Tag: #tools

Useful Information You Should Know About Web Design

Web design is an incredibly important part of digital marketing and modern communication. It’s responsible for how websites look and behave, along with how people interact with them. It has implications for your sales revenue and brand awareness, and how protected you are against digital threats. In this article, we’ll discuss some important information you should know about web design.

What Is Web Design?

Web design encompasses a number of disciplines and skills in the creation and maintenance of websites. These include web graphic design, interface design, authoring, user experience design and search engine optimization. Web designers often use a variety of tools such as Photoshop and HTML to create the look and feel of websites.

They also take into account usability, performance, cross-browser compatibility and accessibility on various devices. A well-designed website should be easy to navigate, load quickly, and have content that’s relevant to its audience. It should be optimized for search engines and include clear calls to action. In turn, this can lead visitors down the sales funnel towards the conversion goals set by the business owner. 

If you are in California, you can hire some of the best Web Design San Diego has to offer and ensure your website is not only visually appealing but also highly functional and optimized for success. Investing in professional web design ensures that your digital presence stands out in a competitive market and effectively engages your target audience.

Tailoring Web Design to Specific Industries

Effective web design isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. To create a website that truly resonates with its intended audience, it’s important to tailor the design to the specific needs, preferences, and expectations of the industry it represents. Every industry has unique challenges and opportunities, and a thoughtful design approach can highlight strengths and address concerns.

For example, an eCommerce website would focus on seamless navigation, product categorization, and a streamlined checkout process to enhance the user experience and drive sales. On the other hand, creative web design for construction professionals might emphasize project portfolios, client testimonials, and clear service descriptions. This type of design would prioritize functionality and trust, showcasing past successes with high-quality imagery and detailed case studies.

Understanding the nuances of each industry allows web designers to craft websites that not only look professional but also effectively engage and convert their target audience. This industry-specific approach ensures that the site aligns with both the business’s goals and the expectations of its users, creating a powerful tool for communication and growth.

The Costs Involved

The complexity of your website will play a role in how much it ends up costing. Basic websites with few pages and features should be cheaper than more complex projects with multiple pages and interactive elements. The hourly rate for web design services can vary depending on where you’re located and who you hire. It’s important to shop around as prices can differ greatly between providers. Also, additional costs such as hosting or maintenance fees may be necessary, depending on what type of site you require.

The internet can supply more details on this subject, as well as the other aspects we’re discussing. If you go online you can find a web design pricing calculator that mentions starting prices, website architecture, branding and development. It’ll also factor in things like eCommerce, quality assurance, website training and marketing.

The Use Of Colors And Fonts

Colors can be used to create a certain mood or evoke certain emotions in visitors, while fonts can add personality and readability. It’s important for designers to choose colors and fonts that are both aesthetically pleasing and easy for users to understand. You need to consider the color palette being used on each page, as well as how they interact with one another. Contrasting colors (like black and white) can help draw attention to certain parts of the page, while warm tones (such as reds or oranges) can help create a more inviting atmosphere.

When selecting fonts, designers should pay attention to both the aesthetic appeal of each typeface and its legibility at different sizes. Having multiple font weights available (bold/italic) can help draw attention to certain text elements on a webpage if needed.

The Use Of Images And Videos

These can draw attention, engage viewers, and provide visual information that can’t be expressed through written content alone. When used effectively, they can increase the impact of a website, encourage user engagement and convey complex topics quickly.

It’s important to use high-quality photos or artwork that’ll look good on a variety of devices and screen resolutions. Images should also be relevant to the overall theme or message being conveyed. When incorporating video into a website design, it’s essential to ensure that it’s been properly encoded, for optimal playback on any device. By making sure it’s optimized for different bandwidths it’ll play back smoothly, regardless of connection speed.

Incorporating Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial part of website design for any business or organization. It helps websites be seen by customers and potential customers, driving more traffic there. To achieve this, it’s important to use relevant keywords throughout the website content, and in meta tags. Additionally, having an active presence on social media channels and regularly creating fresh content (and also on blogs) helps improve rankings in search results.

It’s essential to periodically review analytics data so you can make changes as needed, to remain competitive in search rankings. Finally, make sure your website’s mobile-friendly. It’s extremely important, since most users go online using phones or tablets these days.

The Use Of Design Software And Tools

Whether you’re a professional web designer or a novice, there’s a wide variety of software and tools available to help. Common design programs include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Sketch – and InVision Studio. These programs include photo editing capabilities, vector graphics editors and user interface design tools. There are also numerous online resources available, such as WordPress themes and templates. They can help designers quickly build up their own sites without having to start from scratch.

