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Aug 08
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Wearable Technology

Why you need to prepare your website for Wearable Technology now

By Design, Website

Technology is moving ever forwards. Every now and then something truly groundbreaking occurs changing even the way people interact with each other from a day to day business. We think Wearable Technology is the advent of yet another such change. Currently with smart-watch’s there are a few neat things you can do such as making phone calls, record your health and fitness and buy a coffee without even getting up. But with nothing setting them apart from mobile devices it will be a few years before we see a real shift. Or will it?

What is Wearable Technology?

Wearable Technology is essentially aiming to be a less cumbersome smartphone with potential. How is it doing that? Currently wearable technology has only had any real success through fitness gadgets put simply, smartphones are not as easy to use while on the move. However with the arrival of Google Glass wearable technology has become more than simply not having to get a phone from your pocket. To navigate Glass’ interface you use your mind and voice. While it’s true wearing Glass does look a little strange I think it’s only a matter of time until the design is less obtrusive and the price tag is significantly dropped. Currently at a £1000 and with a very limited of optimised apps Google Glass is a very niche product. However with tech moving forward at this rate it’s only a matter of time before the design is even less obtrusive.

Why will this will affect the Web Industry?

You may have heard of the theory ‘the internet of things‘. The vast majority of industry experts suspect the internet is about to experience a massive growth through variety of use and devices. The forefront of this is wearable technology. As technology and networks like 4G develop the possibilities of everyday objects drastically increase. Hence the massive investment Google have been willing to make acquiring Nest a smart-thermostat.

As the devices we use to consume content change, the content we consume must also change. Designers will have to adapt to new trends formed to make web design accessible through the likes of Glass & iWatch.

Here are our suggestions for adapting to wearable technology:

1. Responsive Design:

While Mobile optimisation should be your concern right now. Responsive design is going to have to take yet another step forwards so that not only a variety of resolutions are compatible but also a variety of screen shapes. With android wear arriving in a variety of different shapes the advocate of these new screens is already here.

Minimalist design will help with fitting your content on such small screens plus it’s a bonus how minimalism is trendy now. Flat design highly recommended!

2. Speed is key

Android wear is about having access to information while on the move. People aren’t going to be interested in large blocks of text, or long articles. Wearable technology users want immediate, digestible information. This doesn’t just affect the content your writing, but also page-load times will become even more important than ever. For someone on the move load times will be more even more of a turn-off. Accessibility is becoming more and more important across the web and applications.

3. Coherent design

Mobile optimisation mostly includes considering usability on a smaller screen. This usually means a complete redesign on your mobile website to make it as legible as possible. While it is important to optimise your content for wearable technology, it is paramount to make your new navigation immediately recognisable.

Looking out for new trends like Google’s Material Design is becoming more crucial than ever for your website. You can expect this new emphasis on ease of use to bring out simple but powerful imagery, large text and universal language.

We need to start considering web design’s place if/when the internet of things comes to be. With so many experts convinced wearable technology will become the fastest growing technology trend we wait till it happens.These are just a few of our suggestions towards appeasing wearable technology users.

What changes to your website do you think will be necessary for wearable technology optimisation? Do you think wearable technology is just a fad? We’d love to know what your opinion so let us know in the comments below.

Aug 07
Love10

Can Google+ Benefit Your Business?

By Marketing, Social Media

Although Google+ is still in its infancy, it may be wise to hop on the bandwagon before you miss opportunities.
It is the fastest growing social networking site, having attracted 20 million users within the first 3 weeks of it being launched, and since then has grown to 540 million monthly active users – an audience your business cannot ignore.

So how can you use the features of google+ to your advantage?

Segment with circles

Circles is used by Google+ to help group people together. You can create as many circles as you want and name them accordingly to the different demographics your business targets. This effectively divides up your audience enabling you to advertise to a specific target market. For instance, if you’re having a sale on men’s bow ties, you can send a message only to men (if that is a chosen circle) and create a message which appeals to them.

