Web stories, formerly known as AMP stories, are an interactive way to engage with your users. And recently, we got the Google web stories WordPress plugin. Today we will tell you about what web stories are and how they can help your SEO rankings. We will also talk about the new Google web stories plugin and what this means for your content. And lastly, we will outline how web stories are changing and what that means for your business.

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It is undeniable that an official WordPress plugin is going to make web stories even more popular. But it will be hard to understand these changes without knowing about the basics of the medium. That’s why we’re going to start with the basics. So let’s define what web stories are and talk about how they can drive traffic for your site.

Web Stories and SEO

A web story is a full-screen visual storytelling medium. These projects take google search results and transform them into an interactive space to make information more visually compelling. The results of these projects are a breath of fresh air for users and, as a result, are highly engaging. This medium creates brand new ways for you to communicate with users. Instead of text, a web story helps content creators speak visually. This visual element can help build trust in your content because the user feels involved.

This visual and interactive experience helps draw-in users. But a user actively participating in a search means they are more likely to retain information too. A standard search result can drive traffic to your website, but a web story can make this process into a journey. When a user finds content via a web story, they are a part of that discovery. This inclusion creates invested users who are excited to engage with your website. Its no wonder why people are so happy to use the new plugin!

WordPress and Web Stories

The advent of this plugin hints that we will start seeing professional and sleek designs from thousands of more users than before. As we know, WordPress plugins can make seemingly impossible tasks very easy. This ease means anyone can now utilize this highly effective messaging platform! These stories might even become an industry-standard you can come to expect from a professional website.

Plugins also help create easy user interactions. This google-designed plugin should be no different; we can expect WordPress web stories to start standardizing themes and templates that users can become accustomed too. Web stories were always highly engaging, but now they will be easy to implement also! The addition of plugin support means web stories will become a new industry standard.

Web Stories Plugin for Business

The new plugin format will affect how content is made and consumed for everyone. On the web development end, we can expect a content boom. Any time the entry barrier gets lowered, people will flock to it and see if it can help their solutions. And a web story is a prime candidate for this. Businesses interested in using a web story can expect the price of implementation to drop. This change will mean affordable and breath-taking design.

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For designers, this new tool will come with some required learning. While projects are in their early stages, web designers are often learning and unlearn the changing key features. But this education is vital for designers. With massive companies like google and major advertisers backing the project, it will be essential to know. Web designers have to stay on top of trends, and web stories are positively trending right now.

Google Web Stories WordPress Plugin

The new WordPress plugin support for web stories marks the changing of an era for digital marketing. From now on, web designers can quickly implement a web story into their campaigns seamlessly. This new tool means we can expect to see some changes in how we think about web story content. A web story is a full-screen interactive story that displays information similarly to an average google search. This medium lets people see results in a visual format rather than text. This additional layer of information will undoubtedly help your SEO ranking.

A plugin will also make these designs more comfortable with making and using. Because people can easily create their own web story now, we can expect to see more of them. Plugin support will also make designing easier. These factors mean we will begin to see a uniform and cost-effective web story designs all over the internet.

Using a new plugin can be a challenging endeavor and can feel like a serious undertaking. And any update to WordPress can be scary. But Kallen media can make the process easy. If you’re looking for help with adding a web story plugin to your website, contact Kallen media and let us help you.

A lot of people rely on WordPress to keep their businesses running smoothly. And now we’re only two short weeks away from a massive WordPress update! So it might be useful to know what’s coming. WordPress 5.5 is going to have some significant changes to the platform. Today, we figured we would give you a rundown of some of the most significant new features coming and what we’re most excited to see.

The technology space is seeing some fast changes in 2020. And WordPress is no different. A lot of the updates focus on themes and theme design. So if you’re a webpage designer, this update could change the way you do business! Every WordPress update brings new features to explore, and this one holds some fascinating tools. Let’s start with updates themselves.

Automatic Updates

WordPress

We’re personally very excited about this new feature. After the release on August 11th, WordPress will automatically update plugins and themes! That means that you can stop continually rechecking for the latest plugin and be confident you’re up-to-date. Automatic updates will also make general maintenance easier. Now, if a programmer has to patch something, they can automatically push this out instead of waiting for users to find it.

On the development side, this will make some changes. If you make plugins, this feature is optional. So you may have to prompt users to turn on automatic updates if they don’t do it naturally. Similarly, users don’t forget to switch on this feature to keep your theme current easily.

5.5 Accessibility

WordPress prides itself on ensuring every update has a focus on accessibility. And 5.5 is no different. This update brings with it a retooling of the widget navigation section. Previously accessibility tools had troubles sorting the unordered lists in widget menus, But now authors can ad navigation widgets to provide context and help users navigate! The new category system means that with some small changes, accessibility tools will be able to categorize menu options.

