The future is bright for online business in Bulgaria. As a member of the EU, Bulgaria is on a track to digitalisation, perhaps doing it with shorter leaps than trend leaders but yet at an unseen for the country pace.

Pulse of the market

According to Statista, e-Commerce in Bulgaria is valued at $766 million — a figure expected to reach $1,176 billion by 2024. Yet, there are reasons to feel even more optimistic about the forecasts.

A few things need to done first, however. The latest studies show that only 65% of Bulgaria’s population has regular access to the Internet and 34% have made at least one online purchase in the last year. Perhaps a good explanation is that people are still coming to terms with online shopping as a viable alternative to retail.

Removing the roadblocks

Trust in online shopping is one side of the cube that needs to be put together. Worries about the security of transactions, unfamiliarity with electronic methods of payment and trust in the quality of online merchandise seem to be the main hurdles on the path to speedier growth. Once again drawing from Statista, 95% of online purchases were paid in cash in 2017. This dropped to 58% in favour of payment via cards and e-wallets for 2019. This shows that trust in online exchanges is increasing. However, more can be done to speed up the process. The question is who is responsible for what?

Internet providers, for one, can do their share by increasing efforts to improve internet access nationwide. Success in this will virtually guarantee bigger engagement in the sector. Second, developers will also have to play a role. Perhaps, their role will be dedicated to educating the public about payment systems, payment protection methods, data protection, and evaluation mechanisms that encourage fair transactions; and to building easy to use, modern e-commerce platforms that nurture further trust.

Speedflow’s role

Speedflow’s mission is to raise the trust and quality of e-commerce in Bulgaria through the provision of online trading platforms, which provide stellar user experience, transparency and guaranteed security. We do this by leveraging our coding mastery and understanding of business. Our solutions reflect the latest e-commerce requirements by the European Union.

Speedflow has over 15 years of experience in the web development sector and possesses a team of highly qualified professionals that can help your business grow.

Contact Speedflow at info@speedflow.bg to inquire about our online shop development service.

Imagine you need to buy a last-minute gift for your friend at an online store. You’re trying to open the website, but it goes on loading and loading, and loading…like forever. What are you going to do? You will leave the website and go to another one, where you will make your order more quickly and without any interruptions. Consumers have no time to waste. And you have no consumers to “waste” too!

The simple truth is that speed matters. A faster loading website will bring you more traffic and higher conversion rates. Did you know that if your website does not load within 3 seconds, more than half of its visitors will leave it?

 

Why do you need to improve your website speed?

• Website speed is essential for Google ranking.
• Consumers prefer fast-loading pages.
• The better the speed of your website, the higher your user satisfaction.
• Speed affects Bounce rates (the percentage of users that leave a site without looking at a second page)
• The faster your page loads, the more people will visit it.
• And more.

So, it seems rather obvious that a fast website equals a successful website. And now what?

 

How can I check my website speed?

Here are a few platforms that can help you analyze and optimize your website speed:

• PageSpeed Insights
• Pingdom
• GTmetrix

How do I increase my website speed? Here are some of our suggestions:

 

1. A trusty web hosting provider

The very first (and most important) thing is choosing the right web hosting provider.  The server on which all your precious data will be stored must be reliable, not jam-packed and able to respond quickly to requests.  Speedflow offers high quality hosting with lightning-fast performance:

• SSL certificates
• Linux server environment
• Customization and scalability
• Connectivity all over the world
• 24/7 support
• And more

 

2. Gzip compression

The bigger a web page, the longer it takes to load. When a user clicks on a link, the server receives an automatic command to begin loading all page elements. If these items are too big, it will take a lot longer to visualize them in the user’s browser. Gzip compression solves this problem.

Gzip compresses the elements of your site into a zip file, thanks to which your web page information reaches the user’s browser much faster. Most servers provide this type of compression. To check if your website employs Gzip compression, try these tools here or just type in the search engine search bar “gzip compression checker” and check any of the first few results.

To enable Gzip compression on your server, use the following modules:

• For Apache: mod deflate
• For Nginx: HttpGzipModule
• For IIS: HttpCompression

 

3. Lazy Loading

Lazy loading is extremely useful because it allows your page elements to load at different times – only when the user actually needs to see them. Choose the parts of your website that have to be loaded with priority and those that can be loaded after the user scrolls down to them. Lazy Loading has many advantages. It:

• Reduces page loading time
• Saves bandwidth
• Improves user experience.

 

4. Image optimization

If you optimize the images on your page the right way, you can improve your website speed by 80%! Light images are mandatory for any site, and often is a neglected step in eCommerce website development where they play a very important role in sales. Try the following tips:

• Format your images before uploading them online.
• The best image format is the JPEG format.
• Avoid using BMP and TIFF formats.
• Your image size should match the width of your page. If your page width is 570 pixels, so should your image width too.
• Decrease color depth to a minimum, only if it does not distort the image.
• Eliminate all white spaces around your images.

 

5. Cache your browser

Caching allows browsers to remember your website after it has been loaded on them even only once. Consequently, the browser will not have to reload all the items from the server again. On the contrary, it will load the information directly from the user’s local computer. This is an extremely useful feature especially for regular users because the website will load much quicker with every subsequent visit.

