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Las Vegas, NV Location
1980 Festival Plaza Drive, Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89135
702-515-2057
Tampa, FL Location
5201 W Kennedy Blvd, Suite 720
Tampa, FL 33609
813-556-7990
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10 Components Slowing Down Your Website
Are you looking for ways to speed up your website? If so, you’re not alone. Many websites suffer from slow loading times, which can be incredibly frustrating for users and lead to a decrease in traffic. In this blog post, we’ll cover 10 factors that could be slowing down your website loading speed and how to fix them.
Unoptimized Photos
One of the most common culprits of a slow loading web page is unoptimized photos. When uploading high-resolution images (which is always advised) and then scaling them down, it causes your web page size to increase significantly and thus take longer to load. To combat this issue, use JPEG images as opposed to PNG or GIF files since they have smaller file sizes – never use files that have a file size of 1 MB or more! Additionally, there are websites available online that will analyze any link and tell you where slowdowns may be coming from if you’re curious about testing your site’s speed.
JavaScript Issues
JavaScript is great for plugins but if not used correctly can actually hurt your website’s loading speed instead of helping it. To avoid potential problems with JavaScript plugins audit them regularly or contact us for our web design services.
Flash Content
Flash content was popular in the past but has become outdated over time due its slower speeds when compared with HTML5 content – this could be causing your website to load slowly. To fix this issue, either perform an audit of all Flash content on the site or switch over completely to HTML.
HTTP Requests
If there are too many JavaScripts, CSS stylesheets, and images on one page it can cause an overload on requests sent from the browser which slows down the entire process significantly – try using Sprites instead which reduces HTTP requests by combining multiple images into one image file! Additionally consider pairing down all files including images, JavaScripts & CSS stylesheets as much as possible without compromising quality/functionality.
Not Caching
Caching helps store data so at later requests they load faster taking some burden off the server so it doesn’t have to process information multiple times – enable browser/HTTP caching & server-side caching ASAP for improved site speeds.
Cluttered Code
Excessive styling & whitespace can cause unclean code which increases page size leading directly into slower load times – remove these unnecessary things whenever possible & compress code almost always.
Not Zipping Files
gZIP compression allows users compress file sizes like those found in large objects such as images/CSS/JavaScript making them easier (and faster!) for browsers requesting information from servers – enable gZIP compression ASAP if haven’t already done so already!
Too Many Ads
Ads are great sources of extra revenue but having too many ads means more HTTP requests especially when dealing with media-rich display ads – reduce clutter & improve site speeds by reducing number of ads displayed whenever possible without sacrificing revenue goals, obviously. ;)
Not Using CDN Service
A CDN service is basically a network made up independent servers located in different geographic locations designed specifically deploy information quickly based on user location closest server available at time request made – using CDN service will dramatically improve overall site speed.
Bad Hosting Service
If all else fails bad hosting service could also be causing issues – try switching hosts company provides optimized speeds within their hosting bundle.
Contact Us
If you would like to outsource your web design and mobile web design contact us online or by phone. We have two locations to serve you with those specializing in web design in Las Vegas and Tampa.
2021 Holiday Checklist
Who doesn’t want a successful, stress-free holiday season? You, us and shoppers alike!
To set yourself up for the best holiday season yet to come, we’ve put together a checklist so that you can be on top of all things business and eCommerce this holiday season.
Monitor your Online Tactics & Strategies
Continuously monitor your Website, Advertisements, Social Media profiles, SEO, Marketing Promotions, and Sales to make adjustments as they may be needed.
Update and Test NOW
If your website needs fixes, improvements and/or updates, the time to make those changes was yesterday. Wait no longer because the holiday rush is already upon us. This includes making changes to design, too to get visitors in the holiday spirit!
Your website will see a significant increase in traffic in the next few weeks, so your website needs to be able to support that. Tell us…would you wait for more than 8 seconds for a website to load? Images can slow your website down quite a bit, so you want to make sure they’re all optimized to yield the fastest loading time. Don’t delay Santa’s shopping by making him wait for slow images to load on your website.
You should be testing things like: the checkout process, shipping calculators, mobile displays, site navigation, all payment methods, coupon and discount codes, any CTA’s, and all outbound and internal links.
Create Marketing Campaigns
Consider promotions like free shipping, seasonal add-ons, free gifts with a certain purchase, or discounts on orders over a certain amount as part of your Holiday Marketing Campaign. Incentivize early shopping as much as you can in your marketing collateral.