Similarly, the movement of meta boxes was adjusted. Now boxes can be move with keyboard inputs. Improving the meta window movement helps make these key features more accessible to people with limited input options. Similar features enable links to be copied by the click of a button. These features will help make sites more comfortable to use for some customers. Similarly, the efficiency updates coming in 5.5 will make WordPress faster and easier for everyone!

WordPress Site Efficiency

One of the many features which will make 5.5 faster is lazy loading image support. Lazy loading changes the way an image arrives at a viewport for a user. Loading images this way will make images load quickly and even save on bandwidth for users and hosts. Lazy loading image support means no more waiting for the product images to load on your e-commerce site. In addition to photos, some key design features are also getting makeovers.

WordPress media tab

Similarly, the update makes it easier for theme designers to create complex themes. By adding features like HTML support for custom logo and block patterns, designers can make complicated work easy to implement. These features mean we can expect to see even more sleek and efficient WordPress pages! These design tool changes don’t just help designers; block patterns will be publicly available to plug into websites. So even a small business site can look professional.

5.5 will also bring automatic enabling of XML site maps. These mapping functions will help improve the visibility of all of your content. These are just a few of the ways WordPress 5.5 is becoming a faster, more efficient design platform.

WordPress 5.5

With a release date of August 11th, WordPress 5.5 is coming at us fast. In two weeks, we will be seeing some massive changes to our webpage developer. One of our most anticipated features is automatic updating. No more searching for up-to-date plugin fixes! But they won’t be stopping there; WordPress is also adding changes to make design templates for themes easier to distribute. Features like line editors and block patterns will mean we get beautiful web-design even faster. Lastly, WordPress always features some key accessibility features in their updates. 5.5 features cataloging of menus so accessibility tools can help users navigate sites easier.

Are you looking to help WordPress develop the 5.5 updates? Testers are needed for the beta platform to find any bugs. WordPress is also looking for help to translate their new update into the hundreds of languages its users speak. Check out their project to see if you can assist.

Are you struggling to use some of the new WordPress features? If you’re looking for help preparing for the latest changes, Kallen media is here to answer your questions. Check out our website and contact us with any problems you have.

The days where your blackberry took fifteen minutes to load a website are gone. Today users expect their phones to connect to a polished, professional website. Statista reported around 50 percent of browsing is done on mobile devices. So how does a business make sure its content looks good no matter where customers find it. They turn to responsive web design.

Responsive web design creates websites that change based on the hardware they are running. Most people are familiar with this. Think deleting emails on your phone versus your computer. But how do you make sure your website is fluid like this? What are some standard practices of responsive web design?

Size Matters: Responsive Scaling

Most websites designed for computer screens plan for large monitors. And why wouldn’t they? If you have space, you should use it! But scrolling endlessly from side to side on the phone won’t do. Because of this, scaling is critical. So responsive web design focuses on identifying what’s essential to scale.

Menus are often oriented vertically for phones, and instead of complex series of popups, mobile designs often just load a new separate subpage. Similarly, it’s essential to put what’s important first. The limited space on mobile models shouldn’t sacrifice your message.

Scaling doesn’t mean a brand new website. The essential things are still just as important. So it is vital to prioritize what users will need the most. Because of this, it’s sometimes helpful to design your mobile website first. Once you have the critical information, it’s easy to expand. But developing your mobile site at a smaller scale can help companies solve design issues.

Responsive Design Aesthetics

A big screen generally makes it easier to see fine details. And that if a particular look is central to your brand? Sometimes these details are vital to the user experience. And you shouldn’t lose that in the mobile design. So how do we preserve these aesthetic choices while scaling? Responsive web design solves this in a few smart ways.

The first is scalable vector graphics or SVGs. These files are designed not to lose resolution at any size. This is huge for responsive design because it allows for almost every dimension of the screen without compromise for others. SVGs also tend to be smaller files, which will help loading speeds! But other design decisions matter too. In the past, we’ve talked about speeding up websites, and reducing graphics size is an easy way to do this.

Some fonts rely on size heavily to be read. And certain color combinations blend together if designs get intricate. Almost every aspect of a website matters when its changing size. An example of this is the buttons. A computer mouse is a fine point, but the human finger is not. Mobile web design accounts for touch screen operation with bigger buttons and sometimes having separate designs for the mobile and desktop versions.

Benefits Of Mobile Websites

Responsive design isn’t all drawbacks. Phones have an incredible range of functions that web browsers can activate. Creating engagement can be hard. But phones make it so easy. You can use a button on your mobile website that connects users directly to you via phone! Using the tools on the phone can help create a fluid and comfortable user experience. This also makes it easier to let users take action right away.

