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

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).

Some time ago we created for one of our clients Cactus Online – an online shop for cactuses and other succulents, where cactus lovers from all over the world can get their hands on rare seeds and plants. Here’s what Mr. Alex Babin, Administrator, and Manager of Cactus Online, says about their collaboration with our team:

“Before Speedflow.bg team began working on our project, we did not have a clear idea of how to turn our passion for cactuses into an online business. We did not know where to start, what our logo should be, neither did we have a concept of the design of our future online shop. We needed someone to build our digital image from scratch and to organize all business processes online.

And it happened…

We could not be happier with the end result. All our expectations are met. The website has a simple and clean, with the main emphasis being the specimens from our catalog. The communication with Speedflow team was smooth and easy despite the questions and requirements we had on the way.

For example, it was extremely important to us that Cactus Online could serve customers from all over the world. We imagined our website to become a place to which they will come back regularly to expand their succulent collection. And now we have clients from New Zealand, USA, Canada, China, Indonesia, England, Italy and many more. We accept payments online and we have never had any problems with the orders or the security of our website.

All the ideas and advice we got from Speedflow.bg helped us turn what was once a hobby into a successful business. We are currently running the entire online store by ourselves – from uploading new content, photos and item descriptions to organizing and tracking client inquiries, payments, and orders. We recommend Speedflow services with great enthusiasm because of their creativity, dedication and responsible approach towards our business. The experience and knowledge they have shared with us help us to this day.”

Yesterday Plovdiv was the meeting point for hundreds of IT professionals, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, the reason being Digital4Plovdiv 2017. This year the conference was dedicated specifically to online marketing and e-commerce. It took place on 30 November at the St. Petersburg Hotel, Plovdiv. Ivan Totev, the mayor of Plovdiv, gave a welcoming speech and started the discussions.

Our team was pleased to be a part of the conference and learn in more detail about the hottest topics and the latest practices in digital marketing and online shop optimization. More than 30 specialists presented the most effective tips and tricks for the successful development of e-commerce businesses and increase in sales.

The conference program was held in three different halls. There were lectures, presentations, workshops and case studies. Everyone found something new and interesting to learn and apply to their work or business, including our team. Among the most discussed topics were Behavioral economics, SEO audit, SaaS, ERP systems, Internet security, video marketing, remarketing and many more.

All lecturers were prominent experts in their field with extensive work experience. It was a real pleasure for us to be part of over 300 participants at the event. More information about Digital4Plovdiv 2017 can be found on the website.

What do you think are the key elements of a successful online store? Promotions page? Search options and categories? Contact form? Mobile version? Yes, you are right! All these functionalities must be part of your e-shop infrastructure.

However, today we will be talking about some other elements. The ones that are being quite overlooked, but at the same time are no less important for the truly successful online store. The ones that improve your customer experiences and bring in profit at the same time. Here they are:

 

1. SEO modulе

If you want your website to rank higher in Google, it must be optimized for search engines (SEO). The same goes for online shops. If your website offers hundreds or thousands of items, optimizing every single page will take you too much time and effort. Manually entering meta titles, meta descriptions, and tags, which are an essential part of every on-page optimization, will most probably strike damp over your enthusiasm to have an online shop at all! That’s why we recommend you to use some sort of SEO module. It is extremely helpful as it automatically generates the SEO texts for each product. Depending on the eCommerce platform your e-shop was built on (like WordPress + WooCommerce), there are various optimization plug-ins and extensions you can use. Here we have listed some of the most popular ones:

• For WordPress – Yoast SEO Premium*
• For Magento – ReloadSEO
• For OpenCart – SEO Pack Pro (paid); SEO modules (free)
• For Joomla – Jsitemap or SEO Boss

* Yoast also offers a free version, which is in fact not quite basic and is extremely functional.

 

2. Automatically generated bills of lading (shipment documents)

Integrate into your successful online store with the modules of the courier companies you are working with. Thus, you will be able to automatically generate product shipment numbers.  It will save hours of your time. Imagine if you were to manually fill them in for each individual order. Modernizing such processes enables your customers (if they needed it) to use the generated number and contact the courier personally. Another convenience for users that also indirectly increases the number of your website visits.

 

3. Shipment tracking

A small detail one would say, but in fact, it’s a huge bonus for those who have already purchased something from your online shop. When a client logs in, he/she will be able to track the exact location of their order at any given moment. And you? You will get a satisfied and loyal customer that has no further questions…and again more traffic to your site.