However it must be noted that your business page cannot place someone in a circle until they have added the page, so therefore it is very important to make your page enticing for people to follow, with a lively stream of relevant posts and frequent conversations for them to engage with.

+1 Button

Similar to Facebook’s Like button, Google+ has a ‘+1’ button to allow people to recommend sites and parts of sites they found insightful, amusing or just wanted to share amongst their friends. There is positive correlation between the amount of +1s a website has and its Google search ranking.

So to bump yourself up on Google’s organic search list, get posting and commenting with relevant information to attract and entice users to press the +1 button on your page – give them a +1 and often they will reciprocate.

Google Authorship

Once you link your Google+ profile with other content you have written and published, that content is given a Google authorship mark-up. This means that when it is searched in Google, the result will display your Google+ profile picture. Chances are users will be drawn to the search result displaying your picture – even if it isn’t the number 1 result.

Increasing traffic to your website and also potentially leading to users adding you to their Google+ circles so they can comment on your posts or further enquire on your business.

Integration with other platforms

Linking with your other social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc. helps to boost your google authority and essentially opens up more routes for potential consumers to reach your website.

Get face-to-face with consumers

Hangouts are a unique feature which allow a free live video stream of up to 10 people. You can stream and record conversations for playback later using Hangouts On Air.

  • Question and Answer
    Through a live question and answer session, you can engage and inform consumers in a unique and fun way. Also finding out what they love and what they think you can improve upon, whilst generating further interest and stimulating conversation.

  • Crowdsourcing
    Another way Google+ Hangouts can be utilised is through crowdsourcing, as it is an ideal forum to share ideas for new products, services, and even your own knowledge to a wider audience. Providing expert and valuable advice to potential customers often leads them to becoming actual customers. A community of users discussing their interest in your product and the experience they have had using it could potentially be formed. This will most certainly increase the number of users adding your business page.

  • Behind the scenes
    Help make customers feel like they are apart of your business and get the full experience by pulling back the curtains, show them what happens behind the scenes and provide them with more information about how your company runs.

 

So jump on the bandwagon and start building relationships now – while you can still be easily heard.

By Lucy Bone

Jul 29
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TCmarketing SEO

Another Google Algorithm Update – Coo!

By SEO, SEO News

link building imageLast week Google released a new algorithm update to intended to provide more useful, relevant and accurate local search results that are tied more closely to their traditional web search ranking signals. The changes will be visible within the Google Maps (Google My Business) search results and Google Web search results.

Google have not yet given this latest algorithm a name but ‘Search Engine Land have called it  the “Pigeon Update”   The name Pigeon was used because this a local search update and pigeons tend to fly back home!

The core changes are behind the scenes and full details are not known, but it does impact local search results rankings and some local businesses may notice an increase or decrease in web site referrals, leads and business from the change.

Google advised that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more.

In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters.

The new algorithm is currently rolling out for US English results and aims to provide a more useful and relevant experience for searchers seeking local results. Google didn’t share any details about if and when the update would roll out more widely in other countries and languages, but it is always good to be up to date with what is happening in the world of SEO

Google has not commented on the percent of queries impacted by this algorithm update, nor if certain web spam algorithms were deployed in this update.

If you have any comments please let us know or call us on 01273 328877.

Jul 18
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TCmarketing Marketing Icon

5 Tips for Email Marketing Success

By Email Marketing

Email Marketing From Tyler ConsultantsEmail is still very much an important and effective marketing tool and should be a central part of any online marketing campaign. When used alongside social media and SEO it can provide a comprehensive approach to lead generation and also help build brand and customer loyalty.

However, as with any marketing campaign, to achieve email marketing success you must spend time doing your research and planning your campaign.

Here are 5 best practice tips to help you achieve email marketing success:

1. Make it easy for your readers to subscribe:
Any email marketing campaign is dependent upon the quality of your mailing list. Collect new data at every opportunity and if you have a sign up facility on your website, keep it very simple. If your email marketing is targeted effectively, it is more likely that your emails will be opened, read and any links within it clicked on.