So, how can you enable this feature? First, you need to adjust your HTTP headers and indicate the expiry times of specific file types. Thus, the browser will know whether to request information from the server or from the browser cache. Keep in mind that your CMS system may also have cache extensions or plugins. If not, you can enter cache parameters in your .htaccess file (in the root of the domain). This will help the browser know which files to cache. If all this seems like a foreign language to you, contact us or send us an e-mail at info@speedflow.bg. We will help you enable your browser cache.

How about your website? Is it fast enough? Do you need to increase its speed? We can show you how to turn on the “turbo” immediately.

 

Check also “How to improve your website speed? – Part 2“

Even if you are convinced that no one is going to hack your website, because it does not contain any secret or valuable information, this does not mean it is impossible. Did you know that according to a recent study done by Sucuri 83% of the hacked websites in 2017 were WordPress based? A breakthrough in your platform does not necessarily mean that the perpetrators will steal your sensitive information, but there is a big probability that they would use your server to flood users with spam messages and emails.

Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular tips and tricks that you can implement to make your website less vulnerable and more secure for both – your personal use and your clients’.

 

1. Make updates a tradition

It’s not just about updating your platform, but also about updating any script, code, software, or extension you’ve installed on it and are currently using. Hackers work hard to find the weakest system spots. And outdated software platforms seem quite tempting for them because they make room for malware action.

 

2. SSL certificate must be ON

The SSL certificate is a key element of the website security and a safer Internet surfing. It encrypts and protects the information that is being exchanged over the worldwide web. It makes sure that your personal data reaches its final destination intact. You can easily check if your website has an SSL certificate by simply looking at the URL. If it starts with HTTPS and not HTTP, then your website is OK (secure). Even for Google. The Internet giant announced that from now on it will prioritize HTTPS websites in SERP (search engine results page). You can find more information on this topic in our blog article we wrote earlier and gives you the 4 main reasons why you need an SSL certificate.

*Useful: 20 Less Known factors for Better Google Ranking

 

3. Forget about easy passwords

Nobody likes to come up with, memorize, and enter complicated passwords. However, easy and short ones are an open book for hackers that in the 21st century are armed with specialized software exactly for such purposes. Therefore, if you want higher website security, it is extremely important to implement a strict password policy. Apply it not only to the passwords you use for web administration and support but also for the ones that your users use to log in. What is the perfect anti-hacker password?

• At least 10 characters long
• Contains uppercase and lowercase letters
• Includes at least one special character
• Contains digits
• Does not match your username, domain, email, etc.
• Does not contain consecutive digits or letters
• Does not match other passwords of yours
• Is changed frequently

 

4. Backups are your best friend

Backing up your website is not just an effective defense wall against hackers. In fact, it is the only automatic tool you can use to restore your website in case a problem occurs. You will be grateful for the existence of backups in the event of a system crash, bugs, data loss, virus, malware, an update that failed completely, or an unintended mistake done by your web administrator or support team. Reasons are endless, but at the same time backing up your website regularly is not costly or time-consuming at all. On the contrary, it will save you time and money. Just imagine if you were to rebuild your website or restore it manually from scratch.

 

5. Scan your systems

In general, we are quite busy with website search engines optimization, link building, updating and adding new blog content, providing excellent customer service, and so on. But we should not forget to keep an eye on and improve its security. It is advisable that you perform regular system scans to detect potential threats and attacks. You can use online tools for this purpose like ScanMyServer, SUCURI, or hire a specialist to do a professional analysis for you and advise you what steps should be made for better web security.

 

6.One website – one server

Yes, it is much more practical and inexpensive to host multiple sites on a single server. Experts, however, say that this is the far less safe option. They recommend (if possible) having just one Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress per server. Why? Because if there is a breach in one of the websites on the server, the rest may be affected too. The problem becomes particularly big if one of them is an online shop where your store customers’ data and their orders history.

How about you? What tips and tricks do you use to make your website hacker-proof? Share in the comment section below or email us at info@speedflow.bg in case you need to improve your website security.

There are quite a few tips and tricks you could use to improve your website speed. We discussed in details some of them in our previous blog articles “How to improve your website speed? – Part 1” and Part 2. We have prepared for you today Part 3 as well. So, let’s see what else you might try.

 

1. Defer loading of JS files

Unless set otherwise, JavaScript files will interrupt the parsing of the HTML document in order to be fetched and executed correctly (unless already embedded in the code). This way the HTML takes longer to load, making your website slower. The defer loading of JS files helps a lot in this situation because it will not allow the JavaScript to be executed until all the content on the page has been fully loaded.

 

2. Fewer redirects

When you minimize the HTTP redirects on your website, you will reduce the RTT (round trip time). Redirects take longer to be processed, so by diminishing their number, you will help the users access the information they need faster, improving their web experiences.
However, we should agree that there are lots of case, where using redirects is very important and quite useful. Their core purpose is to help the user reach a resource that has been moved to a new web location. Some of the top reasons for this:

• A change in the website domain
• Accessing the website from different domains
• Changes in the website structure and URL’s
• An update or maintenance
• Temporary access restrictions
• And more

s include:

However, it is advisable to avoid using redirects when possible, especially for the homepage of your website. Try to minimize their number and only use them when it is absolutely needed.