Another benefit of mobile design is a clear call to action. Because you have limited space, often, your call to action becomes very apparent. This is a good thing when combined with other mobile tools. Users can figure out what they should do and get it done. No more endless sticky notes or yellow pads, mobile design solves these problems.

Responsive Web Design

If you’re ignoring mobile web users, its time to reconsider your web design, a significant portion of users are mobile users, and they deserve consideration. So a website that can run on any hardware is a must-have in today’s business world. That’s why companies turn to responsive web design. By focusing on the issues that hinder scaling a website, responsive design helps create a smooth user experience.

Responsive web design tackles these problems by providing tools to help websites scale up or down. This tactic requires some critical decisions before it can start. Preserving the look and feel of your website is essential. So scaling can’t come at the cost of your branding. Tools like scaling graphics, button design, and layout all help make the website versatile.

Responsive web design requires a thoughtful approach to a companies needs and content. Sometimes responsive design even requires an entirely new plan. But the professionals are here to help. Kallen media focuses on ensuring our client’s content is high quality no matter what people use to find it. If you need help going mobile with your website, contact Kallen media via our website.

E-commerce is rapidly becoming the new normal in consumer markets. E-commerce stores are essentially any website that you go to buy goods entirely online. Amazon, for example, is the largest e-commerce store in the world. This business model is quickly becoming the “norm” when it comes to modern business. but how does a companies even make those websites? If you’re ready to make the jump to e-commerce or need some guidance, keep reading!

Making your online store stand out can be hard when competing against corporate giants. Companies that are inexperienced in the online space can benefit greatly from having a web hosting partner. Full-service partners, like Kallen Media, can help your website flourish with individually tailored packages to suit your needs as a business owner. before a store can be tailored to fit a businesses needs some simple groundwork must be laid.

Building Your E-Commerce Store

As stated above, any website that allows you to buy products online is an E-commerce store. There are many different types, and an even more significant number of platforms to choose from. Before setting one up, you’ll need a website. WordPress is an inclusive, comprehensive website builder. Many companies offer extensive guidance when it comes to setting up your WordPress website. A lot of times, you can find an affordable price to have your website built for you! Once your WordPress site is up and running, it’s time to get an e-commerce plugin that will accommodate your business needs.

When building your store, it’s crucial to pick expandable options. As your business grows, your needs will scale. A website can sometimes be very challenging to scale if the proper precautions aren’t taken. You want to make sure the platform you choose can scale with your ever-increasing requirements. failing to account for scale may result in poor customer experiences or even store closure. It makes the process a lot more simple to select the right e-commerce plugin at the beginning, instead of having to switch to keep up with increased demands. while there are plenty of options for these plugins, most businesses utilize the same ones.

WordPress E-commerce plugins

Once a company decides to start selling, it’s time to build the shop interface. The two of the biggest WordPress platforms for an online store are Shopify, and WooCommerce. Many web hosting partners prefer one of these two, although these are not the only options, they are the most trusted. Around 39% of all online WordPress stores use WooCommerce, so it’s clear they know what they’re doing. Once a company has chosen it plugin it’s time to start building. Setting up an online store can seem like a daunting task, but it’s a lot more simple than you would think. so what exactly do these plugins do and how does it affect a website?

WooCommerce and WordPress

running an E-commerce store no longer takes a tech genius. The great thing about WooCommerce is that you don’t need to be a coder or spend much time. It will do much of the work for you. It’s as simple as adding the plugin and following the directions. the user-friendly interface means changes can easily be made allowing for a more customizable webpage. Once you’ve added the plugin, WooCommerce will begin to help create an e-store.

the first thing the WooCommerce plugin does is load an installation wizard. The installation wizard will then walk you through the process step by step. It will first take you through the pages you’ll need, which is as easy as hitting continue. Then you’ll be taken through and asked about what currency you use for the website. Afterward, the wizard will help you set up shipping and tax rates. Luckily, you don’t need to know any of that, WooCommerce will help decide for you. The final step to getting up and running is choosing your methods of payment, and that’s it! (technically) building your online store is only the first step. Then the website is customized to fit individual needs and brand requirements.

Make Your Online Store Unique

So now you have an e-commerce store that is up and running, but there are many more things to consider. You want it to flow well, what’s the point in selling your products online if your customers can’t figure out how to pay for them? Additionally, you want it to look appealing. There is a multitude of plugins that can help your site pop but some of that can start to get confusing, plugins can seem endless and some are less intuitive than others. That’s where employing the right help comes in handy! A company that excels in building memorable WordPress websites can help bring your ideas to life! if you need help making or managing your store, contact Kallen media on our website here.

WordPress initially launched in the year 2003. Since then, it has completely revolutionized the way businesses had an online presence. We have fast websites now – more rapid than our mind’s ability to decide what we want to see later.  The Introduction of WordPress allowed for web development to be more accessible than ever. WordPress website design has revolutionized web design, but what sets it apart?