2. Craft your email title carefully
The first thing a new contact sees on your emails is the ‘from’ address and subject line which is the title of your email. Make sure it grabs their attention and gives them an incentive to open your email. Getting the right frequency of emails and having a good subject line will increase engagement with your business and encourage subscribers to open and read your mail.

3. Give your subscribers the information they are looking for.

Building your own opted in subscriber list gives you the opportunity to use the data effectively. You can segment your subscribers into different groups as required and make sure you send the right messages to the right people at the right time in their buying cycle. You can also use the data to help you analyse the effectiveness of your campaigns and to improve the open rate of future ones.

4. Make use of graphics with care
What works well on a website doesn’t necessarily work well on an email. A good email template design should use graphics, if required, simply to reinforce your brand or email message. Make sure any graphics used do not impede the upload time or opening time of the email and bear in mind that many email management programs such as MS Outlook do not open images by default.

5. Show you care by respecting your reader’s choices
Make your unsubscribe process clear and simple. This shows your subscribers that you value them and respect their choices. It also shows that you care about the quality and integrity of your email marketing mailings.

Using these best practice tips will allow you to achieve email marketing success in a cost effective way while creating new business and building social engagement – which will also boost your SEO ranking.

If you would like help with your email marketing, get in touch with Tyler Consultants.

Jul 18
Love0
Don't Neglect User Experience

Don’t neglect user experience [3 Steps]

By Design, Website, Wordpress

User Experience Design

You’d be surprised how often people seem to forget who a website is for. Your website isn’t for you, it’s not for your business. Your website should be built from the ground up with one group of people in mind. Your customers. This mistake is made often by designers.

For example how often have you found a great looking website but, haven’t been able to figure out what it’s actually for? If there is ever a moment where your on a site wondering what is this company actually offering me? They’re doing it wrong.

There are a lot of great tools and design features you can use in web design. The secret to utilizing them correctly is keeping your user experience in mind.

User-oriented web design aims to provide value to the visitors. For a website to be truly useful there are a multitude of factors to consider. Is the purpose of your website immediately clear? How easy is your site to navigate? Is your content displayed appropriately? These are just a few examples of aspects which could be detrimental to your website’s UX. Thus having a significantly negative impact on your website.

User Experience Design is all about seeing your website through a visitors perspective. What is a visitor to our website going to be looking for? How can we illustrate simply what we are offering? To achieve user satisfaction, these are the kinds of questions you ought to ask when planning your website.

1. Navigation

Navigation is a really key element to the user experience. Empowering the user through navigational aids allows them to find what they are looking for quickly and without confusion. There are numerous ways to assist a user in their browse through your website. Making good use of these measures will inspire confidence in the user and decrease bounce rates.

For a user to navigate your site access points need to be clear. The standard response to this is a navigation bar. Navigation bars are always present, giving users options at all times. Whereas a “hamburger icon” covered in a previous blog requires being clicked on to give access to a sidebar. This not only requires two actions from the user to access the page they require. This also means that the user cannot see what information is available without actively looking for it.

Tool’s website ‘A Production Company‘ gives a fantastic demonstration of diverse navigation tools. The navigation bar alone screams we want a great user experience. Not only have they created a slick and precise navigation bar but it is actually fun to use. By utilising a neat animation on hover the bar creates a good sense of feedback. This level of user centred design can be seen throughout the website. The result is a very appealing user experience. Users are fully engaged to the site as well being visually pleased.

2. Optimisation

If there’s one thing which really puts me off a website even if I am interested in it’s content, it’s load times. People aren’t patient enough to wait more than a few seconds when there are so many alternatives easily available.

In the end this mainly comes down to planning your user experience early. While you may have come up with a new groundbreaking web design. There are a few things to consider before implementing them. How demanding is this website going to be on people’s websites? Do all of these functions translate onto mobile devices? Is your website responsive? (check out our blog on responsive design)

Unfortunately not everyone has broadband yet or fast computers. This is particularly true with the recent exposure of tablets and mobile phones.