 

3. Turn Keep-Alive on

Keep-Alive uses the same TCP connection for every HTTP request instead of initiating different ones. In other words, it allows the browser to receive and load multiple different files at a time. To enable Keep-Alive, you need to edit the PHP code and add an HTTP header at the top:

header (“Connection: keep-alive”)

In case you do not have access to the web server config file, you can enable Keep-Alive by using a .htaccess file. Just add:

 

<ifModule mod_headers.c> Header set Connection keep-alive </ ifModule>
If you have access to the Apache config file, add the following:
#
# KeepAlive: Whether or not to allow persistent connections (more than
# one request per connection. Set to “Off” to deactivate.
#
KeepAlive On

#
# MaxKeepAliveRequests: The maximum number of requests to allow
# during a persistent connection. Set to 0 to allow an unlimited amount.
# We recommend you leave this number high, for maximum performance.
#
MaxKeepAliveRequests 100

#
# KeepAliveTimeout: Number of seconds to wait for the next request from
# same client on the same connection.
#
KeepAliveTimeout 100

 

4. Eliminate bad requests

Bad requests occur when an external source or user attempts to open a web resource that no longer exists or is distorted in any way. The server tries to process the request but fails. This has a negative impact on user experience and website speed. What can you do to avoid such situations?
Of course, we can not constantly know about everything that is going on with our website. Therefore, we recommend using tools and extensions that can automatically run tests and detect broken links, such as GTmetrix or the Crawl option in Google Search Console.

 

5. Asynchronous loading of Analytics and Ad Networks codes

You are most likely using some kind of an Analytics tool on your website (Google Analytics for example) or an ad network (like AdSense). Their codes, unfortunately, may additionally slow down the website. We recommend that you configure all tracking codes to load asynchronously. Thus, if the server of the external web services you are using is slow, it will not affect the website speed negatively.

 

6. Try a PHP accelerator

PHP accelerators are extensions developed specifically to improve the functionality and performance of any PHP software. They cache the PHP byte-code and so it will not have to be compiled over and over again with each execution request. They save CPU but slightly increase memory usage. Try to install OPcache and most likely your website loading time will drop in half.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our team at info@speedflow.bg. Our specialists are at your disposal!

WooCommerce has been downloaded almost 50,000,000 times, which makes it the most widely used e-commerce plugin in the world. According to research done by Biultwith, 22% of all e-shops in the top 1 million are built on it. What makes the platform the NUMBER ONE choice among e-merchants? You want to create your own online shop, but are not quite sure if WooCommerce is the right one for your business? We are going to give an answer to this question today.

 

Technical Support

WooCommerce is an e-commerce plug-in developed for WordPress CMS. It serves the interests not only of small to medium businesses but also of big market players. Keeping in mind that WordPress is the most popular website platform with a CMS market share of 60%, it comes as no surprise that WooCommerce offers a secure environment for eCommerce website development and top-level technical support.
Anyone who has an online shop wants it to function perfectly without any bugs. Impeccable User Experience (UX) is extremely important so that visitors can quickly and easily finalize their orders. With WooCommerce you can be sure that the website system will be working properly and will be updated simultaneously and according to the latest internet changes. There is a team of developers and specialists, a cooperative community that contributes to the improvement of its functions.

 

Professional results (for free!)

This is another big advantage of the plugin – anyone can download and install it absolutely free of charge. However, being free does not make it of poor quality. WooCommerce will make the looks of your online shop quite professional, as well as its user experience, functions, and features. Client browsing and check-out processes are facilitated and your workflow is optimized. The plugin offers options such as:

• Order tracking;
• Purchase history;
• Delivery status updates;
• Tax/Fee calculations;
• Promo codes, discounts;
• Stock Control;
• Delivery options;
• And more.

 

Overall, you can get anything you need. That’s the perfect choice for anyone looking to start their own online business without a big initial investment in web development. Keeping in mind how many other expenses an online shop has, it is always nice to save up some money whenever you can. And in this case, there is nothing better than a reliable, cheap and functional platform plugin like WooCommerce.

 

Open source

WooCommerce is an open source platform when integrated with WordPress, which allows software developers from all over the world to create an extension for it, increasing its capabilities even more. It is very much likely that whatever gadget, plug-in or extension you need for it to have already been developed. People around the world actively contribute to perfecting the plugin and WordPress. This makes it even more attractive, flexible and full of endless possibilities.

 

Personalization

The fact that WooCommerce is the most widely used e-commerce plugin in the world does not mean that your online shop will look like all the rest on the internet. On the contrary, there are plenty of themes you can choose from, you can also play with colors and style, as well as personalize different options. If later on, you decide to switch from one theme to another, it can be done rather quickly and smoothly. WooCommerce will make your e-shop look like a professional and integral website. You can even add a blog section if you want.

 

Stats and Analytics

If you have an online shop then it will be quite beneficial for you to use some analytics tools to keep track of everything happening on the website. Of course, when you have just started your online business, this technical part may seem a little bit overwhelming and confusing (at first). The good thing about WooCommerce is that it comes with integrated analytics system that is easy to use and understand. It provides information about:

• Orders sorted by data for example;
• Individual client purchase stats;
• Total number of completed orders;
• And more.

