Web Development

Public use of the internet is now more than two decades old. Today, it’s no longer a novelty but a critical aspect of everyone’s life. With the advent of more sophisticated technology, internet access has seen a subtle shift from the tradition. In other words, websites and mobile applications have increasingly become more accessible to a broad spectrum of users. As a result, many organizations are waking up to the fact that website accessibility is useful for all. And more importantly, the benefits that come with it are boundless. If you haven’t given your website’s accessibility a thought, here are four reasons why you should.

[Read more…] about Improving Your Website’s Accessibility- Why It’s Important For Your Business

Ok. So you’re at work. You have a little downtime. Someone asks you a questions about, let’s say, a band’s first album. So you google Flock of Seagulls, review the band’s discography, and end up clicking a link that takes you to a page about seagulls. Next thing you know, it’s three hours later and you’ve somehow ended up on a Wikipedia page about the origin of the chair. It’s interesting for sure and, fun fact, it isn’t the first time you’ll fall down a wiki wormhole nor will it be the last time. Wikipedia is THE site for fast, free information and it’s easy to see why. Their ability to utilize the content development from their own user base is beyond admirable. Below we discuss web content and how Wikipedia ranks so high.

Where Does Wikipedia’s Content Come From?

There is an almost unlimited number of articles on Wikipedia. That’s an awful lot of content for their users. So you’re probably wondering (rightly so) — where does Wikipedia’s content come from? Well, their web content comes from you. Anyone can create an article for Wikipedia and anyone can edit an existing article. There is no training that needs to be completed to participate. If you’re interested in participating, there’s nothing standing in your way. Contributors come from all over the world, from all different backgrounds, with different levels of expertise in writing, tech, and organization. These people are called Wikipedians, or editors. That’s right. Wikipedia is free and their volunteer base of contributors are responsible for all of the content on their site. As of now, there are around 35 million users contributing to the English Wikipedia.

What Is Demo Breakdown For Wikipedians?

The content development pros of having a diverse group of contributors is invaluable. While there are a lot of male participants, there are other voices:

• 10%-20% of participants are women
  • This gender gap is very unfortunate and will hopefully change soon
  • Steps are being taken to remedy biases that exist and can’t be put in place soon enough
• Students contribute
• Industry insiders contribute
• Hobbyists contribute
• PR firms contribute
• Scholars contribute
• Those with a passing interest in a subject will also contribute.

As with anything public, there is always the possibility contributors will do so in order to cause mischief. Meaning some folks may decide to post false information in the hopes they’ll trick Wikipedia’s reader base. It’s also possible these same folks may do so as a prank. How does Wikipedia combat this phenomenon?

Who Watches The Watchmen?

Well, as with contributors, editors are you. Myself. Really all of us. We can edit any article if we see something that is factually inaccurate. There are tools in place to help. If you know an article needs to be cleaned up, you can place a notice at the top of the page. If you’re able to find a reliable source, you can add those sources to the page. Additionally, if you happen to find an article that covers a controversial topic, Wikipedians can tag said article as the subject of a dispute about a neutral point of view. This can be especially helpful if article is about a current issue. Once the tag is in place, a group of interested editors can work together to come to a consensus on how to most accurately and fairly present the topic being discussed.

Web Content Development – How We Can Help

If you’re looking to improve the content development of your website or business, contact the team at Web Content Development today! We’re here to help you.

The process of getting products into the hands of consumers has morphed into the multi-billion dollar marketing industry that we have today.  Consumers are no longer content to be told what to buy. They want to be involved in promoting the products they love, and they are eager to share ideas with the company about how the product can be improved.  To illustrate this point, a survey conducted by ExpoTV.com found that 55% of consumers prefer to have ongoing communications with the companies they buy from. The survey also shows that 89% of the participants in the study said they feel more loyal to a company if they are given an opportunity to provide feedback about a product.  For these reasons, many companies team up with a creative agency to help them hatch and manage a marketing strategy that will harness the power of interactive marketing.

Interactive Marketing = Customer Satisfaction and Brand Loyalty

In the past, engaging customers in a conversation was difficult, but with today’s technology, it’s easy to provide a platform that allows customer feedback and tracks customer purchasing behaviors.  This interaction leads to improved products, customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty. Gone are the days of e-books, whitepaper, and blogs. Today, we rely on viral quizzes, interactive calculators, customer feedback sites, and seller reviews to help us choose the products we purchase.  In fact, researchers at Content Marketing Institute (CMI) predict that about 79% of marketers will be using interactive content in the coming year. They also show that 46% of marketers are currently using interactive content. Let’s explore this premise by looking at a few of the companies that have had tremendous success with their interactive marketing campaigns:

#1  Adidas

Adidas introduced their Adidas_1 Running Shoe using the most aggressive and effective interactive marketing effort seen in over a decade.  This innovative product contained sensors and mechanisms that adjusted the cushioning in the shoe after each stride. This creative product deserved a marketing strategy that would generate the necessary buzz.  Using a multi-pronged, interactive approach they were able to engage customers with the product and set record sales. More recently, Adidas launched their Neo Label by creating a Snapchat competition for the product.  Users were able to customize the product and show their designs online. Four winners were given a chance to have their designs incorporated into a real collection. The campaign was a big hit and helped Adidas leverage Snapchat as a platform for maximizing customer engagement.

