# Logic Web Media > Based on Long Island, NY. Logic Web Media specializes in high-performance web design on Long Island, combining creativity, strategy, and technology to deliver powerful online experiences. As a trusted Long Island web developer, we pride ourselves on a client-first approach, building strong relationships and quality digital products that drive real results. --- ## Pages - [Privacy Policy](https://longislandwebdesign.com/privacy-policy/): Explore our privacy policy at Long Island Web Design for transparent insights into how we safeguard your information. Your privacy matters to us. - [Sitemap](https://longislandwebdesign.com/sitemap/): Navigate through our website efficiently with the sitemap provided by Long Island Web Design. Easily find the information you need and explore our services with ease. - [Thank You](https://longislandwebdesign.com/thank-you/): Thank you for choosing Long Island Web Design! Your satisfaction is our priority. Explore our services and let us help you achieve your online goals. - [Adwords and Pay Per Click](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/google-adwords-pay-per-click/): Things move at light speed in the digital marketing world. If you’re looking for quick exposure at manageable costs, then search engine marketing (SEM) strategy through pay-per-click (PPC) ads is the way to go. - [Social Media Marketing](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/social-media-marketing/): Elevate your online presence with our social media marketing services at Long Island Web Design. Harness the power of social platforms to connect with your audience and drive growth. - [Long Island eCommerce Design & Magento Development](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/e-commerce/): As certified Magento developers on Long Island, we can custom develop all the features you need to sell online. - [Long Island SEO Services](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/search-engine-optimization-services/): Our Long Island SEO services gets results with proven. Logic Web Media will help you get found on Google and improve your web presence. - [Our Services](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/): Long Island web design, search engine optimization, e-commerce & more by Logic Web Media. Explore our services to improve your company's web presence. - [Long Island Web Design and Development](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/web-design-development/): Logic Web Media specializes in Long Island web design and will create the best website to meet your business goals. - [Home](https://longislandwebdesign.com/): Long Island web design company specializing in custom web development, eCommerce, & SEO. Logic Web Media amplifies your brand with quality internet marketing. - [About Us](https://longislandwebdesign.com/who-we-are/): Logic Web Media is a Long Island-based web design and development company, and we are committed to helping you build your brand and improve your business. Having a web presence is crucial to compete in today’s digital age, and maintaining a strong and steady web presence is key to any business’ survival. - [Contact](https://longislandwebdesign.com/contact-us/): Contact us at Logic Web Media. We are a Long Island based web design & development company specializing in eCommerce, SEO and more! - [Blog](https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-blog/): Logic Web Media's web design & development blog. Explore topics such as SEO, custom web design, e-commerce, WordPress, & more! --- ## Posts - [The Coming Long Island Home Services “Gold Rush” of 2024](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/the-coming-long-island-home-services-gold-rush-of-2024/): Logic Web Media is a native Long Island web design and marketing agency. Our PPC team specializes in getting local home service providers actual jobs (not leads) who pay today and become customers for life. - [Boost Your Holiday Sales: Essential Magento eCommerce Extensions for Long Island Businesses](https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/boost-your-holiday-sales-essential-magento-ecommerce-extensions-for-long-island-businesses/): As the 2023 holiday season approaches, Long Island eCommerce businesses can gain a competitive edge by strategically implementing these Magento 2 extensions. - [How to Reindex Magento 2](https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/how-to-reindex-magento-2/): If your website is powered by Magento 2 and you operate on Long Island, then you likely have heard about reindexing your store. But how do you reindex Magento 2 and is it necessary? - [Long Island Web Development: ADA Compliance & Your Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/long-island-web-development-ada-compliance-your-business/): Accessibility is not just a buzzword. For businesses on Long Island seeking ADA web development services, Logic Web Media is a one-stop shop. - [Elevate Your Long Island Web Design: The Impact of Alt Tags](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/elevate-your-long-island-web-design-the-impact-of-alt-tags/): Welcome to the online frontier of Long Island web design, where every detail matters. In this post, we'll delve into the significance of Alt Tags and how they can supercharge your web development and SEO efforts. - [The Power of Images: How to Choose and Use Photos on Your Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/the-power-of-images-how-to-choose-and-use-photos-on-your-website/): At Logic Web Media, a Long Island web design company specializing in web design, WordPress development, SEO, and Google AdWords, we understand the importance of imagery in web design. In this blog post, we'll explore the power of images and provide you with valuable tips on how to choose and use photos effectively to enhance your website. - [Web Design for Long Island's Medical Practices and Healthcare Industry](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/medical-practice-web-design-long-island/): Specializing in web design, custom WordPress development, and SEO services, Logic Web Media has been a go-to choice for Long Island-based businesses in the medical field, such as medical staffing agencies. - [4 Famous Ugly Websites And What We Can Learn From Them](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/4-famous-hideous-sites-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them/): When developing websites, eCommerce stores, and mobile sites we of course get lost in the aesthetics. But how did these ugly sites get so much traffic? - [5 Reasons Your Long Island Business Should Have A Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/5-reasons-long-island-business-website/): If your Long Island-based business doesn't have a website yet, you might be missing out on opportunities to grow and thrive in the competitive market. - [So You Have a WordPress Website..Now What?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/so-you-have-a-wordpress-website-now-what/): After launching your website there are many options to consider, such as marketing, site traffic, and user experience. The first question clients always ask after launching a website is "now how will I get visitors?" - [10 Quick Tips to Enhance Your Websites SEO](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/10-quick-tips-to-enhance-your-websites-seo/): Creating a successful SEO strategy can be difficult. Discover some of the most helpful search engine tips that can enhance your websites SEO. - [Upgrading to Google Analytics 4: A Smart Move for Your Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/upgrading-to-google-analytics-4-a-smart-move-for-your-website/): Google Analytics has long been a go-to tool for webmasters and marketers. And, with the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it’s more crucial than ever to upgrade your tracking capabilities. - [Paid Internet Marketing: What Are the Options?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/paid-internet-marketing-what-are-the-options/): Poor internet presence can quickly make your business obsolete. While SEO is the answer for long-term visibility, paid ads can help your business be found immediately. - [Exploring the Pros and Cons of Using Shopify for Your E-Commerce Store](https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/exploring-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-shopify-for-your-e-commerce-store/): In the dynamic landscape of e-commerce, choosing the right platform for your online store is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business's success. - [eCommerce Survival: How to Compete with Amazon](https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/ecommerce-survival-how-to-compete-with-amazon/): Your Shopify or Magento eCommerce store built by Logic Web Media may be maintaining sales, but can you really compete with Amazon? - [5 WordPress Mistakes To Avoid](https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/5-wordpress-mistakes-to-avoid/): When first creating a WordPress site it's important to remember these tips - they'll save you future headaches. WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems roaming the internet. Why? It's easy functionality and custom web design options. - [How to Use the Psychology of Color on your Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/select-web-colors-using-psychology-of-color/): Your website is the ultimate way to advertise your business. In order to do that effectively, you need to decide what your target audience is, and choose designs that will garner the best response. - [5 Modern Tools to Make a Better Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/5-modern-tools-to-make-a-better-website/): In this blog post, we'll explore five modern tools that can help elevate your website's design, functionality, and performance. Whether you're looking to enhance user experience, optimize for search engines, or streamline your development process, these tools have got you covered. - [How to Get on Google Maps](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-to-get-on-google-maps/): Ready to dominate Google Maps? Learn the ins and outs of claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page with Logic Web Media. Get tips and tricks for local SEO strategies to rank higher and find out why it's important to do so. Get started today! - [Case Study: Cesspool Pros](https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/case-study-cesspool-pros/): From One Man Show to Multi-Million Dollar Operation: Cesspool Pros Reaps the Rewards of Investing in Google AdWords with Logic Web Media - [Leveraging the Power of AI for SEO Content Creation](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/leveraging-the-power-of-ai-for-seo-content-creation/): Incorporating AI into SEO content creation isn't just a trend; it's a logical progression in the world of digital marketing. Logic Web Media's forward-thinking approach positions them as pioneers in utilizing AI for web design, development, and SEO. - [Why Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Page?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/why-claim-and-optimize-your-google-my-business-page/): Recognizing the significance of your business being visible, we're here to assist you in achieving that goal. This guide will equip you with all the necessary knowledge for claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page. Let's commence! - [How Coronavirus Can Help Your Small Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/how-coronavirus-can-help-your-small-business/): Whether you are responding to the threat of sickness, or the tanking economy, the time to start planning was yesterday. - [Custom Website Checklist: Getting Started](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/custom-website-checklist-getting-started/): Whether you are starting from scratch or redesigning an existing website, there are a few things we need to get started. - [Why Should I Be Blogging for My Business?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/benefits-of-small-business-blogging-on-website/): Having a blog on your local business’s website will help you draw more internet traffic, and ultimately drive sales. - [How to Handle Out of Stock Products without Hurting Your SEO](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-to-handle-out-of-stock-products-without-hurting-your-seo/): “Out of stock” is an inevitability in the eCommerce world. Best practice is to make them work for you and bring something beneficial to the table. - [2018 Stats: Organic Growth, Advertising Success & Huge ROI](https://longislandwebdesign.com/digital-advertising/2018-success-from-paid-and-organic-advertising/): Our data-driven and brand-specific approach to digital marketing helped our clients earn a huge payday in 2018. - [12 Days of SEO Giveaways!](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/12-days-seo-giveaways/): This holiday, we're giving away our SEO skills and expertise for free. Check this page each day to find the day's SEO giveaway, and learn how this service can improve your internet presence! - [State Sales Taxes: Your eCommerce Store Needs a Major Update](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/state-sales-taxes-your-ecommerce-store-needs-a-major-update/): A recent Supreme Court ruling permits states to collect sales taxes on all eCommerce purchases. If you sell online, your website needs a major update to make county-specific taxation possible. - [Mobile-First Indexing: Is Your Site Ready?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/mobile-first-indexing-is-your-site-ready/): Google’s search algorithm is constantly evolving to improve user experience, and the latest change could spell danger for older websites. Google has responded to the ever-increasing number of mobile searches by favoring mobile websites. - [Voice Search Part 2: Long Island SEO](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/voice-search-part-2-long-island-seo/): For Long Island businesses, voice search is more important and relevant than ever. As voice search continues to advance, having a website that is equipped to answer user questions will become increasingly important. Here, we’ll discuss how your website can increase its accessibility in preparation for the voice search revolution. - [Voice Search Part 1: What is it?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/what-is-voice-search-part-1/): As voice search continues to grow in popularity, Google will likely mold their algorithm to cater to this evolving trend. In this blog post, we will discuss the growing importance of voice search, and how it may shape the future of Google’s algorithm. - [What do you hear: SEO or AdWords?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-do-you-hear-seo-or-adwords/): Listen carefully– which one do you hear? After the Laurel vs Yanny debate, what we know is that sometimes the right answer is ambiguous. But not with internet marketing. - [March 2018 Google Updates: Did Your Site Tank Recently?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/did-you-lose-site-traffic-and-rankings-from-march-2018-google-updates/): Have you noticed a distinct drop in your rankings and traffic during March-April 2018? You’re not the only one. Many people worry that they have been issued a penalty when they see sharp downward movements, but this is likely to not be the case. - [2017 Stats: Websites, Blogs, Music, and More!](https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/2017-stats-websites-blogs-music-and-more/): Ever since we started creating websites for small businesses, Logic Web Media has been on the go. 2017 has been no different. In fact, like 2016, 2017 has been quite a busy year for us. Take a look below at some of our activity over the past year. - [How Can the Repeal of Net Neutrality Affect Small Business Websites?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/how-can-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-affect-small-business-websites/): Here's the abridged version of Net Neutrality. Then, we will delve into how the repeal affects your business’ website and online marketing. - [6 Things You Need for a Successful eCommerce Website](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/6-things-you-need-for-a-successful-ecommerce-website/): eCommerce web design & development has a few key elements that set it apart. Here are 6 things you need to build a successful eCommerce website. - [9 Ways a Custom WordPress Site Can Help Your Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/9-ways-a-custom-wordpress-site-can-help-your-business/): WordPress templates simply cannot meet your needs. We’ll explore the benefits of having a custom web designer develop your website. - [2017: How Google's SSL Update Will Affect Your Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/october-2017-google-ssl-update-puts-security-warnings-on-every-site/): The date of this new feature will be October 2017. The security warning will apply to all sites that are not secured with an SSL certificate. - [Part 2: Instagram Marketing for Small Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/social-media/small-business-owners-guide-to-social-media-marketing-part-2-instagram/): Instagram does a lot to set itself apart from other social media platforms. You can use that to your advantage to grow your following and improve your reach on the internet. - [How a Modern Website Will Benefit Your Old-Fashioned Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/how-a-modern-website-will-benefit-your-old-fashioned-business/): As an experienced web design and development company, we are able to help businesses to connect with new and existing client-base. - [Part 1: Facebook Marketing for Small Business](https://longislandwebdesign.com/social-media/small-business-owners-guide-to-social-media-part-1/): This is the first in a series of blog posts on social media marketing for small businesses. Here is part 1 on Facebook marketing. - [The Essential Small Business Branding Guide](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/the-essential-small-business-branding-guide/): As a small business vying for local (and possibly distant) business, a cohesive branding strategy will give your company an edge. - [Google "Fred" Update: Search Impact and Recovery](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/google-fred-update-impact-and-recovery/): Did your search rank and web traffic drop? It is possible that your site was affected by the most recent semi-major Google algorithm update. Find out about its impact and how to recover. - [2017 Search Trends: How Important is Desktop and Mobile Site Speed?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/2017-search-trends-how-important-is-desktop-and-mobile-site-speed/): When we look at SEO factors affecting search rank, we tend to think of content and structural elements. However, those are not the only factors for increasing SERPs, gaining new traffic, and converting visitors. - [Why Your Website's Homepage is So Important](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/why-your-websites-homepage-is-so-important/): It’s been established that you not only need a website, but a great website. The homepage is the front door to all the cool details that make up the rest of your website, so shouldn’t it be as amazing as possible? - [What is Search Engine Results Page (SERP)?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-is-search-engine-results-page-serp/): SERP stands for “Search Engine Results Page”. It is the list of results for a user’s search query. For example, if you go to Google and type in “restaurants near me”, you will be redirected to a page with a list of websites that offer you that information. - [Bounce Rate 101 for Better SEO](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/bounce-rate/): Learn the importance of bounce rate metrics and how these statistics will help provide valuable insights about your websites visitors. - [Logic Web Media: 2016 By The Numbers](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/logic-web-media-2016-by-the-numbers/): As we settle into 2017 we would like to take a moment to share our accomplishments of the preceding year in regards to the amount of sites developed, blogs written, cups of coffee consumed and more. - [Is It Time to Redesign Your Website? 5 Things to Consider 🔎](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/redesign-your-website-5-things-to-consider/): Is your company’s website due for redesign? Ask yourself these 5 questions to help you decide what your website needs to bring it up to date. - [Huntington Food Drive Drop-Off Location](https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/huntington-food-drive-drop-off-location/): It is the time of year to focus on what to be thankful for. We have much to be grateful for here at Logic Web Media, but we know that isn’t the case for everyone. So many families on Long Island need assistance, especially during the holidays. - [Huntington Lunch Spots 🍌 Our Top 8](https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/top-8-huntington-lunch-spots/): We’ve got a bunch of hungry Web Monkeys. Here are awesome lunch places in Huntington, with our own banana rating system! - [Cast Your Vote! Best of Long Island's Web Services](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/web-services-nomination-best-of-long-island/): Every year Bethpage Federal Credit Union organizes the Best of Long Island Awards. We at Logic Web Media are beyond excited to be nominated for Best Web Services 2016! - [Web Design & Development for Business Growth](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/web-design-development-business-growth/): If you are concerned about your business growth, you're not alone! We at Logic Web Media can help you achieve your goals and expand your reach with a professionally designed and developed website. - [Improve Your eCommerce Store with Magento 2](https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/why-you-should-upgrade-to-magento-2/): Since Magento 2 is brand new, it is important to go with a web development company that has the experience and expertise to accomplish this task. We have several successful migrations under our belt already and we are ready to do the same for you! - [E-A-T Your Search Engine Optimization](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/e-a-t-your-search-engine-optimization/): Learn exactly what it means to E-A-T your websites search engine optimization from the experts at Logic Web Media. - [Learn Google's YMYL Guidelines](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/learn-googles-ymyl-guidelines/): Are you familiar with the your money, your life concept? Learn everything you need to know regarding this important Google quality update. - [Who Else Wants Bigger E-Mail Lists?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/who-else-wants-bigger-e-mail-lists/): Learn how to encourage more users to provide emails and grow your e-mail list to where it should be. - [5 SEO Factors You Should Be Paying Attention To](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/seo-factors-you-should-pay-attention-to/): When trying to figure out the main factors Google use to rank your website, there’s a lot to consider. We’ve found through our years of experience in providing quality SEO services, catering to the user is the best policy. - [Top 7 Web Design Trends of 2018](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/best-web-design-trends-of-2015/): In an update of the earlier Best Web Design Trends of 2015, we go over the top 7 web deisgn trends of 2018. - [What We Learned From Google's Updates in 2015](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-we-learned-from-googles-updates-2015/): Learn exactly what happened because of Google's major 2015 updates. We've discovered a lot and would like to share it with you! - [Search Engine Optimization vs. Paid Search](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/search-engine-optimization-vs-paid-search/): Learn the difference between search engine optimization and paid search. Find out which one will better suit your businesses goals. - [3 Web Design Trends Your Website Should Follow](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/3-web-design-trends-your-website-should-follow/): Find out if you're website is following these important web design trends. We've narrowed down the 3 most important trends, all successful websites should follow. - [Part 2: WordPress Terms You Should Know](https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/wordpress-terms-you-should-know-part-2/): Are you familiar with one of the most popular website platforms terms? Here you can learn the most important online blogging vocabulary. - [Part 1: WordPress Terms You Should Know](https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/learn-the-most-common-wordpress-terms-part-1/): Looking to gain a better understanding of WordPress websites and how they operate? Start here by learning the most commonly used WordPress terms. - [Why you Shouldn't Use WordPress Plugins](https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/why-you-shouldnt-use-wordpress-plugins/): Discover the negative effects using WordPress plugins can have on your website. If you're using too many plugins your website could be in serious trouble. - [What you Need to Know About Google's Quality Update](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-you-need-to-know-about-googles-quality-update/): Learn what Googles quality update really means for the future of search engine optimization. This post shares the factors google will consider when judging quality. - [How Mobilegeddon Affected Search Engine Optimization](https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-mobilegeddon-affected-search-engine-optimization/): Discover the results of Google's most recent mobile friendly algorithm also known as mobilegeddon. This article provides insight into how websites were ranked after the update. - [A History of Social Media](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/history-social-media/): A history of Social Media, where it came from and where its going. The internet is a mecca for news, information, shopping and is continuing to grow. - [Conversion Rate Optimization](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/conversion-rate-optimization/): Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website or landing page in order to convert your visitors into customers. This internet marketing tactic can be vital in driving sales. - [Filter Bubbles: Beware or Be Helpful?