Every year, the definition for ‘quality’ in web development undergoes transformation. Websites gain in functionality richness, engagement potential, and dynamism (i.e. vibrancy). As everything moves forward towards its more evolved form, the requirement for optimised user-friendliness remains a constant.

Over the last decade, Speedflow Bulgaria has occupied a front seat in web development. We have had the chance to witness, evaluate and integrate many of the emerging’new’ tricks into our work process. We have recognized that the needed knowledge and skills for quality web development piles up alongside emerging innovations each year. This is why we stay on top of the latest in web development.

This article will pinpoint 6 web development trends that are expected to preside over 2020.

 

1. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

With visits from mobile devices surpassing those from desktop computers, the mobile-first approach is expected to plant firm roots in the web development process during 2020. We expect developers to put a strong emphasis on websites that support AMP. This also means that there has to be a transition from mobile websites to those with AMP. The differences between the two are minor, but, nonetheless, AMP is considered the better option as it helps sites load faster. In addition, Google boosts sites that support AMP.

 

2. Artificial Intelligence

AI is among our most-liked topics to talk about. Science fiction has contributed a lot to the topic and yet the divide between the most advanced of the AI concepts that are described by it and reality is still, well, bridgeless. Yet, we are not that far from what was once imagined. Times are as exciting as ever, perhaps even more so, technology-wise.

 

 

AI in web development raises similar questions to the ones normally revolving around it. Will it take jobs away from humans? Will it somehow cause a shift in the web development profession that we need to adapt to?

The consensus is no. AI is getting steadily integrated into web development, mostly as a way to spike websites’ productivity and efficiency, rather than take jobs away from humans. Examples of AI use in web development: chatbots, analysis of visitors, recommendation systems, and so on.

 

3. Single Page Application (SPA)

Single-page applications are web applications that have been responsible for website visitors’ smooth user experience process, mostly through economy of data transmission. Essentially what they do is they aid the users in their navigational efforts and provide them with the desired content without loading the whole page from the server after each action. This significantly improves the loading time of the page and minimizes interruption to the users’ website experience. We expect SPAs to continue to dominate web development in 2019 and to see them evolve, particularly in providing a smoother solution to overloading of JavaScript size.

 

4. Modular development

 

 

Efficiency is important in web development. The less time and money is spent on a project—the more everybody involved is pleased with the result. This is why modular web development will take precedence in 2020. Modular development is simply a web-development method of building a website from already configured components. This is why it is a faster way of creating websites. The difficulty with modular development, however, is presented by how separate modules fit among themselves and how that affects design. When the right balance is struck, web developers can produce stunning websites in minimum time.

 

5. Motion UI

Design is one of the most important aspects of a successful website. Motion in a site is used to ease user experience and affirm selected brand characteristics. In 2020, motion UI is expected to gain traction. Through Motion UI, web developers will be looking to find new creative ways to tell stories. And that’s something we encourage and adopt in our work too.

 

6. WebAssembly

WebAssembly, also called Wasm, is a binary format for a stack-based virtual machine. It is a relatively new language in the web development world, first appearing in 2017. It is the fourth language that can run natively in browsers, alongside Javascript, HTML, and CSS.

Wasm’s characteristics have led many to believe that it is better than Javascript and will replace it completely in the future. The verdict is still out on this one, but, by the look of it, it will be used more and more by web developers throughout 2020.

If you have a different vision about 2020’s most popular web development trends, please share it in the comments section. And if you are interested in modern and effective web development services, please write to info@speedflow.bg

With plenty of choices for web development available around, how can you be sure which company is the right one?

Giving every existing — or at least high-ranked — provider a ‘go’ is bound to be a losing strategy if you are hard-pressed by time or budget.

There’s always an element of risk involved when selecting a web development company – mostly because you don’t know how they work and whether you would ‘click’ with them.

Many who seek this service fall into the trap of delegating projects to providers that are good in several niches of the web development process but lack adroitness in others. As a result, they approach their projects in a fragmented way, which adds up to the creation of products, which lack a vital part for achieving the real-world goals that matter.

The best provider looks at the web development process holistically, applying multiple levels of expertise in each of the stages without losing touch with the nature and scope of the initial goals.