 

 

4. Customized landing pages for different client groups

Is this possible? Yes, you can use Cookies information to target products and customize the homepage of each visitor based on their history as a potential client or a regular customer. For example, you can display new products, promotions or most purchased items to new visitors. And to those who have purchased from you before – favorite brands and products they have searched for before.

 

 

5. Different prices per customer groups

An extremely useful feature, especially when your online store targets several customer segments at once:

• End users
• Retail customers
• Wholesale customers

To have this feature enabled you must create separate customer groups in your back end. Upon registration, the client will choose the group to which he/she belongs. This will determine the prices and products that will be visible to them in the future.

 

6. Automatic customer notification for products in stock

We suggest that you implement a module for product notification on your website. It will send an automatic message to customers (via email or in their personal profiles) when a product they were interested in is back in stock. First, you will make them visit your website again. Second, you will increase their chances of repurchasing.

 

7. A single page for making order and payment

Many studies (and our personal experience) recommend having a single page for placing an order. You will save your clients time – fewer clicks, fewer pages to go through, less information to fill in. Otherwise, the chances of finalizing a purchase are reduced. The less effort your customers make, the more satisfied they will be, and the faster they will buy your products. You will hit the spot!

 

8. Auction

We must say that auctions are not for every business. However, if it’s not your primary focus, but rather an additional functionality, it can be used as a way to increase your website traffic. Many users will visit your online shop numerous times for one particular item! Moreover, an auction may even increase its purchase price considerably.

 

 

 

If you have more questions or are thinking about creating a successful online store, you can read our recommendations on how to launch your first online store.

Keep in mind that this is a process that requires a wide range of knowledge – from programming, web design and having experience with the CMS itself, to SEO, digital marketing, online/offline sales, etc. Or, in short, many years of experience in the industry.

Our advice is to “do your homework”, then choose the safe and more optimized way and trust the Speedflow professionals for your eCommerce website development so you don’t lose focus on your business! Do not hesitate to contact us here or drop us an Email at info@speedflow.bg.

Sooner or later the time will come for you to have your own little place on the Internet. Whether you decide to grow an online shop business, tell the story of your journeys in a blog, or build a forum for your friends – chances are you will reach a point where you will need to build a new website. And then you will surely need a reliable partner…

 

WordPress is the most popular across-the-board application that you will run into during your researches. Statistics speak for itself:

 

• Around 30% of the whole Internet is powered by WordPress
• Over 60% of the global market for web building platforms
• Around 45000 new WordPress websites are created daily
• Over 25% of the top 10000 websites in the Web use WordPress
• Over 37 million searches for “WordPress” in Google every month
• You can see all WordPress stats for 2018 here

 

But we are not here to just suggest the most popular tools out there – in this article, we will do our best to convince you WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE WordPress for your new website and why this can be your best decision.

 

1. Open Source

 

Don’t break your piggy bank just yet as WordPress is completely free, thanks to its open source code. Everyone can contribute to the platform’s improvement or bug cleaning. The ever-growing WordPress community is the thing that makes the difference – addressing the needs of so many users requires its fair share of extra help if we want some quality results, right?

 

2. Personalization

 

This is where WordPress mostly excels. Thanks to its open code, practically every little detail can be tweaked and customized. Colors, structure, extra functionality, design – there is no element that you cannot alter according to your liking. It’s up to you and your choice. And no, you don’t have to be an experienced developer or write tons of code – the application relies on its simplicity and ease-of-use, even for the beginners.

 

3. Diversity

 

About 10 years ago WordPress was making its way through the ranks as the best blog application. So everyone logically associated it solely with blog creation. But the platform grew so quickly that it had to branch out. Pretty soon it became a preferred tool for building all kinds of websites. Choosing WordPress for online shops, community portals, informational pages became common – it was all made possible with the right set of plugins and customization.

 

4. Security

 

Around the Web, people are voicing some concerns about WordPress security. Truth is that, when being operated properly, WordPress provides one of the most reliable protection for your websites. Due to its incredible popularity, WordPress isn’t a stranger to hacker attacks, that’s a fact. However, the same reason applies when it comes to a lightning-fast reaction and swift threat removal. What you can do is make sure that all your themes and plugins are properly updated and only use safe and secure passwords.