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/filter-bubbles-beware-helpful/): Filter Bubbles - The original intentions of the internet was not to bring us solely relevant information. What was once a tool to introduce us to new ideas and... - [What The Guy Who Invented The World Wide Web Is Up To…](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/guy-invented-wold-wide-web/): World Wide Web - So, what's the guy who changed the world (and was Knighted for it) doing these days? Besides talking a lot in front of eager... - [I Think This Means You Are A Unicorn](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/happiness-advantage-for-workplace-success/): When you raise positivity, the brain develops "The Happiness Advantage." This results in job retention, more productivity and resiliency, and greater sales - [If You Build It, They Will Buy It](https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/if-you-build-it-they-will-buy-it/): If have a business that sells products or services, you need a mobile site. Mobile devices are used to search more than a laptop or PC these days. - [What Does Your iPhone Case Say About You?](https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/what-does-your-iphone-case-say-about-you/): With all the myriad of options for an iPhone case, we have to assume this gives an insight to our overall personalities. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages > Explore our privacy policy at Long Island Web Design for transparent insights into how we safeguard your information. Your privacy matters to us. - Published: 2024-01-22 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/privacy-policy/ Thank you for choosing to be part of our community at Logic Web Media Inc. (“company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any questions or concerns about our policy or our practices with regard to your personal information, please contact us at info@logicwebmedia. com. When you visit our website https://logicwebmedia. com and use our services, you trust us with your personal information. We take your privacy very seriously. In this privacy notice, we describe our privacy policy. We seek to explain to you in the clearest way possible what information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have in relation to it. We hope you take some time to read through it carefully, as it is important. If there are any terms in this privacy policy that you do not agree with, please discontinue the use of our websites and our services. This privacy policy applies to all information collected through our website (such as https://logicwebmedia. com and/or any related services, sales, marketing or events (we refer to them collectively in this privacy policy as the “Websites”). Please read this privacy policy carefully as it will help you make informed decisions about sharing your personal information with us. TABLE OF CONTENTS WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION? WILL YOUR INFORMATION BE SHARED WITH ANYONE? DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES? HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS? DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS POLICY? HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS POLICY? 1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? Personal Information You Disclose To Us In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us such as name, address, contact information, passwords and security data, and payment information. We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when expressing an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and services when participating in activities on the Websites or otherwise contacting us. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with the Websites, the choices you make and us, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect can include the following: Name And Contact Data We may collect your first and last name, email address, postal address, phone number, and other similar contact data. Credentials When needed, we collect passwords, password hints, and similar security information used for authentication and account access. Payment Data We collect data necessary to process your payment if you make purchases, such as your payment instrument number (such as a credit card number), and the security code associated with your payment instrument. All payment data is stored by the payment processor and you should review its privacy policies and contact the payment processor directly to respond to your questions. All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information. Information Collected From Other Sources In Short: We may collect limited data from public databases, marketing partners, and other outside sources. We may obtain information about you from other sources, such as public databases, joint marketing partners, as well as from other third parties. Examples of the information we receive from other sources include social media profile information; marketing leads and search results and links, including paid listings (such as sponsored links). 2. HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION? In Short: We process your information for purposes based on legitimate business interests, the fulfillment of our contract with you, compliance with our legal obligations, and/or your consent. We use personal information collected via our Websites for a variety of business purposes described below. We process your personal information for these purposes in reliance on our legitimate business interests (“Business Purposes”), in order to enter into or perform a contract with you (“Contractual”), with your consent (“Consent”), and/or for compliance with our legal obligations (“Legal Reasons”). We indicate the specific processing grounds we rely on next to each purpose listed below. We Use The Information We Collect Or Receive: Fulfill and manage your orders for Contractual reasons. We may use your information to fulfill and manage your orders, payments, returns, and exchanges made through the Websites. For other Business Purposes. We may use your information for other Business Purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Websites, products, services, marketing and your experience. 3. WILL YOUR INFORMATION BE SHARED WITH ANYONE? In Short: We only share information with your consent, to comply with laws, to protect your rights, or to fulfill business obligations. We only share and disclose your information in the following situations: Compliance with Laws. We may disclose your information where we are legally required to do so in order to comply with applicable law, governmental requests, a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal processes, such as in response to a court order or a subpoena (including in response to public authorities to meet national security or law enforcement requirements). Vital Interests and Legal Rights. We may disclose your information where we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding potential violations of our policies, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person and illegal activities, or as evidence in litigation in which we are involved. Vendors, Consultants, and Other Third-Party Service Providers. We may share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors or agents who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. Examples include payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, customer service, and marketing efforts. We may allow selected third parties to use tracking technology on the Websites, which will enable them to collect data about how you interact with the Websites over time. This information may be used to, among other things, analyze and track data, determine the popularity of certain content, and better understand online activity. Unless described in this Policy, we do not share, sell, rent or trade any of your information with third parties for their promotional purposes. Business Transfers. We may share or transfer your information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company. With your Consent. We may disclose your personal information for any other purpose with your consent. 4. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES? In Short: We may use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect and store your information. We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to access or store information. Specific information about how we use such technologies and how you can refuse certain cookies is set out in our Cookie Policy. 5. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? In Short: We keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy unless otherwise required by law. We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy policy unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements). When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize it, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible. 6. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? In Short: We aim to protect your personal information through a system of organizational and technical security measures. We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, please also remember that we cannot guarantee that the Internet itself is 100 percent secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, transmission of personal information to and from our Websites is at your own risk. You should only access the services within a secure environment. 7. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? In Short: We do not knowingly collect data from or market to children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly solicit data from or market to children under 18 years of age. By using the Websites, you represent that you are at least 18 or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Websites. If we learn that personal information from users less than 18 years of age has been collected, we will deactivate the account and take reasonable measures to promptly delete such data from our records. If you become aware of any data we have collected from children under age 18, please contact us at info@logicwebmedia. com. 8. WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS? In Short: You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time. If you are resident in the European Economic Area, and you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your local data protection supervisory authority. You also have the right to request access to your data, correction of your data and for your data to be removed. In the event of a data breach, you will be notified within 72 hours of the time the data breach is detected. You can find the European Economic Area contact details here: https://ec. europa. eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en. htm Cookies and similar technologies: Most Web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove cookies and to reject cookies. If you choose to remove cookies or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services of our Websites. To opt-out of interest-based advertising by advertisers on our Websites visit https://optout. aboutads. info/ For more details, see our Cookie Policy. 9. DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? In Short: Yes, if you are a resident of California, you are granted specific rights regarding access to your personal information. California Civil Code Section 1798. 83, also known as the “Shine The Light” law, permits our users who are California residents to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, information about categories of personal information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared personal information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to us using the contact information provided below. If you are under 18 years of age, reside in California, and have a registered account with the Websites, you have the right to request the removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Websites. To request the removal of such data, please contact us using the contact information provided below, and include the email address associated with your account and a statement that you reside in California. We will make sure the data is not publicly displayed on the Websites, but please be aware that the data may not be completely or comprehensively removed from our systems. 10. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS POLICY? In Short: Yes, we will update this policy as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws. We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated “Revised” date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this privacy policy frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information. 11. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS POLICY? If you have questions or comments about this policy or any further questions or comments about us or our policies, you may email us at info@logicwebmedia. com or by post to: Logic Web Media Inc. 73 Deer Park Avenue Suite 1 Babylon, NY 11702 +1 631 824 3390 PERSONAL DATA MANAGEMENT According to the Privacy Policy, you agree to share your personal data with our service. However, you still have the right to update, transfer or delete it from us at any time. If you need further management for your data, please contact us at info@logicwebmedia. com. --- > Things move at light speed in the digital marketing world. If you’re looking for quick exposure at manageable costs, then search engine marketing (SEM) strategy through pay-per-click (PPC) ads is the way to go. - Published: 2021-09-09 - Modified: 2023-08-28 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/google-adwords-pay-per-click/ Things move at light speed in the digital marketing world. If you’re looking for quick exposure at manageable costs, then search engine marketing (SEM) strategy through pay-per-click (PPC) ads is the way to go. Because advertising platforms make it seem so simple, it’s tempting to handle yourself. But, with years of experience in managing these digital ads and an insider knowledge of multiple industries, the team at Logic Web Media can bring your paid internet marketing campaigns to the next level. Google AdWords Ad Retargeting Google Shopping Google AdWords/PPC Google’s AdWords platform is perfect for getting top placement in Google and getting qualified leads. With access to unique metrics provided by Google, our PPC team can fine-tune your campaign for optimum success. Convincing customers to click on your website is only half of the challenge -- to really succeed, customers must complete the purchasing or information-giving process on your website. We’ll keep customers interested and engaged with a compelling landing page for your advertisements. While it’s important to know your target customers, it’s equally important to consider customers that you don’t want to reach. Our account managers can easily omit unrelated keywords, keeping your campaign limited to the target audience. There should be no surprises when it comes to the cost of your AdWords campaign. With a pre-established cost per click bid, and a daily maximum budget restriction, you can maintain total control over your spending. Learn More Ad Retargeting Ever get followed around on the internet by an ad for a company whose website you’ve visited? That’s ad retargeting, and that’s what we can do for you. We will be able to follow potential buyers around on the internet, in order to gain the best ROI possible. Who could be better to advertise to than previous website visitors? Retargeting ads remind customers of your website’s value, helping them to finish the process without skipping a beat. And, they can be quite the secret weapon for your website’s digital marketing strategy. Customers viewing remarketing ads are guaranteed to have an established level of interest in your product or service -- after all, they’ve clicked on the page before. An especially common (and highly effective) tactic for eCommerce stores looking to compete with Amazon, retargeting ads will remind customers that they intended to purchase. In a distraction-filled world, even invested customers might fail to finish the purchasing process. Remarketing ads are perfect for reminding the customer that they never finished the transaction, and setting them on the right course. Learn More Google Shopping Google Shopping takes your product and matches it with a customers search. Done correctly, this in-your-face advertising method will generate a high return for your products. Unlike standard search engine results, Google Shopping results can provide plenty of information for customers with short attention spans. The Google Shopping sections shows an image, price, seller, availability, and even product ratings. Utilizing the same user information as AdWords, Google Shopping makes it simple for experienced account managers to target the right customers. We can incorporate a number of keywords relating to different product specs, such as price, color, size, and more. Google Shopping allows businesses to spend as much (or as little) as they want. With your predetermined budget in mind, we’ll make the appropriate bid on these keywords. In time, we’ll use analytics to strike a balance between the bid and your return. Learn More Our SEM Process The best SEM (search engine marketing) services will maximize profits by targeting the right audience. We will do our homework to ensure that you are not wasting your budget on clicks that will not convert. Research We’ll touch base and find out what product or service you are looking to promote. The ad strategy will be highly specified, so that it can reach highly targeted groups with high profit margins. Ad Creation Once we have a solid grasp on your goals, we’ll get to work on creating the ads. We will create graphics for Social Media ads, use your existing website as a landing page, or custom create a conversion-focused landing page. Then, we’ll push the advertisement live. Testing & Tuning With the ads in place, we’ll closely monitor its success. As the ads are running, we’ll figure out what works best through A/B testing, and make changes as needed. Tracking through analytics, we’ll zero in on the optimal strategy. Review & Report As time goes on, there will be many factors impacting your ad campaign. This includes competitors ads and changes to the ad platform. We will monitor your account and provide full transparency reporting on your account. What You'll Get with Our Paid Marketing Management Services Our team of professional account managers has been at this for quite a while, and we’ve even picked up some tricks along the way. Campaign Management Conversion-Based Ad Copy Landing Page Optimization Data-Driven Results Call Tracking Proactive Campaign Management There’s no such thing as a hands-off AdWords campaign manager. AdWords and PPC is not a “set it and forget it” service. The team at Logic Web Media will proactively update your campaigns to fine-tune keywords, spending, demographics, and more. 70% Internet ads are not compiled based on user behavior to target the audience. With a thoughtful, professional ad campaign, we can beat your competitors and save you money. 50% PPC visitors are more likely to purchase something than organic visitors Let's Get More Sales Conversion-Based Ad Copy Even the best landing pages and offers will slip through the cracks if the ad copy is poorly written or just wrong for the audience. The team at Logic Web Media makes no such oversights -- we carefully and deliberately craft ad copy for relevant customers. 7% Click-through rate for ads ranking in the first spot in Google 95. 3% Clicks that go to the first result Let's Get More Sales Optimized Landing Pages When potential customers click on your ad, the race to have them convert is on. We’ll create landing pages that give customers the information they’re looking for, and compel them to take the next step. 48% Landing pages that contain more than one offer get the conversion 220%Increase in leads that longer, more detailed landing pages generate over short, simple pages Let's Get More Sales Data-Driven Approach & Results Digital advertising platforms provide plenty of analytics that inform our strategy. Our experienced AdWords account managers are analytics gurus, and will translate this data into additional earnings for your company. $3 On average earned for every $1. 60 spent on internet ads 50% PPC clickers are this much more likely to buy than organic visitors Let's Get More Sales Conversion & Call Tracking Software Conversion tracking software allows for thorough reporting, as well as ad campaign adjustment where needed. We also offer Call Tracking Software, which not only helps track your conversions but also helps you to manage all your new incoming phone leads. 