Why WordPress?

WordPress has millions of in-house as well as independent designers worldwide that contribute to the database of its themes and plugins. But, all of it is done so that you could do the best to maintain your personal and professional profile on this vast – World Wide Web. It’s a tremendous achievement that WordPress powers nearly 35% of the world’s total websites.

WordPress also takes pride in announcing that it has become one of the most significant sources of income for independent professionals. Hundreds of WordPress web designers in Phoenix are offering services on freelance platforms.  Here they design your website’s theme and help you extend the functionality of your plugins.

It is user-friendly, has an attractive user interface, and doesn’t require technical knowledge of coding, programming and back-end management, etc. Plus, WordPress website designs are highly adaptable. The websites can cater to all your changing demands and requirements. Giant, multinational corporations like Sony use WordPress. Similarly, new bloggers also use WordPress. It is highly-compatible for beginners. More than anything else, the most significant appealing factor for WordPress is its dependable community support.

The WordPress Website Design

This platform offers great design options. The significant fact here is that a WordPress design doesn’t only comprise what one sees on a limited screen. The fonts, themes, palettes, plugins, etc. all constitute a masterpiece WordPress website design. You can alter combinations, and so, users can enjoy a wide variety of options depending upon their purpose. That’s the reason WordPress can power sales pages, personal blogs, poetry pages, eBooks. Also, it can help you showcase your skills and act as a virtual CV if you want to opt for a technical career. You can display your portfolio, previous work experiences, and whatnot on your very-own, WordPress website.  These websites have become a second home for many world-class professionals now – who prefer their WordPress website over their business premises.

Personal Profiles on WordPress

Personal pages to offer small-scale services. Often, writers who want to share their opinion for pleasure or offer delicious recipes or want to voice their ideas for a more significant social or philanthropic cause use WordPress on a personal level. It is their bridge with which they connect to the global community and become part of the broader perspective.

Business and Professional Profiles on WordPress

It’s great to learn that the world’s biggest businesses and most influential organizations have powered a chunk of 14% of their websites via WordPress. That’s not only because of the built-in features but because of more than 55000 plugins available on the WordPress directory. There are, however, more significant reasons why people prefer showcasing their professional skills, portfolios, home businesses to giant corporate services on WordPress.

Firstly, the websites on WordPress are SEO-friendly. These pages get a higher ranking on Google, and so, businesses have higher chances of attracting clients and customers on this platform. Plus, people love customizing their websites their way – their brand’s approach. It has a drag and drops menus for simplest to complicated stuff on WordPress. The site gets secured once it’s powered here, and domain, hosting, etc. do not cost an arm or length.

How can a WordPress Web Designer help you?

Though it’s easy to start a WordPress website – like, it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to sign up and do all the specific tasks. But, hiring a WordPress web designer in Phoenix can wondrously aid any new or established business in getting a fabulous online presence. Also, if you’re in Arizona, especially in Phoenix, then you can get a bunch of commercial services from the best WordPress web designers.

Because your WordPress website is your ultimate store-front, it deserves the touch by an artist. These service providers have more comprehensive experience, diverse portfolio, year-round discounts, and highly dependable customer service. Most importantly, they don’t give you their time; they dedicate their efforts to see your masterpiece adding value to your new-born or older business.  You can get in touch with us directly at (773)524-1483 or email [email protected] for more information on creating your WordPress website.

Kallen Media’s First WordCamp

At the start of February, I was lucky enough to attend the WordCamp Phoenix 2022 event.  WordCamps are WordPress events that bring together the community to share advice and tips.  And these events have been going on for over ten years and take place around the world. So be sure to lookup WordCamp events near you to see if there is a chance to join in on these great conferences.  The event was in the heart of bustling downtown Phoenix in “Events on Jackson.”  

WordCamp Phoenix 2020 was my first WordCamp event, along with Kallen Media’s first as well.  And I had not done too much research on these events; besides that, they involved the WordPress community and critical members.  Because of the proximity and low price point of $50 for a weekend pass, I decided to register myself as an attendee if you are interested in rewatching any on the previous WordCamps, found on the WordPress TV website.

The event weekend started with a smooth drive to downtown Phoenix from my office in Tempe, right near Arizona State University.  Parking was only $5 each day for special event parking, which is very reasonable for downtown Phoenix. Once I walked in, wonderful volunteers greeted me, and I was quickly able to find my badge.  The lobby had great snacks and hot coffee; So for the day, They were great!

Volunteers orchestrated the entire event. Which made me excited to see the presentations to come because everyone was passionate about WordPress.  Opening remarks gave me an excellent overview of what to expect from this conference. Now it was time to start learning!

