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Tag: Websites

  • How to Ensure Your Website Succeeds in the Experience Economy | Entrepreneur

    How to Ensure Your Website Succeeds in the Experience Economy | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In an era where consumer expectations are perpetually in a state of renewal, products and services can no longer afford to be just functional or aesthetically pleasing; they must also deliver exceptional experiences. In the age of the experience economy, a period where the line between the tangible and the intangible has blurred, the spotlight is squarely on the experience that a brand can offer.

    Consumers are no longer simply purchasing a product but investing in experiences that can shape perceptions, evoke emotions and foster long-lasting relationships. The shift is irrevocable and brings new challenges and opportunities for digital designers.

    Related: The New Rules Of Customer Experience

    What is the experience economy?

    The experience economy is transforming how we interact with physical and digital environments. This lens focuses on the entire ecosystem of experiences that surround our actions. When you step into a café, for instance, you’re not just purchasing a latte — you’re stepping into a crafted ambiance that encapsulates the aroma of freshly ground coffee, the comfortable seating, the curated playlist and even the art on the walls. It’s this broader experience that you’re buying into, not just a simple transaction for goods or services.

    The experience economy doesn’t just stop at physical spaces. Its principles extend into the digital realm, fundamentally altering how websites, apps and technologies are designed. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers at our own agency have advocated for building and designing experiences as opposed to solely designing a website or digital interface. With user-centric design, there is a greater emphasis on the emotions and immersive feeling that users feel on their user journey.

    Essentially, in the experience economy, designers are not just shaping products or services; they are shaping the experiences that resonate on a deep, emotional level with consumers. Whether it’s the ease of navigating a mobile app or the visual splendor of an interactive website, each element is fulfilling a memorable experience. How can one ensure their website is up-to-par with the experience economy?

    Create immersive and dynamic visuals

    User participation should factor in to ensure that your users can undergo an experience. Users are actively participating simply by navigating the website itself, however, incorporating immersive and dynamic features can elevate that experience to greater heights. To craft an immersive and dynamic website, designers must leverage a blend of animations, user interactions, microinteractions and other engaging elements. Thoughtfully executed animations can bring a site to life, guiding users’ attention and offering smooth transitions between sections.

    Interactive elements — such as hover effects, parallax scrolling and responsive buttons — enhance user engagement, ensuring that every click, swipe or scroll is met with a satisfying response. Layered with high-quality imagery, video backgrounds, and adaptive typography, these features contribute to a fluid user experience that not only retains visitor attention but also makes navigation intuitive and immersive. The key lies in ensuring these elements are cohesively integrated and allow the user to feel as though they are running their own experience. Consider if your website attains these key factors to increase the interest of your users, and create a new layer of memorability for your company’s digital presence.

    Related: How You Can Turn Your Website Into a Web Experience

    Attain a cohesive theme

    A huge factor that plays into an experience is if the experience itself feels cohesive and polished and has a theme or over-arching cohesive elements. According to an article by The Harvard Business Review, a purposefully curated theme drives the overall experience toward something integrated. As the article states, “An effective theme is concise and compelling. It is not a corporate mission statement or a marketing tagline. It needn’t be publicly articulated in writing. But the theme must drive all the design elements and staged events of the experience toward a unified storyline that wholly captivates the customer.”

    Regarding web experiences, you want to ensure that your website or digital product is cohesive with a seamless “theme” or a design language. Effective design captures the essence of immersion, evoking strong emotions and engagement. A unified visual and narrative presentation enhances memorability, reinforcing your brand’s story. Moreover, ensuring that your digital product aligns harmoniously with other branding materials and your social media presence amplifies this sense of cohesion, creating an even more impactful experience for your audience.

    Bridge an emotional connection

    Today’s users expect digital interactions tailored to their preferences, needs and behaviors. Personalization transcends merely addressing a user by their first name; it’s about curating content, design elements and user pathways that resonate on an individual level. Achieving this requires a combination of data analytics to understand user behaviors, AI-driven algorithms for dynamic content suggestions and user-centric design principles. As businesses invest in creating personalized web experiences, they not only foster deeper connections with their audience but also position themselves advantageously in a competitive digital marketplace.

    Not only does a personalized website feel much more catered to users’ needs quickly and effectively, but it also furthers the experience aspect because it feels personalized to the individual. The Harvard Business Review states, “…Experiences are inherently personal, existing only in the mind of an individual who has been engaged on an emotional, physical, intellectual, or even spiritual level. Thus, no two people can have the same experience.” Experiences are personal because of how they make the user feel, and they attach emotions, connotations and associations, particularly when an experience feels made for their personal enjoyment.

    To make your website feel personalized to cater to human emotion, there are many small design approaches to consider. This includes dynamic content display by presenting content tailored to individual users or segments. For example, a shopping site might showcase products based on browsing history.

    Through adaptive design, cohesive themes and a genuine emotional connection, websites can truly become more than digital platforms — they can become experiences that shape perceptions and foster loyalty.

    Related: Use These Web Design Tricks to Grow Your Business Exponentially

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    Goran Paun

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  • 9 Key Tips for Managing a Multi-Site Web Publishing Business | Entrepreneur

    9 Key Tips for Managing a Multi-Site Web Publishing Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Operating a web publishing business with a portfolio that has over 20 websites is quite an endeavor. I know because I’ve been doing that for the past few years.

    Fortunately, not all of the sites in our portfolio are of equal weight. For all practical purposes, we focus our efforts on six sites: our revenue locomotives and sites where we see significant potential for growth.

    But even managing only six sites on a daily basis can feel like a juggling act. In fact, many successful publishers focus on a single site for years and shudder at having to deal with as many as two sites.

    Each of our sites is different, covering specific niches and catering to varied audiences. The challenge lies with ensuring each site receives unique attention while keeping operational efficiency across our company.

    Here are nine battle-tested best practices that help me give each website the attention it deserves.

    Related: How to Write Website Content That Sells

    1. Establish brand guidelines

    We have branding guidelines that help our content creators use the same language and express the same values across entire sites.

    For example, our cat-focused site’s brand guidelines focus on promoting the core values of responsible pet ownership. They guide our content creators towards encouraging practices such as spaying and neutering while condemning declawing.

    This unified messaging elevates the site’s credibility and simplifies the job for our content teams.

    2. Centralize key tasks

    In many ways, our team operates a web content assembly line. And just like with any assembly line, specialization increases efficiency. That’s why we have dedicated teams handling specialized tasks.

    For example, we have a media team solely focused on image optimization across all our websites. These media specialists know how to choose the right stock photos, optimize and edit them, and add them to our articles. This kind of streamlining speeds up workflow and maintains quality across different websites.

    3. Leverage shared databases and online tools

    The tech stack you use can make or break your operational efficiency. A centralized task management platform or shared databases like Google Suite are vital when the same people collaborate in managing multiple websites.

    For example, our setup employs Google Classroom to create training routines that benefit teams working across different websites. Information is stored in a company-wide Google Drive, where team roles determine access.

    4. Automate where possible

    We make ample use of platforms like ClickUp to automate task routing between our various teams. Each article goes through a uniform workflow, reflected in automated changes in status, assignees and dates.

    Each one of the sites has its own space on Clickup, where we utilize the same automation to create a unified streamlined workflow for all our content production operations.

    Related: 3 Things to Consider When Automating Your Workflows

    5. Foster open communication

    In a remote work setting such as ours, open lines of communication are essential. We have weekly Zoom check-ins and Google Chat channels dedicated to different project streams, ensuring everyone stays in the loop.

    These channels of communication allow our team members to continuously learn from one another. When something works — or doesn’t work — for a specific site, the information flows around so it can be implemented on a different site if applicable.

    6. Create detailed strategies

    We aim to create unique strategy playbooks for each site, focusing on their specific audience and content themes.

    Strategies can range from aggressive SEO tactics for our tech blogs to user engagement for our lifestyle websites. A visual niche could be a good candidate for Pinterest promotion, whereas one with community aspects could work better with shareable content pushed across multiple social media platforms.

    Tailoring the strategy to the site is key when managing a large portfolio. Not doing so leads not just to mediocrity but sometimes to utter failure.

    7. Have dedicated site operators

    To make sure each site gets individual attention, we’ve organized our operations into “pods.” Each pod manages a cluster of websites.

    The sites in each cluster aren’t necessarily thematically related. The idea is to balance the workload, allowing each pod manager to effectively act as a site operator for one or more of our sites. Site operators can be like having mini-CEOs focused on micro-goals, which roll up into our macro-objectives.

    8. Stay organized

    With so many moving parts, being organized isn’t just a virtue; it’s a necessity.

    We use task management software where each site has the same structural format, making it easier for team members to switch between projects without missing a beat.

    The key here is not to drop the ball on anything important across all of the sites.

    Related: This Highly Rated App Could Help Business Owners Stay Organized

    9. Remain flexible

    In the ever-evolving digital landscape, flexibility is key. We don’t just adapt to new technologies; we embrace them. From AI-generated content to emerging social media platforms, our agility allows us to stay ahead of the curve.

    This is important even when managing a single website. It becomes dizzyingly crucial when juggling multiple ones.

    Related: 3 Principles for Scaling Content With AI Without Sacrificing Quality

    The challenges are always there

    Running a multi-site web publishing business comes with its own set of challenges. Establishing these best practices and being nimble in your approach can help you meet some of these challenges, mitigate risks and ultimately benefit from the rewards.