42% Converted calls are this much longer than non-converting calls 75% Difference in success for phone operators who can determine needs Let's Get More Sales --- > Elevate your online presence with our social media marketing services at Long Island Web Design. Harness the power of social platforms to connect with your audience and drive growth. - Published: 2021-09-09 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/social-media-marketing/ Social Media is one of the best ways to stay connected to your customers and to attract potential customers. With Social Media Marketing, you can engage with your customers and develop a more personal and long lasting relationship. People today are constantly on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube. Therefore, so should your business. The best part of all, these social media sites are free, and there’s nothing better than free advertising. Logic Web Media utilizes these outlets to give your business maximum connectivity from your web site. Content Creation Brand Reputation Pro Photography/Videography Influencers Content Creation We’ll create online content for your business to capture and engage an audience. Additionally, we’ll develop content that’s distinctive enough to stand out in an oversaturated online landscape. Our team of designers and writers will generate content that forces casual online scrollers to stop and pay attention. Learn More Brand Reputation Did you know that 95% of customers will research a business online before pursuing their products or services? Therefore, the collective online opinion about your company is critical to your survival. We employ proven techniques to keep your brand both attractive and reputable. Do you have negative reviews or comments on your social media profiles? We’ll target negative sentiment and use careful public relations strategies to convert them into positive feedback. Learn More Pro Photography/Videography Eye-catching imagery is a must-have in the world of social media. However, you may not have the time, resources, or interest in taking your own photos. That's where Logic Web Media comes in. We develop custom photo and video shoots that help boost interest in your company. Quality imagery is the #1 way to engage your customers and attract new ones. Learn More Influencers Digital marketing is a valuable marketing tool. With billions of people as your potential audience, you only need the right delivery system. That's where influencers come in. Influencers already have a wide follower base. Therefore, you don't need to worry about growing your audience on your own. Utilizing our team of influencers as your brand ambassadors, you will improve traffic, sales, and engagement. Learn More Important Aspects of Social Media Marketing Social media is an important way to market in this day and age. However, most business owners don’t have the necessary time available to create content, post consistently, engage with customers, and utilize insights to reach target market. Research the Right Social Media Platform Not all platforms are created equal. Just because there’s dozens of social networking sites, doesn’t mean you should sign up for all of them. Many will be a waste of time and time is money. Here at Logic Web Media, we found that by utilizing the right ones for your specific business is the way to success. Analyzing Trends and Scheduling for Engagement It’s not necessary to spend hours a day on social networking sites... we save that bad habit for our personal accounts. Our social media team is smart and organized. We spend our time wisely and yield great results. With a personalized calendar for your business in place, we will be able to post at the best times for maximum engagement. Utilize Monitoring & Management Tools With social media monitoring and management software, we are able to see what social networking sites are driving traffic to your site, as well as your increases/decreases of followers. Utilizing analytics allows us to audit and analyze your traffic. Understanding the demographics of your site and how it relates to social media is a great starting point to build on. Organic Results Paying for ads on Facebook or Instagram may not be the right approach for your business. Therefore, a quality social media marketing strategy will be the best solution. Our strategies are proven to bring organic engagement and conversions, without spending extra on ads. --- > Our Long Island SEO services gets results with proven. Logic Web Media will help you get found on Google and improve your web presence. - Published: 2021-08-27 - Modified: 2023-12-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/our-services/search-engine-optimization-services/ When your site is optimized for keywords and your content is rich with valid and relevant information, search engines will be able to recognize your website as a good response to search queries. As Long Island Web Design, Development, and SEO experts, Logic Web Media can get you found in Google. Organic Results Knowledge Graph Local Map Results Featured Snippets Organic Results Positioning your Long Island business website to achieve organic results is the cornerstone of a successful SEO strategy. Crafting blog content that is optimized for a variety of keywords will help your product and/or service pages to reach the target audience. Our ongoing SEO efforts will help your business to reach the coveted #1 ranking spot. Let's get ranking Knowledge Graph Do you want your website to show you are a pro in your industry on Long Island? Strategically formatting the content on your website will maximize your chances of obtaining a knowledge graph spot on the search results page. Not only is this an important threshold in the internet marketing world, but it will also cement your company’s position as an industry authority! Let's get ranking Local Map Results When you own a local Long Island business and want to draw foot traffic to your store or restaurant, Google’s local map results can be an immense help. Google’s advanced algorithm can detect when people are searching for a local business, and provides detailed information about your business alongside a visual map. By implementing a methodical local SEO strategy, we can help your business to bring in new customers, and remind existing customers that you’re the best around! Let's get ranking Featured Snippets Searchers appreciate a prompt, direct answer to their query. This demonstrates your value early on. When Google discovers a well-written webpage that answers a searcher question, it may feature it at the top of the results page. Our direct, results-driven SEO approach can help your business to achieve this desirable spot. Let's get ranking Our SEO Process Simply put, SEO is a way of organizing your site’s content, coding, and links in a way that helps your results in search engines. Did you know? Not all search engine results pages look the same! Based on the query and the location, Google will have something unique to say. The right SEO strategy and process will cultivate your ideal web presence. A dedicated SEO strategy means that your website can reap the benefits of all sorts of exposure. Keyword & Competitor Research What words or terms should your website be ranking for? Our team will conduct thorough keyword research to find keywords that have low competition and a high search volume. Technical Website Audit Is your website having any technical SEO issues? Using our robust SEO software, we’ll conduct a website audit to make sure your website coding is optimized for the best search results possible. Furthermore, as Google changes its standards, we will continue to audit and update. Content Writing Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time for us to get to work. Our content development team will regularly write blog posts geared toward your target customers to improve your Google rankings. Results: Analytics & Reporting Are you achieving your desired rankings? As we continue to implement our overarching SEO strategy, we’ll make minor adjustments based on insights from SEO analytics and reporting. What You'll Get with Our SEO Services SEO is a complex and intricate process. It involves writing keyword-focused content, strategically linking website pages, and cleaning up the technical elements. Done correctly, though, SEO will pay off in droves. These are some of the benefits that a website committed to quality SEO can expect. Improved Google Rankings Local Map Visibility Quality Content Social Media Profiles Increased Leads Reporting & Maintenance Improved Search Rankings in Google Ranking on the first page of Google is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. SEO will place your brand front and center for potential customers on Long Island. With the coming Long Island home services boom, make sure you stay ahead of your competitors. 63,000+ Searches per second on Google 93% Of online activities begin with a search 75% Of users never pass page 1 of Google Let's get ranking Local Searches & Map Visibility On-the-go searchers want to find local results, immediately. Local SEO will help your store, restaurant, or other local business to attract physical traffic. 86% Of people use Google Maps to look up a local business Let's get ranking Quality Content & Better Search Visibility Regularly publishing blog content is the best way to keep a steady foothold in Google rankings. We will write original, keyword-focused content that will prove your industry expertise. More importantly, it will boost search engine visibility. 32. 5% The percentage of traffic that the first Google result for a given query receives 50% Organic search accounts for over half of all website traffic 1,890 Number of words that the average first-page Google result contains Let's get ranking Claimed & Optimized Social Media Profiles The content of your brand’s social media profiles can speak volumes about your value. Our social media gurus can take a tactful approach to social media optimization, with an emphasis on SEO. 2 Billion Searches performed on Facebook every day #2 Youtube is the world’s second largest search engine 50 Billion Businesses have Facebook business pages Let's get ranking Increased Call Volume & In-Bound Leads A stronger web presence means more leads, and eventually, a bigger payday. The SEO services we provide will direct qualified and interested customers to your website, helping you to generate higher revenue. 61% Marketers who said that their top inbound marketing priority is improving SEO to bolster organic search presence. 73 Billion Estimated number of phone calls that will be generated from mobile organic search by the end of 2022. Let's get ranking Analytics Reporting & On Going Maintenance Even the most successful SEO campaigns require on-the-spot adjustments. We’ll use our advanced analytics tools to find opportunities to improve, and fine-tune your website. Additionally, we will provide ongoing site maintenance. This includes software updates and any other basic website edits you may need. As Long Island web developers, Logic Web Media can boost your SEO while maintaining your website. 27% Websites that use WordPress as a CMS 28 Amount of tools that we use to evaluate your website’s SEO progress Let's get ranking --- --- ## Posts > Logic Web Media is a native Long Island web design and marketing agency. Our PPC team specializes in getting local home service providers actual jobs (not leads) who pay today and become customers for life. - Published: 2023-12-12 - Modified: 2023-12-12 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/the-coming-long-island-home-services-gold-rush-of-2024/ As a native Long Island web design and marketing company, Logic Web Media is proficient when it comes to helping businesses succeed. Our team of professional account managers has been at this for quite a while, and we’ve even picked up some tricks along the way. This brings us to a trend we have been seeing since COVID came into the mix. Long Island just experienced a flood of high-income first time homeowners like never before. They moved out here from the city, overpaid for a flip house with straight cash, and have absolutely no experience whatsoever maintaining a home in the suburbs. Sprinklers, gutters, hot water heaters, central air, a pool, a lawn - They never had to worry about any of this crap before. They don’t even know anyone yet to ask for a recommendation when something goes wrong, and things are about to start going wrong. If you can become their hero now, you will have them forever. But how do you make that happen? The Challenge of Home Improvement Leads Chances are you’ve already wasted your time with paid ads options like Angie, Thumbtack, Home Advisor and the rest - Spending $60 a pop for the same “lead” as a dozen other people, and by the time you get it, the job was already done by someone else 2 days ago. Or maybe you’ve tried running some local print ads. Those might work... or might not. The truth is you really have no idea because there’s no reliable way to track it. Cesspool Pros, an Ads client of Logic Web Media, has its truck outside a homeowners house ready to pump a cesspool. At the end of the day, there’s a hundred different things you could try if you had endless time and bottomless pockets. But let’s get real; The lowest-hanging fruit is (and will probably always be) that person who walks in the front door from work and sees a creature crawling that shouldn’t be there, picks up their phone and says “hey Siri, exterminator near me. ” Or how about that new homeowner from the city who wakes up shivering in the middle of the first cold night we get next month because their shiny new house came with a rusty old boiler that just failed? They pick up their phone, type in “24/7 emergency plumber”, and dial the first one that feels right. Beyond "Leads" Securing Jobs in the Competitive Long Island Market Those are the bread-and-butter ideal jobs. Notice how I didn’t use the word “leads”? You need jobs, not leads. And there are thousands of them available for the taking every day on Long Island. All you have to do is answer the phone, and they’re yours. Well, not so fast... The Google Ads Dilemma First, you have to be willing to pay for that click. Then, like everything on Long Island, those clicks are expensive and the competition is high. Google loves to tempt small business owners into a costly DIY nightmare where you just fill out a few fields and let Google magically write, manage, and optimize your ads for you. Before long, you find out the only “magic” is them making your money disappear. This has left many owner/operators hesitant to ever use Google Ads again, and rightfully so. We hear it all the time; “Yeah we tried Google Ads. It didn’t work for us. ” But as that conversation continues we inevitably learn that they were either trying to do it themselves, or let Google do it for them. Either way, that’s a losing formula. Firstly, how would you feel if an internet marketing agency showed up to fix your broken hot water heater? That’s precisely why you shouldn’t be running your own Google Ads. Second, Google is not a person with your best interests in mind. It’s probably better to think of Google as a big, evil computer in California that is programmed to spend your money. Whether it’s us or someone else you trust, you need a human being on your side to keep that thing in check. Google Ads is definitely the most reliable way to acquire new customers for nearly all home service providers, but it has to be done right, preferably by someone who understands what you do and where you do it. The Unique Dynamics of Long Island's Market To call Long Island “a unique market” would be a massive understatement. Business owners come to us all the time with poorly performing Google Ads accounts looking for help. More often than not, we discover they’re being managed by someone on the other side of the country, sometimes on the other side of the world. Radius targeting doesn’t work on an 8 mile wide strip of land sandwiched between a city, an ocean, and two other states. A landscaper from Massapequa doesn’t want to mow any lawns in Montauk. Queens isn’t Long Island, even though it’s on Long Island. If you weren’t from here, you wouldn’t even believe it. And it’s just as confusing for all those people who just moved out here from the city and are searching right now for help with their homes today. Logic Web Media: Navigating Long Island's Home Service Market Logic Web Media is a native Long Island web design and marketing agency. Our PPC team specializes in getting local home service providers actual jobs (not leads) who pay today and become customers for life. Want us to assess your PPC campaign? Give us a call today and let our ads experts assess your current campaign. Call us at 631-824-3390, and ask for TJ. If your current PPC campaign is not delivering the desired outcomes, Logic Web Media is here to help. Our team understands the unique dynamics of the local landscape and specializes in transforming PPC efforts into tangible results. We invite you to leverage our expertise to assess your current PPC campaign, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategic measures that can yield better results. Let Logic Web Media be the guiding force in optimizing your online presence, ensuring that you not only acquire leads but secure valuable jobs that contribute to the long-term success of your home service business on Long Island. --- > As the 2023 holiday season approaches, Long Island eCommerce businesses can gain a competitive edge by strategically implementing these Magento 2 extensions. - Published: 2023-12-07 - Modified: 2023-12-12 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/boost-your-holiday-sales-essential-magento-ecommerce-extensions-for-long-island-businesses/ The holiday shopping season is a crucial time for online retailers, and Long Island businesses are no exception. To ensure your eCommerce store stands out and maximizes sales during this festive period, leveraging the right Magento extensions is key. In this blog post, we'll explore a curated list of essential Magento eCommerce extensions that can help Long Island-based businesses enhance their online presence, engage customers, and ultimately boost holiday sales. This post contains affiliate links. However, don't fret! Logic Web Media recommends these Magento extensions because we use them and trust them. Our clients have seen success with the following extensions, and we are sharing them with you! Countdown Timer for Magento 2 Amasty's Countdown Timer for Magento 2 plays on the psychological impact of urgency on your website visitors. It is a powerful force that leverages the human tendency to act quickly in response to perceived scarcity or time constraints. It taps into basic instincts and cognitive biases that influence decision-making. When implemented effectively, urgency can significantly increase conversion rates for e-commerce stores. A countdown timer is a visual representation of this urgency, creating a sense of limited time and prompting immediate action. Additionally, with our natural preference for instant gratification, eCommerce stores can drive immediate action and boost conversions during holiday shopping seasons Configure a timer to show how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds are left on the offer Manage all your countdown timers in one handy grid One Step Checkout Pro Amasty's One Step Checkout Pro for Magento 2 streamlines the checkout process in order to optimize the user experience. The checkout stage is the final hurdle between a customer and a completed purchase. Therefore, any friction in this process can lead to user frustration, cart abandonment, and lost sales. A streamlined checkout process, especially one facilitated by a one-page checkout, is a pivotal element in the success of an eCommerce store. By focusing on simplicity, convenience, and user-friendliness, Long Island online businesses can significantly increase the likelihood of completed transactions, reduce cart abandonment rates, and ultimately improve overall customer satisfaction. Streamline the checkout process in your store and increase revenue Display all checkout data in simple 2 or 3 columns with the classic theme Abandoned Cart Email Extension Amasty's Abandoned Cart Email for Magento 2 is a great solution to customers adding items to their cart but not completing the purchase. As a significant challenge to the holiday sales season, cart abandonment should be leveraged. An Abandoned Cart Email Extension for Magento can be a game-changer in turning these lost opportunities into successful holiday sales. The Abandoned cart email extension automates the process of reaching out to customers who leave items in their carts without completing the purchase. During the holiday season, where distractions are abundant, automated email reminders serve as gentle nudges, bringing shoppers back to your site and encouraging them to finalize their transactions. By implementing these features, you not only recover potential revenue but also foster a deeper connection with your audience during the holiday season. Bring customers back and elevate sales with custom abandoned cart emails Increase the number of repeated purchases using various follow-up emails Free Gift Extension Amasty's Free Gift Extension for Magento 2 allows Long Island eCommerce store owners to create a variety of promo campaigns. Even though it's the season of giving, it is also a time for eCommerce store owners to foster loyalty and boost sales. When you offer a free gift, you implement an effective strategy to sway your sale. During the holiday season, which is flooded with promo codes and percentages off, a free gift stands out as a tangible and immediate benefit for shoppers. Additionally, offering a free gift is a great way to showcase new or seasonal products. Your customers receive a delightful surprise, while you get to generate interest and drive sales. Keep your customers informed by adding images and names of free gifts Let customers see all promo items right in the cart Multiple Wishlist for Magento 2 Amasty's Multiple Wishlist for Magento 2 extension allows your website users to create multiple wish lists to save their favorite products. In the dynamic world of e-commerce, providing customers with a personalized and versatile shopping experience is key to success. During the holiday season or special occasions, customers often plan to purchase gifts for multiple recipients. The Multiple Wish Lists Extension facilitates this process by enabling users to create distinct wishlists for different people, ensuring a thoughtful and organized approach to gift-giving. Furthermore, the ability to create and manage multiple wishlists encourages users to interact more with your online store. This increased engagement can lead to longer sessions, as customers revisit their wishlists, add new items, and adjust their preferences. A more engaged audience is likely to result in higher customer retention rates. Let users add items to a list in just a few clicks or create a new list if needed Motivate shoppers to share the list with family and friends Do I Need These Extra Features to Have a Successful Holiday Sales Season? You may, or you may not. As Long Island web designers and Magento developers, we have seen many eCommerce stores benefit from incorporating these extensions. Simply put, these extra features contribute to enhancing the overall shopping experience and, in turn, driving better sales. Here are a few reasons: Competitive Edge: The online market is highly competitive, and consumers have a multitude of options. Extra features can help your store stand out among competitors and attract attention. User Experience (UX): Providing a seamless and enjoyable user experience is crucial. With a positive UX, you reduct friction and encourage customers to complete their purchases. Creates Urgency: Countdown timers and promotional banners create a sense of urgency, prompting customers to act quickly. This psychological tactic can be particularly effective during the holiday season when people are looking for limited-time deals. Personalization: Personalized shopping experiences, including tailored product recommendations, make customers feel understood and valued. This personal touch can increase customer loyalty and lead to repeat business. Streamlined Checkout: A complicated or lengthy checkout process can lead to cart abandonment. Streamlining the process with features like one-page checkout increases the likelihood of completed transactions. Adapts to Consumer Behavior: E-commerce stores need to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and expectations. Integrating new and innovative features keeps the online shopping experience fresh and aligned with current trends. Conclusion As the holiday season approaches, Long Island eCommerce businesses can gain a competitive edge by strategically implementing these Magento 2 extensions. By investing in tools that create a sense of urgency, personalize the shopping experience, optimize for mobile, streamline the checkout process, integrate with social media, showcase customer reviews, and offer special promotions, your online store can capture the attention and loyalty of holiday shoppers. Get ready to elevate your eCommerce game and make this holiday season a record-breaking one for your Long Island business! --- > If your website is powered by Magento 2 and you operate on Long Island, then you likely have heard about reindexing your store. But how do you reindex Magento 2 and is it necessary? - Published: 2023-12-05 - Modified: 2023-12-12 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/how-to-reindex-magento-2/ In the ever-evolving realm of e-commerce, the success of your online store hinges on impeccable performance. If your website is powered by Magento 2 and you operate on Long Island, then you likely have heard about reindexing your store. But how do you reindex Magento 2 and is it necessary? Join us in this blog post as we delve into the crucial role of reindexing and guide you through the process, ensuring that your Long Island web design, powered by Magento 2, operates at peak efficiency. At Logic Web Media, we not only grasp the nuances of effective optimization but also focus on tailoring solutions for Long Island businesses, positioning your online store for unparalleled success. Why Reindexing Matters Magento 2 relies on a sophisticated database structure to manage product information, customer data, and more. This data - such as prices, categories, and product pictures - are scattered across different tables within the indexers. These allow Magento to render pages quickly. But if you change one piece of data, the change will not be displayed because the indexer will still contain the older data. Therefore, as your store grows, the database can become fragmented. This leads to slower query performance. However, reindexing Magento 2 is the remedy for this issue. It refreshes and organizes the data, allowing your store to retrieve information faster and enhancing the overall user experience. Basically, as previously indexed data changes, it will need to be reindexed. Here are the 3 main ways to reindex your Magento 2 eCommerce store: LOGIC WEB MEDIA: Your Trusted Long Island Web Designers and Magento 2 Developers At Logic Web Media, we understand