WordCamp Sessions – Day 1 morning

The first presentation that I sat in on was from Kori Ashton, the CEO of WebTegrity.  Her presentation focused on improving digital marketing business models, specifically for small businesses and freelancers.  The talk hit a direct cord with me going over both questions and similar experiences of my own. I was able to gain insights on pricing models, workflow structures, and customer interactions, all within her 50-minute presentation. My mind was opened to more possibilities looking ahead with Kallen Media watching a successful digital marketer share their tips and secrets. This session was exactly the content I was looking to learn!

The next session that I decided to go to was “The Art of Networking” with Francesca Marano.  Francesca is the WordPress community manager at SiteGround. She traveled from Germany and has made a career out of networking within the WordPress community.  Hearing Francesca speak about her experiences networking and getting out of her comfort zone encouraged me to engage as many community members as possible throughout the rest of the conference.

WordCamp Sessions – Day 1 Afternoon

My final presentation of the morning was about building a content marketing machine with Colin Shipp. Because of content marketing’s significant part in digital marketing as a whole, I was particularly interested in this presentation.  Colin sheds light on creating content meant for consumers, not search engines. He also broke down the best types of articles to write and effective ways to capture your readers.  A fantastic presentation that gave me valuable insights and reassurance that my content marketing strategies were on the right track.

Lunch both days was a delicious offering of gourmet tacos.  Both days I was pleased with the food.  So glad I went back for seconds both days! Lunchtime was also the prime time where I was able to network and talk to other fellow WordPress fanatics.  I met a variety of travel bloggers and business owners that gave me different perspectives on how WordPress works in a business.

WordCamp Sessions – Day 1 Afternoon

The second half of day 1 of Phoenix WordCamp 2020 started with Troy Dean’s presentation, “Think Again.”  This presentation highlighted getting started in WordPress and utilizing the community to help your business grow.  Become a specialist and either partner with professionals or outsource work when possible. He finished his presentation focusing on five core pieces to being successful: language, thoughts, beliefs, actions, and results.

Complimenting “Think Again” was the next presentation by Chris Klosowski about transitioning from maker to manager.  Within businesses, it is critical to have both happy employees and a manager who is competent. Chris elaborated that only 1 in 10 people have natural managerial talent, and the other 9 need some training.  This fact is essential because it shows how critical exercise is in creating an efficient and happy workforce.

Session 6 of the day was about how to create online courses by Zac Gordon.  Within the short span of 50 minutes, Zac was able to cover over 100 different tips for making useful courses.  Some of the most exciting pieces of information included his setup for recording videos. There is a lot more time and effort going into these kinds of content than I thought!  This content ranges from mic setups to adding proper lighting to your room. I would highly recommend rewatching this video for anyone interested in starting their digital courses.

The final presentation of day 1 was by Julie Archer about how to organically grow your brand utilizing social media.  This topic was another point of interest since Kallen Media has been managing social media accounts for its clients since its creation.  Some great tidbits that I got from this presentation were to connect with your audience authentically. Make sure your content is made for people and is genuinely entertaining.  Failing to do so is the number 1 way brands fall off, and consumers become uninterested.

Day 1 Conclusion

After my first day of WordCamp Phoenix 2020 was over, and I could not have been happier with my day.  I got to network with fellow digital marketers and WordPress fans within my community. The facility and food were both fantastic, with extraordinarily engaging and exciting panels to go throughout the day.

Some of the other fun aspects of the event were all the sponsors and their booths.  Below is a picture of all the different swag sponsors that were handing out.  I personally really enjoyed all the stickers, and have added some to my laptop.  If you are a fan of free stuff, WordCamp is the place for you.

WordCamp Sessions – Day 2 Morning

Today I wanted to explore more of the presenters than I had the previous day. I thought that there were some time slots with multiple exciting topics but i still enjoyed all my presentations.  My morning began with Marco Berrocal digging into WordPress hooks and how they are an essential part of WordPress web development. Next, I went to Kimberly Lipari, who spoke about Valet, a managed WordPress service.  Her presentation was fascinating because I resonated with her story. She started as a marketer and slowly dove deeper into development, which is how I got my start as well.

The morning ended with a group presentation on how to get involved with the WordPress community.  The presenters talked about how WordPress was built open-source from a group. Because of that community, it made connecting with like-minded individuals much more straightforward.  There were events around the US, particularly WordSesh and MeetUp events. These were both free gatherings where people could go and talk with other members of the WordPress Community.  The diversity excited me to try and research some of the groups in my area after the event concluded.

WordCamp Sessions – Day 2 Afternoon

After another delicious lunch, it was time for the keynote speaker of the weekend, Brandy Lawson.  Brandy spoke about coming up with the Phoenix WordPress community. Through the support of partners, they were able to create their businesses by connecting with the right people.  Connections and creating meetup groups allowed Brandy to create a successful digital marketing business. By doing this, it allowed for more time with family and a balanced lifestyle.  