#2  Heineken USA

This Dutch brewing company came up with an innovative way to attract potential employees.  As part of a Human Resources campaign, Heineken created an interactive video to showcase the company’s unique culture.  The video checks a candidate’s personality and introduces them to the company by asking twelve questions. The questions are designed to help a candidate determine whether they are a good fit for the company as an employee.  With this campaign, Heineken has seen an astounding 300% increase in the number of applicants. It’s also interesting to note that 67% of participants took all of the tests and watched the entire video. There is no doubt that this was a successful hiring campaign for Heineken.

How Other Companies are Excelling in Interactive Marketing

Interactive marketing allows a business and their customers to have two-way dialogue, and it is one of the most common forms of marketing today.  For many business owners, the best way to reap the benefits of this powerful tool is to engage the services of a branding agency that has expertise in the field.  A creative marketing agency such as Web Content Development can help a business excel in interactive marketing and grow their brand. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how they will benefit your company.

Gone are the days of Public Access TV. If you wanted your video content to reach the world you had to set up your own TV station, hire a crew, and buy expensive equipment. Now, all you need is a computer, a YouTube Channel and some good ideas. Setting up a YouTube channel is as simple as 5 easy steps and can take less than ten minutes.

YouTube for Online Marketing

YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world (second only to its parent company Google). It is one of the most effective ways to maximize your reach, marketing, and online presence. Chances are, you’ve got a Google account for Gmail, Drive, or one of Google’s other services. If you do, you’re already well on your way to a YouTube channel of your own. If you don’t, you’ll need to get one.

1. Sign In

The first thing to do is sign in to YouTube with your Google Account information. Once you do this you’ll be able to watch and like videos and subscribe to channels but all your actions will be kept private.

2. Like, Upload, or Playlist

In order to start making your YouTube Channel, sign in to YouTube with your Google information and attempt to post a comment, upload a video, or make a video playlist. As soon as you do that, you will be prompted to make a channel if you don’t already have one.

3. Individual or Brand Account

Make sure the details of your channel match the way you want to present yourself to the world. Check your Google Account name and photo and confirm. This is where you can change your photo or even make sure you’re using the right account.

Quick Tip: Brand Accounts

If you’re an individual and comfortable using YouTube with your own name, you’re done! Keep reading for some tips on maximizing your reach. If you’re a member or head of a multiple person team, a Brand Account is an incredibly useful tool to allow all your team members to post on the same channel. Click here for more info on Brand Accounts.

4. Presentation

You can change many aspects of your channel’s physical presentation in order to keep your branding consistent with your online presence. Once you’re logged in, click the “Customize Channel” button to change your channel art to anything you’d like. Then, you can attach links to your other social media accounts and website and even change your picture if need be. If you’re using a Brand Account, you can take advantage of some extensive paid customization options that can give your YouTube channel the exact same look and feel as the rest of your web presence.

5. Upload a video

We’re not going to get into how to make a video here. You’re the creative one. Get out there and create! However, once you’ve made your video or if you’ve already got a few to post, click on the small grey arrow symbol  near your picture in the upper-right corner of your screen. You’ll be sent to an upload page where you can choose to drag and drop your video file from your computer, stream live, or use your Google Photos account to import a video.

Quick Tip: Playlists

You may have a lot of video content. In this case, you should consider putting your videos into playlists, organized by subject matter or interest. This will drive viewers to watch more of your videos at a time, which means you’ll have fans out there before you know it!

Now get uploading, and make sure keep the videos coming! Long-term consistency is key to building a fan base for setting up a YouTube channel. 

As a proud business owner, you know that creating a unique and unified voice is integral to your success; you also know that no other platform in this digital age is more important than your website. Your site will be, for many first-time and potential customers, their introduction into who you are as a brand and the level of services that you offer. In order to capture as much new business as possible, your site’s design needs to be professional, engaging, and immediately impactful.

The journey toward creating a web presence often hits a familiar fork in the road: a plethora of self-service platforms promising to be a logical and affordable choice, and professional web design services offering customization and individuality with a higher price tag. Bearing in mind that every choice for your business is a big one, is a WordPress developer truly worth the investment?

Read on to learn the specific skill sets and benefits of WordPress developers that justify the potential cost.

1.Bringing Your Vision To Life

The vision of your completed website is crystal clear, full of interactive content, sleek design, and curated plugins. You can imagine every detail; the challenge is, how do you make it happen? It’s at this point that professional web design services would be extremely valuable. Your web designer will be able to expertly interpret your theme, customize every detail, and utilize multiple coding languages to ensure that your vision will come to fruition exactly as you pictured it.

A skill that web designers are expertly adept in is creating a cohesive brand across multiple platforms. Web design companies like Web Content Development employ designers that will streamline your site to be aesthetically beautiful and, more importantly, easy to use on any device. Many businesses tend to neglect the importance of mobile sites, but having a web design that functions properly on any desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone will cast your net to a significantly wider audience.

