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Author: Youthtech Solutions

Build an eCommerce Website to Boost Your Small Business

Posted on by Youthtech Solutions

An eCommerce website can be one of your biggest assets, especially in the modern commercial environment. The pandemic forced everyone to rely on online resources to keep going and it has changed the way people shop and conduct business. People who weren’t comfortable with online shopping before have not adapted to it. That means small businesses can no longer afford to neglect this platform. They need to make sure they have a dedicated eCommerce website to sell their products and/or services effectively.

If you have ever shopped online, you know that these websites can be fairly expansive with hundreds of dedicated product pages. Developing such a website requires a lot of skill, experience, and fineness. The developer also needs to have experience with platforms like Shopify, Woo-Commerce, Magento, Prestashop, Big-Commerce, etc. YTS can develop websites that will take your business to the next level and we explain why you may need such a platform as a small business.

1. They’re Affordable

Let’s get the question of money out of the way first. Many small businesses are reluctant to invest in an eCommerce website because they are worried about the money involved. Building websites isn’t as expensive as it used to be. The initial investment may intimidate you, but the long-term returns can make it worth the expense.

eCommerce websites can be as big or small as you like. You can choose different technologies, and plans, and discuss your options with a web developer to come up with a sound plan.

2. Access

eCommerce websites offer a great deal of accessibility. You will reach people who can’t come to your shop or live too far away from your store to buy directly. This also increases the number of sales and expands your customer base significantly.

Many small businesses start with a local customer base and keep growing. Some end up being international businesses shipping items worldwide. Their products even reach remote areas easily, which means they can earn more money with their investment while building a strong brand presence online.

3. Scalable

eCommerce websites are highly scalable, which means they can easily grow with your business with very little investment. When you need to expand a traditional brick-and-mortar store, you need to buy or rent property, invest in furniture and equipment, hire new people, and spend a lot of money to get the new location up and running.

Websites are easier to scale and don’t require as much money. The developer will just add a few more pages and transfer your website to a bigger server. You can also take advantage of cloud computing to expand your website as much as your business needs without spending money on physical assets. This is the biggest advantage of an eCommerce website for a small business. You can start with a small investment and build up as your company grows.

4. Power of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is one of the most powerful marketing strategies available today. You can use different strategies like content, SEO, paid ads, social media marketing, etc, to build a large customer base. However, for digital marketing campaigns to be successful, you need a dedicated website.

The website is often the center of your online presence. It is where all of your content, products, services and company-related information is. A strong website with an equally strong digital marketing setup will help you reach more people and earn more money.

5. Mobile Commerce

Did you know that people look for product information online even when they are in a store and looking at the product with their own eyes? If you don’t have a website or an application, third-party sites become the primary sources of information on your product. Sometimes, people will look at the product in your store but buy it from platforms like Amazon because online shopping is more convenient.

That’s why having an eCommerce website, especially one that is responsive and suitable for mobile, is essential. If people do search for your product or services online through their mobile phones, your website will be the first thing they see. They can then use the website to place an order and get the item delivered to their doorstep. Mobile commerce has seen a big surge in recent years and small businesses can’t afford to ignore it.

6. Operate 24-7

Consider how long you can keep your brick-and-mortar store open. In most cases, 10-12 hours? You may still need to shut it down during the holidays or another (god forbid) pandemic. What happens then? Your products are sitting on the shelves and you’re not earning money. With an eCommerce store, you’re open 24/7. Whether you’re asleep or our vacationing, your products are selling and you’re collecting orders.

You just need to make sure your backend can keep up with the demands generated by the website. You can run your business 24/7 without working 24/7. You will hit those impulse-buy customers that order in the middle of the night because they are tired, awake, and just want to get something good.

7. Spend Less

Yes, creating and maintaining a good eCommerce website costs money but you also end up saving some money. An eCommerce website can supplement your workforce and handle most of the tasks a sales team will do. For example, a good product page can convince hundreds of customers to buy a product. A sales rep will have to do the same thing repeatedly to hit those numbers.

Hiring people and paying them to do a job is a constant, recurring expense. While you may still need employees to handle the workload, you may not need as many if you have an eCommerce website. You can still grow your business without hiring more people.

8. Brand Presence

Developing a strong brand presence and reputation is easier if you have a website. You can go to people’s inboxes to remind them of your presence. You can use social media to start conversations, run campaigns, and interact with prospective customers.