Third-party plugins give users access to even more customization options for fonts, colors, backgrounds and other elements of their site’s style. Finally, prototyping tools such as Axure RP allow designers to test out different versions of their websites without having to code it all from scratch (in HTML/CSS or JavaScript).

The Importance Of Branding

Branding is a key factor in web design that can help set a website apart from its competitors. It helps to create an identity for the site, as well as conveying messages about the values and purpose of the business behind it. With effective branding, sites can shape their own unique look, helping to create an emotional connection with visitors. Branding also affects how customers perceive and interact with a website, which can have a profound impact on conversion rates and sales performance.

Having cohesive branding across all channels is essential – from websites to social media, advertising campaigns and beyond. This can ensure that your message resonates with customers wherever they encounter it. In turn, you can help ensure the maximum reach of your core message, while reinforcing customer loyalty.

As you can see, there are many different aspects to consider in terms of your website design. There are also various consultants and agencies that specialize in helping individuals and companies. In turn, your website can become the central core of your activities, getting your message out there and inspiring perpetual revenue.

Ariol Investment Group Review: Embrace Technical Analytics Tools

Technical analysis is very crucial to forex trading. Considering the fact that Forex trading involves quick profits within a very short time frame, fundamental analysis doesn’t hold much value. A brokerage platform that emphasizes on great technical analytic tools will always be a step ahead against its competitors. Ariol Investment Group has been quite persistent in delivering the best analytic tools for forex trading. The quality of the tools available with them can be understood by the depth of the analysis that can be performed in Ariol Investment Group, according to Ariol Investment Group review. The reviews praise the comprehensive tools so that a third party tool is not required in order to analyze the movement of instruments.

In this article we will try to understand why technical analysis is quite crucial and how it impacts Forex trading. We’ll also take a brief look into the different technical analytical tools available with Ariol Investment Group. 

Importance of technical analysis in Forex trading

Technical analysis is the power capsule that recharges your forex trading within days. Understanding the technical analysis tools help you to stay ahead – of the market volatility – thus ensuring that you are able to make the highest profit. Technical trading often comes along with the best results – when right sizing is done.

Sizing the position of the trade is critical. The forex market, due to the volatility, needs both forward leading and lagging indicators which can help in making the right entry. Moreover, the advantage of technical analysis lies in the fact that its time frame is lesser, compared to the fundamental analysis.

Having the right set of technical indicators will only help you to move further in your forex journey. Ariol Investment Group comes with the right collection of technical indicators that ensure a smoother positioning – such that the entry and exit points can be noted down. 

Technical indicators in Ariol Investment Group

There are a number of technical indicators that this brokerage platform provides. Here is a list of the technical indicators that you should look out for:

. Exchange ticker.

. Market quotes.

. Economic calendar. 

. Trading hours.

. Crypto Market

The above technical indicators form the basis for taking most of the Forex trades. It is very crucial to understand here that these technical indicators help to foresee the market movements. Technical indicators like market quotes help in understanding the current demand for a particular instrument. The economic calendar helps in keeping a track of the global economic major events, thus letting the traders take positions accordingly.  Analysis of the crypto market in Ariol Investment Group is critical, as the platform also supports the digital currency. With such a wide spectrum of technical analysis tools, it becomes a highly integral part of our trading journey.

The exchange ticker gives a continuous movement of the prices against their currency pair. This helps to keep a track of the live market, and also establish a market trend. In turn, you can take the right position for trading, across a host of digital currencies.

Bottomline:

Ariol Investment Group completely understands the need for technical analysis in the Forex market. With a great collection of the forex trading tools it gives tremendous confidence to the traders to move further in their trading journey. Sign up now to be a part of the growing brokerage platform. 

3 SEO Tools Used by Experts in 2023

Mastering the art of search engine optimization is not easy, especially if you are initiating your business. However, looking out for the best SEO tools might be easy. According to experts, various tools are being used to improvise SEO techniques and make them better. For instance, keyword tracking tools and integrating backlinks are making SEO better for any business and are impressing experts at a distinct level. 

Understand which tool best serves your business and incorporate the respective SEO tool for operating. These tools will protect you from tedious data analysis and keyword research. Here are some of the best tools recommended by experts that keep you moving and help you improve your site’s search engine optimization. 

Ahrefs: Keyword Tool

It is one of the most successful and used search engine optimization services or tools online. It is one of the most significant online website crawlers and is next to Google. SEO experts at SD SEO Auckland always advise Ahrefs as the best analysis tool in the whereabouts. This tool highlights those parts of a website that need improvement to rank better in search engines. 