Know your Top Sellers
You should have a good idea about which products are most popular and sell out quickly. Use this information to ensure your inventory is what it needs to be for all the goods to be purchased. Furthermore, think about making these top sellers a priority in your holiday marketing and promotions.
Consider adding gift cards as an option for buyers! Also, use your top selling insight to upsell and bundle products.
Prioritize Security
Cybercriminals create mischievous ways to access customer information and that could lead to a lot of harm for your business. Take the time to assess your website security to ensure the best security for your business and customers alike.
Manage Expectations with Communication
Its cliche, but communication is key. Make things as easy as possible for your customers. Be proactive and advertise shipping dates so they can get their purchases on time, send email reminders as the holidays approach, and speak up about returns. Clear communication will give your customers the confidence they need to become a repeat customer.
TIP: The best place on your website to place important information would be on the homepage, landing pages, product pages, and shopping cart pages.
Provide Tracking Information
As much as your business may be obsessing over delivery dates, your customers are too. Provide your customers with tracking numbers so that they can easily track their orders via UPS, FedEx, etc..
Save yourself the stress and check these items off of your to-list now! If you’re thinking you may need some help with some of these items, go ahead and schedule your FREE consultation with us, today!
10 Ways to Improve Your Facebook Page
Did you know your Facebook page could be one of your best tools for increasing your revenue? With the proper relevance and frequency of your posts you could tap a whole new market you didn’t even know existed!
5 Things Website Viewers Want To See
Your website home page should entice viewers to buy from you or work with you. People make very quick judgments when viewing a site…about a two-second judgment to be exact. So, implement the five things covered in this blog to convert web traffic into revenue.
Clear and concise messaging
People spend 5.94 seconds looking at the main page of a website so its important to have a clear and concise messaging to get your point across.
It’s best to have one main focal point on the page with easily digestible text…chunky paragraphs are a major no-no.
Every website main page should contain:
- What you do
- Why you do it
- Benefits of your business/product
- Hours of operation
- Contact section
- Call to action
Reduced options
Some may think its better to give people 20 options as opposed to a handful of options. While it may feel contradictory, it’s actually better to give people just a few choices.
Hicks Law states that the more choices a person has the longer they will take to make a decision.
This is not what you want when someone visits your site. You want to convert that visitor into a customer, therefore, giving them fewer options to pick from is better since the longer it takes them to choose an item the more likely they will be to second guess the purchase altogether and leave the site.
Easy navigation
How many clicks it takes to complete a task and how easy options are to find are two factors people look for when browsing sites.
Make your site easy to browse and buy from. Minimal things to click on the homepage is usually best. Here’s an example of CarMax’s homepage.
The page tells you what they do, has a large call to action button, and quality photos.
Use photos to enhance your page
As shown in the example above good photos are crucial to people’s perception of your business and what you do. Avoid using stock images, as it seems impersonal and makes a customer less likely to trust you.
Your images should be high quality and compressed or zipped files to prevent the page from lagging when loading.
Provide proof for your claims
Provide reviews of past customers on your website. As people, we are more likely to follow the crowd so posting other satisfied reviews will make people more likely to choose your business. Providing reviews shows you can back up claims or provide a quality product or service. Let’s use our website as an example. We have put reviews on our website to back up our claims.
Contact Us
After reading this do you think your website could be spruced up? Contact us and we can handle redesigning, rewriting, and reworking your website so it can effectively grab the attention of potential customers. We have two locations to serve you. Contact us by phone in Tampa at (813) 556-7990 or in Las Vegas at (702) 515-2057. You can also contact us online.
What Are Pillar Pages And Why Does Every Website Need Them?
What’s a pillar page and why should every website have one? This blog will discuss pillar pages in-depth, from what they are, to why you should have one, and how to create one. Keep reading to find out how they can help your business build credibility and improve relationships with current and future customers.
What Is A Pillar Page?
To put it simply pillar pages are web pages that contain information about a specific topic with relevant subtopics on it. These subtopics are clickable hyperlinks within the text body that will transfer someone to various pieces of content. For example, let’s say your topic is about the mechanics of baseball. You would have subtopics underneath baseball for subjects related to baseball like how to pick the right equipment, how to catch a ball, how to hit a baseball, etc and within those text bodies on the page, there will be clickable links to other more specific pieces related to the subtopic.
Your main topic should be a popular keyword. This will drive traffic to your pillar page via clicks. This keyword should also be mentioned in the image alt text, h1 tags, URL, and title.
