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Do I Need to Set Up Security for my Website – Yes!

Fifteen years ago, if you were to ask the average web design company about whether you need website security or not, the common answer you’d hear would be, “Unless you’re an eCommerce site or a site storing sensitive information, you probably don’t need it.”

Things have sure changed! These days, any reputable website will want at least an SSL certification to their site. To not have some sort of website security installed communicates to visitors that you do not take security seriously and that has the potential to leave customer information exposed.

Website security

Why Is Website Security Important?

It’s important for visitors to trust the websites they are visiting. An SSL/TLS certificate signifies trust and reliability, and provides no doubt to a customer that their information is going to be protected.

Although SSL certificates are not strictly for online shopping websites, they serve as one of the better examples as to why you want this level of security in place. If you’re asking for a consumer’s financial information directly on your site, a non-secure site is not an option. A website security certification confirms your website has data encryption in place and the appropriate authentication standards are met. Even for a site that is not selling direct to consumer, this is highly important.

Do I Still Need An SSL Certificate If I’m Not An eCommerce Website?

If you use Google Chrome, browse a few different of your favourite websites. You will … Read more

9 Ways to Improve your Web Site Speed

If lead conversion, search engine optimization, and user engagement matter to you then website speed should be high priority. Fast-loading websites get more sales, more users, and higher search engine placement.

Just think, if you visit a website and it takes longer than a few seconds to load, are you going to wait for it – a lot of people won’t.

In fact, 47 percent of people expect a website to load in two seconds or less. If it takes any longer, that’s where you’ll begin to see users begin to drop off. As a starting point, here are 9 easy ways to improve website speed.

Improve your website speed

1 – Use Google PageSpeed to Test Your Site

Google PageSpeed Insights works to improve latency and bandwidth usage, through implementing resource changes according to web performance best practices. PageSpeed doesn’t require you to change content or workflow. It’s an easy tool to use and it also allows you to do some basic speed improvement work. You can also Install Google PageSpeed on your server to optimize your site automatically.

You can also use a page speed check that allows you to test hundreds of URLs automatically. All you have to do is enter a URL, and the tool crawls the website and determines the page speed scores for each subpage. The data yielded is identical to the data of Google PageSpeed Insights.

The tool is free and can be used without registration at … Read more

Is Google AMP Framework the Right Choice For Your Website?

For the best SEO, more websites are implementing a Google AMP framework. This is with the hope of it producing faster page speeds, more visibility on Google results, and a more appealing site to search engines.

There are pros and cons to AMP, however. It isn’t necessarily the right choice for every website. Here is a little more into what AMP is, how it can be applied and used, and the Google SEO advantages that come with it.

What is AMP?

AMP means ‘Accelerated Mobile Pages’. They represent mobile web pages designed to be lightning-fast. AMP prioritizes the user experience with an optimized basic HTML page, stripped-down and simple.

How AMP works is that when AMP is available, a user sees the AMP version of a web page as opposed to the desktop page.

The goal of AMP is to make pages easier to browse, faster, and better all-around for the user.

The parameters of AMP are restricting CSS to 75KB/page, limiting Javascript to 150KB/page, and eliminating unnecessary elements from the rendering path.

AMP is not Google-specific. It is an open-source project supported by WordPress, Bing, social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn, and other stakeholders. Google is the primary code contributor, however, which is why it’s often referred to as Google AMP.

Is AMP Framework the Right Choice For Your Website?

Pros And Cons of AMP

  • Pro – AMP produces a faster web page speed on average.
  • Con – AMP requires your website to be stripped down to
… Read more

Why Is It Important to Have A Mobile-Friendly Website Going Into 2021

Mobile is not only where the Internet is going but it is where it is. Desktop websites are out. Mobile-friendly websites are in.

Web design has had to adjust, as have the expectations of small business owners seeking a website.

As beautiful and valuable as a desktop site is, a mobile-responsive website is necessary to achieving success in 2021.

No longer an emerging trend some can ignore, there are many reasons to have a mobile website. Here are just a few of them.

Mobile Friendly Website in 2021

Increase Web Traffic

A mobile-friendly website adapts your web design to mobile screens which opens up the possibility of reaching more people.

On smartphones. On tablets. On any mobile device. A desktop website looks atrocious in this form. A mobile-friendly website, in comparison looks stunningly perfect.

Furthermore, the number of people using devices like desktop computers and laptops is decreasing at the same time the number of smartphone and mobile device users are on the increase.

When a website opens itself up to the maximum audience it can reach, you run a better chance at maximizing web traffic as well as clicks, likes, shares, and sales and revenues.

Better Search Engine Ranking

SEO is guided by algorithms. Every search engines has its own algorithm. As consumer behaviours change, these adapt into new formulas that guide where websites rank.

In SEO marketing, we target all aspects of these algorithms and a huge component is the prioritizing of mobile-friendly … Read more

Custom-Built E-Commerce Website vs. Online Platforms Such As Shopify

The past few months has seen shoppers rush online to purchase all sorts of products from their favourite e-Commerce stores.

If you haven’t yet set up an e-Commerce store, you may be missing out on a big opportunity. Selling products online maximizes revenues, expands reach, and generates brand awareness across key social platforms.

In choosing an eCommerce store for your business, there are template web design solutions with Shopify. Then, there are custom-built e-Commerce websites that are more dynamic and advantageous for most.

There are pros and cons to both approaches. Here is some insight into which e-Commerce approach is best for your business.

Custom-Built E-Commerce Website

Shopify is Easy to Install

Shopify and other online e-Commerce platforms are easy to install. For that simplicity, you get a reliable e-Commerce store but there are obvious drawbacks. Regardless, if you only have a select few products to sell online, something easy might be appealing.

Shopify is Great for Beginners

For beginners who don’t know a lot about e-Commerce, Shopify gets your products online quickly. You can start selling in a template that doesn’t necessarily force you to make a lot of decisions. Everything’s done for you. For start-ups, they love the automated aspects of Shopify. However, there are several reasons why many switch over to custom-built e-Commerce in due time.

Adaptability with Custom-Build E-Commerce

A lot can happen with selling product online. In a lot of cases, your store may grow and your needs … Read more