For clients looking to receive a website that is a natural extension to their offline business or for online start-ups, hiring a company that knows the nuts and bolts of business is perhaps the best option. A nose for how business works may be needed, a little bit, as it allows such providers to penetrate past your immediate online goals, align the whole web-development effort with what matters and to offer an even better way forward via a stellar product. Let’s call it free marketing.

Companies that employ developers, designers and managers who execute their delegated tasks with a clear image of the client’s bigger business target churn out better results and feedback, unsurprisingly.

The market is oversaturated with web development companies who are quick to complete a project without first dissembling clients’ offline targets to get a more detailed bigger picture. This, in the least, creates chaos, where the link between client and company is often severed, serving in the achievement of mediocre results at best!

In truth, only effort exceeding the expectations for each step can guarantee success.

It’s not a question of some kind of defected perfectionism but about coming up with a self-sufficient product that spawns new opportunities for growth.

 

Exceeding your expectations

One of Speedflow’s biggest advantages is its extensive business experience, backed by success in many sectors, including telecommunications, IT, publishing and others.

It employs people, who often opt to venture into territory beyond their specialty. This is especially useful in the business sphere – but not only – where being able to think on your feet in unfamiliar situations is a winning formula.

For you, the client, this means that you will work with a web development provider who understands your goals from the inside out and, who will pivot the whole work around them to create a product that exceeds your expectations.

While the rest of the team is engaged with your project, you will be treated to regular meetings – in a cosy office or over a live video conference – to smooth out the details that complete your vision.

Place your trust in Speedflow Bulgaria! Let’s go.

To share your website goals with us and take advantage of our holistic web development service, send us a message on info@speedflow.bg

The Xmas festive period is just around the corner! And Speedflow Bulgaria has prepared some gifts for you! We are delighted to announce our special Xmas web development offers, starting from today.

We have devised 3 bundles, depending on your needs, goals, and budget: Economic, Standard, and Premium. The bundles are incremental to each other.

Our work process is rooted in your vision of functionality and design. Every package includes an integrated contact form, social media buttons and basic SEO work (code, text, and illustrations), as well as integration of a Google map.

The economic bundle is the cheapest one and is suitable for portfolio websites of 5 pages or less. We can deliver it in less than 5 days without compromise to the design. It is the most suitable for businesses such as blogging, vlogging, lawyer partnerships, GPs and/or traders of all kinds.

The standard bundle consists of up to 10 pages, with every page tailored to reflect each service your business is offering. It is suitable for small- and mid-sized businesses and can accommodate average-sized item inventory. It builds upon the economic bundle with Google Analytics integration, server optimization for site speed and 6 months of free technical support! We can deliver it in less than 10 days.

The premium package is designed to suit the needs of big businesses, with a large variety of products and services. It builds upon the standard package and offers more pages – up to 20! Every service or product page can be with a different design, according to the client’s vision. Besides the perks of the standard package, Premium offers sitemap creation for better Google indexing and the full 12 months of free technical support! Approximate time for delivery of this bundle is less than 15 days!

Take advantage of our Xmas web development offers and hit the New Year running!

The offer is valid only until 20 December 2019, so hurry up!

For inquiries, please write to info@speedflow.bg, and a member of our sales team will get back to you with the details.

So, you have an idea for a website? Choosing the right web developing company to undertake your project can mean the difference between hitting and missing the mark.

This is where we come in. We want to save you the time and money that is usually wasted with the standard “try, fail, try again” approach.
Here is why choosing Speedflow Bulgaria for your next website development project is the best thing you can do for your business:

 

? 1. We offer one of the best price-quality ratios out there

Our policy is to evaluate each project separately and adjust our prices according to its size and requirements. While some web developing companies offer to build sites for as little as 200 BGN (100 €), you are hardly guaranteed satisfaction. Our prices reflect the quality that we offer but remain a bargain compared to the competition.

 

? 2. Our approach is customer-focused

Here at Speedflow Bulgaria, we believe clear communication is the key to the successful outcome of any project. We only start projects when we understand what our customers want to achieve. This avoids misunderstandings and frustration along the way.