Establishing a strong brand presence is necessary if you want to survive in a competitive business environment. Even the small business world has become much more competitive now. At-home companies with eCommerce websites now ship their products all across the globe. Their sales are made because of the power of branding and social media reach.

9. Accelerate the Sales Process

Online sales are quicker and easier, which increases the chances of a customer buying a product they have had their eye on for a while. If you can make a purchase just at the click of a button and get a product delivered to you at your doorstep, you’re more likely to buy it. For a small business, this has always been a barrier.

Large commercial chains make things easier for their customer. Their products are cheaper, they have more stores, they have a bigger collection of products, etc. Small businesses have a smaller inventory, fewer stores, and can be a little more expensive. eCommerce can help you overcome those barriers.

As you can see, eCommerce is an excellent investment for small businesses. If you want to know more, discuss the website in detail with an experienced developer. They will recommend solutions that suit your requirements.

Why Is Regular Website Maintenance Important?

Posted on by Youthtech Solutions

Website maintenance is a crucial aspect of running a successful online presence. It involves regularly updating and managing the content, security, and overall functionality of a website to ensure it is functioning optimally. For businesses and organisations, regular website maintenance is essential for a number of reasons. It helps to protect against cyber threats and vulnerabilities, improve the user experience, boost search engine visibility, establish trust with customers, and save on long-term costs. Neglecting website maintenance can lead to a variety of problems, including security breaches, poor performance, and damage to a brand’s reputation. Therefore, it is important for businesses and organisations to prioritise regular website maintenance as part of their overall digital strategy.

Reasons to Maintain Your Website

1. Security

One of the main reasons why regular website maintenance is so important is because it helps to keep your website secure. Cyber threats and vulnerabilities are constantly evolving, and it is essential to ensure that your website is protected against them. By regularly updating and patching any security vulnerabilities, you can significantly reduce the risk of your website being hacked or compromised.

In addition to keeping your website secure, regular maintenance also helps to protect against data breaches and other security incidents that could damage your brand’s reputation and trust with customers.

Other than installing security updates, there are a number of other measures that can be taken as part of regular website maintenance to enhance security. This can include implementing strong passwords and two-factor authentication, regularly backing up website data, and using secure protocols for transmitting sensitive information.

By taking these and other precautions, you can help to ensure that your website remains secure and your business is protected against potential cyber threats. Overall, regular website maintenance is an essential part of maintaining the security and integrity of your online presence.

2. Performance

Maintaining your website is not only important for security reasons, but it can also have a significant impact on the performance of your site. A slow or poorly functioning website can be frustrating for users and may even drive them away. On the other hand, a well-maintained website that is fast and easy to use can enhance the user experience and encourage people to stay on your site longer.

There are a number of ways in which regular website maintenance can improve performance. One way is by regularly updating and optimising website code, which can help to improve speed and efficiency. Additionally, regularly cleaning up and organising website content can also improve performance by reducing the amount of data that needs to be loaded for each page.

Another important aspect of website performance is ensuring that the site is mobile-friendly and responsive. With more and more people accessing the internet on their phones and tablets, it is essential that your website looks and functions well on these devices. Regular website maintenance can help to ensure that your site is optimised for mobile and provides a good user experience on all devices.

Overall, by prioritising regular website maintenance, you can help to improve the performance of your website and provide a better user experience for your visitors.

3. Brand Reputation

In today’s digital age, a website is often one of the first points of contact that potential customers have with a business or organisation. As such, the appearance and functionality of your website can have a major impact on your brand reputation and the level of trust that people have in your company. A well-maintained website that is professional, up-to-date, and easy to use can go a long way towards building trust and credibility with visitors.

On the other hand, a poorly maintained website with outdated content, broken links, and other issues can create a negative impression and damage your brand reputation. People may question the professionalism and reliability of your business if they encounter problems on your website.

In addition to the visual appearance of your website, the content and information that it provides can also play a role in building trust with customers. By regularly updating your website with fresh, relevant content, you can demonstrate your expertise and commitment to your customers. This can help to establish trust and build a positive reputation for your brand.

Overall, by prioritising regular website maintenance, you can help to create a positive impression of your brand and build trust with customers through a well-maintained, professional website.