Now it was time to get into my last three sessions of the day.  Allie Nimmons was first up to present about how to supercharge maintenance plans for clients.  For me and my business, a maintenance plan is a difference between a functional client website and a website with problems.  These plans allow for a constant relationship between the client and webmaster to ensure the client’s site is always working at its best capacity.  Some of the best key points that Allie mentioned were utilizing the GoDaddy Pro dashboard, setting up analytics, and examples of statistics to show clients.  I started using GoDaddy Pro after this presentation, and would highly recommend it since it is free!

Session 6 was Pam Aungst presenting the SEO Basics.  My primary reason for going to this breakout was checking Kallen Media’s SEO practices against seasoned veterans. First, we talked about speed software that I utilized, including GTMetrix, Screaming Frog, SEMRush, and Moz.  Additionally, Pam broke down the different Google tools such as page speed insights, mobile-friendly test, and the structured data testing tool.  Some of the best information I gained was online news and blogs revolving around search engine optimization and best practices.

Day 2 Conclusion

The final presentation of WordCamp Phoenix 2020 was about data privacy by Ronnie Burt.  Right off the bat, Ronnie debunked the myth that WordPress plugins can provide privacy, and they can’t.  Personal information consists of a person’s first and last name, plus one additional personal detail.  To create the most effective privacy system, he recommended that people research their state and the field they are practicing in.  This way, it limits the possibility of any legal action or potential breaches.

My Experience

Overall my experience with the WordCamp Phoenix 2020 conference was spectacular.  I would highly recommend WordCamp events to anyone interested in making a career in the digital world.  The speakers had a wide diversity of topics making their sessions for people of every skill level. There are WordCamps around the world, so I would highly encourage my readers to take a look online and find a camp near you to check out!  So if you are interested in learning more about my experience at WordCamp Phoenix 2020, please give me a call at (773) 524-1483 or fill out a contact form.

What strikes your mind when you feel like buying a product or service? What do you do? Where do you go next? The answer for most of us is going to be to search online! A business website surely rings a bell, as that will be your destination. If that’s what you do, it’s probable that hundreds of millions of people out there do the same. In this era of technology, where the internet has revolutionized our experience of shopping goods and services, websites for small businesses has become our go-to place. That’s why it is highly essential to have a website because that’s where your customers are.

Creating a small business website is as easy as ABC. You don’t need anything physical. Just decide a brand name (if your business is new), buy a domain and a hosting service. But your work isn’t done yet. You need to have space on a WORLDWIDE WEB with a user interface that your customers would want to visit again and again. The primary platform is WordPress, which is not only comfortable but economical and user-friendly.  To dive deeper into hosting and domain services would be a topic for another article.  If you are interested in learning more about what host is right for you, I recommend researching your specific niche.  Some great companies to start with would be GoDaddy, WPEngine, or BlueHost.

Research different themes

Before you start making your website, similar research businesses, check which themes they are using.  The theme is the generalized structure of a site; different templates allow for various features.  Then, match your theme according to your logo and your essential brand’s color style. While ‘theme’ sounds as one word, remember that it comprises of overall fonts and color palettes that your webpage will use. Best website designers for small businesses suggest that you buy an economic theme – as it is ready-made and doesn’t require you to do a lot of website coding on the back end. It is a little investment, but it can do wonders for your small business website.  I typically recommend utilizing an Elegant Theme’s “Divi Theme” for easy accessibility and gorgeous design elements.

Start from an ‘about me’ Statement

Sometimes, it’s not the products that your people want to buy. They want to buy it from you and your brand!  For that, you must make your first classy impression via your ‘about statement.’ It’s the first thing you should craft once you h on a theme. Your statement can quote your interests, your causes, your expertise, favorites, and maybe the name of your favorite pet!

It’s a virtual tour of your Office

Remember that your website – be it for a small business or a giant, established one, should provide a virtual tour of your business premises. While visiting your website, your customers and your target audience should feel how they would if they had been there in one of your stores or branches. And so, your website is your storefront. It has to be classy and should contain stuff that distinguishes your brand. You have to have a logo, banners with related color shades, slogan, and anything else that relates directly to the products and services you offer.

Buy Some Cool Plugins

The major hype around WordPress is because of the neat plugins it offers. While it has several free plugins, the paid ones are the best because they can add instant life to your website. Also, these plugins can be bought one by one throughout your business era. And believe me, the first time you buy a crazy plugin, you’d love it and instantly wish to buy another. However, it is a bit challenging to use different plugins altogether yourself, and you may need some professional help. For that, there are hundreds of WordPress web designers in Arizona, who offer expert advice and excellent service against a cost you’d love!