that a seamless and efficient e-commerce platform is essential for your success. Our team is committed to ensuring that your Magento 2 store not only meets but exceeds performance expectations. Reindexing is a fundamental aspect of this commitment. Therefore, we've streamlined the process with 3 methods to make it as straightforward as possible. Method 1: Command Line Connect to your server via SSH: ssh user@your_server_ip Navigate to your Magento 2 root directory: cd /path/to/your/magento2 Run the following command to reindex all indexes: php bin/magento indexer:reindex If you want to reindex a specific index, you can use: php bin/magento indexer:reindex Replace with the name of the index you want to reindex. Method 2: Reindex Extension for Magento 2 Amasty's Reindex From Admin Extension is a powerful tool that empowers our customers to reduce the time spent on keeping store data up-to-date. This extension simplifies and automates the reindexing process, allowing you to prevent store lags and cart abandonments with just one click, all without requiring developers' assistance. Amasty's Admin Extension seamlessly integrates with your Magento 2 Admin Panel, providing an intuitive and efficient way to manage and optimize your store's performance. Method 3: Reindex from the Magento Admin Panel Log in to the Magento Admin Panel. Navigate to System > Index Management. You will see a list of all available indexes. Select the checkboxes next to the indexes you want to reindex. From the "Actions" dropdown at the top, choose "Reindex Data. " Click the "Submit" button. This process may take some time, especially if you have a large catalog. Once the reindexing is complete, your store's data will be up-to-date, and you should notice improvements in performance. Keep in mind that it's common to run into issues during the reindexing process, such as running out of memory or execution time. If that happens, you might need to adjust your PHP configuration settings or reindex in smaller batches. Conclusion Logic Web Media: Magento Developers on Long Island At Logic Web Media, we go beyond generic solutions, recognizing the importance of catering to the specific needs of Long Island businesses. With Long Island web design and Magento developers on our team, we are your local partners in achieving digital excellence. Reindexing is just one facet of our comprehensive approach, ensuring that your Long Island e-commerce venture thrives in a competitive online landscape. Optimize confidently with Logic Web Media – where Long Island web design meets unparalleled performance. In the fast-paced world of online retail, a well-optimized store is the key to staying competitive. Logic Web Media combines technical expertise with a commitment to client success, offering tailored solutions to enhance the performance of your Magento 2 store. Reindexing is just one piece of the puzzle, and with Logic Web Media, you have a partner dedicated to ensuring that your e-commerce venture thrives in the digital landscape. Optimize with confidence! --- > Accessibility is not just a buzzword. For businesses on Long Island seeking ADA web development services, Logic Web Media is a one-stop shop. - Published: 2023-11-21 - Modified: 2023-11-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/long-island-web-development-ada-compliance-your-business/ In the fast-evolving landscape of web development, accessibility is not just a buzzword. It's a fundamental aspect that can make or break the success of your online presence. For businesses on Long Island seeking web development services, Logic Web Media is a one-stop shop. Furthermore, we have extensive experience in web development for ADA compliance. In this blog post, we'll explore the significance of ADA compliance in web design and development. Additionally, we discuss how Logic Web Media is at the forefront of creating inclusive digital experiences on Long Island. The Importance of ADA Compliance in Web Design The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not explicitly mention websites. Enacted in 1990, ADA originated before the widespread use of the internet as we know it today. However, over time, U. S. courts have interpreted the ADA to apply to websites and digital content. As a result, there is no specific list of websites that are "required" to be ADA compliant. Instead, the general principle is that any website or online service that provides goods, services, or information to the public is expected to be ADA compliant. What Types of Websites are Required to be ADA Compliant? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not explicitly mention websites. It was enacted in 1990, before the widespread use of the internet as we know it today. However, over time, U. S. courts have interpreted the ADA to apply to websites and digital content. As a result, there is no specific list of websites that are "required" to be ADA compliant. Instead, the general principle is that any website or online service that provides goods, services, or information to the public is expected to be ADA compliant. Common types of websites falling under ADA compliance requirements include: Government Websites: Generally, all government websites regardless of the level should be ADA compliant. This ensures equal access to government services and information. E-commerce Websites: Online businesses that sell goods or services are subject to ADA compliance regulations. Regardless of your eCommerce platform, Logic Web Media can install specific ADA compliance software. This ensures that individuals with disabilities can access and make purchases on their websites. Educational Websites: Websites of educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities, should be ADA compliant. This ensures that students, parents, and the public can access information and services. Healthcare Websites: Websites of healthcare providers, hospitals, clinics, and health-related services should be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Employment Websites: Websites related to employment, including job search platforms and company career pages, should be ADA compliant. This ensures that job seekers with disabilities can access employment opportunities. Public Accommodations: The ADA requires that places of public accommodation be accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes physical locations like stores, restaurants, and hotels, but courts have extended this requirement to their online counterparts. Key ADA Compliance Considerations: Screen Reader Compatibility: Logic Web Media prioritizes screen reader compatibility by implementing features like descriptive alt text for images, proper heading structures, and text that is easily navigable using assistive technologies. Keyboard Accessibility: Our web development strategies guarantee that all website functionalities can be effortlessly operated using a keyboard, providing a seamless experience for users with motor disabilities. Color and Contrast: We understand the importance of color choices and contrast ratios to accommodate users with visual impairments, ensuring that your website is both visually appealing and accessible. Captions and Transcripts: Logic Web Media ensures that multimedia content, such as videos and audio, comes equipped with captions and transcripts, making information accessible to users with hearing impairments. Responsive Design: Our team employs modern responsive design principles, ensuring that websites adapt seamlessly to various devices and screen sizes, catering to users who rely on different types of technology. Readable Text and Fonts: We prioritize readability by using accessible fonts and ensuring that text can be resized without compromising content or functionality, benefitting users with visual impairments or reading difficulties. Form Accessibility: Logic Web Media takes a user-centric approach to form design, ensuring clarity through clear labels and instructions to benefit users with cognitive or motor impairments. Logic Web Media: Redefining Long Island Web Development At Logic Web Media, we view inclusive web design not merely as a compliance requirement but as a commitment to creating an online environment that serves every user. Our Long Island web development services are synonymous with innovation, with our team dedicated to staying ahead of the curve in terms of ADA compliance. Choosing Logic Web Media provides businesses on Long Island with a competitive edge. By aligning their online presence with accessibility standards, Long Island businesses will reach a broader audience, and demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity. Conclusion: In the dynamic world of web development, Logic Web Media has the right solutions. By prioritizing ADA compliance, we empower businesses on Long Island to create digital experiences that leave no user behind. Join us in the journey toward a more accessible internet! --- > Welcome to the online frontier of Long Island web design, where every detail matters. In this post, we'll delve into the significance of Alt Tags and how they can supercharge your web development and SEO efforts. - Published: 2023-11-15 - Modified: 2023-11-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/elevate-your-long-island-web-design-the-impact-of-alt-tags/ Welcome to the online frontier of Long Island web design, where every detail matters. In this post, we'll delve into the significance of Alt Tags and how they can supercharge your modern web development and SEO efforts. Logic Web Media, your go-to Long Island-based web design company, understands the transformative power of Alt Tags. Discover what Alt Tags are, why they're crucial, and how our team at Logic Web Media can seamlessly integrate them into your website for optimal results. Understanding Alt Tags: A Long Island Web Design Essential Alt Tags, or alternative text, are concise image descriptions embedded in your website's HTML code. Acting as a textual representation of images, Alt Tags ensure that even if images don't load, users still grasp their content. Alt Tags should be used on all pages. This includes your website home page, service pages, blog posts, and more. Let's explore why these tags are indispensable for Long Island web design. The Significance of Alt Tags in Web Development 1. Boosting Accessibility Web accessibility is paramount, especially for our diverse Long Island audience. Alt Tags enhance inclusivity by providing detailed descriptions for images, catering to users with visual impairments who rely on screen readers. Furthermore, in order to be ADA compliant (that is, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) websites must be accessible to people with disabilities. 2. Enhancing User Experience Alt Tags go beyond accessibility; they enhance the overall user experience. Whether an image fails to load or a user browses with images turned off, Alt Tags can step in. They ensure users stay engaged and informed, creating a positive experience. Without a visual, there would just be an empty box. The alt tag saves the user experience by describing the picture that was meant to be. 3. SEO Advantages for Long Island Web Design Alt Tags are not just for users; search engines love them too! Google and other search engines rely on text-based content to index your website accurately. By optimizing your images with Alt Tags, you're signaling to search engines that your Long Island web design is relevant and valuable. Additionally, with the right Alt Tags on pictures, those pictures are more likely to show up in search results as well giving you more visibility overall. Leveraging Alt Tags for Success with Logic Web Media At Logic Web Media, we're passionate about crafting visually stunning and strategically optimized websites for our Long Island clients. Here's how our Long Island web design company can help you harness the power of Alt Tags: 1. Alt Tag Optimization Tailored for Long Island Our expert team ensures every image on your website boasts Alt Tags that are not only meaningful but also tailored to resonate with your local audience and target keywords. 2. SEO-Centric Long Island Web Design Strategies We don't just stop at Alt Tags; we understand that effective SEO is the backbone of online success. Our comprehensive strategies incorporate Alt Tags seamlessly into an overarching SEO improvement plan. 3. Continuous Support and Maintenance Logic Web Media isn't just a one-time solution. We offer ongoing support, regularly reviewing and updating Alt Tags to keep them aligned with your Long Island-centric content and SEO goals. In conclusion, Alt Tags may be small, but in the world of Long Island web design, their impact is monumental! Logic Web Media is your trusted partner for harnessing the potential of Alt Tags and optimizing your web design for success. --- > At Logic Web Media, a Long Island web design company specializing in web design, WordPress development, SEO, and Google AdWords, we understand the importance of imagery in web design. In this blog post, we'll explore the power of images and provide you with valuable tips on how to choose and use photos effectively to enhance your website. - Published: 2023-10-30 - Modified: 2023-11-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/the-power-of-images-how-to-choose-and-use-photos-on-your-website/ In today's digital age, your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. The design of your website, including the photos you use, plays a crucial role in making a lasting impression. At Logic Web Media, a Long Island web design company specializing in web design, WordPress development, SEO, and Google AdWords, we understand the importance of imagery in web design. In this blog post, we'll explore the power of images and provide you with valuable tips on how to choose and use photos effectively to enhance your website. The Impact of Images on Your Website Visual content is a powerful tool when it comes to web design. Here's why it matters: First Impressions: Studies show that visitors form their first impression of your website in a matter of seconds. High-quality, relevant images can immediately capture their attention and communicate your brand identity. Emotional Connection: Images can evoke emotions, making it easier for your audience to connect with your content. Using images that resonate with your target audience can foster a strong emotional bond. Improved User Experience: The right images can break up text, making your content more engaging and easier to digest. This improves the overall user experience on your website. SEO Benefits: Properly optimized images can improve your website's search engine rankings. This is where our expertise in SEO and Google AdWords at Logic Web Media comes in handy. Choosing the Right Images Selecting the right images for your website is essential. Here's how to do it effectively: Reflect Your Brand: Images should align with your brand identity. Ensure that they convey the right tone, style, and messaging. High Quality: Always use high-resolution images to maintain a professional look. Blurry or pixelated photos can deter visitors. Relevance: The images should be relevant to your content and convey the intended message. Avoid using generic or unrelated images. Originality: Whenever possible, use original photos. Stock images can be used, but try to customize them to make them unique to your website. For instance, the image used below on the website Fusco Interiors shows a worker prepping cabinets to be painted. Instead of using stock photography, we were able to use this photo of a worker in his Fusco Interiors t-shirt while working. Real photos show authenticity of the the brand, which leads to more trust in the company's website. Using Images Strategically Now that you've chosen the right images, it's essential to use them strategically: Homepage: Your homepage design is your digital storefront. Use a high-quality, captivating image that sums up your business and entices visitors to explore further. Blog Posts: Blogging is super important for your business. Images break up text and make blog posts more engaging. Include relevant images that complement your content. Call to Action (CTA): Incorporate images in your CTA buttons to make them more visually appealing. This can lead to higher conversion rates. Responsive Design: Ensure that your images are responsive to cater to various device screen sizes. Logic Web Media's web design and WordPress development expertise can help with this aspect. Product/Service Pages: Use images to showcase your products or services from different angles. This allows visitors to understand what you offer better. Below is a screen shot of a service page on Fusco Interiors website. These 4 boxes showcase different services with images provided to us by the client. While we could have used stock photography for these common services, using original photos helps show the visitor what to expect from their services. Image Optimization For optimal website performance and SEO, it's crucial to optimize your images: Resize and Compress: Use tools to resize and compress images without compromising quality. This improves page load times. Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for images to improve accessibility and SEO. This is where our SEO knowledge comes into play. File Names: Choose descriptive file names that reflect the image's content. Conclusion At Logic Web Media, we understand the importance of images in web design. The right images can transform your website, captivate your audience, and enhance user experience. By choosing, using, and optimizing images strategically, you can make your website a powerful marketing tool that sets you apart from the competition. Whether you need web design, WordPress development, SEO, or Google AdWords services, Logic Web Media is here to help you make the most of your online presence. Contact us today to get started on your journey towards a visually stunning and effective website. --- > Specializing in web design, custom WordPress development, and SEO services, Logic Web Media has been a go-to choice for Long Island-based businesses in the medical field, such as medical staffing agencies. - Published: 2023-10-25 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/medical-practice-web-design-long-island/ In today's digital age, having an online presence is critical for businesses across all industries, including medical practices and healthcare-related enterprises on Long Island. Your website serves as the digital face of your business, and it's often the first point of contact between potential patients and clients. That's why partnering with a professional web design company like Logic Web Media can make all the difference. Specializing in web design, custom WordPress development, and SEO services, Logic Web Media has been a go-to choice for Long Island-based businesses in the medical field, such as medical staffing agencies. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of web design in the medical industry and how Logic Web Media can help you create a strong online presence. The Significance of Web Design in Healthcare Trust and Credibility A well-designed website instills trust and credibility. For medical practices, trust is paramount. Patients need to feel confident in your expertise, and your website's design plays a crucial role in establishing that trust. A clean, professional design can leave a positive first impression and build confidence in your services. Accessibility and User Experience Patients and clients expect easy access to information on your website. A well-structured and user-friendly website design ensures that visitors can find the information they need quickly. This is especially important in healthcare, where people often seek urgent information or services. Information Dissemination Healthcare websites need to provide accurate and up-to-date information about services, healthcare professionals, and facilities. A good web design ensures that this information is presented clearly, making it easier for patients to understand and engage with your practice or agency. Mobile Responsiveness Today, a significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Your website must be responsive and adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes. Logic Web Media specializes in creating mobile-friendly websites, ensuring that your audience can access your site from any device. Logic Web Media's Expertise Custom WordPress Development WordPress is a versatile platform that Logic Web Media excels in using. The team can customize your website to fit your specific needs and design preferences. Whether you're a small medical practice, a medical staffing agency, or a local pharmacy chain, a tailored WordPress website can help you stand out. A great example of custom WordPress development for the healthcare industry on Long Island is OnPoint Pharmacy. They have 12 locations across Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties. Their custom design is sleek and modern, which is the perfect reflection of their fresh take on how pharmacies operate. SEO Services An attractive website is only as good as its visibility. Logic Web Media offers SEO services that can boost your website's search engine rankings, ensuring that potential patients or clients can find you easily. With quality website content and regular blogging, you can expect improved Google rankings and local maps visibility. As a result, your Long Island medical practice can expect an increase in new patients. One good example of this is the Central Orthopedic group. They have been a long-standing SEO client of Logic Web Media. We update their website, monitor their rankings, write blog posts, complete technical SEO audits, as well as track competitors. In the image below, you can clearly see their search visibility as compared to their competitors. That light blue line is where their search rankings stand. Those other lines way lower on the chart are their direct competitors, based on their locations and services. As you can see, Central Orthopedic Group has benefited greatly from an on going SEO campaign. In addition to SEO, we also run their Google Ads, which directly target search results ensuring they get the lead over their competitors. User-Centered Design Logic Web Media understands that a website's success hinges on user experience. They design websites with the end user in mind, ensuring that navigation is intuitive and content is engaging. Medical Staffing Consultants are a long-time partner of Logic Web Media. Also Long Island-based, MSC is a leader in the healthcare industry helping people start their own medical staffing company. As a Long Island leader in web design and development, Logic Web Media designs and develops the medical staffing websites for the emerging companies. These medical staffing websites are designed and built to help prospective employees and facilities to utilize these important medical staffing services. We pride ourselves on creating these websites so that they are easy to navigate and capture leads with eases. Conclusion In the competitive Long Island medical field, a professional web design is your ticket to success. Logic Web Media specializes in crafting websites that not only look stunning but also perform exceptionally well. With their custom WordPress development and SEO expertise, they can help your medical practice or healthcare-related business gain the visibility and trust it deserves. When it comes to creating a strong online presence, Logic Web Media is the go-to partner for businesses on Long Island. Choose them, and you're one step closer to achieving your online goals in the medical field. --- > When developing websites, eCommerce stores, and mobile sites we of course get lost in the aesthetics. But how did these ugly sites get so much traffic? - Published: 2023-10-18 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/4-famous-hideous-sites-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them/ Some of the most visited websites that rake in the cash can be described as one word: ugly. When developing websites, eCommerce stores, and mobile responsive sites we of course get lost in the aesthetics. And why not? People will be staring at them and wondering if they should make purchases, employ the services, or believe the information that is put forth. When it comes to the internet and having highly visible websites, appearance is nearly everything, right? Well, when we review the biggest sites that make millions, some of them are down-right hideous. If a client were to bring some of these sites to us to redo, we'd explain that they do not follow modern web design standards. We would make it look better and give you a site you'd be proud of. However, no one is bringing these 4 revolting sites to us. Mainly, this is because the owners are filthy rich. Also they have gained such a loyal audience, they wouldn't think about jostling them with an updated design. 