4. Legal Compliance

In addition to the practical benefits of regular website maintenance, it is also important for businesses and organisations to consider the legal implications of their online presence. There are a number of laws and regulations that apply to websites, and failure to comply with these can result in costly fines and legal action.

One area where regular website maintenance can help with legal compliance is data privacy. In the wake of major data breaches and increasing concerns about online privacy, many countries have implemented laws to protect personal data. Regular website maintenance can help to ensure that your website is compliant with these requirements.

Another legal consideration for websites is accessibility. In many countries, there are laws that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes things like providing text alternatives for images, using appropriate colour contrasts, and providing easy-to-use navigation. By regularly testing and updating your website to ensure it meets accessibility standards, you can help to ensure that it is legally compliant.

Overall, by prioritising regular website maintenance, businesses and organisations can help to ensure that their website meets legal requirements related to data privacy and accessibility.

5. Cost Savings

While it may seem like an additional expense, regular website maintenance can actually save businesses and organisations money in the long run. By proactively addressing issues and performing regular updates and optimizations, you can help to avoid costly repairs and downtime that can arise from neglecting your website.

What is Better for App Development – Native vs. Hybrid in 2022

Posted on by Youthtech Solutions

Most of the apps available today look somewhat similar. They all seem to have the same layout, UI, and predictable navigation. However, that doesn’t mean they are the same under the hood. Apps can be broadly classified into native, hybrid, and cross-platform. Before you can invest in app development, it is important to understand what these types mean. Once you understand, you can choose what kind of app serves your purpose well and will help you attract more people.

Let’s look at the options available to you to get a good idea:

What are Native Apps?

Native apps are applications designed for a specific platform and operating system. For example, you can have an application designed specifically for the Apple operating system or the Android operating system. Native apps are designed with the operating system’s unique features in mind, which means they are ideal for taking full advantage of the operating system.

Native apps don’t work on other operating systems. An app designed for Apple will not work on Android.

They are developed for a specific platform using dedicated SDK or software development tools for the aforementioned platform. For Apple, the developer must use iOS SDK and Swift. For Apple, the developer must use Java Development Kit.

What are Hybrid Apps?

Hybrid apps, as the name implies, are designed to work on different platforms. These apps will work on both iOS and Android seamlessly. The base code is standard and there is very little difference in appearance and performance.

Hybrid app development is faster and more affordable, which is why many people choose it. The hybrid app code is generic and utilizes the features shared by the operating systems it sits on.

In general, most hybrid apps are made using web technologies like CSS and JavaScript. That makes them suitable for virtually any platform they are placed on. The app can also easily run in WebView, which means the app will offer a browser-like experience with web pages.

Benefits of a Native App

If there are hybrid apps available, why would people bother creating a native app designed specifically for a single operating system? This is one of the most common questions people have when they start planning for app development. Let’s explore the benefits of native apps first:

1. Fast and Reliable

When it comes down to core performance, native apps beat hybrid ones. As they are specifically designed for a particular platform, they load faster and experience less lag. They deliver a much more consistent performance and can handle a lot of activity without faltering.

As the app’s code and the operating system’s code fits in well with each other, the interaction between the two entities is seamless. That reflects on the performance, delivering a much better user experience.

2. Better Interaction With the OS Features

A native app is more capable of interacting with dedicated hardware and software features. For example, a native app will be able to take better advantage of an iPhone’s camera and deliver higher-quality images because of it. If you intend to make a social media app like Snapchat or Instagram, this becomes essential.

Every operating system has some unique features that you won’t find in competitors. Some of these features are popular among the phone’s users. If your app can’t utilize those features effectively, its user base will be reluctant to use your app.

3. Better Offline Function

Sometimes, users will need to access the app offline because they have issues with connection or just want to use something without accessing the internet. A native app delivers a much better offline performance in most cases. If the user is on a plane or stuck in an area with little to no reception, they can still use the app to get some service.

This isn’t essential for all apps but you may want to offer support if your app offers functions that may be useful when the user isn’t connected to the internet. For example, if you’re a game app, you may want to allow the users to access most of its features without the internet as well.

4. Graphic-Heavy Applications are More Efficient

If your app requires a lot of graphics support and hardware support, it is best to build it custom for different operating systems. Heavy applications will perform better if they are native to the operating system and designed for the device they are used on. They will be able to utilize the resources more efficiently.