    The digital landscape evolves rapidly, and new tools that enhance efficiency are on the horizon. I’m eager to test management AI solutions and other emerging technologies across our multi-site operations when viable options become available.

    By staying nimble and keeping an eye on the next waves in web publishing, we can continue to optimize our processes. While the platforms may change, the best practices of organization, automation and communication will remain fundamental to our success.

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    Anat El Hashahar (Anne Moss)

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  • Get a Lifetime of Web Hosting for Your Business for Just $49.99 | Entrepreneur

    Get a Lifetime of Web Hosting for Your Business for Just $49.99 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Your business likely needs a website, but where you host it matters. Forbes reports the average cost of web hosting to be around $2.51 a month on the low end. That’s a minor expense, but it builds over time. A more affordable alternative may be to secure lifetime hosting for an unlimited number of domains.

    That’s what you can get with a DoRoyal Website Hosting Lifetime Subscription, and it’s only $49.99. The initial investment may be higher, but the potential for long-term savings is significant when you don’t have another monthly fee to think about.

    Host your website for life.

    DoRoyal may be a simpler web hosting solution for your business. There are no recurring payments to consider, and your lifetime subscription comes with multiple bonuses like unlimited domains, subdomains, emails, and more. You have to provide the domain names themselves, but DoRoyal can help you take care of other intricacies like site migration, cybersecurity, and even site construction.

    If you want to build your website from scratch, Doroyal has hundreds of themes to choose from, and the construction process is simple and quick, whether you’re making an e-commerce hub or building your brand with AI-generated content. You could even access support if you run into tech problems outside the scope of your team, according to one reviewer: “DoRoyal team has been always available almost around the clock, [I] had several hiccups which were due to my humble knowledge in web programming, yet they were patient and handheld me till all of my clarifications were resolved!”

    Find a home for your business’s website.

    If you’re building your business’s web presence, start with a stable website you only have to pay for once.

    For a limited time, get a lifetime subscription to DoRoyal website hosting for $49.99.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • The Secret to An Extraordinary Website? It Starts With the Team Behind It | Entrepreneur

    The Secret to An Extraordinary Website? It Starts With the Team Behind It | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Remember when a “webmaster” comprised an entire website team? In the early days of the internet, these folks — who typically took on everything from web development to design to IT and technical maintenance — truly held the keys to the company’s digital presence. Of course, websites were simpler then (the Wayback Machine shows just how far we’ve come), and a single person could feasibly develop and maintain what were essentially digital flyers.

    Fast forward to today and websites are much more complex: business results turbines that drive organizational velocity and performance, integrating everything from brand storytelling and ecommerce to communication, data collection, content, customer communities and more. While some organizations still have brochure websites, most run “essential websites” — an online hub for customer activity. Essential websites drive leads, product trials and purchases. They direct traffic to articles that generate ad revenue, facilitate enrollment for schools and persuade donors to contribute to social causes. Essential websites are core to most organizations’ go-to-market strategy, and while technology has come a long way in facilitating these web functions, so too have the roles needed to support a digital experience with multiple sites and stakeholders.

    Case in point: the proliferation of the WebOps (Website Operations) director, who oversees a cross-functional team that shares responsibility for co-creating a website. As websites have become the center point for an organization’s online presence, building a team that is highly invested in advancing web work is a critical part of the formula for digital progress.

    Here’s what I’ve learned about optimizing a website team (and what other marketing leaders can learn, too).

    Related: How Good Website Content Helps You Earn Potential Customers

    Get the right people doing the right work

    You don’t need a large team to get big results, but you do need the right people doing the right work. This comes down to establishing clear ownership of tasks: getting people aligned and empowered to make the changes they need. For example, content creators need to be able to publish content and campaigns — without having to wait for IT or web developers to give them access.

    I’ve seen this scenario play out numerous times: a new head of marketing needs to boost leads, conversions or sales, but their hands are tied because they can’t make timely changes to the website. This was the case with one of my company’s clients, B2B insurance company Zelros. After its new CMO realized the dev team couldn’t prioritize the changes she needed, she shifted website ownership to her marketing team. Armed with the right tools and tech, they could control their own projects and timelines — freeing them up to create landing pages, campaigns and sales features that helped grow web traffic by 82%.

    So who are the “right people?” The best web teams include people who are passionate about advancing the site and able to take the reins. While three is often the minimum number needed — usually a developer, designer and content specialist — the web team should be the organization’s most inclusive and collaborative team. And these people don’t need to be marketers.

    In fact, a recent survey we conducted revealed 63% of marketing leaders say less than half of their company’s web team is part of the marketing organization. Website stakeholders often come from IT, HR and other departments in the form of subject matter experts, or from external agencies who bring expertise in areas such as SEO, paid ads and app development. The best thing a CMO or WebOps director can do is to give these stakeholders ownership and empowerment. With solid style guides, many stakeholders can be empowered to design extraordinary, on-brand experiences that are executed seamlessly.

    Related: Your Website’s Success Depends on Collaboration. Here’s How to Get It Right (and Make More Sales in Return).

    Leverage tools and partners that alleviate the load

    Web work can be fast and furious, as was evidenced during pandemic lockdowns when many companies were faced with a quick pivot to digital-first offerings — including a web presence that could withstand increased demand. At one Japanese research institute, media coverage of its pandemic shifts caused a spike in web traffic that could have taken the site down. But because the institute had a partner in place to monitor demand, the website kept ticking while its teams focused on other projects.

    The kinds of tools and partners you need will depend entirely on the size of your team — and your site. Our survey revealed that, on average, in-house web teams handle 11 of the 16 most common functions, including data analytics and customer support, but often outsource more technical functions — 53% outsource UI/UX design; 45% outsource infrastructure development; and 42% outsource web development. This allows internal teams to be agile and keep the momentum going while big builds and routine tasks are taken care of externally.

    If your developers or web teams are consumed with tasks like security patching, which can be tedious and time-consuming, they often don’t have the capacity for creative work. But the right tools and partners can support internal efficiencies — and automate tasks like site security — so team members can focus on more strategic priorities like hosting online events or developing personalized customer experiences.

    Related: How to Develop a Great Business Website

    Define and measure success as you go

    The success of your website depends on more than people and tools. The goals you set and track are critical to your team’s understanding of whether they’re hitting the right marks.

    There are many standard web metrics marketers like to track. Our survey respondents favored traffic and click-throughs, but many teams also consider search rankings, leads and conversions. I prefer to divide WebOps success into three categories: credibility (the peace of mind of core website performance), productivity (the ability to deliver on time and within budget) and impact (achieving results that are essential to the business). Too many web teams get caught up in vanity metrics, like the number of visits. But a website’s success is only relevant if the results are meaningful in the context of your business. Focusing on metrics such as form completions, quality of leads and conversions is far more valuable from a business perspective. It can better inform web teams as to where they need to focus their energies.

    There’s no formula for a perfect web team, but the most successful teams I’ve worked with empower their members with clear goals, valuable data and tools, encouragement to experiment and the ability to move quickly. Ultimately your customers will decide whether your website succeeds, but the right web team should be able to respond to their ever-changing needs.

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    Christy Marble

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  • How to Reclaim Lost Links — and Why It’s Crucial for Your Website’s SEO | Entrepreneur

    How to Reclaim Lost Links — and Why It’s Crucial for Your Website’s SEO | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Reclaiming lost links — such an interesting phrase that tends to be ignored by people who should actually give it a chance. It’s possible that broken links are to blame for the drop in search rankings your website has experienced recently. It is possible for lost links to have a detrimental influence on the search engine optimization of your website; however, there is a strategy that can be used to reclaim lost links and boost your search rankings.

    This article will help show you a new aspect of link exchange strategies that will broaden your knowledge horizons, especially regarding the lost link crisis that businesses tend to neglect.

    In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through a method that has been shown to be effective in reclaiming lost links and increasing the exposure of your website.

    Related: What Are Backlinks and Why Do You Need Them for Your SEO?

    Understand the importance of lost links

    Your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) and overall exposure can suffer significantly as a result of broken links. It is possible for you to suffer a loss of valuable backlinks if a website that had previously connected to yours decides to remove or alter the link.

    Backlinks are extremely important for a website’s search engine rankings since they show other websites and search engines that your website can be trusted and is an authority in its field. Once you have full knowledge of the significance of lost links, you will be able to take the actions required to retrieve them and enhance the search rankings of your website.

    Identifying broken internal links: The step before the lost link strategy

    The process of fixing broken internal links is the first step in the process of link reclamation and is an essential step toward improving the usability of your website. You have the choice of using commercial tools such as Ahrefs Site Explorer and DeepCrawl in order to detect broken links on your own website, or you can make use of free tools such as Google Analytics and Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider. Both of these options are available to you. With the free version of the SEO Spider, you can crawl up to 500 URLs; if you have a more significant website to crawl, you will need to pay to upgrade.

    Fixing broken links

    The next thing you should do is fix any broken links! Visit every page on your website that contains broken links, and either update or replace the URLs on those pages.

    It is important to keep in mind that you may be required to completely remove a link if you discover an outdated link that cannot be restored or if you discover a link that was neglected during the redesign of your website.

    Related: Top 8 Backlink Strategies to Boost Your Traffic

    Time to identify a lost link

    Finding a lost external backlink may sound complicated. However, it is really not that hard to do. But hey! That’s why I’m here, so allow me to walk you through it all.

    Finding lost or broken backlinks is the next step you should take after you have finished cleaning up the broken links on your own website.