 

? 3. Customer-regulated production process

We make sure to check-in with each customer at several key points in the web-development process to assure that the project does not stray from its original trajectory. This means that the customer will have the final say in the design and functionality of their website.

 

? 4. We deliver faster than our competition

In today’s competitive environment, most businesses find making a mark impossible without innovative solutions. While we rely on ‘untested methods’ to provide unprecedented quality, we also make sure we have the required solid foundation to get us there. Delivering the finished website faster than our competitors is, thus, one of our main goals.

 

? 5. Our team is comprised of experienced specialists

We have put in some mileage together now – about 15 years. The road has taught us a thing or two, but most importantly, we have discovered we enjoy working together. This helps plenty. We have experienced specialists in all aspects of web development – programmers, UX and UI designers, marketing and SEO, copywriters, customer relationship managers, digital marketing specialists, and many others.

 

? 6. Rich portfolio showcasing different niche projects

You can find evidence of our conquered peaks in our featured portfolio section. We have successfully completed projects for clients from both Bulgaria and other European countries. Our portfolio of completed projects includes ground-up websites for medical centres, dental clinics, restaurants, private enforcement bodies, online shops, etc.

 

? 7. Our designers have a sixth sense about attractive and elegant design

We think attractive, responsive design is the right way to go. In parallel to great design, we make sure website visitor experience is rooted in up-to-date standards in the web development industry and Google.

 

♿ 8. We take projects in any stage of development

We don’t limit ourselves to ground-up web development. We also undertake old site updates, plug-in creation requests, SEO optimization, development of Android and iOS mobile applications, eCommerce websites development, web design, and custom and server applications. We are proud to have specialists in all the areas we cover.

 

? 9. Effective SEO for improved search engine visibility

Our SEO experts have the connections and know-how to eject websites into more favorable positions on the Google ladder. We have the resources to undertake long back-link building campaigns to reach our clients’ goals and have the history to prove it.

 

⚙ 10. Responsive, conscientious technical support team 

Our technical support team is comprised of experienced specialists, which enables them to identify and resolve issues quickly, so any disruption to the workflow of our clients is eliminated in its bud.

 

If you have a clear idea about your website and want a professional team to help you build it, sent your inquiry HERE

Or get in touch with us at info@speedflow.bg

Restaurant websites carry a notorious reputation online. A big chunk of them are clunky, slow or too distracting to give a pleasant and fruitful user experience. Most of the bad quality stems either from a lack of budget, disinterest in the online presence or a total misinterpretation of the online reality by restaurant owners.

In either case, this part of the internet needs serious keyboard action from web developers. We are happy to tackle the problem one step at a time. This article aims to help restaurateurs craft and sustain their online image.

Here are the key elements every good restaurant website should have:

 

1. Story

Stories make the world tick. The same applies to restaurants. The story depicting the journey from the time when the doors first opened to the present day gives personality to restaurants and transfers their offline brand identity to the online world. A story full of interesting characters – i.e. regular visitors, team, owners, etc. – sparks the imagination and encourages people to visit. Think “Cheers”.

Restaurants should have a well-thought-out “About us” section where their story is displayed for anyone who wishes to find out. Needless to say, Google places heavy emphasis on “about us” pages, nudging those who have shared their story up to the ranks.

Key elements of your restaurant story:

• The Beginning: how and when
• Challenges or struggles [optional but can work wonders if done the right way]
• Values and/or goals
• Team – food is not made by brands; it is made by people for people.

Essentially, the ‘About us’ page is the creative part of your website, so don’t be afraid to experiment with it. At Speedflow, we strive to come up with ‘out of the box’ solutions. This is why we recommend that you also add ‘regular visitors’ to your ‘About us’ page:

• Regular visitors – any interesting characters who visit the place often or celebrities that have visited. If done correctly this subpage can boost your brand image (most restaurant websites also have a “Testimonials” page where visitors of the restaurant are free to share their opinion).

 

2. Elegant and clean design

If there’s a place where restaurateurs’ refined instincts for décor fall short, it is the web. Whether due to worn-out attitudes or something else, many restaurateurs think that running a website is the same as running a restaurant. For that reason, they often employ methods they are familiar with and end up stuffing their websites with junk (from a web perspective) that totally puts off visitors.