Native apps also easily maintain aspect ratios, which means that your images, videos, and graphics adapt very well to the app.

Native apps are also less dependent on third-party resources and are generally more secure overall. That’s one of the reasons why developers recommend native apps for high-performance applications and platforms that handle more sensitive information.

Disadvantages of a Native App

The biggest disadvantage of a native app is that you need to develop a dedicated platform for a specific operating system. If you want to reach a large audience, this means you will need to develop two apps, one for Android and another for Apple. That can be expensive, cumbersome, and time-consuming.

The long-term costs are also a bit higher as you need to invest in maintaining two different apps and upgrading them periodically. Native apps may not be a good choice if you’re on a limited budget and need to get an app out quickly.

Benefits of Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps have become popular in recent years and some business owners even prefer them to native applications. Here’s a look at some of their biggest benefits:

1. Flexible

Hybrid applications are flexible as they just have a single code that works on virtually all popular platforms. You can place them in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store without worrying about incompatibility.

You will be able to reach a much wider audience with a single app, which is a convenient solution for small businesses with limited resources.

2. More Affordable

As these apps are usable on both Apple and Android, you only need to build and maintain one app. That means you will save a lot of money, effort, and time during the development and maintenance process.

It is also easier and quicker to fix any issues that may pop up. For example, if your app crashes or has a bug, there’s no need to check two different apps for the same issues.

3. Consistency

This is one of the most distinct advantages hybrid apps have over native apps. They deliver more consistent performance across different platforms, which is an important factor to consider. If the user experience isn’t consistent, you may end up alienating a portion of your audience.

There have been cases where Android users have complained that their version of a native app doesn’t perform as well as Apple’s version of the same app. This problem is unlikely to occur with a hybrid application.

Disadvantages of a Hybrid App

Hybrid apps do have some disadvantages. Their performance can vary depending on what version of the app the user is using. Older apps may not perform as well as newer versions. 3D and HD games don’t work as well in hybrid apps. These apps are often unable to access all of the features of the device and operating system because they have a more generic code.

Do You Need an App?

Mobile shopping and commerce have seen an unprecedented surge in recent years. Most shoppers today prefer to shop on their mobile phones instead of their computers. Having a dedicated app on your customer’s mobile phone has several advantages and they include:

  • Customers that download an app are loyal and are likely to make repeated purchases.
  • Mobile apps help boost sales numbers significantly.
  • You can establish a strong brand presence by offering a dedicated app.
  • Apps provide a more comfortable user experience to frequent customer.

Whether you choose a native or a hybrid app will depend on what kind of resources you have and what kind of app you want. Consider the pros and cons carefully before making a decision.

How to Choose the Right Theme for Your Website

Posted on by Youthtech Solutions

Theme selection is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when designing your website. Choosing the right theme can make your website stand out and be more user-friendly. Choosing the wrong one can have a big impact on the visitor’s overall user experience.

But most people don’t know how to choose the right theme and end up picking something that just doesn’t fit their brand’s requirements. With millions of themes, both free and premium, available online, picking one isn’t easy!

Not to worry, we have a few handy tips that can help you find the perfect fit for your brand.

1. What is Your Website’s Purpose?

What is your website’s purpose? Are you selling products or services? Are you trying to build an online presence for your business? Are you creating a blog?

The answer to these questions will help you develop a foundation and create a roadmap. You know exactly what you’re creating and can then choose a theme that will fit the website’s purpose. Once you know your website’s purpose, you can start to think about the themes that would be most appropriate.

Understanding your purpose will also help you with the second step of our guide.

2. Do Competitor Research

This is very simple. Just type a keyword that describes your website’s purpose or brand’s theme and look at the first few results that pop up. That should give you a good idea of what to use when it comes to themes and designs.

For example, if you’re creating a vegan recipes blog, just type vegan recipes and look at the top 3 to 5 organic results. What kind of aesthetics do these websites use? What do you find lacking or outdated in them? What do you consider appealing?

Doing competitor research allows you to understand the though process behind creating a successful and visually-appealing website.

3. Think About your Target Audience

Who will be visiting your website? Who are your target customers? What do they want and need from a website? Once you know your target audience, you can start to narrow down the themes that would be best for your website.