    It may be more difficult to regain lost backlinks than it is to mend internal connections since you do not have access to external links; the other site’s owner decides whether or not you can reclaim lost backlinks. Fixing internal links is easier.

    You can use paid tools like Majestic or the Ahrefs Site Explorer in addition to SEO Review Tools’ free Backlink Checker to find broken backlinks pointing to your website.

    Regaining lost backlinks from external sources

    In summary, here are some of the most necessary steps that you should follow in order to regain a lost link from an external source:

    • Contact the website that linked to you: If the website that linked to you made a mistake and removed the backlink, get in touch with them and politely request that they reinstate the link. Give them access to any information or resources that they might require in order to help them through the process.

    • Repair any broken links: If the backlink was lost because of a broken link on your website, repair the link as quickly as you can. You may find and repair any broken links on your website by using a program that checks for and reports on broken links.

    • Create new content: If the reason you lost backlinks was because the content on your website was out of date or irrelevant, make new content that is both important and interesting. This will encourage other websites to link back to you.

    • Create new backlinks: As a last step, you should give some thought to creating new backlinks to your website by means of guest articles, outreach and various other link-building tactics. It is possible that doing this will increase the overall authority and exposure of your website, increasing the likelihood that other websites will link back to you in the future.

    Related: The Secret to Super Successful SEO

    Pro tip: Offer value in exchange for the lost link

    When reaching out to website owners to reclaim lost links, it’s important to offer something of value in exchange. This could be additional content, a guest blog post or a collaboration opportunity. By providing something valuable, you increase the chances of the website owner reinstating the link.

    Make sure to highlight the benefits they will receive by linking back to your website, such as increased traffic or access to your audience. Remember to personalize your offer and tailor it to the specific website and its audience. Offering value in exchange for the lost link can help strengthen your relationship with the website owner and improve your chances of success in reclaiming the link.

    Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, I’ll assume that you have a basic (maybe even a detailed) overview of the whole process of lost link reclaiming. Most businesses that aim for better rankings largely ignore broken links. They tend to focus more on SEO strategies that are proven to work effectively. For that reason, and because people are not giving lost links the attention they deserve, we created this quick guide for you.

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    Omar El Bahr

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  • 6 Steps to Improve Your Website’s Speed — and Why It Matters | Entrepreneur

    6 Steps to Improve Your Website’s Speed — and Why It Matters | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In 2023, the SEO landscape is only becoming more competitive — especially given the prevalence of AI technologies and non-human-created content. To get a leg up on your AI-powered competition, I recommend doing everything you can to leverage SEO performance boosts. One of the least-appreciated, in my opinion, is page speed.

    The average page speed for Google-indexed domains is 1.65 seconds. If your website takes longer to load, chances are you’re taking an SEO hit without even knowing.

    After all, Google’s PageRank algorithm is hellbent on making the internet as user-friendly as can be. A laggy, heavy website is one of the worst ways you can make your content inaccessible and painful to use for your visitors. That’s why I strongly suggest taking the steps outlined below to optimize your page speed and, in turn, improve your SEO performance.

    Related: 7 Simple Ways to Make Your Website Faster and More Responsive

    Step 1: Check your current page speed

    Your first step is to find out how quickly your website is displaying on the client’s device. The two main key performance indicators (KPI) for determining your page speed are: page load time and time to first byte. You need to find out both to get a holistic view of your site’s speed.

    Here are some free tools that I have personally used over the years to obtain these KPIs with a high degree of accuracy:

    • Site 24×7

    • GMetrix

    • Google PageSpeed

    Personally, I use GMetrix, but it’s just a matter of preference — there are essentially dozens of free tools like these that do the same thing.

    As of 2023, the median time to first byte score is about 800ms. However, dynamic pages with heavy usage of Javascript elements sometimes have scores above 1,500ms. As a rule, try to keep your time to first byte score below 800ms and page load times below 1.6 seconds.

    Step 2: Audit your images

    If I find a page is loading slowly, the main culprit is often image files being oversized. For me, compressing and resizing images is the single most effective method of reducing load times and creating a speedy, lightweight website.

    Right-click every visual element on each of your website’s pages, and select the “Inspect” function. Pay attention to the dimensions (in pixels) and size (in Kb or Mb). My rule of thumb is to compress any image above 200Kb and to downsize any image wider than 1600px.

    I personally use TinyPNG to compress image files and Adobe Express to resize oversized images down to a width of 1,600 pixels or fewer. These are both free tools that get the job done, but you can substitute them with any alternative you please. Once resized and compressed, permanently delete the old images from your website’s media library and replace them with their lightweight replacements.

    Step 3: Cut back on CSS, JavaScript and HTML

    This one’s a bit more technical, but if you lack the necessary programming skills, you can refer to a front-end developer. In essence, a page with an overabundance of CSS, JavaScript and HTML code will load slower than a page with clean, non-redundant code.

    Fortunately, you can run your website’s code through programs like CSSNano and UglifyJS to automatically optimize the code without the assistance of a technical expert. This is a process known to Google as “minification.”

    Related: Vrooom! Why Website Speed Matters.

    Step 4: Reduce HTTP requests

    If too many websites are redirecting to yours, it can over-encumber your website and bulk up its load speed. You may want to manually eliminate any non-necessary 301 or 302 server transfer redirects you have set up on your website.

    To do this, you may need to consult with a back-end developer who has experience in this area of expertise — something I recommend doing if you have ever transferred your website to a new domain in the past.

    Step 5: Consider browser caching

    When a user visits your website, their browser stores certain resources, such as images, CSS files and JavaScript files in its cache. By leveraging browser caching, you can instruct the client’s browser to store these resources for a specified period.

    To enable browser caching, you need to configure your web server to include appropriate caching headers in the HTTP response. These headers specify how long the browser should cache the resources before requesting them again from the server, which can reduce the number of HTTP requests made by the browser and improve page load times.

    If you need assistance doing this, consult a back-end developer to handle this part of the process.

    Regularly review and update your caching configuration as needed to strike the right balance between caching efficiency and content freshness.

    Step 6: If all else fails, find a different host

    Certain web hosting services can add unnecessary time to your page speed to the location of their servers, bandwidth and traffic bottlenecks, and Content Delivery Network (CDN) integration. If you have improved all other aspects of your website but still aren’t seeing results on page speed, consider opting for a new web host that specializes in lightweight, speedy load times for your target demographic.

    However, I recommend keeping this as a last resort. Switching domain hosts can be an expensive and time-consuming process, so it’s best that you exhaust all other options before arriving at this one.

    Related: 7 Best SEO Tools to Help You Rank Higher in Google

    Your website’s page speed is one of the most overlooked on-page ranking factors for SEO. If you can get your load times below the median, you stand a much better chance of ranking at the top of search engine results pages than your competitors with bulkier, heavier pages.

    By following my method outlined above, you can trim the fat from your site and leave it faster, lighter and better equipped to enhance the user’s overall experience.

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    Amine Rahal

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  • Reddit Is Removing Mods Over NSFW Protests

    Reddit Is Removing Mods Over NSFW Protests

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    Image: Reddit

    In the wake of sitewide protests, ostensibly over some API changes but really about an increasingly corporate squeeze of a historically community-run site, some Reddit moderators have decided to hit CEO Steve Huffman in the only place it seems to hurt: the site’s wallet.

    The Week In Games: Wild At Heart

    Following a disastrous round of press interviews, where Huffman came off sounding more like a Dril tweet than a company CEO and it became clear that mass blackouts were not changing his mind, mods from some of Reddit’s biggest communities decided to switch their subreddits over to NSFW (Not Suitable For Work), a toggle normally reserved for stuff like porn and, crucially, a type of subreddit that Reddit can’t show ads on, and so can’t make money off.

    Some of the communities making the switch included r/MildlyInteresting, r/TIHI (Thanks I Hate It) and r/interestingasfuck. It’s a clever move (plus it’s more legal than ransoming the company with stolen data), and one that shows the lengths mods are going to protest Huffman and his team’s actions, but it’s also one that Reddit says violates their “Content Policy and Moderator Code of Conduct”. As a result, and as The Verge report, these mods are now finding themselves “logged out of their account and locked out” by “a Reddit admin account”, and their subreddits—with millions of members—are showing up as being completely unmoderated. Those former mods have also seen their accounts suspended for seven days.

    It is incredibly funny to see the lengths Huffman and his staff are going to here. They’re in such a panic about their profit margins—and more importantly in their case, potential future share value--that they’re ignoring the fact Reddit’s entire worth is built on the back of unpaid labour. The site is literally nothing without its users (providing “content”) and mods (working for free), and Huffman is out here worried about ad revenue, from which none of those users see a cent? And sending the message that he’d rather leave whole communities unmoderated than put up with some protests?

    The internet has wrought many perils on our civilization, but the one thing it has been good for is helping publicly record just how stupid these CEOs really are.

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    Luke Plunkett

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  • Enjoy Premium Hosting for a Lifetime With This Service, Now Just $79.97 | Entrepreneur

    Enjoy Premium Hosting for a Lifetime With This Service, Now Just $79.97 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    These days, your company needs a website. According to PixoLabo, 71% of small companies had websites in 2021. That number has likely grown tremendously over the last two years…is your company in the majority?

    Whether you’ve had a site for a long time or are finally getting yours up and running, you’re going to need a source for web hosting. And if you’d like that source to be affordable and offer a one-time payment instead of expensive monthly fees, look no further than iBrave Cloud Web Hosting. They’re currently hosting a lifetime subscription for just $79.99, no coupon code required, now through June 20 during this Flash Sale.