Ahrefs is the best from a competitor analysis point of view. This SEO tool lets you find the most linkable and relevant content for your website by adapting it to its niche. You can also rectify broken links on your website and receive an overview of the most active pages. 

Google Search Console

Google search console is offered for free to users. It allows you to make reports on your website and monitor its presence on Google search engine ranking pages. You need to add a code to your site and verify it. You can also go through Google analytics and present your sitemap suitable for indexing. You can easily control or regulate what gets represented or indexed in your account. 

As a checker tool, it ensures your understanding of Google and how visitors approach or view your website. It also creates a definite way to optimize your website for a better SERP. Mainly, Search Console is used by new users for indexing. 

Moz Pro, An SEO Software

One can consider Moz Pro one of the most used SEO tools by experts. Despite Google’s constant algorithm changes, Moz always remains updated. Some experts appreciated the chat portal of Moz and stated how it offers an insightful comeback to every query generated. 

Whether you are searching for a site crawl or keyword recommendations, Moz is the best performer on the go. Not only does it provide information on the performance of your website, but it also suggests measures to improve it. To know the site’s metrics, you can download the toolbar called MozBar. If you wish to learn about search engine optimization, you can check out MozCon.  

Final Verdict

SEO tools are essential as they let you know what is working and which strategies can benefit your business externally and internally. The best SEO tools enable you to explore new opportunities and confidently confront competitors. You can use these tools just like experts and get accurate reports quickly. 

 

The 7 Must-Have Features Home Buyers Look For In-House Hunting Tools

Are you looking for a house and overwhelmed by the number of options available? Homebuyers today have access to an array of powerful tools that can help them find their dream home. But with so many features, how do you know which ones are essential for successful house hunting?  The answer is simple: home buyers should look for certain must-have features in any house-hunting tool they use. We’ll discuss seven such features that will make your search easier and more efficient – from detailed maps and data about neighborhoods to streamlined communication between real estate agents and buyers, these features are sure to make your search simpler and more enjoyable. So read on to learn what must-have features all smart homebuyers should be looking for when it comes to finding their perfect property!

 

1. Online Property Search Tools

Homebuyers should be looking for online tools that allow them to search for properties based on their individual preferences. The best house-hunting tools usually offer detailed maps, data about local neighborhoods and schools, as well as access to listing information from multiple sources. If you’re not sure where to start, you can set up a property search here and start exploring the possibilities. Conducting a nationwide search is also possible with a few clicks. Make sure to choose a website that offers up-to-date information and is easy to use. Additionally, it’s useful to have access to relevant data about the property you’re considering so that you can make an informed decision.

2. Detailed Property Information

The best house-hunting tools should provide detailed information about a property before you even go for a viewing. This may include photographs, measurements, and interactive floor plans, as well as facts about local businesses and amenities nearby. Using this type of tool can help homebuyers get a more comprehensive view of the house they’re interested in, giving them confidence in their decisions. Additionally, it allows buyers to narrow down their search quicker and compare houses side by side with ease. When used correctly, this feature can help streamline the entire house-hunting process. Information to look for includes:

 

  • Photos: Detailed, high-quality photographs of the exterior and interior of a house are essential.
  • Floor plans: Having an interactive floor plan can help you visualize how you or your family will use the space.
  • Measurements: Knowing the exact dimensions of a room or entire property is key to ensuring that it meets your needs. 
  • Local businesses and amenities: Find out what’s nearby in terms of shopping, dining, entertainment, schools, etc. This can help determine whether or not you’d like to live in the area. 

 

While you’re researching a property, be sure to also look into any potential issues it may have. Any red flags should be discussed with the seller before you make an offer. This can save you time and money in the long run. Having all of this information at your fingertips is invaluable when house hunting – so make sure that your ideal home search tool has these features.

3. Easy Communication With Agents

When it comes to looking for a home, communication with agents is key. To make sure you have access to all the necessary information, look for a house-hunting tool that allows for easy communication between buyers and agents – from arranging viewings to scheduling inspections. A good platform will allow users to talk directly with their real estate agents, as well as exchange documents quickly to facilitate the purchase process. This type of functionality helps ensure everything goes smoothly while also keeping buyers updated on any changes or developments during the search phase. When used correctly, this feature can speed up the entire process and make house-hunting much easier. 

4. Professional Property Photography

A picture is worth a thousand words – and when it comes to finding a home, professional photography can make all the difference. A house-hunting tool with excellent property photos will give buyers an accurate view of what they’re getting into before even stepping foot inside the house. Many websites now offer high-resolution images and virtual tours so that buyers can get an up close and personal look at properties without actually having to visit them in person, which is especially useful for those living out of town or abroad. 