Some basic market research can help. For example, if you know you’re targeting women between the ages of 25-50, make sure your theme design reflects that and will be appealing to this specific audience. If you’re targeting younger males and are in a specific industry like men’s fashion, your theme should reflect that as well.

Understanding your target audience is the key to perform well as well. The more time you spend on that, the better.

3. Take Into Account Your Website’s Design Goals

Your website’s design goals can influence your theme selection. Do you want a website that is easy to navigate? Supports multiple languages? Is accessible to people with disabilities or similar concerns? Having a clear design goal will also help find the ideal theme for your website.

Think about what kind of features you want and can benefit from. Make a list of them and explain them to your website developer. They will come up with a list of theme options for you based on your specific requirements.

You may want to look at your competitor research once again just to see what kind of features you may need to succeed in your quest. Setting design goals will help you in the long-term as well.

4. Consider Your Budget

Themes come in a wide range of price ranges, going from free to thousands of dollars. Budget is an important factor to consider while choosing themes. While you don’t need to splurge, it is a good idea to invest in a good-looking and reliable theme.

You can discuss your budget and financial goals with your website developer carefully to get a better feel of the circumstances. A good budget will help you come up with an organized plan of approach for your theme selection process.

5. Make Sure It Has Cross Browser Compatibility

One of the most important aspects of web design is cross-browser compatibility. This ensures that your website will look and function correctly in a variety of different browsers. You need to make sure the theme uses standard HTML and CSS code. This will ensure that your code is interpreted correctly by all browsers.

Making sure your website is cross-browser compatible is essential to ensure that your website can be accessed by everyone. A good theme will ensure your website is compatible with different kinds of browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and more!

Cross-browser compatibility improves overall user-experience and will help you establish a good reputation with your prospective customers. That is an important factor to consider.

6. SEO-Friendliness is Essential

As a website owner, you should care about the SEO friendliness of your site’s theme. SEO friendly themes help your site rank higher in search engines. They load faster, which helps improve your site’s user experience.

SEO friendly themes are generally more mobile-friendly, which is important since more and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet. They’re also easier for Google and other search engines to crawl and index, which means your site will show up in more search results.

Overall, SEO friendly themes provide a better experience for both your site’s visitors and for search engines. If you’re not sure if your theme is SEO friendly, you can speak with our experts to know more.

7. Responsive Themes

If you’re running a website, chances are you’ve heard of responsive design. In a nutshell, responsive design is a way to build a single, unified website that can provide an optimal viewing experience. This means easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling across a wide range of devices, from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones.

Responsive themes are essential because mobile traffic is growing rapidly. And the situation has grown further during the pandemic.

Google has also stated that they favor websites that are designed for mobile devices, and will rank them higher in search results. So, if you want your website to rank well in search engines, it’s important to have a responsive design.

8. Updates

The world of information technology is very fluid and a static website can’t survive it. You need to make sure your website theme receives regular updates from the developers. These updates should be clean, reliable, and without any bugs.

You should be able to maintain a modern design and structure on your website. That’s one of the reasons why it is best to choose a theme from a reliable developer. If you’re uncertain, you can always discuss your options with one of our experts.

They will be able to provide a list of themes with a good reputation and solid performance track record.

9. Logic and Functionality

There are some truly beautiful themes available online today but not all of them are functional. They may look pretty on the screens, but they have very little logic in their layout. While having unique websites is fun, the navigation must be predictable enough for the user to move around easily.

If the user can’t find different pages, categories, and contact information where they usually are, they will click out of your website and look elsewhere.

Focus on logic and functionality to get the best possible results. Make sure your website is predictable and easy to navigate. Every element of your site should be easy to understand and comprehend.

10. Plug-In Support

Plug-in support is one of the most important features of a website theme. It allows you to easily add features to your website. If you want to add some unique features or add-ons to your website, the theme must offer some plug-in support.

With plug-in support, you can add more features and functionality to your website without needing create them from scratch, which can be expensive. Instead of asking your developers to create these plugins from scratch, you can simply choose what you need, plug it in, and run it. This allows you to customize your website to better meet your needs.

If you have a plug-in support website theme, you can easily share your website with others as well.

These are some of the tips you need to keep in mind when you are looking for a theme. Always consult with your developer to understand what your website needs and what kind of themes will suit your website well. Once you have a good idea, you can find a theme that fulfills all of your requirements effectively. 

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