3. Accessibility

Accessibility is ensuring all users can access the information regardless of disability and ability etc. Great examples of accessibility best practises are say ensuring images have title tags for screen readers for the blind. Or your site background and font color is set at a suitable contrast for partially sited or color blind people. Video transcripts for deaf people are also worth considering.

If you would like any help enhancing the user experience for your website, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01273 328877 for your free consultation.

Jul 11
Love0
Google's Material Design

Material Design, Google’s new UI

By Design

Google has always been a little behind in design for mobile Operating Systems. Since the iPhone, Apple has been clearly has pushed for visual appeal. While Android has aimed for functionality both have found success in these fields. But has Google gotten a little too behind? The relative desirability of Apple phones seems to suggest so. Even Microsoft have had success with flat design. However with Android L Google looks like they are finally recognising the importance of an attractive, responsive interface. Having finally introduced a vast overhaul with Material Design to huge acclaim.

So how has material design made such an impact? Android L has removed unnecessary design elements making a new truly responsive design. The result is both stunning and practical, all whilst having a very unique look. So how did they do it? Duarte (Android’s VP of design) says that Google are finally looking at the bigger picture. Before Google’s several design teams were very disjointed. Teams would work on a single resolution solving their own issues, unaware of the repercussions. Effectively, creating a very inconsistent design across various devices. Now, the design teams are unified working together with a single aim. To create a simple, functional UI which is just as fantastic to behold as it is to use.

Material Design Guidelines

Google have made their new design’s intentions public. Their aim is to incorporate both classic design principles while using new technologies to innovate. To Develop a unified experience which is powerful across all devices regardless of input method or resolution.

Their basis of material design’s principles has been heavily inspired from print-based design. Google says “The material is grounded in tactile reality, inspired by the study of paper and ink, yet technologically advanced and open to imagination and magic”.

Universal Language

By using layers and lighting material design creates a sense of depth. Google says that this is intentional, not only does it look pretty these elements anchor hierarchy, meaning and focus universally. This can be enforced further through the use of colour and typography if needed.

Material Design Example

However Google have gone one step further with Material design. Not only are they looking to physical world rules to create understanding of functionality. Android L looks to visualise actions made through motion. Motion provides subtle but clear feedback when a user initiates action. Even if for the purpose of an application a design completely changes, material design will use motion to keep continuity fluid. Read in full here.

Industry Impact

We think this redesign is a huge step in the right direction and expect to see it have a massive impact in the industry. Much like Microsoft have done with flat design. Google are clearly aiming for this with their incredibly detailed guidelines and web development kit (they are practically telling you how to replicate their design).

Give us as call on 01273 328877 for your free website consultation.

Jun 27
Love0
Hamburger Icon

Should your website use the Hamburger icon?

By Design, Website, Wordpress

What is the Hamburger icon?

The Hamburger icon is a website tool. Intended to make minimalistic design optimal for mobile. Three simple horizontal bars make up the hamburger icon. The icon is often placed in a top corner as an alternative to a navigation bar. How does it work? The icon represents a hidden navigation tool (like a side menu).

The idea is that when you have a navigation bar, while fine on a regular site it can take up too much space on mobile. This is a real problem. The hamburger icon is an attempt at keeping a minimalist design while still being functional.

However the hamburger icon has received a lot of criticism. Despite the clear need for less cluttered mobile sites. Here’s why:

Hamburger icon cons

The hamburger icon is often considered a poor design choice. This is because you are effectively hiding all of your website’s feature behind an icon. There is a lot of theory suggesting that the hamburger icon is bad for user engagement. Put simply if users can’t see your navigation menu, they won’t use it.

The argument is that people are not familiar enough with the hamburger icon to recognise that it is used to hide your website or apps special features. Hamburger buttons are not very efficient in terms of UX. Think about it. In comparison to a navigation bar you have to tap just to even see what your options are. Then again if you want to move to your next page. Websites visitors are not known for their patience. Do not give them a reason to bounce from your site before they even know what your offering.

Also the triple bar is not particularly indicative of anything it is quite literally three lines. This unintuitive design is very negative on all kinds of conversions.