 

  • Of course, the quality of the photos will depend on the skill and experience of the photographer behind them, so be sure to do your research and hire a professional who understands how to capture the best angles. Additionally, consider additional services like aerial photography or videography for an even more immersive experience. You never know – it could just make all the difference in finding the perfect home! 

5. Saved Searches & Alerts

For ultimate convenience, consider looking for a house-hunting tool that allows you to save your searches and create custom alerts that notify you when new listings become available. This way you’ll never miss out on great opportunities – plus it saves time since you don’t have to manually look for properties every day. Additionally, many house-hunting tools now offer additional unique features like 3D tours, price insights, and more, which can help you make the most informed decision when it comes to finding your dream home. While no house-hunting tool is perfect, the right one can make all the difference when you’re searching for the home of your dreams. 

 

  • Don’t forget to look carefully at what kind of saved searches and alerts are available on each platform. Some tools may offer more comprehensive results than others – so it’s important to do your research before committing to a particular website or app. Finally, don’t forget to check out user reviews, as they can provide invaluable insight into what other homeowners think about a specific house-hunting tool. 

6. Local Expertise

Of course, when it comes to house-hunting, local expertise is invaluable. A good house-hunting tool should offer access to agents with extensive knowledge about the area you’re interested in so that you can get all the information necessary for making a decision. From school district ratings and crime rates to neighborhood amenities and average rental prices – having an expert on your side can help ensure that you find the property that’s perfect for you. Make sure that the house-hunting tool you choose offers direct access to local agents who can provide in-depth information about the neighborhood. When in doubt, consult with a real estate expert to help guide you in the right direction. 

Choosing A Realtor

Before you start your house-hunting journey, consider consulting with a real estate professional to ensure that you get the best results. Realtors can provide invaluable advice on which properties are right for you and how to negotiate the best price – as well as offer tips on navigating the market. When it comes time to purchase, they can help you make sure everything goes smoothly and quickly, whether you’re buying locally or arranging Pakenham conveyancing for a property in Victoria.

7. Mobility & Security

Finally, when choosing a house-hunting tool, it’s important to consider its mobility and security features. Make sure that the website or app you’re using is optimized for different devices so that you can browse listings on the go. Plus, ensure that it has all of the necessary safety measures in place – like two-factor authentication and encrypted data transfers – so that your personal information stays secure at all times. It might be worth taking the extra step of researching each platform to make sure that your data is safe and secure. If you’re ever unsure about a website or app, just remember to trust your gut and look for alternative solutions. 

Determining Your House Hunting Strategy

Now that you know the features to look for in a house-hunting tool, it’s time to develop your own house-hunting strategy. Determine what’s important to you and start by researching different neighborhoods – then use the features of the house-hunting tool that best match your needs. And if all else fails, consider following these steps:

 

  1. Assess your budget and the type of property you’re looking for: The first and most important step in the house-hunting process is figuring out how much you can afford and what type of property best suits your needs. Most people make a mistake during this first step because they don’t know their exact financial situation. 
  2. Research different neighborhoods and areas: Once you have a good idea of your budget, it’s time to start researching different neighborhoods and areas that fit within your price range. Make sure to use an experienced real estate professional for advice on the best locations for your needs
  3. Utilize tools such as house-hunting websites or apps: House-hunting tools can be an invaluable resource in helping you find the perfect home for your budget and needs. Be sure to select one that offers features like saved searches, personalized alerts, local expertise, and mobility & security features so that you have all the information necessary to make informed decisions during the process. 
  4. Consult with a real estate professional: After you’ve identified a few potential properties, it’s wise to consult with a real estate professional for advice on how best to move forward. Realtors can provide invaluable tips and ensure that you don’t overlook any important details during the process. 

Deciding On The Type Of Property You Want

Once you’ve done your research and consulted with a real estate professional, it’s time to decide on the type of property that you want. Depending on your budget and lifestyle, you may be considering single-family homes, townhouses, condos, or apartments. Consider the pros and cons of each option before deciding which is right for you and you can also check out https://socalhomebuyers.com.

 

 

  • Single-Family Homes: Single-family homes offer plenty of privacy and space to accommodate family members as well as guests. The downside is that they often require more upkeep than other types of properties, depending on the size and age of the home. 
  • Townhouses/Row Houses/Condos: Townhouses and row houses provide many advantages over single-family homes – like shared costs for maintenance and amenities. Plus, they offer a good compromise between privacy and convenience. However, they may not provide as much space as a detached home and the cost of ownership can be higher in comparison. 
  • Apartments: Apartments are usually more affordable than other types of properties and require less maintenance on behalf of the owner. They also provide more flexibility when it comes to location and housing options – like short-term leases or furnished units. The downside is that apartments typically have limited storage space and can sometimes be noisy due to shared walls with neighbors. 

