Marketing and web design tips to improve your business? Websites are by far and away one of the most effective tools that you can use to communicate just about anything, whether it be a brand, a collection of work, or even an online shopping experience. Today websites allow you to let your creativity run wild, and I always want designers to experiment and to push the boundaries of what you can produce. However, regardless of what creative path a designer chooses to follow when it comes to true branding, it’s super important to make a site that stands out. So today, we’re looking at five tips and design principles to keep in mind when designing a new website. Finally, don’t put too much text on any given page. There are far too many examples of websites with big chunks of text throughout, and it just makes for more work for your audience. Thus try to limit the amount of text on the page and use fonts that are going to make life simpler for your audience.

Instant messengers are the latest communication trend. There are 1.5 billion people globally using WhatsApp on a monthly basis, followed by Facebook Messenger and WeChat. If you want to be where your audience is, enter instant messaging marketing. Most popular global messenger apps, based on the number of monthly users. Source: Statista. This type of digital marketing exploded over the last couple of years. People are much more likely to trust the information sent via a messenger (as if it comes from a good friend) than email or SMS that are vulnerable to spam. An example of messages from a marketing consultant Matthew Barby, sent via a Facebook bot. There are different ways how you can proceed with instant messaging marketing, from using them for customer support to updating your users about new posts on your blog. But just like with any other digital marketing type, before diving right in, I’d recommend that you develop a strategy first.

Why Local SEO matter? Local SEO helps people to easily find your local business online. It helps your business to become highly visible online, and rank high in local SERPs making it easier for customers to find you. What is the future of local search marketing? With more and more people using smartphones, iPads, etc., and voice search usage on the rise, the future lies in local mobile marketing. Having an SEO-compliant website and a strong local SEO strategy will get your website on to Google’s local listing pack.

Creating video content is more comfortable than ever today. There are online tools to help you create video content for your business. Some tools come with ready-made templates to fit your needs – you can actually create a professional video within a few hours single-handedly. So, come with more video content this year, get more exposure in search engine results. Google has also started showing videos as snippets in answers to search queries. As a result, online businesses must use video content for their SEO strategy. When producing video content, make sure Googlebot can understand what your video is all about. Add a corresponding text reference in all your videos along with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and titles. See additional info at Helping you grow your business.

HTTPS makes the pages on your site more secure by encrypting information sent between the visitor and server. It’s been a Google ranking factor since 2014. You can tell if your site is already using HTTPS by checking the loading bar in your browser. If there’s a lock icon before the URL, then you’re good. If not, you need to install an SSL certificate. Lots of web hosts offer these in their packages. If yours doesn’t, you can pick one up for free from LetsEncrypt. The good news is that switching to HTTPS is a one-time job. Once installed, every page on your site should be secure—including those you publish in the future.

It’s surprising how many small business owners don’t know much, if anything, about Google My Business. A Google My Business listing done the right way can have a significant impact on local SEO relatively quickly. In fact, one study shows a GMB listing accounts for 25% of a website’s ability to rank locally. It doesn’t take long to complete the profile, and even if it seems like basic information, it helps optimize local SEO very well. See extra info on here.