Essentially, a restaurant website aims to give off the same vibe as the restaurant but in a bite-sized format. This is because visitors would spend much less time there than they would at the restaurant itself. Hence, the less clutter and distractions there are, the better.

 

3. Responsive design

Traffic from mobile devices is on the rise. According to this Hosting Facts study, every year traffic from mobile phones rises between 3-5%. As of 2018, traffic from mobile devices has thumped traffic from other sources.

This is why it is crucial to have responsive design enabling optimal visual experience on any mobile device. RWD websites also have an edge over mobile-app-only solutions as they provide a quicker, more efficient service.

For more detailed information on how the two differ, please take a peek at our Mobile app or mobile website? article and see which one is better for your business.

 

4. Professional photos

You may have stumbled upon the phrase: A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, we are just wired this way. The senses provide a shorter and faster link between the outside and inside worlds than language.

Professional photos of food tickle the taste buds and caress the eye. They are an excellent way to ‘spice up’ the design of your restaurant’s website and to tempt people to visit and try out your dishes. Good lighting, sensitive equipment, and excellent rendering are the key to a satisfying visual product. This is why it is important to rely on a professional photographer – every respectable website development company should have one.

* Remember that we’re talking about a website and one of the analogies everyone has to do is “image optimization“. In other words, each image in, must be as “light” as possible and take up the minimal file size.

 

5. Clear Food Menu

The point of ordering food online is to eat, not to get entertained. Avoid:

• Background guitar music
• Flash ‘shock and awe’ missions
• And/or YouTube videos

Everything should be simplified to cut the waiting time for the customer to the minimum. A hungry mind hates to wait—and is anxious.

Restaurant owners know that the more choices you have, the more anxious you become and use this in their menus to create the desired impact. However, online menus work a bit differently. If you are to cram every dish in a single category, no one will have the patience to browse the mess. The right grouping can do wonders with online menus.

Additionally, optimisation of the visual and textual content is a must if your website is to rank well in Google.

 

6. Faultless Online Ordering System

Some restaurant sites have functionalities inherent to an eCommerce website, which provides the opportunity to order food online. Some of those ordering systems make the process of ordering food—from selection to check-out—to take 5 steps or more. This makes the online ordering experience slow and distracting, and as a result, the number of orders decreases.

In an ideal world, an online ordering system should be like a rail track. It should lead from point A to point B without any splits in between. Additionally, some chains use interesting add-ons like delivery tracking and Chatbots. These are also excellent methods to save time and money and improve customer service.

7. Local SEO and Embedded Map

Optimisation for location (or Local SEO) is crucial for most businesses, especially for restaurants if they want to actually bring their website visitors to the tables. Good local SEO practice requires a number of key elements called NAP + O to be present in the footer of your website (Name, Address, Phone, and Operating Hours).

An embedded map is also an important element—not only for your visitors but also for Google.

Additionally, you can allocate a partner slot in the footer of the website, which can bring you further benefits – either monetary or in terms of Google ranking.

In short, these are footer elements that must be present:

• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Address
• Opening hours
• Embedded map
• Partners slot

 

8. Fast Load Speed

A well-built website should load fast. According to this Blue Corona study, the probability of users bouncing increases drastically with every second the page takes to load. This is why fast loading is crucial for keeping and creating new customers.

Fast loading can be achieved with old website as well, but best practice dictates it should be taken into account from the go in the website building process. It can be achieved in a number of ways:

• Clean and efficient code
• Optimized images and text
• A good server response rate
• Enabled cache
• Elimination of redirects
• Restriction of the number of plug-ins

You can find a more detailed, spear-headed explanation in our How to Improve your Website Speed series.

 

Conclusion

Of course, even having the world’s most expensive website will not guarantee tables will be full every night, but it definitely helps. Your website is not only the face of your restaurant on the web but also a way to expand your scope and make more money via online orders and advertisement.

If you are interested in creating a website tailored to your business, reach out and discuss it with us at info@speedflow.bg

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.

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!