Offer a freebie

Clients love it when they can take something back after visiting your WordPress website. You can offer them a beginner’s guide to doing something, a checklist, a planner page, a sticker, a business plan, a home organizer, or a simple worksheet that would make them come back to your website – which is also your storefront. A lot of times, these customers keep lingering on your website in search of other digital freebies and find something they had wanted to buy for ages.  Something we offer as a freebie is a free SEO audit of your website!

A website isn’t enough!

If you hire a professional website designer, he/she will walk you through the whole process of setting up an online presence for your brand. But, making a website for small businesses can be a hassle. There will be times when you’d want to focus more on creating new products and services – rather than looking at your webpage and even marketing it. Therefore, to make this process hassle-free, we always suggest our followers hire the best website designer for their small business and let this person do the rest for you! They’ll help you connect your website to different social media platforms, collect email marketing data for you, and so on!

Gone are the days when people would linger around shops and stores. People no longer spend hours looking for their favorite turquoise hoodie or their plum lip color in physical stores. That’s because businesses are growing, and so are the customers’ expectations – so are the selling strategies, and so are your competitors. This expansion has lead both large and small companies to shift to an online business model.  Still, there can be nothing more thrilling and industrious to launch an eCommerce websites from scratch and watch your sales skyrocket.

Now how do you get started?  Umm, it’s more or less like a recipe you’ve been reading twice or thrice or more than that. And so, it’s a different feeling when you start doing stuff – mixing your research with your existing business plans and then grinding it with the market insights for your desired niches. So, here is an ultimate guide for beginners who plan to start an eCommerce store, the hassle-free way, in 2020.

Step 1 – Research the market

Like any other business, Ecommerce also requires you to dedicate time, energy, and efforts. Before you sign up for stores or something like that, make sure to study the market trends, barriers to entry and exit, and participate in online discussions about this business. Otherwise, once you start without the necessary knowledge, it may get exceedingly tedious later on to understand the technical vocabulary, ratios, and insights of your business.

During your research phase, you need to decide which niche you’d target – which depends upon your interest. If you know a great deal about the newest cellphone models, and you choose to open an eCommerce store that exclusively sells handmade scarves, art, crafts, and paintings – you’d soon regret your decision to launch this business.  All your ideas, website, and offerings need to flow together to give the customer a consistent message.

Bonus Tip: Your research should include cross-checking the market trends as well as your interests! Knowing this information will help you direct your efforts while choosing product lines and target audience.  The longer you spend on research, the less you will need to do in the later phases.

Step 2 – Establish your brand and store

An eCommerce store is essentially a conventional store where you hand in physical goods or services to your clients. So, deal with it the same way. Establish your brand – logo, store name, products, vendors, delivery channels, payment methods, business licenses, work permits, etc. Also, consider any other business obligations as required by your local government or compliance authorities.  Failing to do so could result in unpaid taxes or fines that nobody wants to deal with.

Then, choose a platform for starting your eCommerce websites. Evaluate carefully before you decide on one. Selecting a cart option may seem more comfortable, but it’s something entirely different from just looking at them.  Our recommendation is to use the WordPress CMS platform with an eCommerce theme or plugin. Popular options include WooCommerce and Shopify. Remember that your eCommerce has a high loading speed, the available templates relate to your business model, there are different payment channels available, and that it has any other necessary features and storage.  Striking a balance between a lean, fast website, and one that is robust with information is critical.

Bonus Tip: It’s better to hire an eCommerce web designing expert from Arizona if you’re new to all of this. You may have to bear a financial cost for these services, but that’s way convenient than doing it on your own for the first time and destroying the first impression of your store.  Plus, Kallen Media has been working with these eCommerce websites for years!

Step 3: Choose relevant marketing channels

Time to market your store! Deciding the right platform advertise your products and your store is equally important as the design. For example, if you are offering some WordPress themes, digital downloads, research reports, or maybe some furniture for offices and business premises – you better work with LinkedIn. Similarly, if you have a girly brand and pink products, makeup items, or some undergarments – then prefer using Facebook Business. In short, your platforms will differ based on your target audience, and it is so vital for your business to engage with the community via the right channel and media.

Bonus Tip: There are some sponsored marketing tools available on different platforms. For example, LinkedIn has a premium account. Similarly, Facebook posts can also be boosted against a nominal cost. Go for that. Or, if you want to avoid taking long routes for these necessary tasks, outsource your worries to a digital marketing agency in Arizona who can manage everything else for you. A number of these digital marketing agencies offer great SEO and blog posting services.

Are you in Phoenix?