 

5. SEO Optimization

 

We have already discussed the basics of SEO optimization and how important it is for our online ranking. Now imagine most of these SEO activities are embedded in your platform and fully automated. Because this is exactly what WordPress provides. The platform ensures good website speed, optimized images and permalinks, smooth navigation, sitemap generation and many more.

 

6. Integration with other platforms

 

We already mentioned plugins, which are an integral part of creating new WordPress functions. Not just that but it’s worth noting that the application is very easily integrated with other platforms too. This means that there is no need for any crucial changes in your existing infrastructure should you decide to go for WordPress.

 

Convinced yet? If you are impressed by the CMS capabilities and ready to choose WordPress but don’t have the time or confidence to do it on your own – contact Speedflow.bg and we will make sure you get an amazing and profitable new website.

 

Updated 29.08.2018

Just stop for a second and look around. What do you see? Your office space maybe? Are you traveling on the bus or simply lying on the couch at home? Whatever the case, you are constantly being surrounded by content and the information overload urges you to make one choice after another. Online content acts the same. Where you click next depends on your personal decision and the information you are exposed to.

 

Online content creates relations; it is a conversation that takes different paths:

 

• It can start spontaneously
• It can also end spontaneously
• It may not even start
• It can benefit both sides – you and your users

 

As a business owner, which one of these scenarios do you prefer? I think we both know the answer…

 

Good content? You already have that!

But how? Whether you want to create your corporate website, start a personal blog, or develop an online store, you have already accumulated some good content in the form of experiences, ideas, knowledge, goals, work papers, brochures, and other materials without even knowing it. Take all the information you are passionate about and share it online. You are the one that best knows your products and services. Use that to your advantage. If you have an excellent product, good content practically writes itself.

 

The face of your business

Your website is your business card no matter if it’s a company website, online shop or just a blog. So, be very careful with the selection of words, images, and articles. They must represent your values and interests, be directly related to the offered products and services. Keep in mind that people visit your website for a reason. Whatever the case, they should leave your page feeling informed and satisfied, and, most importantly – have the desire to come back. If you’re not exactly sure how to do all that you can always count on the Speedflow Team for helpful advice.

 

The fateful choice

You basically have two options:

 

1. Quality content for profit and traffic
2. Filler content for loss and unpopularity

 

Do not do anything just because everyone else is doing it. The Internet is an infinite virtual universe filled with temptations that are just one click away. Do not forget – online competition is fierce and is everywhere!  So, your web content must be flawless. Not only will it be accessible to absolutely everyone, but more importantly – they will know who the author is. And it’s you! Your reputation is at stake! Stand out from the crowd for your originality, dedication and hard work. That’s a rule of life, isn’t it?

 

Web content checklist

Text – Words are a powerful and vital tool for creating web content. You have lots of options here depending on the nature and needs of your business.  These are but not limited to product descriptions, web page titles, tags, ads, blog articles, news, brochures, online magazines, guides, how-to and more.

 

Images – When talking about web content, we do not imply text only. As the renowned American editor Arthur Brisbane once said, “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Images are an extremely effective way of expressing both qualitative and quantitative information – graphics, charts, photos, etc. Numerous studies have shown that in some situations people react better to images than to text. Images are perceived better and faster and are much more easily stored in our long-term memory.

 

Video – This is a very powerful but often underestimated web instrument. It’s true that not all websites and businesses can make use of it in the best possible way. But still, you can consider trying out some of these ideas – a virtual tour, a promo, slideshow, interview, product reviews, product testing, and more. It’s much easier to show how something works in a short video than to write a five-page manual about it.

 

Design – Web design is the tool that combines all the elements of your web content and presents them in a visually appealing and comprehensive form. It is the framework for all your hard work that will help you distinguish yourself and your products from the competition in an original and individual way. Web design is the first thing that catches your visitor’s attention, so make sure it is captivating enough. You can also take a look at our article about the latest design trends in 2017 for more clarity and new ideas.

 

Well, after reading all of this, do you think your website has all the elements of good content? If the answer is YES, your work does not end here. Regularly update your content (actually this is a positive SEO signal for the search engines and a factor for better ranking), maintain a never-ending dialogue with your visitors, and they will reward your time and effort with trust in your products and services.

 

If you need help or consultation regarding your project, contact us or send us an e-mail at info@speedflow.bg