Hamburger icon pros

So, does this mean there is no place for the Hamburger icon? Actually no. In fact in terms of mobile optimisation the icon can prove vital. Yes, you are risking visitors misunderstanding the purpose of your hamburger. But the triple bar is becoming more and more prevalent across all devices. While I think there is very few circumstances to warrant a hamburger icon on your desktop website, navigation bars on mobile’s are incredibly frustrating.

Not to mention the lack of screen space. There are some alternatives to the hamburger even on mobile however such as the Tab Bar. An array of small navigation bars spread out across your page. This is definitely worth considering especially if you have less navigation options on your website.

Conclusion

In the end the Hamburger icon has a clear purpose. To give smaller resolutions some space to breathe. While it’s true that it is not the easiest icon to recognise initially. Once you understand it’s function it quite clearly indicating some kind of list. When you consider the only realistic alternative so far is the word ‘menu’, I think the icon is here to stay.

With time people will only grow more accustomed to the icon but for now it is definitely worth considering whether you really need this on your website, mobile or not.

 

I hope that this has helped clarify the Hamburger icon issue for you. If you would like to learn more about how we can help your business with web design please leave a comment below or call us on 01273 328877.

Jun 20
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Stephen Fry .UK Domain

Is Nominet’s new .uk domain for your business?

By Website

A New Era with .UK Domain

Last week Britain is finally getting access to the new .uk domain through UK registry site www.Nominet.org.uk. Finally the UK has caught up with the rest of Europe and has access to a short, simple domain similar to Germany’s .de and France’s .fr etc. British icon Stephen Fry is one of the first adopters of the new domain he argues that the .co section of previous domain names has always been unnecessary. At Tyler’s Consultants we find it hard to disagree, but is it wise to make the change immediately?

Nominet say that the new .uk domain represents a new opportunity for digital pioneers, this is the domain of the future. Making the change would certainly prove you are a forward thinking, modern organisation/individual. However would you be a little too brave making the change?

Nominet’s new privacy rules

Something to consider if you are interested in changing from a domain such as .com is that Nominet’s privacy changes. People using the .uk registry may have their home addresses publicly visible through online search when they were intending to remain private. Under Nominet’s new policy “only non-trading individual” can choose to have their address details hidden. While I see it as fair for customers to have the rights to know who and where they are buying from, it is Nominet’s idea of ‘trade’ which is already building conflict.

Monetisation of your website in any form will enable Nominet to refuse hiding your privacy details. This includes pay-per-click advertising etc. Which isn’t a transaction with visitors directly, even a link to a online store such as Amazon can be reason for Nominet to label your website as a business.

Future of British web

Appealing to Nominet is possible, however the organisation will not hide your details during their investigation and with the domain only just being made available I imagine there will be many investigations possibly meaning your details will be available to everyone for some time.

While Nominet is reviewing their privacy policies it might be worth waiting until they have come to a conclusion to how they will consider certain cases and update their approach.

Despite all the issues with Nominet’s new policy changes it’s hard to argue with their .uk slogan ‘Shorter is sweeter’. I suspect their issues will be cleaned up relatively swiftly opening the doors to many large organisations who will want to make the change most likely sooner rather than later.

Jun 18
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TCmarketing SEO

SEO Update: Another Algorithm change by Google

By SEO

SEO BrightonLast week on Twitter, Google’s Matt Cutts informed us about the release of the third version of Google’s Payday Loan algorithm. The first version of that algorithm was announced just over 12 months ago.  All well and good you might think but this latest change could affect the SEO ranking of your Brighton business too.
So, What is Google’s Payday Loan algorithm?

This is the second Payday Loan algorithm update within the past 4 weeks so those companies such as ‘Wonga’ and the like that offer high interest short term loans are very much on Google’s radar.  In May, Google announced via Matt Cutts a version 2.0 of Google’s Payday Loan algorithm update.

According to release details presented by Matt Cutts, version 2.0 of the update targeted spammy websites, whereas this new version 3.0 targets spammy queries.

Unfortunately, Google does not clarify exactly what the difference is!