Generate graphs and pie-charts to get valuable information about how things are going with your online shop. These stats will help you see the big picture and what you need to do to improve it. If you decide that you need more complex and detailed data, you might go ahead and easily integrate Google Analytics for example.

 

Payment and Security

Online payment security is crucial for both end-users and business owners. WooCommerce performance ranks pretty high on this matter. The plugin is secure and accepts any type of payment methods –credit, debit cards, PayPal and more. Whatever payment system you might need, it can be easily integrated without the need to have it specifically developed.

 

Conclusion…

From all said so far, we can definitely see why WooCommerce is such a successful product around the world. It provides quick, easy, cost-saving and professional integration of many useful e-shop elements. With little investment, you get great results!

Ok, now let’s say you have decided to use WooCommerce as your e-commerce platform. What’s the next step? Our blog article “8 key elements for a successful online store” will shed some extra light on additional questions you might have. In case you need professional advice, we will be happy to help you out. Just contact us at info@speedflow.bg.

Online success inevitably goes through digitalizing your business and most people are already aware of that. Every year, online sales are growing, and this trend seems to be here to stay. This is why today we want to talk about e-commerce and how you can also be a proud owner of an online shop.

Business Plan

 

Above all, you should know that creating a successful website is not an easy task especially if we are talking about an eCommerce website. The first step, as with any other business venture, is to create a business plan. It should include the following questions:

• What will I sell? – Researching the markets, selecting niche and products;
• How will I sell? – Matching the product to the specific market;
• Where will I get products from? – Building a distribution network and determining the regularity of shipments;
• Who are my competitors and how do they sell? – Learning about the competition, their advantages, disadvantages, and means of selling;
• What are the costs? – Identifying all possible start-up costs, investment in a base, equipment, and staff;
• What if I fail? – Defining backup options for unexpected situations.  Always be prepared for failure.

 

Domain Name and Web Hosting

 

A frequently underestimated step is choosing a name for your online shop, the so-called domain name.
There are several criteria that you should adhere to:

 

• The name should be as short as possible, accurate and clear, making it easier to remember it;
• It must be easy to write and pronounce;
• Choose the appropriate domain extension – the most popular .com .net is your first choice, but if your site will only operate on a local level, you can also go for a country extension – .bg, .ru, .de, or .co.uk

 

The next step is finding a web hosting provider. Choose carefully, search for additional information and reviews. Contact several companies and check how fast and effective is the help they provide. Avoid trusting sites like “Top 10 Hosting Providers” because they are mostly paid by the companies themselves. Keep in mind that it is a huge niche with thousands of providers so it’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed.

 

Choosing a Platform

 

Choosing the right platform for your online store is always a controversial moment. Everyone has different impressions and opinions about their favorite online solution, but there are a few that you can safely start with. WooCommerce, OpenCart, and PrestaShop are easy and intuitive for people with less experience, and for larger stores, you can also try options like Magento.

We recommend using WooCommerce for your online shop.

Of course, you can always bet on a platform developed specifically for you, but this is usually associated with higher costs.

 

Quality Content & SEO

 

Just because you have an online store doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rely on quality content to wow your users. Detailed and well-explained product descriptions, beautifully processed photos, video content, a dedicated blog with themed articles – the possibilities are endless.

 

Write for your visitors and not for the search engines, but keep in mind the factors for better ranking. They are the foundation of the good SEO optimization and they will help your text reach more people online. Create content that would be useful and interesting to YOU, things YOU would be looking for. This is the way to make content reachable from a larger audience and satisfying their needs.

Assuming your website is optimized in terms of structure, content, code, and load speed, the final step of that part it the link building and creating a good link profile.

 

Marketing and Advertising Plan

 

Your online shop is ready, you tested it, checked every page for spelling mistakes and functionality issues, filled it with your unique content and added the products/services. What now?

 

You should compile a marketing plan to advertise and promote your brand, helping it become more noticeable. After all your online store would not be successful if no one knew about it, right?

Some basic approaches are:

• Digital marketing
• Social media
• Permanent creation of valuable content
• Google AdWords & Facebook Ads – paid ads
• Email marketing
• Video marketing

 

Now what?

 

Congratulations! Your online store is ready for visitors, with a clear vision and purpose, neatly organized and ready for a revolution in online markets. There are many different factors that are directly responsible for its performance, but if you follow this plan, success is likely to come earlier than you think.

If you need help for anything, contact us at info@speedflow.bg and we will help by providing you with professional web services.

Mobile search is becoming more and more prevalent. According to research done by StoneTemple 63% of website traffic comes from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Yes, mobile search is outrunning desktop search. That is why every brand that wants to establish or improve their digital presence has the following questions:

• Do I need to invest in mobile app development?
• Is it enough to only have a mobile website (a website with a responsive design)?
• Or maybe I need both?

Of course, your decision will depend on factors such as price, functionality and features, prospects’ needs, objectives, and goals, etc. Therefore, we are going to compare one against the other and will let you choose the option that best suits your individual business situation.