1. eBay By our standards, they did everything wrong. They have a cluttered logo and the site is plastered with banners and browser buttons. When the site was launched back in 1997, they used this horribly offensive high school primary color scheme. Although it's been toned down, we still think of the eBay logo with those bright colors. It's still ugly even with all the updates but it is also one of the most recognizable sites in the world. eBay's design is a reflection of its longstanding commitment to providing a straightforward and efficient marketplace. Here are a few reasons why eBay's website is often deemed 'ugly' by contemporary design standards: Cluttered Layout: eBay's homepage can appear cluttered with numerous links, categories, and product listings. It's a far cry from the clean and spacious designs we often associate with modern websites. Overwhelming Information: The site often presents a vast amount of information all at once, which can be overwhelming for users who are accustomed to more minimalistic designs. Minimal Aesthetics: eBay's design is decidedly utilitarian, prioritizing functionality over aesthetics. While this approach can make it less visually appealing, it serves the purpose of helping users find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently. Color Palette: eBay's use of primary colors and a somewhat dated color scheme can give it an old-fashioned appearance compared to contemporary websites that embrace more subtle and modern color palettes. 2. Google Gasp! ! Are we calling Google ugly? Well, yes, yes we are. We can be generous and say that it's economical and simple if that makes you more comfortable. It is minimalist to the max. And like eBay, it uses those high-school art class prime colors. Google reigns supreme as the king of the search engines! Google's iconic homepage is another example of a design that's often considered 'ugly' in terms of modern web design standards. It's 'ugly' in the sense that it deliberately rejects modern design trends for a purpose-driven, minimalistic approach: Simplicity: Google's homepage is arguably one of the simplest web designs you'll encounter. It features a plain white background, a logo, a search bar, and a few buttons, which doesn't align with the trend of visually rich and complex homepages. Lack of Visual Elements: While modern websites often incorporate large images, videos, and graphics, Google's homepage focuses on a clean and text-centric interface. There are no distracting visual elements, which some people might find visually uninteresting or 'ugly. ' Absence of Features: Google's homepage omits many features and design elements that other search engines might include, such as news snippets or personalized recommendations. The website focuses purely on the core search function, which can be seen as a rejection of contemporary feature-rich designs. However, it's essential to note that the simplicity and functionality of eBay and Google's websites serve a specific purpose. eBay prioritizes product discovery and quick navigation for its users, while Google's minimalistic approach focuses on providing a fast and efficient search experience. In both cases, the 'ugly' design is a deliberate choice to enhance usability and functionality. These examples illustrate that 'ugly' design can be highly effective when it aligns with a website's core purpose and audience expectations. 3. Craigslist: Holy text-only Batman! There's nothing to this site... no logo... no banners... nothing. There barely is any color. Since its inception in 1995, the site only changed to add more cities and countries. It's a real get-in and get-the-heck-out type of site. Craigslist has maintained its simple, text-based design for many years, and this approach has garnered both admiration for its functionality and criticism for its perceived lack of modern aesthetics: Plain Text and Minimal Graphics: The Craigslist website relies heavily on plain text and minimal graphics. The lack of images, animations, and visual embellishments makes it appear visually plain and 'ugly' compared to websites with rich, multimedia content. Sparse Layout: The layout is minimal, with links to various categories and listings presented in a simple, list-style format. Modern design often emphasizes more sophisticated grid layouts and interactive components. No Mobile Optimization: Craigslist's design has been slow to adapt to mobile devices. It often appears as a scaled-down desktop site on mobile, which can lead to a less-than-ideal user experience on smaller screens. Old-Fashioned Aesthetics: The design aesthetics on Craigslist have changed very little over the years, giving it an old-fashioned look in comparison to more contemporary and visually appealing websites. Limited Customization: While Craigslist allows users to post text-based listings, it provides minimal options for customization, which can make listings appear uniform and uninspiring. 4. Reddit: Do you want to discuss Britney Spears, football, gaming, or ask AITA? Well, then Reddit is the place for you. All the best memes and deep cuts on the internet tend to originate on Reddit. The brilliance of it lies in the creation and promotion of content by the users themselves. It's self-generating and its popularity has snowballed over the years. Reddit is a hugely popular platform for discussions and content sharing, but its design has faced criticism for being visually cluttered and outdated: Cluttered Interface: The front page of Reddit can be visually overwhelming, with numerous posts, comments, and discussions. This density can be off-putting for users who prefer cleaner and more organized layouts. Lack of Visual Polishing: Reddit's design prioritizes functionality over aesthetics. It often lacks the visual polish seen on modern social media platforms, such as visually rich profiles, videos, and images. Minimal Color and Graphics: The color scheme is basic, and graphics are relatively limited, contributing to the perception of 'ugliness' in comparison to platforms that embrace more vibrant colors and graphic elements. Old-Fashioned Look: Reddit's design has remained relatively consistent over the years, leading some to perceive it as outdated or unrefined compared to social media platforms that undergo frequent redesigns. Complex Navigation: Reddit's navigation can be complex, with its numerous subreddits and threads. This can be confusing for newcomers or users accustomed to simpler navigation structures. Both Craigslist and Reddit have opted for a no-frills, utilitarian approach to design, emphasizing content and functionality over aesthetics. While this choice might be viewed as 'ugly' by modern design standards, it aligns with their core purpose of providing straightforward, content-centric platforms for users. The perceived 'ugliness' in their designs is often a result of their commitment to simplicity and usability. The Beauty of 'Ugly' in Modern Web Design In the ever-evolving world of web design, the term 'ugly' is not one you'd expect to hear often. After all, the primary goal of web designers is to create visually appealing and functional websites, right? While this is true, there's a fascinating shift happening in the design industry. We're seeing the emergence of a trend that appreciates and embraces the unconventional and seemingly 'ugly' elements in web design. At Logic Web Media, a leading web design company here on Long Island, we understand the importance of staying on the cutting edge of design trends. And yes, that includes understanding the beauty of 'ugly' in modern web design. Here, we'll explore why 'ugly' can be a powerful design choice and how it can add a unique flair to your website. 1. Breaking the Mold Modern web design has come a long way, and many websites today are sleek, minimalist, and visually appealing. However, in the quest for perfection, many websites have started to look indistinguishable from one another. 'Ugly' web design, in this context, helps break the mold. It challenges the status quo by defying conventional aesthetics and standing out. 2. Authenticity Over Perfection In a world where filters and photo-editing apps dominate social media, the 'ugly' web design trend champions authenticity. It embraces the idea that not everything needs to be polished to be effective. Real-life imperfections can convey a sense of genuineness, which resonates with users on a deeper level. 3. Emotional Engagement While polished and attractive websites have their place, 'ugly' web design can create a strong emotional connection. It often triggers curiosity, making users explore the site further to understand its unconventional charm. This curiosity can lead to higher user engagement and longer time spent on the site. 4. Nostalgia and Retro Appeal Many 'ugly' websites draw inspiration from the early days of the internet. They pay homage to the nostalgia of the '90s and the early 2000s, bringing a sense of retro appeal to their design. This can be a deliberate choice for websites targeting audiences with a penchant for nostalgia. 5. Focusing on Content In 'ugly' web design, content often takes center stage. By stripping away excessive visual elements, these designs direct the user's attention to what truly matters: the information and the message. This can be highly effective for websites with a strong emphasis on their content. Embracing 'Ugly' in Web Design Here at Logic Web Media, we're not afraid to explore unconventional design choices. While we understand the importance of aesthetics and user experience, we also recognize that 'ugly' web design can be a powerful tool in the right context. We work closely with our clients to understand their goals and target audience to determine what type of web design is a suitable choice. 'Ugly' web design may not be for every website. It challenges the norm and offers a unique approach to capturing user attention and engagement. If you're interested in experimenting with 'ugly' web design or any other design trend, don't hesitate to reach out to us at Logic Web Media. We're here to help you create a website that stands out and serves your business's needs, even if it means embracing a bit of 'ugly' along the way. Beauty, after all, is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes, 'ugly' can be remarkably beautiful in its own way. --- > If your Long Island-based business doesn't have a website yet, you might be missing out on opportunities to grow and thrive in the competitive market. - Published: 2023-10-14 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/5-reasons-long-island-business-website/ In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any business, regardless of its size or industry. Long Island, with its vibrant and diverse business landscape, is no exception. If your Long Island-based business doesn't have a website yet, you might be missing out on opportunities to grow and thrive in the competitive market. And, if you are looking for a web designer on Long Island, look no further than Logic Web Media. In this blog post, we'll explore five compelling reasons why your Long Island business should have a website. 1. Reach a Wider Audience Long Island is home to millions of potential customers. Furthermore, many of them turn to the internet to find local businesses. Having a modern, mobile-responsive website allows you to expand your reach and connect with a broader audience. Whether you operate a restaurant in Suffolk County, a boutique in Nassau County, or a tech startup in Queens, a well-designed website can attract customers from all over. 2. Build Credibility and Trust A professionally built custom website not only showcases your products or services but also reflects the professionalism of your business. When potential customers visit a well-maintained website, it instills trust and confidence in your brand. Additionally, it's an opportunity to tell your story, highlight your achievements, and share customer testimonials. These features can build credibility and make your business more appealing. 3. Improve Customer Convenience Your website can serve as a 24/7 storefront for your business. Customers can learn about your offerings, check your opening hours, and contact you at any time, even outside of regular business hours. This convenience can lead to increased customer engagement and sales, as people can research and make inquiries at their convenience. 4. Stay Competitive The business landscape on Long Island is highly competitive. To keep up with your competitors, you need to stay current with marketing and technology trends. Having a website is no longer a luxury but a necessity. If your competitors are online and you're not, you risk falling behind in the race for customers' attention. Starting off with a custom designed WordPress website is what we at Logic Web Media suggest! 5. Showcase Your Unique Value Long Island is known for its unique businesses and local flavors. Your website is an excellent platform to showcase what makes your business special. You can share your local ties, community involvement, and the reasons why your products or services stand out from the rest. This is an opportunity to create a compelling narrative around your brand and connect with customers who appreciate your story. Long Island Web Design by Logic Web Media If you're convinced that your Long Island business needs a website, it's essential to work with a reputable web design company that understands the local market. At Logic Web Media, we have a deep understanding of Long Island and can create a website that's tailored to your business's unique needs and goals. From responsive design to e-commerce solutions and SEO optimization, we offer a range of services to help your business succeed online. Don't wait any longer—take the first step towards building a robust online presence for your Long Island business. Conclusion Having a website is no longer optional in today's business landscape, and this is especially true for Long Island businesses. Your website is your digital storefront, a powerful tool for reaching a wider audience, building credibility, and staying competitive in the local market. If you haven't already, now is the time to invest in a professional website for your Long Island business. --- > After launching your website there are many options to consider, such as marketing, site traffic, and user experience. The first question clients always ask after launching a website is "now how will I get visitors?" - Published: 2023-10-13 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/so-you-have-a-wordpress-website-now-what/ Congratulations! You've just launched your brand-new WordPress website with the help of Logic Web Media. It's an exciting milestone, and you're probably eager to see your digital presence grow and flourish. But here comes the inevitable question: "Now how will I get visitors? " It's a common concern among website owners, and understandably so. Many assume that by simply building a website, visitors will flock to it. However, that's not the case. So, what's next? Don't worry; you're not alone in wondering about the path forward after website launch. In this post, we'll explore essential steps you can take to drive traffic to your WordPress site, improve your search engine rankings, and build a loyal audience. Step 1: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) If you want your website to be found by potential visitors, SEO is your best friend. WordPress is already a SEO-friendly platform, but there are ways to enhance its optimization. Start by: Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your target audience is likely to search for. Use these keywords strategically in your content. Quality Content: Regularly update your website with high-quality, informative, and engaging content. Search engines favor fresh and valuable information. On-Page SEO: Optimize your meta titles, descriptions, and headers to make your content more search engine-friendly. Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as Google prioritizes mobile-responsive sites in its rankings. User Experience (UX): A smooth, user-friendly website with fast loading times will not only please your visitors but also contribute to better search rankings. Step 2: Content Marketing Creating great content is not enough; you need to market it effectively. Here's how: Blogging: Maintain a blog on your website. Regularly publish articles related to your industry, products, or services. Share your expertise and offer solutions to common problems. Social Media: Share your blog posts and other content on social media platforms. Engage with your audience and create a sense of community around your brand. Email Marketing: Build an email list and send newsletters with valuable content, promotions, and updates. Guest Posting: Contribute guest posts to relevant, high-traffic websites in your niche. This can help you gain exposure and backlinks. Step 3: Pay-Per-Click Advertising If you're looking for immediate results and are willing to invest in advertising, consider pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Google Ads and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer effective advertising solutions. You can target specific demographics and interests to reach your ideal audience. Step 4: Analyze, Adjust, and Improve The key to success in the digital world is constant improvement. Monitor your website's performance using tools like Google Analytics. Track your traffic, visitor behavior, and conversion rates. Use this data to identify what's working and what needs improvement. Adjust your strategies accordingly to achieve better results. Step 5: Patience and Consistency Building a significant online presence takes time, and results may not be immediate. It's essential to stay patient and consistent with your efforts. Keep producing valuable content, engaging with your audience, and optimizing your site for better search engine rankings. Conclusion In conclusion, having a WordPress website is just the beginning of your digital journey. To drive traffic, improve your search engine rankings, and build a dedicated audience, you must take proactive steps. Utilize SEO, content marketing, paid advertising, and analytics to your advantage. Remember, success in the online world is a marathon, not a sprint. Logic Web Media is here to help you every step of the way, so don't hesitate to reach out for support and guidance on your digital journey. Your website's potential is limitless, and with the right strategies, you can watch it thrive and reach new heights. --- > Creating a successful SEO strategy can be difficult. Discover some of the most helpful search engine tips that can enhance your websites SEO. - Published: 2023-10-01 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/10-quick-tips-to-enhance-your-websites-seo/ In today's digital landscape, optimizing your website for search engines (SEO) is crucial for reaching and retaining new customers. SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and adaptation to stay relevant in search engine rankings. To help you enhance your website's SEO value in the current environment, here are some up-to-date strategies: test 1. Mobile Responsive Web Design A mobile-responsive website is no longer an option; it's a necessity. Google now prioritizes mobile-first indexing, meaning it evaluates and ranks websites based on their mobile versions. If your website isn't mobile-friendly, its ranking potential is significantly diminished. Additionally, a mobile-responsive design leads to improved user experience and conversion rates. 2. Optimize Google My Business Although Google+ is no longer active, maintaining and optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing can positively impact your local SEO. Posting updates, photos, and engaging with customer reviews on GMB can help boost your online presence and visibility in local search results. 3. Comprehensive Keyword Research Effective keyword research is fundamental to your SEO strategy. Analyze your competitors and identify relevant keywords and search trends in your industry. Free tools like Google Keyword Planner can assist, but paid tools like SEMRush provide more comprehensive insights. Targeting the right keywords ensures your efforts are worthwhile. 4. Content Quality and Consistency Content remains a cornerstone of SEO. Regularly publishing high-quality, informative content on your website not only demonstrates your expertise but also improves your search engine rankings. Google rewards fresh, valuable content that engages users. Avoid publishing content with grammatical or factual errors, as this can negatively impact your site's credibility. 5. User-Friendly Web Design A well-designed website not only enhances user experience but also affects your SEO. Google's algorithms favor websites with clean code, clear navigation, and quick load times. User-friendly design encourages visitors to stay on your site, reducing bounce rates and improving rankings. 6. Strategic Keyword Integration After conducting keyword research, strategically integrate relevant keywords into your website's content, titles, headers, URLs, and image names. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can lead to penalties from search engines. Aim for a natural and user-friendly keyword placement. 7. Stay Informed and Adapt Google continuously updates its search algorithms. Staying informed about these changes is crucial for maintaining and improving your website's rankings. Keep an eye on industry news, algorithm updates, and SEO trends to adapt your strategies accordingly. 8. Leverage Social Media While social media doesn't directly impact SEO rankings, it can drive traffic to your website and increase brand visibility. Sharing content and links on social platforms can lead to website visits and potential conversions. Additionally, social media profiles often rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). 9. Build Quality Backlinks Developing a deliberate linking strategy is essential for SEO success. Internally link your website's pages to demonstrate a well-structured site. When linking externally, be cautious and ensure the linked websites have a good reputation (high domain authority). Creating valuable content can also attract backlinks from other reputable websites. 10. Address Broken Links Broken links (404 errors) can harm your website's SEO performance. Regularly check for broken links and fix them promptly to maintain a seamless user experience and avoid penalties from search engines. Search Engine Optimization on Long Island In conclusion, SEO is an ongoing process that requires a multifaceted approach. By implementing these up-to-date strategies, you can enhance your website's SEO value, improve rankings, and ultimately reach more customers. For professional assistance with your SEO strategy, consider consulting experts in the field. --- > Google Analytics has long been a go-to tool for webmasters and marketers. And, with the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it’s more crucial than ever to upgrade your tracking capabilities. - Published: 2023-09-10 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/upgrading-to-google-analytics-4-a-smart-move-for-your-website/ In today's digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is essential for the success of any online business. One significant aspect of maintaining a competitive edge is keeping track of your website's performance and user behavior. Google Analytics has long been a go-to tool for webmasters and marketers. And, with the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it's more crucial than ever to upgrade your tracking capabilities. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of upgrading to GA4. Also, we will discuss how Logic Web Media, a leading Long Island web design and marketing company, can assist you in this essential transition. The Evolution of Google Analytics Before delving into the details of GA4, it's worth briefly revisiting its predecessor, Universal Analytics. Universal Analytics served as the standard for website analytics for nearly a decade, It provided valuable insights into user behavior and engagement. However, with changing user privacy concerns and the evolving digital landscape, Google recognized the need for a more advanced solution. Enter Google Analytics 4, or GA4, a significant evolution in web analytics. This updated platform not only maintains the core functionality of Universal Analytics but also introduces a host of innovative features. These features help businesses understand their audience better and make data-driven decisions. Benefits of Upgrading to GA4 Enhanced User Tracking: GA4 excels in tracking user interactions across different platforms. It's it an ideal choice for the multi-device, multi-channel world we live in. This includes tracking users on websites, mobile apps, and even offline interactions. Improved Data Privacy: With increasing concerns about data privacy, GA4 is built with privacy in mind. It allows you to collect and utilize data in a more responsible and compliant manner, respecting user preferences and regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Event-Driven Tracking: GA4 shifts the focus from tracking page views to tracking user interactions more granularly. You can set up custom events that provide insights into user engagement with specific elements on your website, such as form submissions, video views, and downloads. Machine Learning-Powered Insights: GA4 leverages machine learning to provide you with predictive metrics and insights, helping you anticipate trends and opportunities for improvement. Cross-Platform Analytics: Whether your users are on desktop, mobile, or app, GA4 provides a unified view of their interactions across platforms, enabling you to gain a holistic understanding of user behavior. Why Choose Logic Web Media for GA4 Implementation Upgrading to Google Analytics 4 is a significant step for your website's analytics strategy. Therefore, it's essential to have a knowledgeable partner by your side. Logic Web Media, based on Long Island, has established itself as a trusted web design and marketing company with a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape. Here's why Logic Web Media is the ideal choice for your GA4 implementation: Expertise in Web Development: Logic Web Media boasts a team of skilled web developers who are well-versed in the technical aspects of implementing GA4 seamlessly into your website. Data-Driven Approach: The company understands the importance of data in today's business landscape. They will ensure that your GA4 setup aligns with your specific business goals and objectives. Compliance and Privacy: Logic Web Media takes data privacy seriously. They will help you configure GA4 to adhere to privacy regulations and ensure responsible data collection. Customized Solutions: Every business is unique, and Logic Web Media tailors its solutions to meet your specific needs. They will help you set up custom events, reports, and dashboards to track the metrics that matter most to your business. Conclusion As the digital landscape continues to evolve, keeping pace with the latest technologies and analytics tools is essential for success. Upgrading to Google Analytics 4 is a smart move for your website, and partnering with Logic Web Media ensures a smooth and effective transition. With their expertise in web development, data-driven approach, and commitment to privacy, Logic Web Media is your trusted partner for taking your website analytics to the next level. Don't miss out on the insights and opportunities that GA4 can provide – contact Logic Web Media today to get started. --- > Poor internet presence can quickly make your business obsolete. While SEO is the answer for long-term visibility, paid ads can help your business be found immediately. - Published: 2023-09-05 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/paid-internet-marketing-what-are-the-options/ Building a website is a lot of work. You need to find an aesthetic that fits your brand. Then you need to write informative and persuasive copy for web pages. You also need to create a navigation system, and consider the end-user. But what’s the point of building a website if nobody can find it online? In today’s world, it’s more important than ever for your business to be easily found online. A poor internet presence can quickly make your business obsolete. While SEO is the answer for long-term visibility, paid search can help your business be found immediately. As professionals, we know the best internet marketing strategies involve both SEO and paid advertising. Paid Marketing vs. Organic: What's the Difference? For your small business, there are many differences between SEO and paid marketing. Organic results are achieved through SEO efforts, and social media. It takes time, dedication, and strategic planning to be effective. In addition to satisfying your audience, you also need to consider the platform’s algorithm. Paid results work differently. All paid marketing results will show an “ad” or “sponsored” notation that indicates the company is paying for visibility. Exposure like this is important for reaching a larger audience. Furthermore, you can be sure that you are reaching the right audience for maximum conversions. Check out your options for paid internet marketing. Top 6 Paid Internet Marketing Options 1. Google AdWords What is it? Google AdWords is the simplest and most common paid search option. While the cost per click (CPC) can be high, the exposure is invaluable. This is especially true since Google dominates the search engine market. How do I do it? With Google AdWords, the key is to think critically about customer intent. Who is the customer you are targeting? What keywords are they searching for? Based on this research, our SEO company can create a list of keywords to target for optimal results. Lastly, we will write ad copy and set up a landing page designed to optimize conversions. Depending on your personal preference, we can either use your existing AdWords account, or register a new one. Why is it great? One advantage that internet marketers have with Google AdWords is the ability to target specific keywords. Keywords that are more specific -- for example, “SEO company” rather than “best SEO company Long Island” -- are more likely to increase conversions. Additionally, using Google AdWords, you will not have to worry about the constantly changing search algorithm. Google AdWords Your website can show up at the top of the search results for your target keyword. Google Shopping Ads Shopping ads are a great way to make a quick sale on your eCommerce products. 2. Facebook Ads What is it? Similar to AdWords, it’s also possible to gain a stronger reach via Facebook ads. According to Forbes, Facebook made upwards of $9 billion in advertising during one quarter of 2017 alone. How do I do it? It’s important to consider the goals of your Facebook ads. Are you trying to build brand awareness? Get a larger reach for your posts? Or just increase sales? These considerations will determine how you create your ads. We can use these goals to strategize and achieve your desired results. To configure Facebook ads, you need a business page and an ad manager. If you do not already have these tools, we can easily set this software up for you. Why is it great? Facebook makes it easy for data-driven marketers to build an effective campaign. Some demographic filters include: Age Location Gender Hobbies & interests Pages they follow Job or relationship status ... and much more The readily available insights make it easy for marketers to adjust their approach. The right Facebook ad strategy can boost an organic Facebook marketing strategy. Facebook Boosted Post If your post is doing well, you can create an ad set and boost it to a relevant audience for increased exposure. Facebook Video Ad Creating a video explaining your business is an engaging way to promote your brand. 3. Instagram Ads What is it? Brands with a visual product have a lot of success with Instagram ads. However, whether you want to increase brand presence or sell products, you can find success on Instagram. How do I do it? Instagram is owned by Facebook, so the demographic targeting tools are similar. In fact, we can conduct advertising on these two platforms through Facebook Business Manager. You can also boost posts without having an Instagram page of your own. But, where the two platforms are similar in tools, they differ in voice and overall purpose. To configure Facebook ads, you need a business page and an ad manager. If you do not already have these tools, we can easily set this software up for you. Why is it great? Instagram is the most popular social media platform among millennials. Millennials are more selective about the people (and brands) they follow on Instagram than Facebook, or other social media channels. They are also more likely to engage with your post, which could boost it within user feeds. Instagram Sponsored Post Instagram ads are a great way to get more visibility, page follows, and sales. The button on the image, video, or carousel can say Shop Now, Learn More, View Profile. Sign Up, etc. 4. Twitter Ads What is it? While Twitter started out as a semi-social space for teenagers to voice their opinions to peers, it has become a primarily news-driven platform. It has also become the central place for brands to convey their values. Twitter is the perfect place for brands specializing in the B2B sphere to demonstrate their worth to prospective customers. How do I do it? Like Facebook and Instagram, Twitter ads reach target audiences using demographic tools. Attention-grabbing ads will stop Twitter users from scrolling through. Piecing together the ad’s various components -- the text, the picture and the call to action -- is the key to successful Twitter advertising. And, all of this configuration is possible through your brand’s existing Twitter account. Why is it great? With the right approach, advertising on Twitter can yield numerous brand awareness and product/service promotion benefits. 5. LinkedIn Ads What is it? Most people think of LinkedIn primarily as a resource for job seekers to network. While LinkedIn is a great place for this, B2B LinkedIn ads can also attract the attention of executives and decision makers. How do I do it? LinkedIn uses similar ad targeting tools, and operates through the LinkedIn Campaign Manager. With this B2B platform, though, the voice of your posts must be tailored to appeal to other decision makers. The whimsical and informal voice that excels on Facebook and Instagram has no place on LinkedIn. Why is it great? Employees browsing LinkedIn are often organization decision makers. The people with the authority to go out on a limb and purchase new software, or schedule an appointment with a consultant. That’s why it’s one of the perfect platforms for B2B advertising. While the audiences are fairly restricted, and limited to mostly the corporate world, you will find some benefit in that. Nobody is using LinkedIn recreationally -- it’s entirely devoted to professional development and company improvement. 6. Display/Retargeting Ads What is it? Display and retargeting ads are some of the oldest internet advertising options. Channeled through Google and other leaders in the digital space, display ads appear to searchers on the top and sides of webpages. How do I do it? Display ads work based on cookies, which track internet patterns so marketers can make more informed decisions. So, the only real decision to make with banner ads is: what should you advertise? And how? Why is it great? With display and retargeting ads, there’s a higher degree of certainty about consumer interest. Using these analytics will help your company to earn a higher ROI. While many internet users regard display ads as a form of visual white noise, studies have shown that they are remarkably successful. Advertise Your Website with Logic Web Media Paid advertising offers immediate results. It’s a surefire way to get new customers to notice your website, and begin investigating your services. At Logic Web Media, our team is experienced in cultivating a unique experience for customers through ads. We can find the right demographics to target, and develop a landing page to engage with those who click. Contact us to learn more about how paid internet advertising can augment your web presence. --- > In the dynamic landscape of e-commerce, choosing the right platform for your online store is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business's success. - Published: 2023-08-23 - Modified: 2023-10-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/exploring-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-shopify-for-your-e-commerce-store/ In the dynamic landscape of e-commerce, choosing the right platform for your online store is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business's success. Shopify, a well-known and widely used e-commerce platform, offers a range of features and benefits that can empower businesses to establish and grow their online presence. Logic Web Media, a reputable company specializing in website design, development, SEO, and Google AdWords on Long Island, understands the importance of making informed decisions. In this blog post, we'll dive into the pros and cons of using Shopify for your e-commerce store, helping you determine whether it's the right fit for your business needs. Pros of Using Shopify: Ease of Use: Shopify is renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it an ideal choice for businesses without extensive technical knowledge. Its drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive setup process enable you to launch your online store quickly. Customizable Designs: Logic Web Media's expertise in website design aligns well with Shopify's array of customizable themes. You can choose from a wide selection of professionally designed templates and further modify them to match your brand's identity and vision. App Ecosystem: Shopify's robust app store provides a vast range of third-party applications to enhance your store's functionality. Logic Web Media can help you integrate various tools to optimize SEO, marketing, analytics, and more. Mobile Responsiveness: With a significant portion of online traffic coming from mobile devices, Shopify's responsive design ensures that your store looks and functions flawlessly across various screen sizes. Security and Hosting: Shopify takes care of hosting and security, relieving you of the technical responsibilities associated with server management and updates. This allows Logic Web Media to focus on other crucial aspects of your online presence. Cons of Using Shopify: Monthly Costs: While Shopify offers different pricing tiers, including a basic plan, more advanced features come at higher costs. This ongoing expense might be a concern for some businesses, particularly those just starting. Transaction Fees: On top of monthly subscription fees, Shopify charges transaction fees for each sale made on your store. These fees can accumulate and impact your profitability, especially for higher-volume businesses. Customization Limits: While Shopify provides customizable themes, more intricate design changes might require coding knowledge. Logic Web Media can certainly assist, but this could entail additional costs. Dependency on Shopify: Using Shopify means you're tied to their platform. While their app ecosystem is extensive, it also means you're reliant on them for updates, server uptime, and overall platform stability. Advanced E-Commerce Needs: For complex, enterprise-level e-commerce needs, Shopify might have limitations. Certain businesses with highly specialized requirements might need more flexible and tailored solutions. Conclusion: As Logic Web Media specializes in website design, development, SEO, and Google AdWords on Long Island, they understand that the choice of an e-commerce platform is a pivotal one. Shopify offers a user-friendly experience, extensive customization options, and a range of tools to optimize your online store. However, it's crucial to weigh these benefits against potential downsides such as costs, transaction fees, and customization limitations. Ultimately, Logic Web Media can assist in assessing your business's unique needs and goals to determine if Shopify aligns with your vision for a successful e-commerce venture. --- > Your Shopify or Magento eCommerce store built by Logic Web Media may be maintaining sales, but can you really compete with Amazon? - Published: 2023-08-18 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/ecommerce-survival-how-to-compete-with-amazon/ As an internet marketer, I can generally say that Amazon's dominance over eCommerce is very impressive. However, for small business eComm stores, it's more frightening than anything. Your Shopify or Magento eCommerce store built by Logic Web Media may be maintaining sales, but can you really compete with Amazon? In the rapidly evolving world of eCommerce, Amazon's dominance remains undeniable. While its sheer size and resources can be intimidating for small business eCommerce stores, it's crucial to remember that competing directly with Amazon may not be feasible. Instead, small businesses can focus on strategies to ensure business growth and survival in the age of Amazon. In this updated blog post, we'll provide you with the latest insights and tips to stay competitive in the ever-changing eCommerce landscape. The Challenge: You Can't Compete with Amazon Here at Logic Web Media, we have created hundreds of eCommerce stores over the years. Back in 2017, we created a total of 13 eCommerce websites, managing a combined total of 7,248 products. Some of those eCommerce stores are still thriving, while some have fallen quiet in the sales department. Large retailers like Amazon possess significant advantages over small eCommerce businesses. These include ample financial resources, a competitive seller ecosystem, dedicated marketing teams, and the ability to offer a vast array of products at competitive prices. However, the failure of many eCommerce stores in the age of Amazon can be attributed to various factors: Lack of Adaptability: Inability to adapt to the changing internet landscape and evolving customer preferences. Limited Understanding of Internet Marketing Psychology: Failing to grasp the psychology behind internet marketing and consumer behavior. Resistance to Change: Refusing to modify business models, even when they are clearly declining. Outdated Marketing Strategies: Investing in outdated marketing tactics or nearly obsolete sales channels. Insufficient Analytics: Neglecting to track and analyze data, resulting in a lack of awareness regarding what is or isn't successful. The Solution: 6 Tips to Stay Competitive As I stated before, we have experience on what does and does not work when it comes to selling on the internet. To thrive in the age of Amazon, it's crucial for small eCommerce businesses to adopt alternative strategies. Amazon may be mighty, but that doesn't mean that your small eCommerce business cannot thrive. While you do not have the resources to go toe-to-toe with Amazon, here are a few alternative actions that will help you. Recommendations for Your Business Functions 1. Find Your Niche & Embrace It Amazon's strength lies in offering a wide range of products, but this also creates opportunities for smaller eCommerce businesses. Identify underserved or untapped niches in your market. For instance, consider offering unique, handcrafted, or locally sourced products that cater to customers seeking authenticity and sustainability. Differentiate yourself by providing a story or mission that resonates with your target audience. Chances are that if your eCommerce store was born from a brick-and-mortar store, then there is at least a handful of products that you make yourself or resell to a customer base that cannot be satisfied on Amazon. This is your internet goldmine. For instance, a client we had built an eCommerce store for is a local manufacturer of tote bags. Now, anyone can go onto Amazon and find a million tote bags in every color, shape, size, and price. However, this client has found a niche and targets them directly. Hoards of people will buy cheap bags on Amazon with free delivery on Prime. The customers that want a product that is unique, hand-made in New York, has a good origin story, AND supports the ever-evolving green movement will buy from Remember Me Green. Customers will spend the money to get the product they want. 2. Perfect Your Order Fulfillment (Like Amazon) One huge benefit to ordering on Amazon is that you know (with almost a perfect degree of certainty) that you will receive what you pay for. Additionally, if there is an issue with the product, you will be able to get your money back without much of a headache. As with all competitive strategies, if you want to beat them, be like them! One of Amazon's key advantages is its reputation for reliable and fast order fulfillment. To compete effectively, prioritize your customer service and order fulfillment processes. Ensure: Fast order fulfillment Accurate order fulfillment Cheap (or free) shipping Send order/shipping status updates Accept returns/exchanges Recommendations for Your Website Strategies 3. Track ALL of Your Data & Trust It Possibly the largest advantage that Amazon has on everyone is that they are sitting on a MASSIVE amount of user data. User data is the most valuable tool that internet marketers can use to get you to buy things. I'm sure you've been followed around the internet by product ads that you either have searched or looked at a competitors site for. Or maybe just thought about in passing only for it to show up in your Instagram feed. Amazon and other large retailers have that ability because they track data and use it for advertising strategies. At Logic Web Media, we can help you get tracking of all kinds set up so that we can follow your customers around on the internet in a similar fashion. Data is a powerful tool in the digital age. Implement comprehensive tracking and analytics on your website to gather insights into user behavior. Understand where your traffic comes from, what devices visitors use, which pages they visit, their actions on your site, and more. Use this data to make informed decisions and optimize your eCommerce site for better conversion rates. If an important page is not converting, it should be redesigned immediately. 4. Show the Reasons People Should Shop with You There's many good reasons why people shop on Amazon. There's likely to be reasons why people should shop with you, too. Highlighting these reasons throughout your eCommerce store is a great way to sway your customers. Customer Reviews: Make sure you have reviews of your products clearly visible. Additionally, make sure you are collecting new reviews regularly. Sending followup emails after purchases (the way Amazon does) can help generate reviews. Having honest and genuine reviews of your products from customers is the best way to appeal to new cust omers. Return/Shipping Policies: Having clear shipping and returns policies listed on your product pages is very important in establishing trust. Having them hidden in their own pages will do very little. Customers want some guarantee that they are going to get what they pay for as quick and cheaply as possible, and with assurance that if there is a problem you will address it. I know that some of the information will seem redundant or somewhat basic to pepper through your site, but it helps with reassuring your potential customer that quality service is important to you. Secure Transactions: You and your web developer know that your transactions are secure. We have set up many payment gateways, and the SSL certificate on eCommerce websites protects users from having their credit card information stolen. Displaying reassuring value statements about customer credit card security and not selling data to a third party is important for sales conversion. Recommendations for Your Marketing Investments 5. Social Media Marketing Will Save You (I Promise) I know this is an intense statement to make, but I fully trust it and have seen the evidence. Social media is omnipresent in our society today. Whats more is that it's absolutely free to use. So, why not use that exposure to your advantage? Having a successful social media marketing strategy at your disposal can boost your sales exponentially. We recently built an eCommerce store for TechWearUSA. They sold primarily over the phone and in-person at events. Being that their product is unique and high-quality, it was important for them to boost their bottom line by selling online, all over the world. As stated earlier in this post, building a website does not guarantee sales. They hired us to figure out the best way to market to their customers and increase internet sales. Our plan: Social media marketing; and it is hugely successful. Not only have sales increased, but the company is spending less on marketing than they would have doing things like print ads, ad retargeting, or Google AdWords. This means a higher ROI (return on investment). Below is their results on both Facebook and Instagram. The charts show the increase in followers and engagement since we started. Due to the hugely successful social media campaigns, they have gotten more sales through their eCommerce store than they have ever gotten from any other marketing source. Facebook Instagram 6. Offer Discounts & Hold Contests Having discounts and contests can help grab a quick sale on the internet. Obviously, having great social media presence will make this more effective. However, it will still play a vital role in increasing conversions, even if you don't have the audience to directly advertise to. Discounts should be handled intelligently. If you are trying to get the attention of potential customers, offering heavy discounts on high prices is the way to do it. Once the product matures and sells, you can reduce the price and the discount offered. It is important to not hold to a set price on products, but to allow for fluctuation based on how you want to stimulate sales. As a seller of online goods, you need to be able to bend with internet trends and customer needs. I'm sure you have heard the phrase "you need to spend money to make money. " Giving something away on the internet is a small price to pay to gain a customer and generate interest on your products. In the world of eCommerce, getting people to your website is always the first step. So, giving away a low-ticket item gives you the chance for customers getting to your site and seeing the more profitable goods you have to offer. This is more effective when you have a social media marketing campaign, which (again) offers a huge benefit. The Recap: Compete Intelligently, And You Will Survive The unmatched dominance of Amazon can be daunting to eCommerce stores. It is important for your business to plan and strategize the best way to survive in the current internet landscape, because Amazon is here to stay. We highly suggest to clients: Play up your strengths Serve your customers well Provide a unique and trustworthy experience Know your customer, and track them on your website Utilize social media for brand awareness and sales generation --- > When first creating a WordPress site it's important to remember these tips - they'll save you future headaches. WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems roaming the internet. Why? It's easy functionality and custom web design options. - Published: 2023-08-01 - Modified: 2023-11-06 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/5-wordpress-mistakes-to-avoid/ When first creating a WordPress site it's important to remember these tips. They'll save you future headaches. WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems roaming the internet. Why? It's easy functionality and custom web design options. Basically, it allows you to fully customize the design and function in order to have a website that can do whatever you need. At Logic Web Media, we have been building custom WordPress sites for over a decade. We design and develop custom themes from scratch. Generally, we avoid plugins altogether unless we have made them ourselves. 