Get in touch with the best digital marketing agency that will take care of your eCommerce websites as a professional. These companies in Phoenix offer solutions to all of your problems – from eCommerce web designing to higher ranking campaigns in SEO. They have inhouse teams who provide creative advice, expert consultancy, and excellent customer care with mind-blowing eCommerce store management services that you’d love for ages!  For more information, you can contact [email protected] or call (773)524-1483.

What Is Structured Data?

Today I am going to cover an introduction to structured data and why it is essential for your website. Most people are familiar with using search engines to find results based on their search. However, what people may not be as familiar with is why your search results look the way they do.  Before we dive in, I want to start with an introduction to structured data that may seem more familiar. Take a look at the image below. You may notice a variety of differences within each result that comes up for the “casserole recipe.”  This structure is because of structured data written on the backend of the website.

At the top of the search results are card-like structures.  Instead of a standard link, you get the recipe name, author, review ranking, and even some ingredients.  All of this is thanks to the structured data. Google uses data from a website’s “site map” to show more detailed results.  When you add a specific piece of code to your website that is structured data, it allows Google to augment your listing. When standing out from the competition is vital, this will give you an advantage. All of this together is why structured data is becoming such an essential holistic search engine optimization practice.

Where Does Structured Data Come From?

Structured data is what tells Google and other search engines what is important and what it should be displaying.  The project is primarily based on a web project called Schema.org. This website is a database for a markup language used to communicate with the search engines.  The communication happens by using a method of encoding data called JSON-LD. There are other ways available, but for this article, we will be focusing on Schema.org and JSON-LD.

Now you know that structured data is composed of JSON-LD markup.  The markup taken from Schema.org can now convert to structured data. Within the website, there are a variety of sections that highlights the type of data that can be composed.  Some great examples would be recipes, business hours, or author name. Not all posts or page types can break down into structured data for all search engines.  This is why it is essential to also take a look at the Google-approved markup. By doing this, you will ensure that the largest search engine can correctly index your website.  Indexing a website is when Google sends out their bots, which go from website to website capturing data. These bots are often called crawlers and are critical factors in how your website ranks in search results.

Website Integration

But now lies the question, what do we do, and how do we integrate it within our website?

Most people are not going to want to learn the code and backend of JSON-LD.  Luckily, there are a wide variety of other ways that you can implement your Schema markup.  The most common is going to be through utilizing a plugin. Currently, there are a wide variety of broad SEO plugins on the market.  These plugins are going to be the most comfortable option for most users. This will allow you to fill out data about your website and posts from a smooth user interface.  Some great examples of plugins to use would be the Moz or Yoast plugins. These companies offer both free and paid options that vary on the amount of support and opportunities given. This research is a significant first step in creating an optimized website while still being introduced to structured data.

A great alternative for people who may want to dive a bit deeper into their website would be to utilize Google Structured Data Testing Tool. Before we do that, I want to show you what the JSON-LD code for structured data will look like.  Don’t be overwhelmed by the code. If you focus on the few key points that I highlight, you will be able to use templates on most of your pages.  The first picture represents the JSON-LD code put in while the second represents that outcome.

Google Tools

After looking at the picture you should be able to see that there is a connection between the left and right sides.  This means that you will check Schema.org for the parts of markup required. For the example above, I used an article from Kallen Media.  The “@context” and “@type” will always start on the JSON-LD code side.  Below that is where you begin to describe to search engines what your page is composed of.  The reason we do this is that it is harder for computers to understand the meaning and context compared to humans.  By assigning values to names and specific aspects, it tells the search engines what it should be showing searchers. These values can change based on what type of post or page you are making your structured data markup.

Using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool is one of my top recommendations when first getting acquainted with JSON-LD and Schema.org.  This is because it will tell you the errors that will occur for Google. This is important since Google is the top search engine and you want your website showing up!

Once you have created the markup that you want to add to your site, there are a few options for how to install it.  The easiest and most effective way is going to be using Google Tag Manager.  This interface allows you only to have to add a few pieces of Global site code to your website, instead of every bit of structured data you have done.  If you do not feel comfortable doing this, we offer search engine optimization services that include structure data creation for your website.

Finalize Your Data

Google Tag Manager will allow you to enter in the JSON-LD added to your database.  This then will allow all search engines to read the structured data snippets that you have.  However, you will need to slightly change your code for Google to accept it. The easiest way to do this is to paste the code into Yoast’s Script Helper.

Once you have done this, you can test your tags from within Google to make sure they are activated.  Once complete, your structured data should be ready to go for your website. This will mean that search engines will be able to read your content more accessible.  That means that your website should start standing out from competitors who invested in structured data. We are eager to see how structured data impacts businesses we work with.  If you have your website showing up using structured data snippets, let us know in the comments! Finally, if you need assistance setting-up SEO practices for your website, please reach out to [email protected] for more information on getting introduced to structured data.