Buying For Yourself vs As An Investment

At the end of the day, you’ll want to center your house hunting on why you’re doing the search. Are you an investor looking to make a long-term purchase, or are you looking for your own home? It’s important to consider both of these scenarios since they each have different considerations that need to be taken into account. 

 

  • If you’re buying for yourself, focus on finding the perfect place that fits your lifestyle and budget – like a well-maintained single-family home in an ideal location. You’ll also want to take into consideration the local schools, crime rate, transportation options, and any additional amenities. 
  • If you’re investing in real estate, it’s important to factor in rental prices for the area as well as potential resale value. You’ll also want to factor in taxes and other costs associated with owning property as an investment. 

When you’re ready to make a purchase, it’s important to review all of your options and ensure that you understand what comes with the property. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take your time! Taking these steps will help to ensure that you make the right decision when buying a home. So, remember to take your time, do your research, and consult with a real estate professional to make the best decision. From there, you’ll be well on your way to finding the home of your dreams or the perfect real estate investment. 

6 factors to consider when choosing app development tools

Choosing the right software component for your project can be a big decision. There’s always a chance that you may miss out on potential options, especially when things are constantly changing and evolving in the market.

When it comes to choosing the right app development tools, there are a number of factors you need to take into account. Unfortunately, no single tool can do it all, so you’ll need to choose one or a few that fit your specific needs.

Here are 6 factors to keep in mind when selecting an app development tool;

Licensing

Licensing can determine how much access you have to the tool, what features are available, and whether or not you can distribute your apps. For example, some tools may require that you license every app that you create with the tool, while others may allow for per-user licenses or subscription models.

Most app development tools offer flexible licensing models that allow users to upgrade or purchase additional licenses as needed. A good example here is Microsoft with its Powerapps licensing.

When choosing a license, it’s important to read the terms and conditions carefully. Some tools may have restrictions on how they can be used or what features they offer. It’s also crucial that you understand any limitations that may apply to specific countries or regions.

Costs

There’s no escaping the fact that app development tools come with a cost. However, not all features are created equal.

Some tools may be more expensive than others, but ultimately the cost of a tool will depend on how much functionality it offers and whether or not there are any additional fees for premium features.

Try to find a tool that offers features and functionality at a reasonable price point so that you can affordably develop your project. Also, make sure the pricing model allows you to upgrade or purchase additional features as needed.

Usability

When it comes to selecting an app development tool, usability is key. Simply put, a tool that is easy to use will make your life as a developer much easier.

Look for platforms that are easy to learn and work with, both on your own and with other developers. Consider how well the tool integrates with other software, such as project management tools or online collaboration platforms.

Also, ensure that it has built-in features that will help you speed up your productivity such as intuitiveness of menus and user interface, build quality and stability, code editor support, version control capabilities, auto-completion features, unit testing tools, and templates.

Additionally, make sure that the tool maintains backward compatibility with older versions of apps so you don’t have to rebuild old ones when new features are added.

Security

Security is of utmost importance when developing apps. In order to create an app that is safe and robust, you must take into account the software’s security features and how easy it is to use those features.

Some platforms offer built-in security controls such as authentication and authorisation for users, performance monitoring and logging, and data encryption, while others require you to customise your own security controls. The choice depends on your needs and the type of app you want to create.

Regardless of the platform you choose, you’ll also want to make sure that your app’s vulnerabilities are properly addressed so that even if an attacker manages to penetrate your system, they won’t be able to do much damage.

Finally, be sure to review its security features and documentation so that you can ensure your apps are safe.

Expertise

App development tools come with different levels of expertise and support that can help ensure your project runs smoothly. However, some tools are designed for experienced developers, while others are more beginner-friendly.

When choosing an app development tool, it’s important to think about the skill set required for using the tool. This can affect how easy it is to use the tool and whether you will need to invest in additional resources (such as training) to be able to use it effectively.

If you’re unfamiliar with programming or coding, for example, a tool that offers drag-and-drop editing might be more suited for you. Conversely, if you have experience writing code, you may want to choose a tool that gives you more control over how your apps are built.

Integration

Integration refers to the ways in which your code can interact with other software systems. Your chosen tool should have features that allow it to communicate with other systems easily; for example, it should be able to communicate with databases or cloud storage accounts.

This allows you to integrate your app with other systems more easily and make it easier for users to access your content or functionality from different devices.

