The span between technological leaps is getting shorter. It is now mere months that separate new advancements, especially in IT. For app developers who want to stay successful, keeping a close eye on the ravenous progress of technology and identifying the possibilities each leap presents is crucial. This is why we are going to take a look at the best 7 mobile app development trends that are taking 2019 by storm, starting with the most-anticipated breakthrough of recent months:

 

1. 5G Wireless

5G will trampoline a host of new technological advancements that will penetrate multiple industries. The mobile app development world will hold an honorary front seat when 5G kick-starts these changes.

 

 

Faster, cheaper and more stable than 4G, 5G will support better content, namely 4K video, VR and augmented reality, and a lot of other heavy-content elements.
With the appearance of 5G, developers will arm-wrestle with problems such as efficiency in phone memory usage, security, app loading speed, and others.

 

2. Instant Apps

Instant Apps are essentially Android apps that can be hosted on a cloud server, resulting in increased efficiency, loading speed and user-friendliness.

They hold particular appeal for developers because the both processes of creating them from scratch or adapting them from a normal app are quick and cost-efficient as well as produce bigger value for the end-user.

 

3. Augmented and Virtual Reality

According to Statista, the VR market will bypass the $160-billion mark in 2023. This figure is substantially based on the expectation that the emergence of 5G will skyrocket the augmented and virtual reality industry. And this view is hard to refute.

It is not surprising that mobile developers’ focus has shifted towards app development incorporating this type of content. VR and augmented reality improve user experience and contribute to visually stunning apps.

 

4. IoT – Internet of Things

Although IoT is not a new concept, it exerts a strong influence on app development. It means: devices being interlinked and remotely controlled via a third-party device, like a smartphone for example.

In today’s competitive market, the more connected a device is to others, the better differentiated it is from the competition. The same goes for the app’s interconnectivity capabilities.

The possibilities of IoT apps are endless. Automation, simplification and efficiency are a small part of what an IoT-capable app can offer businesses and individuals.

 

5. Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is increasingly employed by mobile developers to save memory on users’ smartphones and encourage data exchange in a safe environment. Cloud storage supplementation offers a number of advantages, including making the app faster and eliminating the need for downloading it.

 

6. App Security

 

 

With mobile device usage continually on the rise, it would make sense the emphasis in app development would fall onto security. As more and more users shop via their mobile phones, mostly through apps, developers are using every trick in the book to protect users’ sensitive data.

At present, mobile app security is the defining feature that differentiates the professional developer from the amateur one.

 

7. Cross-platform gaming apps

Today, single-platform games, for a variety of marketing reasons, are still the status quo. But it’s highly likely that this traditional approach will soon give way to cross-platform development gaming apps.

Cross-platform gaming apps cut development costs and reduce the time in the development of app frame. We expect to see this approach to extend to not only gaming apps in the future.

 

These are just 7 of the mobile app development trends at present. And although each carries ramifications that could lead to more complex technology, the emphasis remains on simplification of user experience. We don’t expect this to change any time soon.

If you want to be part of the fast-developing technological world, you can do it with an app. Our team is well-versed in the development of native and hybrid apps with stunning design and functionality. Interested? Contact us at info@speedflow.bg

North Macedonian laboratory FoodLab, which specializes in food and beverages check-ups, is the proud owner of a new and modern website made by Speedflow Bulgaria. The laboratory will now have an extra channel to showcase its selection of tests and types of food and beverages tested.

 

About the project:

For a little bit less conversation—a period of around 20 days—we unfolded a fluid, up-to-date website with the name FoodLab on top. We would like to direct your attention to three aspects of this web development project:

• Web design
• Content management system
• Optimization

After a friendly chat with our clients, we came to the conclusion that the design should be in line with the following:

• Our client’s mission
• The language requirements of their target audience
• Our client’s wishes to have more direct contact with their clients

We selected a blend of dark blue/purple (header), green and white. We also highlighted the North Macedonian text in green—to differentiate from the English one—and left enough white space to make the website look clean and clear.

The overall idea was to underline the laboratory’s mission towards healthier food and beverages.

 

 

For this project, we used WordPress. This content management system gives FoodLab admins the freedom to update the inventory of the tests offered and the types of food tested at will. Additionally, FoodLab can choose to create new pages—and fill them with content—without having to rely on professional web developers.

Finally, on the optimization front, our experts dug deep to squeeze every weed out of the code and content. Everything you see on the website is cut down to a minimum size, and as a result, the site is light and fast. This places it in an ideal position to be ranked well in the search engines.