The Payday Loan algorithm targets not just obvious search queries such as “payday loans” but also other popular spammy keywords such as “casinos”, “viagra” and other keywords that relate to what Google deems to be ‘unsavoury’ business types which includes the betting industry and adult sites.

How is this different from Google Panda and Google Penguin?

The Payday Loan algorithm is not related to Google’s Panda or Penguin updates.

The Panda algorithm targets websites with low quality content. For example, the Panda algorithm makes sure that web pages with automatically generated content do not achieve high rankings in Google’s search results.

The same applies to websites that contain poor quality, low value or very shallow content.  Good quality content is a fundamental requirement for your online SEO success.

The Penguin algorithm targets website that try and gain SEO advantage by building spammy or artificial links. For example, websites that are linked to fro link farms or paid link websites are very likely to be penalised by Google.

How will this affect your website’s rankings?

If your Brighton business website does not compete in a spam heavy industry  promoting drugs, gambling, adult services etc. then the chances are that likely that the rankings of your website will be unaffected by these changes.  If your company is involved in say the pharmaceutical industry however it may well find itself being unfairly penalised by this recent algorithm change.

What should be understood by all businesses however is that Google doesn’t like spam.  For that reason, your website will only gain higher SEO rankings in the search engine results if you avoid all spam methods when promoting your website. If you want to get high rankings that will last and be largely unaffected by any future algorithm changes we can help.  We only use white-hat SEO methods that play by the rules.  We also make sure that we keep up to date with the rules.  Does your current SEO provider do this?

Call us today on 01273 328877

Jun 11
Love1
TCmarketing SEO

It’s Official, “Links Mean Rankings, Rankings mean Visitors” -Google

By Link Building, SEO

After Google’s recent ‘Penguin’ Algorithm updates some so called SEO experts started to believe that back-links, links to your website from other web properties, were no longer valued by Google.  Many people actually believe links can do more harm than good but in reality that is simply not the case.  Backlinks are still the single most important factor in Google, and the other major search engines ranking algorithm and this is likely to be the case for some considerable time yet.  If you want your Brighton business website to rank highly in the search engine results in order to attract more visitors to your website then good quality, relevant backlinks are still a must.

Make absolutely no mistake – Google says back links are very important.

Earlier this year Google’s Head of Webspam, Matt Cutts confirmed that links are very important if you want to get high rankings:

Partial transcript:

“Back links are really, really big win in terms of quality for search results…..  back link relevance still really helps in making sure we return the best, most relevant , most topical set of search results”

As recently as last month this was again confirmed in a second Matt Cutt’s video:

Partial transcript:

Back links still have many, many years left in them….. for the next few years [Google] will continue to use links in order to assess the basic reputation of pages and websites”

Link Building still has to be done

If you do not do your link building in the right way your site can be penalised by Google for ‘spammy’ (low quality, irrelevant) links.  Without links your site is unlikely to feature highly in the search engine results.  Good quality, high relevant, high quality links are needed for the online success of your Brighton Business.  Link Building is a serious business, just like your own business is a serious business.

Under no circumstances should you use cheap automated link building services.  If something appears in your inbox offering link building services at unbelievably low rates do not be tempted – it will not work and can do your current rankings harm.  Cheap link building initiatives always backfire – remember what you need is link building not link spamming.  Link spamming will lead to penalties that can affect your online business for many months.  Link building however will help you achieve the desired first page position for your website.

Remember too that your web page content, no matter how good is no longer enough in itself to achieve high rankings for your site.  If your site does not feature highly in the search results nobody will see you content, no matter how good it is!

How Can You Build Good Links?

A good back link is a link from a relevant web property that delivers targeted traffic to your website.  “Real’  links are those that people actually click on to visit your website.  These will automatically increase your search engine visibility.  Building good quality links takes time and effort.  It also takes the knowledge and expertise of a professional SEO consultant to be able to identify the right web properties to seek links from.  In today’s market good quality link building services from qualified SEO Professionals will cost anything from £500 +VAT per month and up depending upon how competitive your sector is online.  For a complementary SEO audit call us today on 01273 328877

 

 

 

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