Conclusion

There are many different app development tools on the market today and it can be difficult to decide which one is the best for your project.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking for an upgrade, we hope that this information will help you make a more informed decision about which tool best suits your needs and budget.

Good luck with your search!

Two-thirds of Irish adults attempt to offset cost-of-living crisis using online tools

Pure Telecom, the Irish-owned high-speed broadband company, today announces the results of a survey, which found that adults in Ireland are turning to online resources en masse as they battle the impact of soaring prices on their personal finances. The research found that 66% of adults in Ireland are resorting to tools such as internet banking, budgeting apps and cashback apps to combat the rising cost of living.

The online research, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveyed 1,002 people as part of a nationally representative study and found that 94% of adults in Ireland are being negatively impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. As a result, 50% of respondents report that they have cancelled streaming or TV subscriptions in the last 12 months to reduce their outgoings.

The survey found that a quarter of adults in Ireland are now using cashback apps – which enable consumers to get discount codes and vouchers, or cash back, on select purchases – in an effort to offset the rising cost of living.

A similar proportion (24%) are using apps and websites that help them to find the best local deals for items on their shopping list, while 16% are using personal finance apps that can monitor their spending. Four-in-10, meanwhile, credit internet banking for helping them to keep track of their spending during the cost-of-living crisis.

Pure Telecom’s research found that the internet is also helping adults in Ireland to make more informed buying decisions. Some 61% of respondents said that they are spending more time researching prices online before making a final purchase.

The survey also found that remote working is helping workers to combat rising prices. Of those who are working remotely or on a hybrid basis, 44% say working from home helps them to reduce their cost of living. From this cohort, 69% say it is reducing their spend on fuel, 53% report that they are saving money on food and 42% are saving on public transport. A quarter of those working remotely or on a hybrid basis believe that remote working is increasing their cost of living.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “With inflation and the ever-rising cost of living, we found that almost everyone is feeling the financial pinch and most are looking for ways to tighten the purse strings. Our survey found that adults in Ireland are getting creative and many are using multiple online resources to ensure they don’t pay a cent more than they need to.

 “It is natural that in this current climate, people are looking at their monthly outgoings and cutting back where they can, so it is interesting to see that half of all adults have cancelled at least one streaming or TV subscription in the past year. At Pure Telecom, we are always conscious of customer needs for great quality at an affordable price, which is why we are so proud of our extremely competitively priced Pure TV offering and broadband packages. We want to help people to reduce their cost of living without cutting back on the things they enjoy most.”

IDA Ireland launches two online self-assessment tools for client companies that will help companies assess current activities that enable advanced manufacturing or digitalisation of services

IDA Ireland today launched two online self-assessment tools for client companies that will help companies assess current activities that enable advanced manufacturing or digitalisation of services, in addition to helping define and prioritise activities needed to build future capacity and capabilities to achieve successful transformation and growth. The tools launched today are:

  1. Advanced Manufacturing Diagnostic that assesses the organisational maturity of disruptive digital and sustainable technologies of manufacturing organisations.
  2. Digitalisation Diagnostic for Services that assesses the digitalisation maturity of services organisations.

IDA Ireland is focused on supporting our client companies’ transformation to enhance their overall competitiveness using digital disruptive and sustainable technologies.

These diagnostics are targeted at companies that want to equip their people for change, to increase their organisational resilience and become more sustainable.

These main functions of these online self-assessment diagnostics are as follows:

  • Assess current and future technology capability and capacity levels for IDA clients for both manufacturing and services organisations
  • Identify existing gaps and highlight strengths
  • Define and prioritise digitalisation activities enabling advanced manufacturing and digital enterprise
  • Provide recommendations/action plan for future proofing Irish multinational companies.

Commenting on the launch of these tools, Michael Lohan, Divisional Manager Life Sciences and Talent Transformation & Innovation at IDA Ireland said: “One of the key elements of IDA Ireland’s strategy, ‘Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth’ is to support company transformation and these diagnostic tools will help our clients to establish their current and future technology & talent or skills needs.  This will be essential in positioning them for growth as technology adoption and digital transformation accelerates.”

Best Tips to Optimize your Website for Google’s Page Experience Update!

Recent studies indicate that Google processes 3.5 million searches per day and processes 40,000 searches approximately every second.

Research also indicates that 75% of the users never go beyond the 1st page of the SERPs (search engine result pages). 

These figures are enough to specify the impact of search engine ranking on digital business. Google constantly keeps on expanding its criteria for a better user experience. Introduction of Page Experience Signal is one of the new criteria announced by Google.