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Custom WordPress Website. 1. WordPress. com or WordPress. org This can be confusing when first starting to build your WordPress site. WordPress. com is more popular for bloggers and artists, who are looking for a place to host your website for free. Wordpress. com is the least expensive, however you don't receive a custom domain name and their themes are not customizable. WordPress. org comes with more responsibility as well as increased control. Additionally, it allows you to fully customize your website or blog, choose your own custom domain name and hosting providers. Another reason to choose WordPress. org is for marketing. Whether you are invention in SEO or other paid marketing options, WordPress. org allows you the flexibility and control to make sure you're getting the best ROI possible. Sample WordPress. org domain: "logicwebmedia. com" Sample WordPress. com domain: "logicwebmedia. wordpress. com" 2. Using WordPress's default permalink structure Out of the box, WordPress websites provide you with a permalink structure that looks like this: www. yoursite. com/? p=123. After installing WordPress, you can go into "Permalinks" and choose between 5 settings. For example, WordPress offers a custom permalink setting so that you can create your own. Proper permalink structures displays professionalism. Additionally, it's good for search engine optimization. Post Name Permalink Structure: www. logicwebmedia. com/5-wordpress-mistakes-to-avoid/ Default WordPress Blog Post Permalink Structure: www. logicwebmedia. com/? p=123. 3. Forgetting to Update Your Website WordPress updates are very common and important to ensure the security of your website. Hackers are always trying to get into WordPress because of its popularity and loop holes, failing to update your website causes your site to be more vulnerable. 4. Unchecking The SEO Index Setting When developing a site, it may make sense to "discourage search engines from indexing site. " This is due to the fact that the website isn't complete, and you don't want the unfinished site ending up in the Google index. It's important once the site is complete to uncheck the option in order to be visible in search results. You want to make sure the homepage design you have worked so hard for can be seen! 5. Failing to Optimize WordPress Images When adding images to your WordPress website or blog it's important to choose "save images for web and devices," option. Saving images for web and devices will compress the size so it's more suitable for your website. Compressed photos optimized for web will help encourage faster load times. Furthermore, images need alt tags. The two main reasons is for accessibility and SEO. For accessibility, alt tags provide a textual description of an image. This description is crucial for individuals with visual impairments who use screen readers to navigate websites. Screen readers can read aloud the alt text, allowing visually impaired users to understand the content and context of the images on a webpage. Without alt tags, these users would miss out on valuable information. For SEO purposes, search engines like Google use alt tags to understand the content of images on a webpage. Alt tags provide additional context and keywords that can improve a webpage's search engine ranking. Therefore, properly optimized images with descriptive alt tags can help increase a site's visibility in search engine results, which can drive more organic traffic. Conclusion These are just a handful of common mistakes we have seen. However, these can severely impact your website's SEO value and even compromise its security. As with other web-related activities, it's best to hire a professional. This will ensure that you are getting the most from your web presence. --- > Your website is the ultimate way to advertise your business. In order to do that effectively, you need to decide what your target audience is, and choose designs that will garner the best response. - Published: 2023-07-29 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/select-web-colors-using-psychology-of-color/ In the ever-evolving world of web design, it's crucial to consider every element that can make your website stand out. One often underestimated but incredibly powerful tool in your web design arsenal is color. Colors have the unique ability to evoke emotions, convey messages, and influence user behavior. Therefore, understanding the psychology of color can help you make strategic design decisions that captivate your audience and enhance the user experience. In this guide, brought to you by Logic Web Media, we'll explore how to harness the psychology of color for your website. The Power of Color Psychology Before we dive into the practical aspects of using color on your website, let's briefly explore the psychological impact of colors. Different colors evoke different emotions and associations. This can significantly affect how users perceive your website and brand. Here are a few examples: Yellow Radiates positivity, happiness, and energy. It's excellent for catching the eye but should be used sparingly. Orange Associated with levity, energy, and enthusiasm, orange actually tends to be one of the least favored colors by Americans. Red Often associated with passion, excitement, and urgency. It can stimulate appetite and grab attention. Blue Conveys trust, reliability, and professionalism. It's frequently used by tech companies and financial institutions. Green Represents growth, health, and nature. Therefore, it's commonly used by eco-friendly and health-related brands. Purple Evokes luxury, creativity, and sophistication. It's often used by beauty and artistic brands. Black Symbolizes elegance, power, and luxury. It can also represent sophistication and minimalism. White Signifies purity, cleanliness, and simplicity. It's often used for minimalist and modern designs. Pink Usually considered feminine, but also calming, pink is standard for expressing affection and tenderness. It should be used carefully as to not over target to female audiences. Gray Traditionally gray is associated with conservative and serious themes. However, it can be considered boring, but professional. Choosing the Right Colors for Your Website Now that you're aware of the psychological impact of colors, let's delve into how you can select the right ones for your website: 1. Understand Your Brand Start by defining your brand's personality, values, and target audience. The colors you choose should align with these aspects. For example, a brand focusing on eco-friendly products might opt for green, while a high-end fashion brand might lean towards black or gold. 2. Consider Contrast Ensuring readability and accessibility is paramount. Use contrasting colors for text and backgrounds to make content easily legible. High contrast can also draw attention to essential elements like calls to action (CTAs). 3. Create a Color Palette Establish a cohesive color palette for your website. A palette typically includes a primary color, secondary colors, and accent colors. This consistency will help maintain a unified and professional look throughout your site. 4. Test and Iterate Don't be afraid to experiment and gather user feedback. A/B testing can help you determine which color combinations and variations resonate best with your audience. Applying Color Psychology to Website Elements Now that you have your color palette, let's explore how to apply color psychology to specific website elements: 1. Logo and Branding Your logo is often the first thing users see. Therefore, choose colors that reflect your brand's identity and values. Consider how these colors align with the emotions you want to evoke in your audience. 2. Navigation Use color to guide users through your website. Highlight navigation menus and buttons with colors that stand out, making it easy for visitors to find their way around. 3. Calls to Action (CTAs) CTAs are critical for conversions. Use attention-grabbing colors for buttons and links to encourage users to take action, whether it's making a purchase, signing up, or contacting you. 4. Background and Text Maintain readability by selecting contrasting colors for text and background. Furthermore, dark text on a light background or vice versa is a standard choice for legibility. 5. Emotions and Messaging Consider the emotions associated with your content. For instance, a wellness blog may use calming blues and greens to reinforce its message of relaxation and well-being. Conclusion In the world of web design, color is a potent tool that can shape user perception and behavior. By understanding the psychology of color and applying it strategically, you can create a website that not only looks visually appealing but also resonates with your audience on a deeper level. At Logic Web Media, we understand the intricate balance of design elements, including color, to create stunning and effective websites. If you're looking for professional web design services that leverage the psychology of color to drive results, contact us today. Your website is your online identity, and with the right colors, it can leave a lasting impression on your audience. --- > In this blog post, we'll explore five modern tools that can help elevate your website's design, functionality, and performance. Whether you're looking to enhance user experience, optimize for search engines, or streamline your development process, these tools have got you covered. - Published: 2023-07-05 - Modified: 2023-08-15 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/5-modern-tools-to-make-a-better-website/ In the dynamic world of web design, staying ahead of the curve is essential to create captivating and high-performing websites. As Long Island's leading web design and development company, we understand the importance of utilizing cutting-edge tools. In this blog post, we'll explore five modern tools that can help elevate your website's design, functionality, and performance. Whether you're looking to enhance user experience, optimize for search engines, or streamline your development process, these tools have got you covered. 1. Figma: Collaborative Design for Seamless Creativity Design is the cornerstone of a visually appealing website. Figma is a cloud-based design tool that empowers teams to collaborate seamlessly in real-time, enabling designers, developers, and clients to work together efficiently. Its robust features include a user-friendly interface, prototyping capabilities, and the ability to create interactive design elements. Logic Web Media can leverage Figma to bring your creative vision to life, making sure your website's design is both captivating and functional. 2. WordPress: Content Management Powerhouse WordPress remains a staple in the web development industry, and for good reason. Logic Web Media harnesses the flexibility and extensibility of WordPress to create powerful and customizable websites. With its user-friendly interface, WordPress allows businesses to effortlessly manage their content and maintain a consistent online presence. Moreover, Logic Web Media's expertise in WordPress development ensures that your website is not only visually appealing but also optimized for search engines. WordPress provides a strong foundation for your SEO efforts. 3. SEMrush: Dominate Search Rankings SEO is a cornerstone of digital success, and Logic Web Media excels in it using tools like SEMrush. By conducting comprehensive keyword research, analyzing competitor strategies, and tracking search rankings, SEMrush helps develop data-driven SEO strategies. These strategies drive organic traffic and boost your website's visibility. From on-page optimization to backlink analysis, this tool equips our team with the insights needed to keep your website at the top of search engine results pages. 4. Google PageSpeed Insights: Accelerate Performance In today's fast-paced digital landscape, website speed is crucial for retaining visitors and improving user experience. Logic Web Media employs Google PageSpeed Insights to assess and optimize the loading speed of websites. By identifying performance bottlenecks and suggesting improvements, this tool helps us create websites that load quickly and efficiently on both desktop and mobile devices. Furthermore, a faster website not only enhances user satisfaction but also positively impacts search engine rankings. Therefore, page speed an integral part of our web development process. 5. Google Analytics: Data-Driven Decision Making Understanding user behavior is essential for refining your website's design and content strategy. Therefore, Logic Web Media relies on Google Analytics to gain valuable insights into user interactions, traffic sources, and conversion rates. By tracking key performance metrics, we can identify areas for improvement and tailor your website to meet the needs of your target audience. This data-driven approach ensures that your website continuously evolves to deliver an exceptional user experience and drive business growth. Conclusion As a forward-thinking web design and development company on Long Island, Logic Web Media leverages these modern tools to create websites that stand out in the digital landscape. By utilizing these tools, Logic Web Media ensures that every website we create is a masterpiece of design, functionality, and performance. If you're looking to elevate your online presence and create a better website, trust Logic Web Media to deliver results that exceed your expectations. --- > Ready to dominate Google Maps? Learn the ins and outs of claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page with Logic Web Media. Get tips and tricks for local SEO strategies to rank higher and find out why it's important to do so. Get started today! - Published: 2023-06-15 - Modified: 2023-08-15 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-to-get-on-google-maps/ In today's digital landscape, an online presence is crucial for businesses to succeed. Google My Business (GMB) has emerged as a powerful tool to help businesses enhance their local visibility and connect with potential customers. In order to have your business show up on Google Maps, you will need to claim and optimize your Google My Business page. Google My Business is an effective way to get more customers and boost your local visibility. By claiming, optimizing, and managing your Google my Business page, you can create an online presence that will easily be found on Google Maps, helping you attract more people to your business. Take advantage of this powerful tool to give your business an edge and draw in the extra customers it deserves! Clients who sign on with us to utilize our SEO services automatically get our assistance with Google My Business. For those looking to take a go at it, here's some helpful tips to get your business claimed and visible on Google Maps. Step 1: Claim Your Google My Business Page Sign in or Sign Up: Head to the Google My Business website (https://www. google. com/business/) and sign in using your gmail account. If you don't have an account, you'll need to create one. Enter Business Details: Click on "Manage Now" and input your business name, address, and other relevant information. Make sure this information is accurate and consistent across all platforms. Verify Your Business: Google will need to verify that you're the legitimate owner of the business. You can choose between various verification methods like postcard, phone, email, or instant verification, depending on your business's eligibility. Verifying your business can be tricky. Especially if it's been verified before, either by you or another marketing company. This results in duplicate locations and more hoops to jump through to prove that you are the owner. However, the results of a claimed and optimized GMB page is worth the effort! Step 2: Optimize Your Own Google My Business Profile Once you've claimed your GMB listing, it's time to optimize it to maximize your online presence and attract potential clients. Here's how you can optimize your own GMB page: Business Information: Ensure Accuracy: Enter your business's accurate details, including your company name, address (if applicable), phone number, and website URL. Compelling Description: Showcase Your Services: Write a concise and engaging business description that highlights your expertise in website design, development, SEO, and Google AdWords. Visual Content: Showcase Your Work: Upload high-quality photos that showcase your projects, office space (if applicable), and team members. Videos can also provide a dynamic way to present your services. Operating Hours: Provide Availability: Clearly state your operating hours so potential clients know when they can reach you for your services. Reviews and Ratings: Encourage Feedback: Encourage your satisfied clients to leave reviews on your GMB page. Respond to reviews, both positive and constructive, to build credibility and trust. Engaging Posts: Share Updates: Regularly post updates about your recent projects, industry insights, special promotions, and events. This keeps your audience engaged and informed. Attributes: Highlight Specialties: Utilize attributes that showcase your strengths. Step 3: Maintain and Monitor Your GMB Page Consistent Updates: Stay Current: Keep your business information up-to-date. If there are any changes to your contact information or operating hours, make sure to update them promptly. Engage with Your Audience: Respond Promptly: Address customer inquiries and reviews promptly. Demonstrating responsiveness portrays excellent customer service and professionalism. Utilize Insights: Understand Your Reach: Regularly review the insights provided by Google My Business to gain insights into how potential clients are discovering and interacting with your business. Regular Google Posts: Stay Engaging: Post consistently on your GMB page. Share updates, promotions, and informative content related to your services to keep your audience engaged and informed. Conclusion: Optimizing your Google My Business page is a pivotal step in enhancing your local online presence and connecting with potential clients. This guide has provided you with the necessary steps to optimize your GMB page effectively. By following these guidelines, you'll be able to make the most out of your GMB profile, showcasing your business's specialties in website design, development, SEO, and Google AdWords. Take advantage of the opportunities that GMB offers, and establish a robust online presence that attracts and engages clients in the digital landscape. --- > From One Man Show to Multi-Million Dollar Operation: Cesspool Pros Reaps the Rewards of Investing in Google AdWords with Logic Web Media - Published: 2023-05-16 - Modified: 2023-10-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/case-study-cesspool-pros/ From One Man Show to Multi-Million Dollar Operation: Cesspool Pros Reaps the Rewards of Google AdWords with Logic Web Media Logic Web Media, a digital marketing firm specializing in Google AdWords, is proud to announce the success story of Cesspool Pros. In just five short years, this one man operation has grown into a multi-million dollar company thanks to their investment in Google AdWords. "We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished with Cesspool Pros," said CEO and Founder of Logic Web Media, Adam Steinhauser. "It's amazing how a small investment can reap such incredible rewards. " The History When Cesspool Pros first reached out to Logic Web Media for help with their digital marketing strategy, they were a one man show looking to expand their reach. After working together for five years, Logic Web Media was able to get the most out of their Google AdWords campaigns and increase visibility for Cesspool Pros across the web. Ultimately, this led to more customers and more revenue. The Work Cesspool Pros first began working with Logic Web Media in 2015. First, they collaborated on designing and developing a WordPress site for the business. Then, they installed analytics and call tracking software. Most importantly, Logic Web Media ran Google AdWords campaigns targeting Cesspool Pro’s services and locations. “We had no idea our investment would turn into something so big," said owner of Cesspool Pros, Billy Metcalf. “But with the help of Logic Web Media, they were able to get us results beyond what we ever dreamed possible. " The Results Today, Cesspool Pros is a multi-million dollar operation. Furthermore, they continue to invest in Google AdWords services through Logic Web Media. They have seen an increase in sales year over year. The company attributes much of it to their successful strategies implemented by Logic Web Media. Over time, they have seen an increase in website traffic by over 200%. Additionally, they have an increase in sales leads by over 300% over the lifetime of the account. "At Logic Web Media, we strive for success," says Ted West, AdWords Specialist. "Our goal is always to help our clients reach new heights and exceed all expectations. " Through strategic planning and careful implementation of Google AdWords campaigns, Logic Web Media has been able to transform businesses like Cesspool Pros. With continued investments in digital marketing strategies like these, there's no telling how far companies can go! --- > Incorporating AI into SEO content creation isn't just a trend; it's a logical progression in the world of digital marketing. Logic Web Media's forward-thinking approach positions them as pioneers in utilizing AI for web design, development, and SEO. - Published: 2023-03-05 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/leveraging-the-power-of-ai-for-seo-content-creation/ A Logical Approach by Logic Web Media In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is not just a strategy, but a necessity. Long Island's very own Logic Web Media understands this all too well. As a dynamic web design and development company with a keen focus on Google AdWords and SEO, they've consistently embraced innovation to help their clients thrive in the online sphere. One groundbreaking avenue they've ventured into is utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for SEO content creation—a move that's revolutionizing the way businesses enhance their online presence. In fact, everything in this post (besides this sentence) has been written by ChatGPT. The Marriage of AI and SEO: A Match Made in Digital Heaven In a world where algorithms reign supreme, the importance of quality content cannot be overstated. And that's where the synergy between AI and SEO comes into play. Logic Web Media recognizes that crafting SEO-friendly blogs and other content that engages and informs readers while appeasing search engine algorithms can be a daunting task. Enter AI, the game-changer. 