    Imagine paying once and enjoying unlimited websites, subdomains, bandwidth, SSD storage, MySQL databases, and custom email addresses…forever. That’s exactly what iBrave Cloud Web Hosting is offering to new users. And while it doesn’t include free unlimited domain names, you can use your existing one or just buy a new one and start enjoying iBrave’s hosting services and have your site seen on all kinds of devices.

    Even those that aren’t website-savvy will find iBrave super simple to use, thanks to its user-friendly control panel, over 80 one-click install apps to choose from, and free website builder. There’s also one-click WordPress installation, and it’s super easy to migrate your existing websites over. And if you run into any issues, friendly customer support is available seven days a week to help.

    New iBrave users can save big forever and score a lifetime subscription to iBrave Cloud Web Hosting during the Flash Sale for just $79.97 (reg. $899) until June 20 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Reddit Goes Down As Communities Protest Wildly Unpopular Changes [UPDATE]

    Reddit Goes Down As Communities Protest Wildly Unpopular Changes [UPDATE]

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    As we reported earlier in the month, Reddit, one of the most popular forums for gaming communities, is planning to make some changes under the hood that will essentially kill off every third-party app. Given the state of the official app and its heavy reliance on huge ads, it’s a deeply unpopular move, so unpopular that it has led to a protest movement that you are likely witnessing the effects of as we speak. If you load Reddit right now, chances are very good that you’re seeing a message that reads, “Sorry, we couldn’t load posts for this page.”

    This Lesbian Mafia Anime Might Actually Make You Want To Play Golf

    Alongside big subreddits like r/bestof, r/sports, r/music, r/pics and r/videos, a number of the most popular gaming subreddits have either confirmed they’re taking part, are polling members for their thoughts or will be taking more limited action as well.

    That includes r/gaming with its 37 million members, r/PS5 and its 3.3 million members, r/minecraft’s 7 million members and r/wow’s 2.3 million members. Meanwhile mods at r/pcgaming (3.2 million members) are asking users for their input before making a decision, while r/nintendo are going into a “a read-only/restricted mode”, which is not quite as severe as locking the entire subreddit down. But if you’re like most people, you likely just lurk pages, so you may not be able to see anything but this right now:

    Screenshot: Reddit / Kotaku

    The entire thing has been planned for a while now, as a gathering of Reddit’s unpaid moderators banded together and penned an open letter to the site’s management, outlining not just the general popularity of the third-party apps, but also concerns over the potential loss of important moderation tools (which many third-party apps have but the official offering somehow lacks) and impact on NSFW content as well.

    Reddit Goes Down

    That letter has been backed by plans for much of the site to engage in a “blackout” on June 12, meaning today, which means individual subreddits will lock down into “private” mode, meaning anyone who isn’t already a follower/subscriber won’t be able to access them or see any of their content.

    According to The Verge, over 6,000 subreddits have been affected on Monday as a part of the protest, which will last until the 14th. Some, it should be noted, are planning on staying private until things change. Other communities went dark as soon as the unpopular API changes were announced. Really, there are all sorts of approaches to the bad news. You might notice some communities are indeed available, but you can only post about the API changes. Others meanwhile will let you read the subreddit as it was, but won’t let you make new posts. In short, it’s a shitshow for Reddit.

    Update 6/12/2023 11:10 a.m.: We’ve updated this post to reflect that Reddit is now in fact down and out.

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    Luke Plunkett

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  • Supercharge Your Marketing by Connecting These Technologies | Entrepreneur

    Supercharge Your Marketing by Connecting These Technologies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Almost every superhero has a sidekick. It’s not that Batman isn’t capable of amazing feats on his own, it’s just that he can accomplish so much more with Robin at his side. Duo do-gooders, or even partners in crime, can be unstoppable together rather than alone. Would Abbot be as funny without Costello? Would Bonnie be able to get away without Clyde?

    Take your pick of combos; it stands true that two are better than one, and the same goes for your marketing!

    At my business, PostcardMania, we have the unique advantage of closely tracking successful client campaigns to determine what made them work — and we delivered just shy of 30,000 campaigns last year … 28,091 to be precise. So, I have some insight into what works and what doesn’t.

    In this article, I’ve picked out a few marketing duos that I know will help supercharge your results.

    Related: Invest in These 5 Technologies to Redefine Your Marketing Efforts

    Website + direct mail

    Business owners used to see their website as a mere host for valuable information about products, services, locations, contact information and more. But today, savvy business owners understand that a website is a valuable tool — it can attract prospects (with good SEO), build trust and (most importantly) convert visitors into qualified leads and customers.

    That said, not every website is as optimized as it could be.

    Your website is a powerful lead-generation engine. All it takes is a little backroom tinkering behind the scenes of your website, and you can turn it into a powerful follow-up tool that targets your most interested — yet unconverted — visitors offline. It’s called direct mail retargeting, and it can turn your website into a huge catalyst for closing sales.

    With a little bit of code and an integration that connects your website to a direct mail automation platform, you can automatically retarget your website visitors with a postcard at their home. Simply set your budget, and let it run on its own (if you’re a little tech-shy, some companies like mine will even set this up for you).

    You can also adjust which visitors you want to target to ensure you’re pursuing the hottest leads. Only mail to visitors who spend more than 30 seconds on your site or only those who add something to their shopping cart and then abandon it — it’s all possible and a lot more.

    And I’m not mentioning direct mail because I happen to sell it. The research shows that tangible advertisements make a greater impact on prospects than digital ones alone.

    In a study done by the United States Postal Service (USPS) and Temple University’s Center for Neural Decision Making, researchers concluded that direct mail has a more significant emotional impact than digital ads, resulting in stronger recall up to one week later. They also found that participants’ brains were more stimulated and participants felt more excited when interacting with direct mail.

    Utilizing direct mail at key points along the buyer’s journey could sway them more significantly than digital interactions alone. Adding a discount code or free offer to your follow-up mailer may just be the extra incentive they need to go from “maybe” to “yes.”

    Even if you start slow, with a small budget and very tight targeting parameters, I encourage you to give retargeted direct mail a try. One of my clients, a real estate investor, let it run in the background for the better part of a year. He didn’t have much website traffic, so he only sent out a little over 100 postcards, which cost him $647 — but he closed a deal off of those 100 mailers that made him $70,000.

    That’s the magic of combining targeted mailers with your website traffic: It’s low-cost, targeted and hugely impactful.

    Related: 3 Ways Technology Helps You Make Money With Direct Mail Marketing

    Geofencing + targeted digital ads

    While geofencing isn’t the newest technology to enter the marketing spectrum, it is improving exponentially day by day. Geofencing creates virtual geographic boundaries around targeted areas, and when someone crosses into one of those areas, it creates a triggered response — your ads will show up while they’re browsing their favorite sites or checking their email.

    For example, a veterinarian could target pet owners who visit local dog parks, pet supermarkets or animal shelters. Or a yoga studio could target people visiting their local health foods store. There are a ton of possibilities.

    Recently, geofencing has become more reliable — meaning you won’t spend money accidentally targeting people who really visited the tire shop next door. And once you’ve targeted enough of the right people, their profiles can be used to target larger lookalike audiences with similar demographics.

    Then, if these prospects click on your geofence-triggered ad and visit your website, they could automatically receive a mailer, too (that is if you have automated direct mail in place like I mentioned in the first section).

    With all of these integrated marketing channels in place, you can create a compelling sales funnel that finds and nurtures new leads into customers on autopilot. That’s the power of automation. All you have to do is set it up once, set your budget and check in periodically to make sure your return on investment (ROI) justifies your costs.

    Soon, prospects will feel they’re seeing you everywhere and have your brand planted firmly in their minds. This powerful recall is exactly what you want the next time they need your product or service.

    Related: 6 Technologies That Will Reshape Marketing In The Next Decade

    AI + content marketing

    Website content can be a major trust builder for your businesses and therefore can play a vital part in turning an interested prospect into a buying customer. But many a business owner has cringed at the thought of writing copy for their website … let alone regularly updating it with blog posts or e-newsletter articles.

    Creating large amounts of content can be a constant challenge for business owners, and I get it. You’re already busy running a business!

    But what I want small business owners to realize is that they have access to many tools — some of them free — that will do 95% of the writing for you.

    Some of the most popular content-driven AI tools include ChatGPT, Jasper, Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing AI.

    You can simply type in a subject and a tone of voice, and the AI will produce copy for you in seconds. Even professional copywriters are trying out AI to produce more content in short amounts of time.

    I suggest trying out an AI tool to write something that will be beneficial to prospects and customers. What do they always ask or want to know about your industry? Do you have a recent case study you want to share? Maybe you can create a page that explains the buying process so prospects know what to expect.

    Focus on creating content that builds trust and removes common barriers you encounter when taking someone from interested to purchasing.

    However, keep in mind that AI can only take you so far. You’ll still need to double-check the copy for accuracy and tailor it to your business’s style, purpose and level of expertise.

    The more content you produce, the more your SEO rankings will improve, the more your prospects and customers will interact with you online, and the more you’ll see long-term results.

    Put all these integrated marketing duos together, and it’s as if you have a host of secret weapons to accomplish your master plans.

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    Joy Gendusa

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  • Reddit Is Killing The Best Way To Read The Site

    Reddit Is Killing The Best Way To Read The Site

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    Reddit is one of the biggest and most important websites on the planet, especially since it’s one of the last places human beings can get questions answered by actual human beings. So it sucks to see that the company is about to crush many of the best ways to actually experience the whole thing.