 

What are the advantages of having a responsive mobile website?

Accessibility

One of the biggest advantages of mobile websites is that they can be easily accessed from any type of device, while mobile apps can not. All you need is an internet connection and a browser. It does not matter if you are using a smartphone, tablet or laptop. You can open and load a website on any operating system and browser. You don’t have to download, install or set up a website, but you do need to do so with applications.

 

Shareability

Thanks to their unique URL links, mobile websites can be easily shared among users in many different ways – via email, in a post, message, SMS, digital documents, etc. You can share not simply home pages, but also particular website elements – subpages, categories, landing pages, images, texts, video, different file formats, etc. This together with the easy access we mentioned above helps responsive mob. websites to reach more people quite effortlessly and faster than applications.

 

Updatability

It is much easier to update and improve a website because in most cases the platforms on which they have been created are more flexible and dynamic than the ones on which apps are being developed. You can also manage more quickly website content, remove or add new sections. Besides, end users do not have to go through the hassle of updating websites by themselves. As we know very well, that’s not the case with apps. If we want to get the best user experience (UX) from an app we need to make sure that we are using its latest version. And if not – manually install the newest one.

 

Longevity

Users can delete an app from their mobile device at any given moment. Did you know that according to a research done by The Manifest 25% of people have uninstalled an app due to lack of space on their smartphone?! The average life expectancy of an app is less than 30 days. Quite short compared to website longevity. Also, if a person has been disappointed by an app once, there is almost no chance for it to win the user’s heart again. Something a responsive website is absolutely capable of.

 

Price. Development. Support

To make your website version responsive to any type of device screen you will need less financial resources, time and workforce than if you were to develop an app from scratch. Plus, if you want your website to be compatible with a few different operating systems (iOS, Android, etc.), prepare to invest even more in developing several versions of it. That is why it is also much easier and cheap to support a mobile website than it is to maintain an app. Mobile applications require constant updates, tests, fixing of bugs and crashes, etc. to perform smoothly and robustly and in accordance with the ever-changing operating systems and technical parameters of devices.

Ok. Mobile websites definitely have their benefits. Just don’t go up against apps, because there are many situations in which they are the better choice for your business.

 

What are the advantages of having a mobile app?

The choice of the public

The global mobile app market is growing exponentially. In 2017, the total number of application downloads reached 197 billion generating 86 billion dollars in revenue. According to TechCrunch, people use 9 apps daily and up to 30 per month. Moreover, most of the time we spend on our phones (or tablet) is in apps not on mobile websites (see fig. 1, eMarketer research)

 

Fig.1 Mobile usage duration, measured in hours

 

Personalization

Applications offer more possibilities for personalization and intuitive user experience (UX) than mobile websites. Besides allowing users to set their preference in the app settings, they also collect data directly from the smart device they have been installed on. Thus, the content displayed is tailored specifically to match users’ personal needs.

 

Interactivity

The interactive possibilities of mobile apps cannot be reached by mobile websites. Unfortunately, responsive sites are quite limited when it comes to integrating or activating functions like GPS, direct calls, compass, camera, contact lists, pics gallery, etc. Hence why apps are preferred for game and multimedia development.

 

Usage

If you think that your target audience is going to use your app on a regular base, then having only a mobile website might not be enough. Applications are much more practical to use, save time and effort, provide quick access to features in just a few clicks. They are great for everyday use.

 

Perfect for e-commerce

The next logical step for every successful online shop owner is to invest in a mobile application. Why? Research has shown that apps are more effective in making the user finalize and complete an order:

• 3 times more conversions than a mobile website
• 1,5 times more conversions than a desktop website
• 40% of people make a purchase immediately after initial E-commerce app install

Apps are quite handy to use which is why they perform so well in terms of conversions. Clients do not have to prove their identity or type in any credentials to start making orders. In just a few clicks the needed information is loaded (extremely fast) and the user quickly proceeds with placing an order.

 

Offline functionality

If you want to provide end users with information and features that can be accessed without an internet connection, then mobile apps are the way to go. They can definitely function offline too while mobile websites can not. Although applications do require some internet connection of some sort – be it initial or periodical, their general functions can be accessed without it. That’s not all. App icons are in front of users’ eyes all the time, boosting brand recognition and brand awareness.

 

Communication

Mobile apps are a more effective communication channel than a mobile website. They allow you to send push notifications with the content of your choice directly on your customers’ device screens. And although those notifications generally do not lead to substantial subsequent actions, they definitely have a high CTR (click-through rate) – 40%.

 

In conclusion

Both mobile websites and mobile applications can do wonders for your business, especially if they correspond to your needs and goals. However, we do believe that everybody should invest in perfecting the mobile version of their website. Do you need to develop an app? Hopefully, our article has to shed some light and will help you decide.

Our professional team can consult you free of charge and help you make the right choice for your business because we are good at creating websites with a responsive design and app development.

Do not hesitate to contact us at info@speedflow.bg

If you have a website then you must have heard about SSL certificates. But if you haven’t or do not have one installed on your website, we will give you 4 reasons why you need to do this ASAP. But firstly:

 

What is an SSL certificate?

The SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) is the backbone of secure web browsing and information sharing over the internet. This specialized technology encrypts information and ensures that the connection between two sides – the client and the server, is completely safe.

 

Side 1: The Client (user) – the browser you are using and the request you are making when visiting a website.

Side 2: The Server (website) – the server on which the website is hosted.

 

*You need to check if your SSL certificate is installed on both your website and the C panel. There are some cases where this is not set by default.

Thanks to SSL certificates all sensitive information and personal data that are being sent from one computer to another over the internet are protected from unauthorized access and fraud attacks. This is extremely important because when information is shared online, it goes from one computer to a server, from that server to yet another computer and so on until it reaches its recipient. If you don’t have an SSL certificate, there is a great chance your data will be accessed and used by third parties before reaching the final destination.

 

How to check if a website has an SSL certificate?

The quickest and easiest way to do that is by simply looking at the URL structure of the website. If it begins with the prefix “HTTPS”, it means it does have an SSL certificate if it begins with the standard “HTTP” – it does not.

Example:

 

Why do I need an SSL certificate?

 

1. Protection against data theft

It is true that having just an SSL certificate on your website will not provide complete protection against all types of information theft, be it hacker attacks, viruses, system violations, misuse, etc. But this protocol is one of the most important tools for making the internet a more secure space for information processing. It not only encrypts data but also ensures its integrity until it reaches the right server, not a fraudster’s one. That is why it is essential to get your SSL certificate from a well-known provider.

Where can I buy my SSL certificate from?

You have two options. The first one is to buy SSL from your hosting company. The second option is to get it from a renown provider like:

• Let’s Encrypt
• IdenTrust
• Comodo Essential
• RapidSSL
• GeoTrust

 

2. A must for online payments

No eCommerce website would exist if there is no way for costumers to pay for the purchased goods/service and that includes online payments. If you want your website to accept any type of online payments (credit and debit cards, virtual POS terminals, PayPal, etc.), there are certain security conditions you must comply with. Having an SSL certificate is one of them.

 

3. A way to make clients trust you

Every country has enforced laws regarding information integrity and personal data protection. In today’s digital era the need for adapting those rules and creating international regulations becomes more and more necessary. As most of you may know by now, in May this year the new regulation for personal data protection (GDPR), initiated and accepted by the European Commission, came into force. The main purpose of this directive is to protect individuals living in the European Union with regards to the way their personal data is being used and processed.

We live in times where the number of identity thefts has reached their peak. That is why most people put a high priority on the protection of their personal data. A website with SSL instills a sense of security in its users. Did you know that according to a research done by Search Engine Land 84% of interviewees would abandon a purchase if they see that their data is being sent over an insecure connection, which will inevitably have a negative effect on sales? And you would not want that, right?

 

4. Google’s favorite

Back in 2014 Google introduced their “HTTPS Everywhere” campaign with the idea to make the internet a safer place for users and the information they share. Since then the campaign has been updated several times. The latest change was introduced this month. From now on Google Chrome, Google’s web browser, will notify the users if a website has an SSL certificate or not by marking it as “SECURE” or “NOT SECURE”. Here is how a website looks:

 

With an SSL certificate – Example 1:

 

Example 2:

 

Example 3: Without an SSL certificate, when you do NOT fill in some data

 

 

Example 4: Without an SSL certificate, when you fill in data in a contact form for example

Moreover, Google is giving a push to websites with SSL certificates by ranking them higher in the search engine results page (SERP) compared to those that do not have one. So, if you want to improve your position in Google, work on your website SEO optimization by activating an SSL certificate.

In 2018 50% of organic search results on the first page in Google have an https link, which is, in fact, the highest percentage in history so far. At the same time, 81% of the world’s top websites use an SSL certificate.

 

And you? How and where do you want your website to rank? Is your site secured with an SSL certificate? If you need any help installing it, we at Speedflow Bulgaria can help!

The main purpose of a “landing page”, also known as “click-through page” (the page that a visitor lands on after clicking an ad with a link to a website) is to boost your digital marketing campaign and make it even more effective. It can help you turn potential clients into real ones increasing the number of successful conversions. This is the page on which a user will end up after clicking on your ad/banner/message somewhere online urged by the desire to learn more about your offer, product, service, etc.

 

Every landing page is unique in itself!

 

Therefore it will be very difficult to find a universal guide that can be applied when creating any type of landing page. In today’s article, we present to you the main and most important elements which can guide your way when creating the perfect and successful landing page for your next advertising campaign. But before choosing which ones will best fit your initial purpose, you need to answer the following questions:

• What do I need the user to do?
• Why does the user have to do it?

 

So, here are the fundamental elements which we recommend that you try to incorporate in your next landing page to make it more effective and successful. Choose the ones that will best fit your goal:

1. A headline, which should be short, precise and straight to the point about what you are offering. It will be even better if it matches the anchor text (the text that links to the “click-through page”). Do pay special attention to your word choice. Words should trigger a genuine interest in what you are offering. If you are not quite sure how to do it, read our blog article “How to write a good title”.

2. A subheadline that complements the main headline and gives more details about what the user will get in return for completing a particular action. Be persuasive!

