release in 2003, WordPress has been working hard to continually improve the platform. With each update they’ve pushed out since inception, WordPress refines itself and becomes more and more functional. Theme and plugin developers continually work in the same way to provide the best products possible. Keeping your site running on the most recent updates will allow you access to the key features and improved functionalities contained within each update.

How to Know if You Need to Update

WordPress makes it easy to know when updates are available. When logged into your dashboard, you’ll see notifications appear at the top menu bar as well as on your “Updates” tab whenever updates are available. By clicking on either option, you’ll be taken to the “WordPress Updates” page where you can perform the updates. You can also visit your “Plugins” tab and the update notifications will appear under any plugins with available updates.

How to Update WordPress

Before attempting any updates, remember to backup your database. It’s also wise to plan to do your updates at a time when your traffic is at its lowest because your site may appear in maintenance mode for a few seconds during the updates.

When you are ready, visit your “WordPress Updates” page to perform your updates.

Once here, just click on any items listed here and click the update button.

WordPress Version

Before you update anything else, make sure you have the latest version of WordPress running. The latest versions of WordPress include an auto update system, which will automatically update your WordPress version with new point releases, so you most likely will already have the latest version of WordPress running. If not, click the update button to perform the update.

Plugins

Next, in the plugins section you’ll see a list of plugins with updates available. Be sure to double check that the new updates will be compatible with the version of WordPress you are currently running before doing the updates. Select the plugins you wish to update or check “Select All” to update them all at once and then click on the “Update Plugins” button. Again, your site may appear in maintenance mode for just a few seconds during the updates.

I recommend updating each plugin individually. Review your site between each update to make sure no errors have occurred. If an error occurs on your site after an individual update, it makes it easy to pin point which plugin update caused the issue. You can then report the error to the developer of that plugin so they can work to include a fix for the error in their next update.

Themes

You may occasionally see the need for a theme update. You might also see on occasion updates for themes that aren’t even activated on your site. That’s okay! Still perform any updates you receive notifications for. As always, make sure to back up your site first.

How to Find Downloaded Files on an iPhone or iPad

summest — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:25:26 +0000

If you’ve downloaded files to your iPhone or iPad, accessing them might be confusing compared to a Mac or PC. There’s a special folder where iOS and iPadOS store downloads, and you can find it via the Files app.

First, locate the Files app on your iPhone or iPad. The quickest way to do this is with Spotlight Search. Swipe one finger downward from the middle of the Home screen, and then type “Files.” Tap “Files” in the search results.

Tap “Browse” at the bottom, and then tap “On My iPhone” or “On My iPad” depending on which device you’re using.

The list under “Locations” will vary depending on which apps you have installed, but your device will always have an “On My [Device]” listing.

You’ll then see a list of folders that, again, will vary depending on which apps you have installed. Generally, most people save files to the “Downloads” folder, so tap it.

You’ll see a list of all the files you’ve downloaded. During the download process, you can save a file to a folder other than “Downloads.” If you don’t see the file you’re looking for, tap the Back arrow at the upper left, and then tap another folder.

Once you locate the file you want, you can tap it to preview it, or tap and hold it to open a pop-up menu. Then, you can move, copy, or rename the file, along with other operations.

When you’re done, just exit the Files app. The next time you open Files, the file you’re looking for will be right where you left it.

The Human Attention Span

summest — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 20:16:17 +0000

The average human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s — seriously. A recent study found that the average human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000 (or around the time smartphones hit the scene) to eight seconds today. In comparison, scientists believe that the goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds.

We are constantly bombarded by texts, tweets, push notifications, ads, Facebook posts, emails and more, and our brains get hooked on all that stimuli. We crave more and more new information, and it can be difficult to pay attention to any one thing for very long. Conversely, it also makes it difficult to hold anyone’s attention for very long. This creates a significant challenge for marketers, whose entire job is to cut through the noise and meaningfully engage with consumers.

In today’s over-saturated digital world, marketers need smart strategies for making the most of the eight-second attention span. This requires including images and visual storytelling tactics that will capture and hold attention before something else does. In fact, this phenomenon has a name — the “picture superiority effect,” whereby concepts presented with visuals or pictures are better learned and more easily and frequently recalled than those without. That’s why including an image with your social media posts delivers 180 percent more engagement or 150 percent more retweets. Words alone only have 10 percent recall, but adding a visual element increases retention of the content to 65 percent.

Check out this infographic, created by Wyzowl, about what marketers can do to combine the visual and the story into their content to multiply its reach and conversion rates.

Web design fundamentals

summest — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 02:26:18 +0000

The Internet opens up a world of opportunities for forward-thinking businesses. Online marketing is the way of the future – and the first step to establishing a foothold online is to have a good website.