 

Decoding Google Page Experience Update:

Page experience is a set of rules that quantify the user experience during a web page visit. Last year (Nov 2020), Google announced page experience as a ranking signal implemented in April 2021 in the Google Search Criteria. 

The motto of page experience update is to provide an improved web experience for all users, be it for desktop or mobile. Of course, multiple factors will impact the same, so let’s check them out.

 

Factors to be Included in Page Experience Update:

Apart from an enjoyable and memorable user experience, page experience is also measured by factors like website performance, page/site load speed, mobile-friendliness, visual stability, secured browsing, HTTPS (Hyper-text Transfer Protocol Secure), and display of intrusions (Ads). Also if you are a wordpress user check out the best WordPress theme for core web vitals.

In a nutshell, a page experience update will check the user experience and rank the same in the search results accordingly. Undoubtedly the good experiences have an advantage over bad ones. Though a few of these factors already exist in SEO, there are some new additions for gaining better precision in user experience. 

Five signals cover the entire Google Page Experience Update, as shown in the below image.

 

 

1: Core Web Vitals:

Core Web Vitals measure the page performance with the help of 3 basic aspects. 

  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 

LCP measures the complete page load time, including the content, images, if any, videos, etc. 

An LCP of 2.5 seconds or less is ideal. 

Removing any unused CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) or shifting them to another style sheet may also help reduce LCP time.

  • First Input Delay (FID):

FID tests the time between the user’s first interaction or the first click on a web page and the actual page response time. 

An ideal FID score is 100 milliseconds or less. 

  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS):

Visual stability of your content is important, which is measured by CLS. Unstable visuals or site layouts are responsible for a weak user experience. Ensure a CLS score of 0.1 or less to be in the ranking game.

2: Mobile-Friendly: 

This signal verifies your page responsiveness for mobile devices.

3: Safe Browsing:

This signal checks the page’s security in terms of viruses and malware and verifies whether the same is free from other malicious content, links, bad downloads, etc., or not.

4: HTTPS: 

This signal checks whether HTTPS security is present on your page or not by checking whether SSL certificate is installed on the website or not. 

5: No Intrusive Interstitials:

This signal checks the ease with which your content is displayed to the end-users. For example, intrusive interstitials like ads, while the page download process is on, will be checked and confirmed before the ranking for page experience update takes place.

 

Expectations from the Page Experience Update

Google gives an advance intimation of approximately six months regarding every update, and this portrays its sincerity and desire to web developers, business owners, SEO/IT team for making the necessary changes in their digital infrastructure before the update is finally rolled out in the market. 

Example: For page experience update, the announcement was made in November 2020 and went partly live from April 2021, though it would take a few more months (August 2021) to be completely intertwined with all systems. 

So slowly and steadily, page experience updates will start playing their complete role in SEO.

 

How to Prepare for the Page Experience Signal?

After this announcement, there has been a phenomenal rise in the usage of page performance tools like Google Page Speed Insights and KeyCDN Speed Test, etc.

You can also monitor the Core Web Vitals of your website with Core Web Vitals Report (on Google Search Console), which portrays your page performance and picks out the pages which need improvement. Fix these issues by using any page performance tools, and you’re back in business. 

Mobile-Friendly Test to check out the site and page performance on mobile devices and Security Issues Report for checking the page for security issues can help in better page optimization.

 

Tips to Optimize your Website for Google’s Page Experience Update:

 

  • Make sure Your Site is Secured With SSL Certificate:

In an online business, if you wish to provide a memorable user experience to your visitors, website security is a must. No one likes to ponder on unsecured sites or risk purchases by punching in card details when unsure about their data privacy. Security lapses in site security can harm your SEO ranks.

Apart from using web security check tools like WPScan or Sucuri SiteCheck, for checking security issues on the website for fixing them, installing an SSL certificate for site and data security is a must. 

SSL certificate encrypts all the website data (browser-server communications) by converting it into ciphertext, which looks like gibberish language. As a result, hackers cannot penetrate or misuse encrypted text, and hence customer and site data privacy is maintained.

This digital certificate transforms your website from HTTP to HTTPS, thus enhancing the page experience update signal. 

 

I would recommend purchasing an SSL certificate from ClickSSL, which provides web securities at nominal rates for a decade. Offering all global brands as a choice to customers, this platinum SSL certificate provider provides top-notch quality customer service, money-back options, and other VAS (value-added services).

  • Make sure Your Site is Responsive to Mobile and Other Devices:

Since mobile users cover almost half of the entire web traffic, your website and web pages need to be responsive to mobiles and tablets. 

Statistics indicate that in the first quarter of 2021, mobile devices accounted for 54.8% of the global web traffic and are increasing every year.