3. Any additional explanations or descriptions should be included in case the main headline and subheadline do not provide all the essential information a user might need. For example the date and time of your webinar.

4. Advantages and benefits of your offer as well as what differentiates you from your competitors.

5. What will the user gain after doing what you want them to do?

6. What will the user lose, if he/she does not complete a particular action?

7. Logical flow of all texts in the “after-ad-click page”. Your persuasive thoughts should be expressed in a logical succession. Every bit of information should be a perfect addition to the previous one.

8. Images should be both attractive and informative. If your landing page promotes an e-book, a prize in a competition, a webinar or anything else, include a visual of it.

9. SEO optimization of the landing page images and texts (meta titles and descriptions, alt text, keywords, URL, etc.) so that search engines can index it and rank it better in SERP.

10. URL address that includes keywords describing perfectly the page content and is as similar to the main headline as possible.

11. Design that provides a unique user experience. If possible all important information should be presented on a single screen, so that the user does not have to scroll and do any unnecessary actions. However, if that is not possible, try to put the most important information first.

12. Responsive design that adapts perfectly to any type of device screen. Let’s not forget that mobile search has surpassed traditional desktop search. Your landing page design should follow this tendency.

13. Eliminate help menus, extra navigation, top, and sidebars (if possible). Research has shown that including these in your landings negatively affect their conversion rate.

14. Do not use your home page as a landing page. Why? Because in general home pages are filled with lots of information that would rather confuse the user than give him/her any concrete direction of actions. They might not be quite sure what is expected of them. Where to click and what the end result would be. Having a completely new landing page developed for a specific purpose would be way more successful in turning a potential client into a real one.

15. Positive feedback, client testimonials, user ratings, expert recommendations.

16. A Contact form, which can be short or long depending on your campaign requirements and the information you want to learn about your prospects. We advise you to personalize all generic buttons. Instead of using a “SUBMIT” button go for “I want this brochure” button. Do not forget to change the settings so that anyone who has already filled the contact form is not able to do it again.

17. Guarantees and certificates are a powerful tool for boosting the authority of the page, your products and brand as a whole.

18. CTA (call-to-action) is a definite must. Use phrases like “Download now”, “Buy now”, “Check it”, “Try it”, “Optimize your business”, “Win for free”, etc. It is not a surprise that these are among the most widely used CTA. They influence people’s decisions. Of course, the right CTA for your campaign should be chosen elegantly and with style.

19. Sharing options can be included to make the click-through page even more popular. This would help with increasing its traffic, views and consequently conversions.

20. Put a logo to boost brand recognition.

 

Fig. 1 Landing page example

*As we have already mentioned, every landing page is unique and it is not necessary to include all of the elements presented in this article. Elements not used in this example template: 5 and 19.

 

Is there anything more you would like to add to this successful landing page guide?

Are you ready to meet the requirements of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

The article we have prepared today gives the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the GDPR. Maybe you own a company, maybe you are just an end-user. Whatever the case, don’t stop reading, because the answers you are looking for might be given below.

 

What is GDPR?

GDPR is the new General Data Protection Regulation. It was adopted on April 27, 2016, by the European Union to control the processing, storage, and usage of individual personal data by other individuals, companies, and organizations.

 

When does GDPR come into force?

The new Regulation comes into force on May 25, 2018. Anyone who processes personal data is required to comply with the applicable laws. If not, the penalties may reach up to 20 million euro or 4% of the annual company turnover for the previous year (the bigger amount of both should be paid).

 

How much is the minimum fine in Bulgaria regarding GDPR?

It is not yet 100% sure, but the Bulgarian legislation foresees a minimum fine of 10,000 BGN if you do not cover the new GDPR regulations. This is disputed in a public discussion.

Whom does the new General Data Protection Regulation apply to?

The new General Data Protection Regulation applies to any company/organization that is registered in the European Union and processes personal data. Or monitors individuals, regardless of where exactly the data is being processed and whether or not this is the main business activity of the company or of any of its branches.

 

Does GDPR apply to non-EU companies?

Yes! Every company that offers products and services to EU citizens and processes their personal data, irrespective of its location, is obliged to follow the rules and regulations laid down in the new General Data Protection Regulation.

 

What does personal data mean?

According to the Regulation personal data means any type of information about an individual, which is identified or could be identified, for example:

• first name;
• family name;
• ID number;
• national identification numbers;
• location;
• telephone number
• personal address; 
• IP address; 
• and more; 

More information can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/reform/what-personal-data_en

What is meant by personal data processing under GDPR?

The definition of personal data processing is quite broad. It includes many activities such as collecting, storing, changing, sharing, exchanging, etc.

 

What are my rights as an individual under GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation gives the following rights to subjects, whose personal data is being processed:

• The right to be informed in a completely transparent manner about the ways in which companies and organizations are processing personal data.
• The right of access to their personal data at any given moment
• The right to rectify, update, change personal data when it is incomplete or incorrect
• The right to erase their personal data, widely known as “the right to be forgotten”
• The right to restrict the processing of personal data
• The right to data portability, which means that every individual is entitled to use their own personal data in a way they deem suitable as well as to share it with other data processors and controllers.
• The right to object to the ways in which their personal data is being processed and used. This is also valid in the case where personal data is being used for marketing and advertising purposes, research, etc.
• Right not to become the subject of automated decision making and profiling stemming from the processing of personal data. This way subjects are protected against bearing the consequences and responsibilities of an automated decision made without the involvement of another human being.