    The Week In Games: System Shock, Street Fighter 6, And More

    For anyone using the site on a desktop computer the Reddit experience is fine, I guess (“Old Reddit” is better), but on phones, that all changes. Reddit’s official app sucks, and is absolutely loaded with intrusive ads, meaning a lot of people rely on the work of third-party apps—like the incredibly popular Apollo on iOS and my own favourite, Infinity on Android—to browse and comment.

    Or they did. Those third-party apps only existed because Reddit allowed them to access their API (essentially their backend); today, the site announced specific changes to that arrangement (first broadly announced last month), implementing charges for the data—similar to those introduced by another platform with popular third-party apps, Twitter—that are so astronomical they’re going to price every third-party app out of the market.

    The creator of Apollo has done the math, and says:

    I’ll cut to the chase: 50 million requests costs $12,000, a figure far more than I ever could have imagined.

    Apollo made 7 billion requests last month, which would put it at about 1.7 million dollars per month, or 20 million US dollars per year. Even if I only kept subscription users, the average Apollo user uses 344 requests per day, which would cost $2.50 per month, which is over double what the subscription currently costs, so I’d be in the red every month.

    Meanwhile one of the developers of RIF, another popular Android app, say that not only are they also being priced out (if Apollo can’t afford it nobody can), but that Reddit is also implementing a change where third-party apps would lose access to NSFW subreddits, while the official site would not:

    Removal of sexually explicit material from third-party apps while keeping said content in the official app. Some people have speculated that NSFW is going to leave Reddit entirely, but then why would Reddit Inc have recently expanded NSFW upload support on their desktop site?

    It’s obvious that the steep pricing, which goes far beyond what these developers were expecting or could ever afford, is not there to make money. Not when it was clear nobody was ever going to be able to pay it. It’s being brought in to crush third-party alternatives, driving every mobile user to the official app where they’ll either have to watch ads or pay for Reddit Premium.

    Or, you know, stop going to Reddit.

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    Luke Plunkett

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  • The Pros and Cons of Minimalism and Simplicity in Web Design | Entrepreneur

    The Pros and Cons of Minimalism and Simplicity in Web Design | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Minimalism has become one of the most prevalent trends in the creative industry, with its alternative, maximalism, being increasingly marginalized. A cursory glance at Google Trends shows that maximalism is not getting much attention, suggesting that minimalism is the holy grail of design. This trend is apparent across various industries, including graphic design, interior design, arts and others.

    This article aims to examine the advantages and drawbacks of minimalism in UI/UX design. By doing so, it will enable entrepreneurs to make informed decisions on what design approach is suitable for their business, instead of just flocking with the trends.

    Related: Use These Web Design Tricks to Grow Your Business Exponentially

    What is minimalism in web design?

    Minimalism is a design approach that emphasizes simplicity, clarity and a focus on the essential elements. It’s a design style that strives to remove all non-essential elements and distractions while prioritizing functionality and user experience.

    Minimalist design is commonly recognized by its limited use of color, flat design style and emphasis on typography and text. Some well-known examples of minimalist design in news websites include Entrepreneur.com, BusinessWorld.Africa and TechCrunch.com. In contrast, websites such as CNN.com, TheDailyBeast.com, and TheVerge.com can be classified as maximalist due to their use of bold, complex designs featuring rich visual elements, dynamic animations and interactive features.

    Below, we’ll discuss the benefits of minimalism in UI/UX design:

    Clarity and focus

    Minimalist design emphasizes simplicity, clarity and user focus. By eliminating unnecessary elements and simplifying the design, minimalist design helps users focus on essential features and content. This clarity and focus are essential for creating a positive user experience. Minimalist design can also make it easier for users to navigate the interface, reducing confusion and increasing user satisfaction.

    For example, the minimalist design of Google’s search engine emphasizes the search bar and search button, making it easy for users to find and use the search function. The minimalist design also makes it easier for Google to load the page quickly, improving the user experience.

    Faster loading speeds

    Minimalist design can improve loading speeds by reducing the number of elements on the page. By reducing the number of elements, minimalist design reduces the amount of data that needs to be loaded, resulting in faster load times. This faster loading speed can improve the user experience and reduce the likelihood of users abandoning the website or application due to slow loading times.

    For example, the minimalist design of Dropbox’s website eliminates unnecessary elements, resulting in a faster loading speed. This fast loading speed improves the user experience and makes it more likely that users will continue to use Dropbox.

    Consistency and branding

    Minimalist design can also improve consistency and branding by simplifying the design and focusing on essential elements. By eliminating unnecessary elements and emphasizing essential features, minimalist design can make it easier to create a consistent brand image across different platforms and devices. This consistency can help build brand recognition and increase user trust.

    For example, Apple’s minimalist design emphasizes the essential features of their products and creates a consistent brand image across different devices and platforms. This consistency has helped to build brand recognition and increase user trust in Apple’s products.

    Related: Learn Design Principles That Can Help Grow Your Business

    Increased user engagement

    Minimalist design can increase user engagement by simplifying the user interface and making it easier for users to interact with essential features. By reducing the number of distractions and focusing on essential features, minimalist design can encourage users to engage with the application or website.

    For example, the minimalist design of Instagram’s mobile application focuses on essential features such as photos, comments and likes. This focus on essential features makes it easier for users to engage with the application and encourages them to interact with other users.

    Mobile-friendly design

    Minimalist design is ideal for mobile devices due to its simplicity and focus on essential features. By eliminating unnecessary elements, minimalist design can make it easier to navigate and interact with essential features on small screens. This mobile-friendly design can improve the user experience and increase user engagement on mobile devices.

    For example, the minimalist design of Airbnb’s mobile application makes it easy for users to find and book accommodations on their mobile devices. This mobile-friendly design has helped to increase user engagement and has made Airbnb a popular choice for mobile users.

    Now that you know the benefits, let’s discuss the limitations of minimalism in UI/UX design:

    Lack of distinctive design

    Minimalist design often relies on a limited color palette, typography and other design elements. This limited range of design elements can make it challenging to create a distinctive design that stands out from other designs. When minimalist designs are overused, they can start to look generic and lack personality, making it difficult to differentiate a brand from competitors.

    For example, while Apple’s minimalist design has helped to create a consistent brand image, it has also been criticized for lacking personality and uniqueness, particularly in its recent product launches.

    Difficulty communicating complex information

    Minimalist design can be challenging when it comes to communicating complex information. Because minimalist designs often rely on simplicity, they can struggle to convey complex ideas or concepts effectively. As a result, designers need to be careful not to oversimplify their designs and risk losing critical information.

    For example, the minimalist design of some financial applications can make it difficult for users to find and understand important information such as investment performance or tax implications.

    Limited flexibility

    Minimalist design can be inflexible and challenging to adapt to new or changing needs. Because minimalist designs emphasize simplicity, designers may struggle to incorporate new features or elements without compromising the overall design’s simplicity. This limited flexibility can be particularly challenging in rapidly evolving industries where design needs to adapt quickly.

    For example, a minimalist design for a news website may struggle to incorporate new multimedia content or interactive features that are becoming more popular in the industry.

    Related: Usability First: Why You Should Pay Attention To User Experience

    Overemphasis on visual design

    Minimalist design can also overemphasize visual design at the expense of usability and functionality. Because minimalist design relies on simplicity and essential features, designers may prioritize visual design over usability, resulting in a less effective user experience. This overemphasis on visual design can result in a website or application that looks good but is difficult to use.

    For example, a minimalist design for a navigation bar may prioritize visual design over usability, resulting in a navigation bar that is challenging to use and understand.

    Potential for boredom and lack of engagement

    Minimalist design can also be challenging to maintain user engagement and excitement. Again, because minimalist designs often emphasize simplicity and essential features, there is a risk that users may become bored or disengaged if the design is too simplistic. Designers need to strike a balance between simplicity and engagement to keep users interested and motivated to use the website or application.

    Beyond flocking with the trends, entrepreneurs deserve to know which design approach is best for their business goals, target audience, brand identity and content. This could involve minimalism, maximalism or a combination of both.

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    Taiwo Sotikare

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  • Off-Page SEO Checklist: Here Are 7 Tactics to Rank Higher | Entrepreneur

    Off-Page SEO Checklist: Here Are 7 Tactics to Rank Higher | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Most SEO experts will say that off-page SEO is the most challenging aspect of SEO and content marketing as a whole. But why? Why are websites struggling so much with off-page SEO?

    The answer to these questions lies in the very name — off-page SEO. Essentially, off-page SEO is a list of practices employed to boost your SERPs rankings that are done outside the scope of your own website.

    This means that, more often than not, you don’t have a whole lot of direct influence on the success of those practices. Often, the most you can hope for is to put the best practice into place and let it run its course, hoping it will result in favorable results.

    Related: 5 Essential SEO Strategies For Entrepreneurs to Boost Their Traffic

    However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try off-page SEO at all. On the contrary, off-page SEO can be an incredibly powerful tool, but only if you pay attention and implement these seven tactics to rank higher in SERPs.

    1. Evaluate your backlink profile

    One of the key elements of having an authoritative website is having plenty of high-quality backlinks. Backlinks are links on other websites leading to a relevant piece of content of your own.

    Related: What Are Backlinks and Why Do You Need Them for Your SEO?