 

One section of page experience update needs your website to be mobile-friendly for a better ranking. As stated above, Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool helps test your website’s responsiveness and pinpoint other page load issues.

It’s simple. Just click “view details” near the page loading issues and fix them as suggested by the tool.

WordPress plugins like OBox Mobile help in making your site mobile-friendly.

  • Make sure Your Site Speed is Swift:

Since page load time is one of the major factors of Core Web Vitals, being a site owner, you need to ensure that the faster the page load time, the better the user experience. Therefore, Google, too, condemns slow load time and gives priority to fast-loading sites.

An ideal page load time is less than 2 seconds. But, unfortunately, 40% of the customers abandon sites that take more than 3 seconds to load. 

As stated above, Google’s Page Speed Insight Tool helps determine your site speed and scores your website from 1-100 where 0-49=poor, 50-89=improvement, and 90-100=good.

 

  • Make sure Your Site is Free from Intrusive Interstitials:

Ensure that your visitors are not displayed intrusive interstitials when they click your site from Google. These intrusions are pop-up ads that make site content inaccessible, specifically in mobiles, since they are visible on the entire screen. 

To be more specific, interstitials that are not blocking the content are still fine, but Google does not favour interstitials that block the primary content.

The below image clearly states that in the 1st image, the pop-up is at the top of the screen, making the page content visible, whereas, in the 2nd image, the pop-up covers the entire screen, which creates a negative website impression and provides a bad user experience, which Google disapproves of.

 

Avoid these intrusions for a better Google page experience update.

Wrapping Up:

Ample variables are responsible for gaining a successful SEO rank. After all, everything ends up giving a good user experience. The same rule applies to Page Experience Update too. Checkout on the metrics which Google uses for the same and ensure that your site is up to the expectations set by Google. 

Your SEO is bound to be successful if you secure your current rankings and follow all the Page Experience Update signals so that when the same gets rolling, you are ready to maintain your current SEO position.

Instagram launches new fundraising tools for Earth Week

Instagram is launching a new fundraising feature within Instagram Reels to give people a new way to do this. Now available in more than 30 countries, including Ireland, people can donate and create fundraisers for important environmental causes directly from Reels. Globally, more than 4 million people have donated over $150M (c. 140M EURO) to date through Facebook and Instagram Fundraisers to combat climate change and support environmental protection.

Most popular Earth Day related emojis and hashtags in Ireland

  • Emojis:
    •  (Green heart)
    •  (Globe)
    •  (Honeybee)
    •  (Deciduous tree)
    • ️ (Recycling symbol)
  • Hashtags:
    • #earthday
    • #climatechange
    • #earthdayeveryday

Learn More About Climate Change and Make an Impact for Earth Day:

 Here are some ways you can help tackle climate change across Meta technologies, whether that’s leading the charge on fundraising for a cause on Instagram Reels or just learning more about climate issues:

  • Visit the Climate Science Centre: We’re adding new features, including highlighting everyday actions people can take and showcasing new data that shows country-level emissions. More than 200 million people have visited the Climate Science Centre, now available in 150 countries.
  • Shop second-hand on Facebook Marketplace: Currently in Ireland, there are over 3,500 zero-waste, recycled or up-cycled items listed on Facebook Marketplace. You can use Marketplace to buy, and sell secondhand items in your local community — from bicycles and plants to clothes and home decor.
  • Show support for the environment: 
    • On Instagram, we’ve collaborated with illustrator Ping Zhu to create stickers that encourage people to express their support for Earth Day and the environment. When someone uses one of the stickers in a story, they’ll get added to a multi-author story that shows up in the first spot of the Stories tray at the top of Instagram.
    • On Facebook, we’re adding profile frames that let people show their support. 
    • On Messenger, we’re releasing a custom sticker pack and 3D avatar stickers built just for Earth Day. We’ve also partnered with Ellen DeGeneres to bring an Earth Day-friendly version of her mobile game Heads Up! to video calling on Messenger and Instagram.
  • Explore environmental VR content on Quest: Immerse yourself in conservation experiences across the globe with virtual reality apps and experiences from Meta Quest. Encounter endangered mountain gorillas in the volcanic jungles of northern Rwanda and walk with giant pandas rescued from the wilds of China, or sit with the children of Cabo Pulmo to learn how overfishing is impacting their local reef and livelihood.

Commitment to the Environment

We’re sharing new efforts towards our goals of net zero emissions across our value chain and accelerating the renewable energy transition which you can read on our latest Newsroom Post https://about.fb.com/news/2022/04/make-an-impact-for-earth-day/