2. Now What?

After your website launches (to smashing success, of course), the job doesn’t end there. A WP developer will also be able to handle technical support for your site, from small tweaks to major issues. If you are looking to maintain more control over the site once it’s been designed, your WP developer can easily train you to manage day to day maintenance of the site.

3. Taking The Pressure Off

Although a website is a key factor in your business’s success, there will be no shortage of other tasks coming across your desk. Hiring a WP developer will ensure that your site will be deftly executed and/or maintained while you focus your energy where it is most needed.

Most web designers have flexible schedules that can be customized by the hour, month, or on a more fixed salary, so you are sure to find a designer that fits your budget and meets your needs. Unless you have a detailed knowledge of WordPress, you would spend exponentially more time creating and maintaining your site than a trained and experienced developer.  You can focus on growing your business while your web designer expertly creates and maintains your site.

4. Know Your Audience

A WP developer should understand not only the nuts and bolts of creating your website, but also the consumer who will be viewing it. Having this insight on your side can be an extremely valuable asset as you observe and adjust based on your audience’s response. Your WP developer will also be able to expand your audience using Search Engine Optimization. A higher rank on search engines will exponentially increase visibility, and you should quickly begin to see your audience grow in numbers and improve in loyalty.

Your site may be sleek, sophisticated, and utterly professional, but it will do you no good if there’s nothing on it. Design companies like Web Content Development are also capable of providing your site with customized content to fit and engage your audience. By creating a blog or journal with exciting and relevant articles, your customers are more enticed to visit your site and therefore employ your services.

6. Lock It Up

Along with presenting your business to the world, a WP developer will know how to keep your data and information safe and secure. If your developer is hired through a company, that company will have a dedicated secure server to ensure that your business is protected. The developer will also be able to discern between presenting appropriate content to your audience and keeping your sensitive information safe.

Although the sticker shock of a WordPress developer may be jolting at first, a deeper exploration of the benefits (both short and long term) reveals that trusting your web presence to a professional allows you to present your business in the best light for the largest possible audience.

Most website owners dream of having their company’s name appear in the top position of a Google SERP. But, the reality is, figuring out how the top ranking companies reach the number one spot and remain there is a bit complicated. Terms like ‘SEO’, ‘rankings’, ‘link-building’, ‘organic results’, ‘meta descriptions’, and ‘keywords’ send most of us running for cover.  But, there’s much more involved in the process than merely building an awesome site.  For those who want to learn more about how Google ranks websites, a wealth of information can be found by searching any of the above terms.  Also, Google offers a variety of tools, apps, and tutorials to help a novice improve their skills.  One valuable tutorial discusses how to use Google search console.  Originally known as Google Webmaster Tools, it was designed to assist webmasters in analyzing and understanding the traffic on their websites.  It can track the number of visits to the website, whether the traffic came from a mobile device or desktop computer, and can tell you which pages on your site were visited the most and more.

How Some Brands Dominate Google Search Results

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a collection of methods you can utilize for improving the visibility of your website on SERP (Search Engine Results Pages). The trick to maintaining that visibility involves staying alert for the ever-changing landscape of SEO.  The days of keyword-stuffed, 300-word articles are gone.  Today, we have to work a little harder to keep our site fresh, relevant, informative, and ranking.  With this in mind, we have to wonder if there are some tricks or shortcuts that the top ranking site owners know that keeps them in the top spot on Google searches.  To delve into that premise a little deeper, we can look at one of today’s highest ranking sites, Hearst.com.

Hearst is a diversified company with ownership in cable television networks; global rating agency, Fitch Group; Hearst Health; 30 television stations; major newspapers; and more than 300 magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire, just to name a few.  Their latest venture is a new website, BestProducts.com.  Since it was launched in October, the site now receives more than 600,000 visitors from Google each month.  How did they accomplish this feat in such a short time?  According to some intensive research by viperchill.com, Hearst used their powerful brands like Marie Claire and others to “game Google.”  Using their authoritative brands and linking them to BestProducts.com, they put this new site in the rankings in a rather dramatic way. 

Gaining Google’s Trust for Better Ranking 

In order to be successful with SEO, we must be willing to do a lot of slow, steady work. Everything we do should be directed toward building Google’s trust. Since trust is an inherent aspect of Google’s relevancy equation, let’s take a look at some of the things that affect how Google looks at a website:

• Indexed Age – This refers to the date that Google discovered your website or domain. The date differs from the year you originally released the site. A new website will have a harder time ranking on Google’s SERPs than one that has some age.
• Authority Profile – Google cares about the quality of content your links are coming from. It also cares about the relevance of the sites that are linking to your domain.  It looks for IP-diverse links that are not all coming from the same source.  HIgh-quality links that increase in frequency are also important to Google.
• Quality Content: Consider content as the anchor that keeps your site tethered to Google’s relevancy algorithms.  Poor grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, duplicate content, and low word count will really hurt.  Google looks for well-written, engaging, keyword-centric content that keeps the reader’s attention.

Fortunately, for individuals who can’t seem to comprehend all of the Google jargon, Web Content Development is here to help.  We are a full-service content development team.  Visit our website here or contact us for more information about our services.