    With that said, evaluating the quality and quantity of backlinks leading to your website is the first step toward getting ranked higher in SERPs. Using tools like Google Search Console, Moz Link Explorer, or Ahrefs Backlink Checker, you can quickly assess the quality of your links.

    Some of the most useful pieces of information about your backlinks are the number of links leading to your website, the number of domains doing the same, the number of pages that have the most links (meaning, this is your most relevant content), and the anchor text used for those backlinks.

    When analyzed, all these elements will tell you how useful the information on your website is to both the readers and the websites themselves wishing to educate their readers further.

    2. Check your competitor’s links

    Competition for the top five positions on SERPs is always fierce. That’s why evaluating your competitor’s backlink profiles is also highly encouraged.

    Related: SEM, SERPs and Other Online Marketing Terms Explained

    By evaluating their profiles, you will not only gain an insight into how you’re doing compared to your competition, but you’ll also gain an insight into which websites are the most trusted in your market/industry niche.

    From there, you can then concentrate your efforts on gaining backlinks on those websites, as they have the most authority – authority that will then rub off on your own website and boost your rankings.

    3. Engage in link building

    Now that you know which websites are the most impactful and the most useful for boosting your own, it’s time to start securing backlinks. This is what we call link building.

    Link building is not easy; in fact, it is one of the hardest aspects of SEO. It will often involve you reaching out to authoritative websites with your content, hoping they will find it useful enough to feature it with a backlink.

    Luckily, there are plenty of avenues you can explore when securing backlinks. You can try the most obvious outreach strategy, but you may also try paid advertising if you have the funds. Social sharing is one the most cost-effective ways of securing backlinks and promoting your content, while guest blogging is one of the most popular but time-consuming.

    Naturally, there are many more ways you can engage in link-building. If you’d like to learn more, you can always check out the top advertising agencies’ strategies. The important thing to know, however, is to not rely on a single strategy but to be open and engage with multiple to ensure you get the most out of them.

    4. Optimize your internal links

    Just like you’d like other people to promote your content, you should work on promoting your own content on your website.

    This is most often done with internal linking — the goal is to link relevant content on your website together so your visitors can have a constant stream of useful information that will educate them further and help push them further down your marketing funnel.

    Technically speaking, creating a network of internal links is on-page SEO, but it also has a massive impact on off-page SEO. Google’s web crawlers always scan websites, trying to index pages as best they can to present the most relevant results for any query. Creating a clean network of links will help Google better understand your content and rank it higher for particular queries.

    5. Fix 404s

    Broken links can be a major pain in a website’s butt when trying to rank high in SERPs. Though 404 pages can help redirect customers to more content and increase their engagement with your website, they’re also a target for your competition.

    You see, just like you’re using outreach as one of your link-building strategies, so are your competitors, and if you have a backlink that no longer has any content attached to it, your competitors can easily jump in and swoop that backlink from under you, and have it now redirect to their own website.

    Needless to say, this is organic traffic loss that you could have kept, making fixing 404s and broken links a necessity and even a priority.

    6. Update your local citation and directory profiles

    If you’re operating a business, your customer must know where to find you and how to contact you. This is even more important if you’ve got a brick-and-mortar location and you’re looking to nab even more local customers.

    One of the best ways is to use local citations and directories. Local citations are mentions of your business on other websites and can usually be found on directories, social media platforms, and review sites.

    In addition (and especially if you’ve got a brick-and-mortar location), you should also consider creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile, as it will contain the most pertinent information about your business, like your address, phone number, and working hours. Also, it will give you a massive boost when it comes to local SEO and local rankings.

    7. Leverage social media

    As mentioned, social media is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote content.

    Whether it’s in the form of Facebook posts, TikToks, Instagram Stories, or articles on LinkedIn, if you’re able to promote your content on any social media platform, you should definitely consider doing it. And, if you aren’t, you should start looking into ways to start a social media marketing campaign.

    You should leverage social media for reach, community, and branding. Social media platforms allow you to reach tens of thousands of people in a matter of days, and chances are, with good content direction, you’ll be reaching a lot of interested parties.

    From there, you will also spread your brand message, creating a unifying idea around your product and services that will make you unique and recognizable. And, around that brand, a community will form that will spread your content further, making it reach even further with all the likes and shares, and establishing it as the ultimate authority in your niche, thus massively boosting your rankings.

    Overall, off-page SEO is not easy to leverage, even for the most adept and experienced SEO professionals. However, with these few tactics, you will stand a much better chance of leveraging the many elements of the online environment to favor your content and your website, thus improving your rankings by a very large margin.

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    ReadWrite.com

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  • How to Claim and Optimize Your Google Knowledge Panel | Entrepreneur

    How to Claim and Optimize Your Google Knowledge Panel | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    You care about your online reputation, so you did what every diligent entrepreneur has done, including me: You created a personal website. But just like LinkedIn made business cards obsolete, a powerful feature from Google could soon do the same for our personal websites.

    Meet the Google Knowledge Panel. Compiled by Google’s proprietary algorithm, this robust infobox displays the most relevant, credible information about a topic next to its search results. These topics can be places or businesses — or even entrepreneurs like you and me. If you claim and own your knowledge panel, it’s akin to owning personal real estate on Google Search Results.

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    Scott Duffy

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  • How Does FamousBirthdays.com Get All Their Celebrity Info? | Entrepreneur

    How Does FamousBirthdays.com Get All Their Celebrity Info? | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The internet is good at cataloging things — but it had a blind spot for creators.

    That’s something Evan Britton noticed back in 2012. He thought about how, if someone achieves news-making status, they’ll get a Wikipedia page. If they appear briefly in a movie, they’ll be cataloged in IMDb. But what if they rack up 2 million TikTok followers? Back then, there was nowhere to list that person. Nowhere a fan could go to learn more.

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    Jason Fiefer

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  • 7 Ways All Dating Apps Are Lying To You | Entrepreneur

    7 Ways All Dating Apps Are Lying To You | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Dating apps have undoubtedly revolutionized how people find love and connect with others. 3 in 10 US adults say they have used an online dating service (website or app). The convenience and accessibility of dating apps have made it easier for individuals to meet potential partners, but it has also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. In this article, we will explore why dating apps can be detrimental to the dating experience.

    1. Superficiality

    Research from William Chopik, an associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology, and Dr. David Johnson from the University of Maryland, finds that people’s reason for swiping right is based primarily on attractiveness and the race of a potential partner and that decisions are often made in less than a second.

    One of the primary criticisms of dating apps is that they tend to focus on superficial qualities rather than deeper compatibility. Users are often swiping through potential matches based on their physical appearance rather than considering their personalities or values. This can lead to a culture of shallow and superficial dating, where people are judged solely on their looks and not their character.

    Related: 5 Secrets to Building a Successful Consumer App

    2. Inauthenticity

    Another issue with dating apps is that they can promote a culture of inauthenticity. Users often present an idealized version, i.e., a highlight reel of themselves online, carefully curating their profiles to showcase their best qualities. This can lead to a lack of transparency and honesty in the dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.

    Related: Gen Z Falls In Love With Homegrown Dating Apps

    3. Dehumanization

    A 2020 study by Pew Research found that one-third of women using dating apps have been called an abusive name, and almost half of women had men continue to pursue them online after they said no. That’s double the rate that men experience. Dating apps can contribute to the dehumanization of potential partners.

    When people are reduced to a profile picture and a short bio, it can be easy to forget that they are real human beings with complex emotions and experiences. This can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding in the dating process, making it harder for people to form meaningful connections with others.

    4. Burnout

    The sheer volume of potential matches on dating apps can also lead to burnout. The 70 million adults in America that use dating apps have developed a rejection mindset that makes dating feel particularly unpromising and exhausting.

    Users are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them, which can lead to decision fatigue and a feeling of being emotionally drained. This can make it harder for people to put effort into any one relationship, as they are constantly wondering if there might be someone better out there.

    Related: From Machine Learning to Unfiltered Videos, These Online Dating Trends Are Set to Improve the Tricky World of Dating

    5. Catfishing and scams

    Dating apps are also notorious for catfishing and scams. Users can easily create fake profiles or misrepresent themselves online, leading to disappointment or even danger when users meet in person. This can lead to a lack of trust in the online dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.

    In 2019, the Columbia School of Journalism in New York City and news site ProPublica found that the Match Group, which owns around 45 dating apps, only screens for sex offenders on its paid-for apps, not free platforms like Tinder, OKCupid and Hinge. While some work has been done to correct the lack of fraud prevention in online dating, there’s a loophole in American internet law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which dictates sites can’t be held accountable for the harm that comes to third parties through their platforms.

    Related: Online Dating Scammer Steals $1.8 Million from His Victims. Women ‘Fed Lie After Lie.’

    6. Limited communication

    Dating apps can limit communication between potential partners. Users are often limited to texting or messaging, and without the benefit of face-to-face interaction, it can be harder to gauge a person’s true character or intentions, leading to misunderstandings or miscommunications.

    7. No in-app advertising transparency

    Finally, and perhaps the best (worst?) for last. Major dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge lack any sort of in-app advertising transparency. Users are constantly upsold on more premium features like boosting a profile for 1 hour to be seen by more members, but there’s never any reporting data on impressions made, engagement, clicks, etc. Ad performance data is available across all digital platforms, such as Google and Meta, but appears nonexistent within the dating apps space.