 

What are my legal obligations as a company/organization/personal data processor under GDPR?

The new General Data Protection Regulation introduces new rules and obligation for everybody who processes and stores personal data. Here are some of them:

• GAP analysis – an analysis that aims to determine does a specific company/organization (which is a personal data administrator/processor) meets the GDPR requirements. The analysis can be done internally – in the company or externally – with the assistance of a consultant or a consulting company;
• Processing and reporting – All personal data must be processed according to the principles laid down in GDPR and this must be proved at all times.
• Protection – Individual personal data must be protected against violation at every stage of its processing and use.
• Data Protection Officer (DPO) – Each company/organization/personal data processor must appoint a Data Protection Officer if:
  – its main business activities are related to the processing of personal data on a large scale or to the regular and large-scale monitoring of individuals. This includes tracking and profiling of individuals on the Internet (even for advertising purposes). Including banks and financial institutions, telecommunication operators, GPS service providers, video surveillance (CCTV services), behavioral ads;
  – if the administrator has more than 250 recruited employees.
  – if the administrator processes personal data of more than 10 000 individuals
  – if the administrator processes special or so-called “Sensitive” personal data on a large scale – such as all hospitals, health establishments, pension, and insurance companies
  – when it comes to public authorities except courts in performing their judicial functions. The official data protection officer (DPO) should have had the relevant training and the organization itself will tell how much he/she meets the new regulations. It is advisable to have a good knowledge in the field in which he/she works. As well as good practices for the protection of personal data.
  -This obligation can be “outsourced” and an external DPO appointed;
• Impact assessment – An impact assessment on the protection of personal data and consumers has to be done once every two years;
• Risk assessment – an assessment is made to show the potential risk of loss of personal data or breakthrough/hacking in the protection of the organization and the potential damage;
• Notification – Data processors are required to notify Data Protection Authorities if any breach to the processing of personal data has been identified.
• Assessment – An assessment of the impact on personal data protection is mandatory.
• Consultation – If the assessment shows that the risk is high and the data processor does not take the necessary precautions to reduce it, the data processor is obliged to have a consultation with the Data Protection Authority before processing any personal data.
• Security – Personal data security must be ensured at all times and, if necessary, the appropriate technical and organizational measures should be implemented. For this purpose, each company must have updated internal rules and policies compatible with GDPR;
• Documentation – Each company must keep strict documentation (or register) and document the listed obligations above. This task is a responsibility of the Data Protection Officer (DPO). Also, logs about what’s happening on a particular website need to be kept.
• And more.

 

What information must I provide to the subjects whose personal data is being processed?

No matter what business activity you do, be it online or offline, you must inform the subject whose personal data is being processed about the following:

• Who are you and does your company/organization do
• Contact details of your company, as well as the contact details of your Data Protection Officer (if you have appointed one)
• Why you collect and process personal data and what exactly it will be used for
• What categories of personal data you collect
• On what legal grounds you process personal data
• For how long their personal data will be stored
• Are you going to share their data with third parties
• Will their data be transmitted outside the EU
• Explicitly state their rights with regard to personal data processing (right of access, information, etc. mentioned above in our article)
• And more

This information can be included in your “Privacy policy”. Another idea is to create a separate “Cookie Policy” page and describe all of this along with types of cookies and tracking technologies you are using for collecting personal data.

 

How will GDPR affect your online business?

The new General Data Protection Regulation was enacted for the purpose of protecting the rights of the sides participating in the exchange of personal data online. In other words, under GDPR the interactions and relationships between any business and its customers are facilitated and the flow of information between the parties is secured.

Thus, personal data protection is guaranteed, data abuse and Spam (unsolicited or undesired electronic messages) are reduced considerably.

 

What changes should I make if I have a website that collects personal data?

After doing a GAP analysis to determine the extent to which you meet the new requirements (mentioned above in the article), they should also be included on your website. Every website user/visitor must explicitly agree to have their personal data processed.

You must also:

• Renew your “Privacy Policy“, including a “Cookie Policy“, and describe everything that we mentioned above.
• Update your “Terms of Service“. * We advise you to consult a lawyer regarding this topic!
• Enable users to disable cookies, tools and other technology which collect their personal data
• Ensure that users are able to have their personal data deleted from the database of your eCommerce website or another type of website. As already mentioned, provide them “the Right to be forgotten”.

 

Who will monitor the compliance with GDPR?

The full list of Data Protection Authorities per country can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/structure/data-protection-authorities/index_en.htm

Where can I get more detailed information?

You can find more information about the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en

You can download the entire regulation here:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2016.119.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2016%3A119%3ATOC

Speedflow Bulgaria advise you to consult with a lawyer about creating your new company texts, rules, and policies. As for the technical implementation on your website, we are at your services.

Do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions. We guarantee that our customers’ personal data is fully protected and processed in compliance with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).