 

 

The project’s final brushes

They were accompanied by our prescribed belly tickles and bubbly giggles and followed by a quickly-descending dome of mildly weird conversations. In other words, our team opened a bottle of wine.

That aside, we are delighted to add another successfully completed project to our portfolio.
Congratulations to our friends from FoodLab! We wish them a long and fruitful use of their new website and success in all their future endeavors!

Here is an overview of what we did:

• Web design
• Optimization—code and content
• Graphic design
• Website development

 

More about FoodLab

FoodLab aims to provide the best-quality tests to ensure the safety and high standard of food and beverages in and around North Macedonia. The laboratory employs professionals with extensive experience in laboratory work and cooperates with accredited laboratories in the region.

It is located in a modern, new building at Boris Trajkovski Street, Skopje.

 

If you need web development, web & graphic design, mobile apps development, digital marketing solutions or anything else related to your next web project, please contact us at info@speedflow.bg

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

In recent years Eastern Europe has become a top outsourcing destination, especially in the IT and Software development sector. Living in the digital era, it is no wonder that remote working opportunities are slowly but surely becoming the norm. Distant communication once used to pose real challenges for companies. Now it may even facilitate their working processes as most data is stored in the cloud. Eastern Europe is definitely gaining a competitive edge on a global level. The region attracts many big enterprises to open HQ there among which are HP, IBM, Coca-Cola and more.

If you are thinking about hiring an offshore development team in Eastern Europe, here are 10 reasons why Speedflow is the right choice for your business.

 

What are our strengths?

 

1. Impeccable reputation

Speedflow has been operating on the market for 15 years. Over the decades our team excels in delivering outstanding services and solutions to clients across the globe. The good client reviews and their satisfaction with our work is our main target. Their success is ours too.

 

2. Tech Savvies

Speedflow team masters programming languages. We create products from scratch and help clients to improve their existing ones, upgrade services and optimize business operations. Being highly qualified and with proven expertise in the software development industry, we fill any technical skill requirements you may have. There is no company or eCommerce website, mobile app, or any software product that we can’t handle!

 

3. Excellent language skills

Our team is proficient not only in programming languages but also in the most popular spoken languages. This is fundamental when offering outsourcing and outstaffing services. Productive communication is key. Our multilingual and multicultural experts grasp any client’s ideas, needs, and goals and help to convert them into innovative products and services. Let’s materialize your project into an excellent end result.

 

4. Compliance with laws and regulations

Companies looking to outsource have very strict requirements when it comes to regulatory compliance. The outsourcing company must follow all applicable laws and industry-specific regulations. At Speedflow we protect our clients’ interests at all times. We are certified by ISO and are fully GDPR compliant. We follow the highest data security standards when it comes to cybersecurity too.

 

5. Innovative development approach

Our skilled professionals use an effective development cycle approach. They put the latest industry trends into practice. Being proactive and collaborative are the reasons why our solutions are perfectly tailored to customers’ specific business needs. We work together as a team with all our customers and their representatives.

 

6. Affordable prices

Reducing operational costs is the number one reason why companies outsource to Eastern Europe. But we don’t offer just a lower price. We offer excellent services at reasonable prices. The workforce in this rapidly developing region is well-educated, experienced and highly motivated. At Speedflow we provide the best price-to-performance ratio on the market.

 

7. Excellent location

Eastern Europe is a great outsourcing destination because of its:

• close proximity to Western Europe (2 hours away from major European cities);
• good infrastructure;
• inexpensive transportation and travel possibilities.

The location of our offices is very important to all our clients. They rely on our speedy communication (hence our name – Speedflow), simplified visa-conditions and lower travel costs.

 

8. Great time zone

Yes, indeed! GMT+2 (EET) doesn’t hinder our communication across Europe at all. As for the US, some of the tasks and services are delivered overnight. The time difference is also convenient when offering services outside regular working hours. You can rely on our team for timely 24/7 tech support.

 

9. The right mindset

Speedflow team does not consist of only technical and IT experts. Our company culture highly encourages and praises having the right soft skills. They help us deliver the best result and within the expected time frame. We are curious, celebrate cultural differences daily and see opportunities for growth in every challenge we face.

 

10. Stats speak for it all

Eastern Europe has been ranked as one of the best regions for IT and software outsourcing in the world by consulting companies such as Tholons and A.T. Kearney, Deloitte, HackerRank, AgileEngine and more.

 

Need more reasons to step forward and outsource to Speedflow? We are happy to share more details and discuss your project at info@speedflow.bg

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