    In conclusion, while dating apps have undoubtedly made it easier for people to meet potential partners, they have also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. Superficiality, inauthenticity, dehumanization, burnout, catfishing and scams, limited communication and lack of in-app advertising transparency are all potential downsides to using dating apps.

    While they can be useful for meeting people, it’s essential to approach them cautiously and be aware of their limitations. Ultimately, the best way to find a meaningful relationship is by getting to know someone in person through genuine interactions and communication.

    The number one contributing factor to finding a mate is proximity, i.e., if I want to find someone interested in nonfiction books, I need to go to book readings with nonfiction book authors, or salsa classes for salsa aficionados or dog parks for dog lovers. The point is to know your values and go to places with people who share the same values as you do.

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    Kevin Kaminyar

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  • Women Entrepreneurs Need More Than Capital to Succeed. Here’s What They Need | Entrepreneur

    Women Entrepreneurs Need More Than Capital to Succeed. Here’s What They Need | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There is no question that capital is queen, and it is number one on the list of what women need to support their businesses. But with investment in women-owned businesses declining, it is more important than ever to look beyond the capital and dive into other needs.

    We are all very aware that there has been explosive growth in online shopping that was accelerated by the pandemic. The world has learned to be very comfortable purchasing everything from household goods to high fashion from various online stores. The flip side is that businesses of all sizes have been driven to set up their own online shop to reach their customers. This is coupled with many women leaving the traditional workforce during the last two years and having started their own businesses with a digital footprint.

    Given this environment and my mission to support women entrepreneurs, I wanted to understand what women-owned businesses needed beyond capital. So, I asked over 6500 of these businesses two questions: what impact does selling online have on their revenue, and what did they need most to succeed? This is what they told me:

    • Within the next 12-24 months, 60% of their sales will be through online channels. This is not surprising, as the pandemic showed us all how to perfect the art of online shopping. But they also have learned that all shopping sites are not created equally. Creating a trusted online brand takes time and money. The experience of starting your own website and immediately seeing sales is the exception, not the rule. And joining one of the major online retail channels is costly and time-consuming. A comprehensive plan with a budget and resources dedicated to online sales or ecommerce is critical to building an online business.

    Related: 3 Ways to Raise Capital and Take Your Business to the Next Level

    • 86% of respondents said they would prefer live, instructor-led sessions over the thousands of hours of “how to” videos available on the web. These business leaders want to ask questions. They want real-time answers that address their specific businesses and that they can act on immediately, rather than generalities that could be helpful if the conditions were exactly right. Plenty of basic information about online selling is available for free — some of it is very good. But the information she finds may or may not be relevant to a specific instance, and it likely will take hours of searching and watching videos to find applicable, detailed information. Having an expert ask specific questions and get immediate answers streamlines the process and enables her to more quickly and efficiently grow her online sales.
    • 80% are interested in joining a cohort of women business owners to learn. There is strength in numbers. Women enjoy and learn from one another. And our research shows that they prefer to learn with a community of women who are having a similar experience.

    Related: Women’s Voices Make Businesses Better

    • 78% of these women business owners are looking for information on digital marketing and determining the best online sales channel(s). We heard the message that online marketing, cutting through the noise and understanding where and how to promote your brand and find your target customers are of utmost concern. The landscape of advertising on social media is changing quickly, and there are so many places to spend precious marketing dollars. They need a way to create a plan that will deliver results.
    • 85% of women surveyed reported not leveraging strategic tools to support their business. Think CRM (Hubspot, Monday Sales, Pipedrive), accounting (Quickbooks, Freshbooks, Oracle NetSuite) and marketing (Hootsuite, Planoly, Klaviyo). There are free or low-cost versions of these products available, but these business leaders have little or no time to search them out and determine which is right for them. Having a resource and a community of other women business owners in a similar situation who could share their experiences and provide feedback would enable these business owners to short-cut the decision-making process and move forward with the right tools to help them grow.

    An equal number of women business owners told us they needed insight and information on selecting the right online sales channel. Over 90% surveyed reported that they have their own website. Many have launched their standalone online store, believing subscribing to website services for just $20 per month would enable a seamless and quick revenue stream. Or that joining one of the large online channels (think Amazon, Etsy, Poshmark) with millions of customers and brand recognition would lead to instant branch reach and immediate sales.

    As a female business owner, all of this resonates with me. I, too, am hungry for capital to run my business. But like the women who answered my survey, the resources I need to grow to go beyond money. As we are pivoting and scaling our business to meet customer demands in the complex, online, direct-to-consumer business environment, we too are looking for community, practical advice on marketing and channel sales and an experienced expert to ask those specific questions about our particular business. We have been fortunate enough to find them.

    Related: Reflections from a Woman Founder: Why Women Must Be Better Represented in Both AI Technologies and Data Sets

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    Kate Isler

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  • Entrepreneur | How to Set Up Google Analytics in 7 Steps

    Entrepreneur | How to Set Up Google Analytics in 7 Steps

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Google Analytics can do wonders for your business. If you have a website for your business and it’s not synced with Google Analytics, you’re missing out on a lot of data that you could use to drive more conversions, which ultimately will result in more revenue for your business.

    Google Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to track your website’s traffic and gain insights into your audience’s behavior. Connecting Google Analytics to your website is an essential step in improving your website’s performance, but it can be daunting for beginners. This article will guide you through connecting Google Analytics to your website in easy-to-follow steps.

    Related: Using Data Analytics Will Transform Your Business. Here’s How.

    1. Create a Google Analytics account

    The first step in connecting Google Analytics to your website is to create an account. To do this, go to the Google Analytics website and sign up with your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one before proceeding.

    2. Set up a new property

    Once you’ve created your account, the next step is to set up a new property. A property is a website or mobile app that you want to track. To set up a new property, click on the “Admin” button on the bottom left-hand side of the page. Then, click the “Create Property” button, and follow the prompts to enter your website’s details.

    3. Get your tracking code

    After you’ve set up your new property, you’ll need to get your tracking code. Your tracking code is a unique snippet of code that you’ll need to add to your website to start tracking your visitors. To get your tracking code, click the “Tracking Info” button on the left-hand side of the page and select “Tracking Code.”

    Related: 10 Questions to Ask When Using Google Analytics

    4. Add your tracking code to your website

    Now that you have your tracking code, it’s time to add it to your website. The method for adding your tracking code will depend on the platform you’re using to build your website. Most platforms can add code snippets to your website’s header or footer.

    For example, if you’re using WordPress, you can add your tracking code by going to Appearance > Editor and selecting your theme’s header.php file. Paste your tracking code just before the closing tag, and save your changes. Rest assured, this tracking code works for all types of websites, not just WordPress.

    If you’re uncomfortable editing your website’s code, you can use a plugin to add your tracking code. For WordPress, the Google Analytics plugin is an excellent option. This is the most popular option for business owners who don’t want to edit their website code.

    Related: How to Calculate SEO ROI Using Google Analytics

    5. Wait for data to start populating

    After you’ve added your tracking code to your website, it can take 24 hours for data to start populating in your Google Analytics account. Once data starts appearing, you’ll be able to see information about your website’s traffic, such as how many people are visiting your website, how long they’re staying on it, and which pages are most popular.

    6. Set up goals

    Setting up goals is essential in maximizing the value you get from Google Analytics. Goals are specific actions you want your visitors to take on your website. For example, a goal could be completing a purchase or filling out a contact form.

    To set up goals in Google Analytics, click on the “Admin” button and select “Goals.” From there, you can create a new goal and define the parameters of what you want to track.

    Related: A Small-Business Guide to Google Analytics (Infographic)

    7. Monitor your analytics data

    Once you’ve set up your tracking code and goals, it’s time to monitor your analytics data. Google Analytics provides a wealth of information that can help you improve your website’s performance. Some of the key metrics you should be monitoring include:

    • The number of visitors: This tells you how many people visit your website.
    • Bounce rate: This tells you the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.
    • Average session duration: This tells you how long visitors stay on your website.
    • Pages per session: This tells you how many pages, on average, visitors are viewing during a single session.

    Save your business time and money by setting up Google Analytics to track more data. Remember, the business owner with access to the most data will ultimately win the long game as they have more leverage. In future blogs, we’ll discuss how your business can optimize your Google Analytics account to achieve more success. Google Analytics 4 will be launching in a few months, so you need to be prepared as well to make sure you’re staying up to date on the latest tips and strategies to grow your business.

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    Sean Boyle

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  • 4 Resources To Make Your Website More Accessible

    4 Resources To Make Your Website More Accessible

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you made a list of goals for your website, I bet three things would be near the top:

    1. Get more value out of your customers.
    2. Find new customers.
    3. Increase your website’s conversion rate, whether you want more leads or more sales.

    Each of these goals requires a functional, easy-to-use website. Yet a staggering 97% of the internet today is inaccessible to people with disabilities — meaning there are accessibility issues that can make it hard for some visitors to navigate a website or engage with its content.

    That’s a big problem — and it’s not just a matter of what’s fair or legally required. (Although the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly maintained that accessibility laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) apply to websites and physical locations.)

    It’s also a matter of what makes sense for your business.

    In the United States, one in four adults lives with some type of disability, from visual impairments that require them to navigate websites using assistive technology, such as screen readers, to hearing impairments that make it hard to follow videos without captions. Globally, people with disabilities — and their friends and family — control more than $13 trillion in disposable income.

    That’s a lot of potential customers who could be left behind if you don’t take steps to make your website accessible to everyone.