Here’s an example of a pillar page for more context. There is body text about the main topic with a clickable link to a more detailed piece of content about fonts, logos, and colors.
When Should You Create A Pillar Page?
A pillar page should be created when you have enough content on the topic that you can flesh it out. Pretend you know nothing about the topic, would you be able to go to your pillar page and learn enough about the topic to have a comfortable conversation about many facets of the topic. If the answer is yes, then you have enough content for a pillar page. If the answer is no, create additional pieces of content with the intent of publishing that information on your pillar page.
There is such a thing as a 10x pillar page. What do you ask is the difference between a regular pillar page and a 10x pillar page? A 10x pillar page simply means your pillar page is 10x (10 times) better than the best pillar page on the chosen topic. This is the ultimate goal when creating a pillar page.
What Is A Pillar Page Good For?
A pillar page can serve as a landing page for a specific topic you’re trying to market. They are beneficial for email marketing, webinars, or paid ad purposes.
Creating a pillar page not only makes you seem credible but people will use you as a resource for that topic.
Steps To Create A Pillar Page
- Choose a topic
- This should be broad but not too broad
- Choose your subtopics and write them or repurpose them from your old content
- Add hyperlinks where relevant in the body text
- Build your pillar page
- Share your new awesome content!
Outsource Your Website Design And Pillar Page Creation
Running a business is time-consuming. Outsource your marketing and website design to experts with over 20 years of experience at Ventura Web Design and Marketing.
How Long Should A Pillar Page Be?
A pillar page should have body text ranging between 2000-5000 words. The text should relate to the main topic, but it shouldn’t go fully into detail. That’s what you have the hyperlinks to other content you’ve created for.
Extra Features To Add To Your Pillar Page
Progress bar
This is a bar that appears on the page under the URL that shows a reader how far they are into the article.
Last updated line
Let your readers know how up to date their content is by updating your pillar page with a description saying when the page was last updated
Offer a PDF download of the pillar page
This creates a document someone can print or easily email or share on social media.
Introduction video
Include a video at the top of your pillar page. Videos are the best way to intrigue readers and keep them on your page.
Table of contents
This can be at the top of the page or on the side of the page as the reader scrolls through. This is designed so a reader can easily know what section they’re on as well as skip easily to sections they would like to read.
Format your pillar page in small snippets
A wall of text is extremely daunting and disinteresting to a reader. Make your content more appealing and digestible by keeping the text chunks between 2-4 sentences, using bullets, or numbered lists.
Include a ‘back to top’ button
No one likes excessive scrolling. Make it easy for readers to get back to the top of your page with a clickable ‘back to top’ button.
Contact Us To Design Your Pillar Page
Gain email subscribers, market your self using paid ads, and present yourself as a thought leader with a pillar page today. If you need help designing a professional pillar page we can help you with that. Contact us online or by phone. We have two offices to serve you. The Tampa location phone number is (813) 556-7990 and the Las Vegas location phone number is (702) 515-2057.
Email Design (Doing it Right)
Email marketing has proven to be the most effective form of marketing for businesses. The average return on investment is $40 per $1 spent (!). Compare that to $17 per $1 for Keyword Ads or even $22 per $1 with SEO.
Emails can do amazing things. They can get you more sales, bring more people to your site, or keep in contact with your fans.
Grow Your Business by Working with an Agency
As a business owner, your main goal is to sell your product or service, make money and see growth year over year. I’m sure you’ve tried many different approaches to grow your business, but you might not see the results you were hoping for.
You may have even hired designers or marketing experts in the past, but weren’t sure if or even how it helped. Hiring an in-house design & marketing team is out of the question, how can you afford it? It can be frustrating and stressful, but still, you need to grow your business somehow!
Optimizing for Mobile Web Design
Technology is constantly evolving. Long gone are the days when you could make a simple website, built for desktop, and tons of leads would come your way. Today, you have to build your site for both desktop and mobile visitors. In fact, you may even find that the majority of site visitors are on mobile devices, rather than desktops. Mobile versus desktop site usage varies by industry and website type, but the message is still the same… Your website has to be designed for mobile. For website owners, knowing how to tell if your site is truly mobile friendly is often difficult and time consuming. That’s why it is important to find a great web design company that you can trust (hint hint, Ventura Web Design & Marketing).
Abandoned Cart Emails Tips & Tricks
There is almost nothing more frustrating than reviewing your abandoned cart stats and having them be a much larger number than anticipated.