Nowadays, there is no shortage of ways to get yourself a website. A business could bring a whole IT team on board to take care of the task. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can just use a website builder and make yourself a serviceable website in no time. However, by far the most impressive and cost-effective way to go about it is to hire professional WordPress developers to get the job done.

Regardless of which path a business chooses, the fundamentals of website building are still the same. To be successful, a website needs to be well-thought-out, solidly designed, and most importantly – user-friendly.

This last bit is more important than many businesses realize. Making a site as user-friendly as possible is a must nowadays as the Internet is an attention economy. Studies show that user attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. With this in mind, here are the main components you need to focus on to get the most out of your website.

Ensure Website Stability

To make your presence online felt, your website needs to be up and running at all times. It doesn’t matter how good your website looks and how user-friendly it is if users can’t see it because it is down all the time. This means that it needs to be well developed and optimized to achieve the lowest downtime possible.

Website development is not a straightforward task, even for seasoned professionals. Things “break” all the time. It’s an iterative process that requires a lot of time, effort, and dedication that can achieve astounding results. The first step on that path is to hammer out what the exact parameters of the job are.

What are the goals and objectives for the project? What can actually be accomplished, and in what time frame? What happens if plans change mid-development? All those questions need to be answered if you are to end up with a functioning website. Failing to do so at the very beginning results in instability in the development process. This inevitably causes complications, which in turn result in downtime – which you want to avoid.

The way to deal with potential issues is simple. Get good developers and hammer out the details of the project carefully with them before you start. Be honest and upfront with them as the project goes on and treat the task at hand with the seriousness it deserves

An important factor for website stability is how the website itself is hosted. Nowadays, there are plenty of free hosting services out there that you can use if you’re aiming to go as cheap as possible. However, if you want to avoid server issues, you’d do well to consider spending some money on a hosting service.

Focus on Accessibility

Another crucial aspect that should be bumped to top priority when designing a website is accessibility. This means making sure that your website works well on all platforms and on all browsers.

For many companies, getting a website that’s really good-looking on desktop devices comes first. The goal of it being accessible on mobile, or through less popular browsers, is often something of an afterthought. This way of doing things is counterproductive in the extreme in today’s online environment, for a few reasons.

Firstly, a staggering amount of searches, and therefore – traffic – actually comes from mobile devices. Users stumbling onto your website on their mobile devices are the norm, rather than the exception. You need to make your website as appealing to them as possible.

What’s more, as of mid-2021, Google has made mobile-friendliness a ranking factor for searches. This means that making sure a website is optimized for mobile users is not only crucial for user experience, but for SEO as well.

This is why companies who want to do well online should focus on making their websites as accessible as possible from day one.

Design for Navigability

Making sure your website is stable and accessible should be your first priority when planning it out. Taking care that it is designed to be as easy to navigate should be your second order of business.

True, there are many aspects of website design that need attention, and at the end of the day, you need to cover all bases. Still, as the cornerstone of a good user interface, navigability is probably the most important. Luckily, achieving it is not that difficult, if you put your mind to it and stick to what works.

Use the color palette on your website to emphasize certain elements on each page. There is no hard and fast rule as to what colors you need to use and where to put them. Using bold colors and contrast on certain elements of your design creates a clear visual hierarchy. Incorporate striking design to emphasize the elements that a user would find most useful.

Make sure everything on your website is clearly labeled. Every detail on every page should be marked out and be immediately recognizable at a glance. Achieving this effect without making your design too intrusive or aggressive may prove to be a bit of a challenge, but it is by no means impossible.

Make sure you incorporate a working Search function into your design. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the focus of user attention at all times, but it should be easy enough to find. This is just one of many tried and true methods of dramatically improving the UX on your website.

Design the structure of your primary navigation with simplicity in mind. Put it near the top of your page, and make it straightforward to use. Don’t cram all the navigation options into it, as that will make it clunky, not to mention unaesthetic. Remember, although you want to establish a clear visual hierarchy, you don’t want your website to be too “top-heavy.”

Incorporate a secondary system of navigation in the footer of your site, or in another section. Any other part of the site the user may want to visit should never be more than two to three clicks away from their current view.

Finally, limit the use of lead-generating strategies on your website. Landing pages, pop-ups, and live chat can work wonders for converting clicks into sales. Still, bear in mind that if you overdo it, this strategy will backfire. Aggressive pop-ups, in particular, are an instant turnoff for many users. This is why you need to find a balance, and include just the right amount of them when you’re designing your website.

Written by: Marice Peralta
4 May 2021, Digital Agency Network

How to truly differentiate a brand when most of them fail

summest — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 15:34:37 +0000

An older TEDx Talk, but worth the 18 minutes of your time.

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

The goal is not to do business with everybody that needs what you have.

The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.”

– Simon Sinek