Tag: Website design

The battle to the top of Google

The mobile battle to the top of Google

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Google has long been a mystery battle ground for many companies. The mission to reach the top of the Google search rankings has been a long debated journey and Google themselves have kept the key to success very close to their chests. The search results are intended to be an organic process which returns the best results for each user’s needs. However, there has been many tried and tested methods to help boost a website’s place in the list, for example, optimised copy, fresh content and link building.

As technology advances users are accessing the internet from anywhere and everywhere, 24/7.  The breadth of information available is vast and online customers have developed raised expectations when it comes to their online experience. This is particularly evident across the use of smart mobile devices. Users now expect websites to deliver as well, if not better, experiences across their smart phones as their desktop computers.

In response to this, Google has taken the first step towards mobile first indexing. Last week they announced that they would be moving their first sites to be indexed using the mobile versions of their sites rather than the desktop version, which has long been the tradition. Their logic is that searches from smart phones are becoming the norm and many companies have not sufficiently optimised their sites to be mobile friendly. This results in searches being shown mobile sites that are not delivering the level of services that their desktop versions do. By using the mobile site for ranking they are maintaining their aim to deliver the very best experience for searchers.

So, what does this mean for your website?

Whilst the move to mobile first indexing is going to be a slow roll out, now is the time to ensure that when the time comes for your site to be looked at, it is fully mobile optimised. This is important not just for Google, which is a key source of leads for many sites, but also for the users that are landing on your site from a mobile device. If they are being presented with a badly organised, over crowded display which has not adjusted to their screen size they are likely to leave.

Mobile-friendly sites can really improve the customer service delivered by your website. User will have a better user experience when using their mobile devices and this will make them more likely to want to do business with your company. With less space available on your screen, it is important to simplify the user journey, ensure that key tasks are easy to find and calls to action are easy to act on.

Use your website to surprise your customers. The world of smart mobile devices opens up a whole new level of functionality which can make the user’s journey easy, quick and, ideally, enjoyable. By integrating location technology, for example, you are able to deliver a personalised experience based on a user’s closest store. This is the sort of content that Google will want to deliver to their users. There is boundless opportunity to delight your users and that is the first step to increasing the number of happy customers you have.

Mobile optimisation may seem like a huge job if you have always focused on the desktop version of your site. But it doesn’t have to be. More than likely, you use many websites on your own smart mobile devices. What sites deliver a great experience? How do they guide the user through the journey on their phones? What do you want your site to deliver to users? Put yourself in a users shoes and test your site thoroughly and make improvements as you go to deliver the best customer service across all devices.

Keep in mind that in the future the majority of the traffic to your website may well come from smart mobile devices. The user experience is fundamental to the success of your website. Deliver a great experience and users will come back, deliver a bad one and you may have lost them for ever. Focus on what you can change and gradually move towards a mobile first mentality in your design and content. Google is leading the way in this move and businesses who do not take notice will be left behind.

If you would like to know more about designing for mobile contact us now on enquiries@hiitthemarket.com

Website shining example

Is Your Website Shining Like a Diamond?

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There are many trains of thought about how to best judge the quality of a website. With so many types of site from so many different industries it can be hard to define what makes a website a success. Whilst thinking back over a youth in retail, and selling diamonds I could only ever dream of, it struck me that the differentiating features that define a good diamond also apply to websites. In the words of Rhianna does your website ‘ shine bright like a diamond’?

The 4C’s in the world of diamonds refer to Colour, Clarity, Cut, and Carat. So how can these help with thinking about your website?

Colour

This relates to the design of your website. What colours have you used? Have you balanced your text with images? Are your images impactful and your text engaging? Much like the colour of a diamond, the design of your website has the biggest initial impression on your visitors. You do not have long to make a great first impression so make sure your website looks great and visitors are going to be drawn in.

Clarity

This relates to the content on your website. Is it clear to visitors what you offer and why they should choose your product or service? You need to ensure that there is clarity in your content, visitors will be put off if they have to work hard to find what they need. Understanding your target audience is key here. What content will engage and encourage them to come back? What is the key information that a potential customer will want to see? Search engines are also very interested in your content, so making it not only engaging for visitors but optimised for search engines is key to getting your website found in the first place.

Cut

In terms of your website this is about the structure. The user experience of your site is vital to delivering a positive experience for your users. Is your site easy to navigate? Do you have a clear path that you want your users to follow? Make sure you walk through your site with the eyes of a user who has not visited your site previously. Can you find the content you want easily? Are you guided through the site they way you intended? Your site structure is also important for your search engine ranking, Google in particular will pay attention to your sitemap and the way that your content is interlinked.

Carat

When it comes to diamonds and websites alike size does matter.  Having a well populated site with regular fresh content will appeal to both users and search engines. An informative site will keep your users engaged and having a regular fresh content will keep them coming back. Search engines will also rate your site on how much content you produce. By consistently posting fresh content and therefore growing the size of your site you are showing the search engines that your site is alive.

 

Like a diamond, websites have many facets and it is impossible to have one single formula that fits all. This is just another way of looking at your website, there are many other methods that can be used. The importance of analytics should never be underestimated, and you should monitor and update on a regular basis to find what works best for your website. If you would like to discuss any aspect of your website content or design then get in touch with us today.