    Now for the good news: Every accessibility issue is fixable if you have the right tools and know what to watch for. Here are some of my favorite accessibility resources to help you:

    1. Use alt text correctly

    The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is known for publishing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), but it has also created additional resources to help businesses better navigate digital accessibility.

    One of the most useful is the alt Decision tree, which describes how to use the alt attribute of the element in various situations. With the decision tree, you can make faster, more informed decisions on whether your image needs alt text — and, if so, what information to include.

    Alt text is a written description of an image that screen readers can read aloud — or convert to Braille — for people with visual impairments, sensory processing disorders or learning disorders.

    Done right, alt text can help paint a fuller picture of your products and services for people who use screen readers to navigate websites. Unfortunately, many businesses forget to provide alt text. Or they write something so generic — for example, an image of a restaurant menu that simply says “menu” — that it may as well not be there.

    Note: As a general rule, I always recommend writing alt text like you’re describing an image to your friend over the phone. What are the key details they need to know in order to understand the image?

    Related: How to Make Your Social Media Channels More Accessible to Everyone

    2. Check your website’s accessibility

    When it comes to digital accessibility, one of the biggest challenges is the dynamic nature of most websites. Just think about how often your website changes, whether it’s new product photos or updated website copy.

    Each update is a chance to introduce new accessibility issues to your website accidentally, so it’s important to monitor your website constantly. Unfortunately, most businesses lack the time or internal resources to test the accessibility of every new design and line of code. That’s where an automated solution like AudioEye’s Website Accessibility Checker — which runs more than 400 tests to check your content against accessible coding standards like WCAG, then generates a detailed report of accessibility issues on your site — comes into play.

    Related: How Website Accessibility Affects Your Brand’s Reputation and Success

    3. Add automated captions to your videos

    People are watching more video content than ever, but you could be leaving a large part of your audience behind if you don’t add captions to your videos.

    There are plenty of tools that can help you save time by automatically generating captions. However, it’s important to note that voice recognition technology is not perfect. Errors do occur, which can confuse or frustrate people who rely on captions.

    For that reason, I always recommend proofing automatically generated captions with human eyes and ears.

    Closed captioning is a great example of the overlap between “good” and “accessible” design. When you add captions, you aren’t just helping people with hearing impairments or cognitive disabilities — you’re helping anyone who chooses to watch the video with the sound off. For example, someone might be watching your video in a public space or while multitasking.

    Adding captions can ensure a positive experience no matter how people consume your content.

    Related: How Accessibility Teams and Executives Can Work Together for Disability Inclusion

    4. Check your color contrast

    The colors on your website might seem like a purely aesthetic decision, but they have a significant impact on how usable your website is for people with color vision deficiency (also known as color blindness) and other visual impairments.

    Low contrast between foreground and background elements (think white text on a gray button) can make it harder for people to navigate your site, engage with your content and ultimately take the actions — whether it’s filling out a contact form or making a purchase — that matter to your business.

    AudioEye’s Color Contrast Checker makes it easy to determine if your colors meet WCAG’s requirements on contrast ratio. To conform with Success Criterion (SC) 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum), you should aim to have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between the foreground and background color.

    Related: Launching a Business Website? Here’s What You Need to Know About Accessibility

    Take the first step toward a more accessible website

    For most businesses, there are two hurdles that can slow down accessibility efforts.

    The first hurdle is awareness. Many business leaders are unaware of digital accessibility or that it could present a problem for their online business, both in terms of user experience and legal risk. However, the rise in digital accessibility-related lawsuits is bringing more attention to the importance of accessibility.

    The second hurdle is a common misconception about the cost and difficulty of digital accessibility. Some organizations believe that making a website accessible would cost too much, or require building a new website from scratch. The truth is that there are plenty of things you can do to improve your website’s accessibility without touching a line of code.

    To help you get started with your business’s overall accessibility strategy, the W3C and the UK’s Business Disability Forum have created self-assessment tools that can help organizations understand their current level of accessibility and implement measures to improve their accessibility policies, processes, and outcomes.

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    Alisa Smith

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  • What Comes First in Website Development — Design or Copy?

    What Comes First in Website Development — Design or Copy?

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The age-old question in the digital design world persists: What comes first in website development — design or copy? Many digital design agencies have their own workflow strategies that best satisfy this question, but ultimately, it comes down to project needs and considerations. Nevertheless, this query continues to ricochet between copy first, design after, and design preceding copy. When considering this stance, our own digital design agency’s perspective suggests a healthy balance between design and copy development. Design and copy should be curated and implemented in tandem to fill in any gaps that this duality informs. Without copy, a design is simply a visual layout, void of a clear user journey or of emotion. Yet without design, copy is merely information without placement.

    When designing or working with an agency for new website development or refresh, copy and design need to complement one another. To truly achieve a productively developed website, equilibrium needs to occur at the starting point. Let’s dissect how each strategy differs from the other and how to ultimately balance both for your next business’s web refresh.

    Related: Should You Have Content or Design First?

    Copy first, design later

    The conversation around “copy first, design later” stems from the idea that “content is king.” Although a popular phrase in the digital design industry, it often becomes utilized as a blanket statement to design when it does not always apply. Every digital product is different and requires different specifications. Sometimes, in web design, stakeholders have their own content prepared and ready; in this case — “content first, design later” can work seamlessly here.

    Designers then can utilize the provided content and design around it. This allows design teams to align the tone of the design with the voice of the content and curate a layout with the provided information. Ultimately, it provides design teams with a contextual frame of mind for navigating a website, user pathways and journeys. Content informs the pulse of a design because, with “lorem ipsum” placeholders, it can be hard to fully visualize how a design is conveying a brand story, mission and more.

    Yet, “copy first” has an Achilles’ heel — and that’s leaving room for wasted time. Many design agencies practice the approach of allowing content writers (whether from stakeholders, internal teams or freelance writers) to curate content first, then pass on that information to design around it. However, developing content takes time. Content must evoke the tone of a brand or organization, consider SEO purposes, ensure the user navigates the site without cognitive friction and more. Therefore, waiting on content writers to fully develop their messaging, slows the process down, because designers are waiting for the information on how to align the design with the content tonality. It’s not realistic to pause the design phase as content is being developed, particularly if there are deadlines from stakeholders.

    Moreover, without visually allowing writers to see the space in which their copy will go, it leaves room for error. If your content writer develops copy that is too long to fit into a design layout, there is more time wasted on content editing and back and forth.

    Design first, copy later

    To avoid the errors of “copy first,” many have adopted the “design first, content later” approach. This strategy is wildly used because it helps inform the tone of the content based on the design. If a design is rich with sharp geometric shapes, an electric color pallet and flashy animations, chances are the content will evoke a tonality of confidence, determination and perhaps even an edgy voice. This helps avoid the mistake of writers misaligning the tone with the design — because writers can see what emotions are evoked within the visual experience, and it streamlines their writing processes, too. Additionally, understanding the design layout also tells writers how much content to develop, saving time on content refinement later.

    However, this strategy has its flaws as well. Sometimes writing teams do not work directly with designers, particularly if they are an additional hire-on for the project, resulting in possible delayed communication or issues sharing the design. This affects your project pipeline because your content writer may have to scramble to curate copy if there is a lull in communication. Further, the design process is iterative and is always bound to shape and shift. Once presented to stakeholders, if your design is filled with lorem ipsum placeholder content, it can lead to confusion about what certain sections are meant to be. If posed with the question of what information will go where without contextual visualization, it muddles the overall experience.

    Related: Use These Web Design Tricks to Grow Your Business Exponentially

    Ultimately, balance is the answer

    When it comes to fusing design with copy, balance is ultimately the best approach to prevent the overlap of issues. It is highly important that when a website is coming to fruition, design and copy development begin in the same breath. Synchronizing both efforts early on helps the website start off on the right footing without mix-ups. Design and copy are both undeniably important to each other’s development. To convey the right tone and emotion, they need to work together as opposed to clashing.

    Further, to truly attain specific feedback from stakeholders, having both content and design together allows them to see both design and copy working together. This isn’t to say that your content copy is fully finalized — rather, much like design, it iteratively changes based on feedback. Sometimes in the early stages of a project, copy can even look like cues on what the purpose of the content will be in each section, and that can further allow stakeholders to provide feedback on the placement early on without having the full content finished. Early development of content and design is a great way to achieve productivity. Both strategies should commence at the same starting line, particularly at the wireframe stage if possible.

    How then, can this balance be implemented into your design strategies? First, it’s all about communication and information sharing. Whether in-house, from stakeholders or from freelance writing teams, communication is what will ensure both design and writing teams are working cohesively. Always be sure to fill in your content writers early on with any layout wireframes or schemes to give them a visual idea of how much content will be needed, how many headers or sub-headers will be curated and what the intention of call-to-actions will be/where it will lead. Communication will ultimately be an asset when balancing these two elements of design.

    Related: 8 Crucial Features Your Website Must Have

    Another best practice to remember when striking this balance is ensuring there is a clear understanding of the tonality of the website. If the copy tone and voice do not align with the experience of the visual story of a digital product, users’ cognitive response will be poor, causing friction and confusion. Along with communicating on layout, copy and design teams should be clear about the overall tone. This can be achieved through iterative calls with stakeholders to ensure both teams are on the right trajectory and even by scheduling calls on a daily or weekly cadence internally.

    Copy curation is all part of the design process, but without aligning these two practices, it can leave room for a mismatched experience. Therefore, commencing these two processes at the same, early starting point will make all the difference.

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    Goran Paun

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