1. Unleashing the Power of Data AI tools have the remarkable ability to analyze vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time it would take a human. Logic Web Media taps into this power to conduct comprehensive keyword research. By identifying high-volume, relevant keywords specific to a business's niche, AI-driven research helps steer the content creation process in the right direction. 2. Crafting Compelling Content Writing SEO-optimized content is an art, and AI is the brush that adds finesse. Logic Web Media utilizes AI-powered content generators that assist in creating well-structured, informative, and engaging articles. These tools take the data gathered during keyword research and weave it into content that resonates with readers and search engines alike. 3. The Magic of Personalization Logic Web Media understands that one-size-fits-all content is no longer sufficient in the competitive digital landscape. AI tools can analyze user behavior and preferences to tailor content to specific audiences. This level of personalization not only boosts user engagement but also enhances the likelihood of conversion. 4. Staying Ahead with Trend Analysis Trends in online searches can shift rapidly, and staying updated is crucial. Logic Web Media leverages AI to monitor trends, ensuring that their clients' content remains relevant and aligned with what users are actively searching for. This adaptability gives businesses a competitive edge by providing them the means to address current demands effectively. 5. SEO Optimization and Beyond AI-driven content creation extends beyond the words on a page. Logic Web Media understands that factors like meta tags, image optimization, and internal linking play a pivotal role in SEO success. AI tools can analyze websites comprehensively, identifying areas for improvement and optimization, leading to a more robust digital footprint. AI for SEO: A Logical Conclusion Incorporating AI into SEO content creation isn't just a trend; it's a logical progression in the world of digital marketing. Logic Web Media's forward-thinking approach positions them as pioneers in utilizing AI for web design, development, and SEO. By harnessing the power of AI, they provide their clients with an edge that drives online success. As Logic Web Media demonstrates, technology isn't here to replace human creativity but to amplify it. With AI as their ally, businesses can achieve SEO goals more efficiently, leaving them free to focus on what truly matters: engaging with their audience and delivering exceptional products or services. In the grand symphony of AI and SEO, Logic Web Media orchestrates a harmonious blend that resonates with both search engines and users—a testament to their commitment to innovation and their dedication to helping businesses flourish in the digital realm. --- > Recognizing the significance of your business being visible, we're here to assist you in achieving that goal. This guide will equip you with all the necessary knowledge for claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page. Let's commence! - Published: 2023-01-10 - Modified: 2023-10-04 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/why-claim-and-optimize-your-google-my-business-page/ If you operate a business based on Long Island, you've arrived at the right place. At Logic Web Media, we specialize in aiding businesses in gaining visibility on Google Maps by taking charge of and enhancing their Google My Business page. Recognizing the significance of your business being visible, we're here to assist you in achieving that goal. This guide will equip you with all the necessary knowledge for claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page. Let's commence! The Benefits of Claiming and Optimizing Your Google My Business Page Are you a Long Island business aiming to enhance your visibility on Google Maps? If so, the ideal starting point is to claim and optimize your Google My Business page. Logic Web Media can enhance your Google My Business page through our comprehensive services, guaranteeing potential customers can easily discover your business. When you claim and optimize your Google My Business page, you'll harness its heightened visibility. Google Maps will present your business more prominently, thereby amplifying the chances of potential customers locating you. Logic Web Media will ensure the accuracy and currency of all vital information about your business. Additionally, we'll guide you in crafting compelling content that entices potential customers and maintains their engagement. For optimal utilization of your Google My Business page, Logic Web Media is the perfect collaborator. Our specialty lies in elevating Long Island businesses' visibility on Google Maps and ensuring their page stands out in the competitive landscape. Local SEO Strategies to Rank Higher On Google Maps Local visibility is vital for businesses on Long Island. Among the most potent tools for achieving discoverability is Google My Business, which facilitates visibility on Google Maps. Logic Web Media helps clients claim and optimize their Google My Business page, enabling them to rule local search! We extend a comprehensive array of services to augment your Google Maps visibility. Our team of experts will collaborate with you to forge an impactful Google My Business page, setting your business apart from competitors. Furthermore, we'll supply you with insights and techniques to optimize your page and derive maximum benefits from your listing. With our guidance, you can anticipate your business ascending the ranks on Google Maps promptly. Long Island SEO Services by Logic Web Media For those aspiring to dominate local search outcomes in Long Island, Logic Web Media is your ultimate solution. Our Long Island SEO services serve as the optimal conduit to ensure your business gets noticed on Google Maps. We'll support you in seizing control of and optimizing your Google My Business page, paving the way for more patrons and sustained competitive edge. At Logic Web Media, we comprehend the essence of local SEO and its potential to fuel your business triumph. This very understanding fuels our specialization in optimizing Google My Business pages for Long Island enterprises. We'll assist you in crafting a profile that distinguishes itself and guarantees conspicuous representation on Google Maps. Our expertise will empower you to attract more patrons and propel your business towards new echelons. Conclusion Logic Web Media takes immense pride in its stature as a premier digital marketing agency in Long Island. Our specialization lies in aiding local businesses to assert control over and enhance their Google My Business page, ensuring prominence on Google Maps. For support with the process of claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page, reach out to us today to embark on this journey. We're enthusiastic about facilitating your business's domination on Google Maps. To conclude, claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page is important for any business looking to boost its Google Maps visibility. Enlisting Logic Web Media's Long Island SEO services guarantees the proper claiming and optimization of your page to unlock its full potential. Moreover, you can embrace local SEO strategies to escalate your Google Maps ranking. Through this strategy, you fortify your presence on Google Maps, rendering your business effortlessly accessible to prospective customers. Embark on this journey today, and commence your conquest of Google Maps. --- > Whether you are responding to the threat of sickness, or the tanking economy, the time to start planning was yesterday. - Published: 2020-03-09 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/how-coronavirus-can-help-your-small-business/ Long Island is in a panic with the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Whether you are responding to the threat of sickness, or the tanking economy, the time to start planning was yesterday. And, believe it or not, there are some ways to make this benefit your small business. Forward thinking will be the cure for a backwards sliding business. $8 Billion Sheckels The US government will be spending over $8 billion to combat the pandemic. Most of the funds will go towards supporting the states, hospitals, and medical providers. However, this money will also move on to fund many small businesses that are needed to support these organizations. This includes everything from contractors to cleaning services. Want to make sure you get on that train? We suggest to our clients to start running Google AdWords today for keywords relevant to what is happening. For cleaning companies, some options are "cleaning and disinfecting services" or "quarantine disinfecting services". These are (as of March 9th, 2020) not being targeted and there is a HUGE opportunity. In the screenshot below, we see ads for general cleaning services. However, with the right targeting, you can get better conversion than your competitors. Remote Work Makes the Dream Work It’s time for businesses to embrace remote working. Many employees in the last few years have been clamoring for the opportunity to work from home, but to no avail. Businesses are used to running a certain way, and the owners are resistant to change. However, working from home can give a huge boost to your business. When there is a good balance struck, businesses find that their lifestyle is forever changed. We are in the right place technologically, your workers can be trusted, and you can rest assured that work will be done. According to Forbes, remote work is no longer just a millennial's come true. Telecommuting can provide a better future for your workplace and your employees. A few benefits include improved productivity, decreased daily cost, and reduced turnover. Take Precautions & Show Them You Care Hair stylists, massage therapists, and restaurants are just some of the businesses that will suffer from the panic of COVID-19. However, there are some ways to combat this. Take precautions such as allowing people their sick time (no questions, no hassle), increase the frequency of your regular disinfecting and cleaning, and keep hand sanitizer out and available. Then, shout it from the rooftops. You can do this easily through email marketing or social media management. Clients that we work with regularly have already started posting their notices on their websites. But, it's important to get the information to people, rather than waiting for them to come to you. Customers and clients will not only feel better about visiting you, but you will be remembered in the future for the consideration you took on health and safety. Conclusion The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a world of instability. Furthermore, the effects of the pandemic will continue to grow in ways we haven't even thought of yet. At Logic Web Media, we will continue to find better ways to adapt to this situation as it unfolds. --- > Whether you are starting from scratch or redesigning an existing website, there are a few things we need to get started. - Published: 2019-11-18 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/custom-website-checklist-getting-started/ While website builders are a dime a dozen these days, they aren't necessarily the best solution. For people just starting out with an internet presence, website builders may seem like an easy and cheap way to go. However, do you want something described as "easy" and "cheap" to represent your business on the internet? That may sound dramatic; and I'm not saying that you need a website that is complex and expensive. But you do want to put in some thought and consideration to how you are representing your business. After all, it may be the only thing a potential customer knows of you before making the decision to use your service, or your competitors. Getting Started with a Custom Website (Re)Design Whether you are starting from scratch or redesigning an existing website, there are a few things we need to get started. We've created the list below to help you see that what we need isn't really much. Most people think that entering into a web design project will be a headache. But, with these couple items listed below, we can take the reigns and bring your business to the next level. Checklist to Help us Start Building Your Custom Website Reference WebsitesBefore we get started, we will ask you to search the internet and share with us websites that you like. These websites do not have to be the same industry as yours. We are doing this to get an idea of your design aesthetic so that our mockup will be closer to what you envision. Hosting & Domain SetupWe will need access to your existing hosting and domain accounts. If you need hosting and domain services, you can create an account and purchase the required package through LightSpace Technologies. We also highly recommend an SSL certificate, whether you are selling or need it for SEO value. Logo FilesYour logo is an important aspect of your brand. We prefer to work with the raw files of your logo on your new website. This is to ensure that the correct dimensions and pixel density are used. These files should have been sent to you by the person that designed your logo; and, if not, should be requested immediately. The file extensions are typically . ai, . eps, or . pdf. Should you not have a logo, we can offer some design services to get an effective logo for your business. PhotographyGood photography is vital to modern web design. Screens (whether desktop or mobile) are becoming larger, clearer, and given a greater pixel density every day. Using new and modern photography will ensure that your website looks great on all screens, and in all browsers. If you do not have original photography or do not have decent photography, then we can provide stock photography at no additional charge! Logic Tip: Having authentic photography of your business, staff, and services will increase your website relatability. Generally, real photos are better for conversions. Web CopyNo one knows your business better than you. Therefore, there's no one more qualified to write the website copy than you. Companies often find this to be a tedious task that no one has time to do. Logic Web Media provides content writing services to fill up your website. In order to do that, we would need to have an outline of your services or key points you want to express on the website. Product Images/Specs (eCommerce only)When developing an eCommerce site, your products info and images are the most important aspect. These are the pages that will need to be converting to get you sales, as well as a good return on your investment. We recommend having clear and consistent pictures on the website. Along with the photos, there should be enough information on the page to describe the product to show customers and search engines why people should be buying from you. Other Software & IntegrationsSome clients of ours use various softwares or internet integrations on their current website. If these are reviewed and are deemed necessary, we will need the integration codes or the login credentials to connect it to the new website. Logic Tip: Using Google Analytics? Be sure to give us your tracking code to add to the new website so that there is no break in your analytics tracking! Why We Create Custom WordPress Websites It's well known that WordPress is the reigning champion of websites these days. It is a powerful and versatile software that can be used for many applications, and will give your SEO a boost. However, WordPress websites developed by the wrong people will be a waste of time and money. WordPress templates and plugins may seem easy and cheap (there's our negative buzzwords again), but they will not bring you long term success. While some WordPress plugins can be secure and useful, there may be some consequences from relying on plugins. All Templates Have an Expiration Date Although not written in stone, all WordPress templates have an expiration date. Templates are created using the technology available at the time. Eventually, that technology will go out of date. Additionally, all WordPress templates rely on a TON of plugins. We have seen some website templates needing 30 plugins in order to work! And, what happens when one - just one - of those necessary plugins break or is no longer being updated by the plugin author? Well, the site can no longer function. That means that your entire business' website presence can completely crash if 3. 333% of your website build goes bad. Are your leads worth it? Custom Web Design is Scalable for Marketing Speaking of leads, are you getting enough? Using a WordPress template can be limiting when attempting to do any kind of internet marketing. There's a few reasons for this. First, templates are often guilty of bulky code and feature bloat. Too many elements and coding that allow the templates to do a few hundred different things is terrible for SEO and running ads. The code on these templates slow the website down, which causes your site to fall out of the search ranks and ad rolls due to increased bounce rate. Second, if you need a custom landing page that converts, then you need it custom designed by a credible ad company. Templates are limiting on customizing pages and often give you too much or too little elements to meet your marketing goals. And, third, optimization is very difficult. A well-seasoned SEO professional will want 100% control of your websites code. Anyone can tell you that content is king. However, an experienced SEO company will know that a large portion of optimization happens behind the scenes. Conclusion Here, we have listed what it takes to get started with a new website. In reality, there isn't much you need to do! Simply hand over any existing account information, tell us what your goals are, and we will do the rest! Redesigning your website should not seem like a daunting task. We will give you a similar checklist to the one above when you sign on with Logic Web Media. Furthermore, we will help you to complete this checklist as thoroughly as possible. --- > Having a blog on your local business’s website will help you draw more internet traffic, and ultimately drive sales. - Published: 2019-10-24 - Modified: 2021-07-16 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/benefits-of-small-business-blogging-on-website/ Having an internet presence is essential for all businesses these days. People in need of information go straight to their computer or phone to conduct searches. So, all local businesses should strive to be the first result on the SERP. Having a blog on your local business's website will help you draw more internet traffic, and ultimately drive sales. It will also help to answer some questions your customers may have. Are You an Authority in Your Industry? Local Business Blogs Demonstrate Value When searching for a local mechanic, plumber, or even a restaurant, people want to know that they’re getting the real deal. Your internet presence will affect the public’s perception about your local business’s proficiency. People are much less likely to hire or do business with a small, out-dated website. It give the implication of inefficiency. Instead, customers will prefer the website that presents the business as a more knowledgeable group. Keeping a blog will help you demonstrate that knowledge to your current, increasingly larger, audience. If you own a home repair company, then regularly posting about previous clients that you’ve helped, new services that you are offering, and new DIY carpentry hacks can go a long way. Not only will it show that you are good at what you do, but it will demonstrate your motivation to improve. Do You Care About Your Customers? Blogging Engages the Local Customer The best local business blog posts function in two ways. They answer the question that led the reader to that page, and they convince the reader that you are the right one to provide that service. Continuing with the home repair company example, a carpenter might write a blog post explaining the process of building a backyard gazebo. What are my options of gazebo styles? How does the customer know if their backyard can accommodate a gazebo? What’s the best way to go about starting the process? You can answer all of these questions and more with a detailed, reader-friendly blog post. It seems like common sense that if you divulge too many details, readers will simply take the information and act on it themselves, making all of your efforts for naught. More often than not, this is not the case. If you succeed in delivering a clear, explanatory blog post about your specialties, then people will trust you as both an authority on the topic, and as a well-intentioned local business. If you engage with a local audience, then they will engage with you. What Makes You Stand Out From the Rest? Blogs Show the Company Voice The voice of your blog posts should echo how you communicate with customers. Local business blog posts should be written with a friendly, conversational voice. They should also demonstrate the elements of your business that make you unique, and appeal to your target audience. For example, take a look at the website copy on Apple and Sony’s websites. Microsoft’s homepage is much more text-heavy, and focuses more on selling the product than selling the brand. While these are perhaps extreme examples that do not conform at all to the local business model, the text still does its job. Both are extremely successful pages that perform well in their respective niches. Your final goal should be to speak in the voice that you want your customers to hear. Create an internal dialogue with them before they have even called or emailed you. Blogging: A Viable Sales Tool While local blog content can answer any questions that your customers might have, there are also benefits that serve your bottom line. Blogs Help You Show up in Local Searches As your blog content library grows, so too will your keyword usage. With more instances of a certain keyword on any page of your domain, your business's web presence will grow. Depending on the keyword that you are optimizing, your page will begin to show up more for certain search queries. As you begin to develop more content, you can extend the reach of your website by optimizing for several keywords, along with variations of those keywords. These different pages will serve as landing pages for various search queries, meaning they will be the first page that viewers encounter. Developing your keyword strategy can be a long process, but it’s worthwhile, and very rewarding. Drive Click-Through Traffic with Interlinking After you’ve published a few blog posts, you might realize that there is a topical overlap between the current post and posts you have written previously. This is perfectly natural. Linking to posts that you have previously written will be helpful in two ways: Viewers who visit the first page will see the link, and might be intrigued enough to click on it. Once they have visited this landing page, it’s your job to convince them to visit other pages by writing compelling copy. If the page you are linking to is looked upon favorably by Google already, then it will receive a better ranking. As you develop page authority, linking to each page will be much more beneficial. Blogging is Easy... with the Right Approach Keeping a blog for your local business should be another part of your monthly duties. It’s the most natural way to regularly update your website. As the saying goes, content is king. Showing your customers what you can do for them without requiring them to do additional outside research will make your website a valuable tool, and help them to make the right choice. The best approach to blogging is to be genuine, unique, and true to your voice. Blogging has gotten a bad rep over the last few years, due to SEO companies employing "Black Hat" SEO tactics to gain rankings. With the right approach and the right tools, your blog can help your business website get to the next level. --- > “Out of stock” is an inevitability in the eCommerce world. Best practice is to make them work for you and bring something beneficial to the table. - Published: 2019-06-11 - Modified: 2023-10-04 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-to-handle-out-of-stock-products-without-hurting-your-seo/ At first glance, a product being out of stock or discontinued may not seem like it deserves a second thought. But what happens when a product page is deleted or left without the ability to checkout? Being a responsible eCommerce shop owner, you put a ton of energy and money into optimizing your content, driving traffic to pages, and increasing your sales. Making the decision of how to handle out of stock products hurting your SEO deserves some consideration. Do Out of Stock Items Affect SEO THAT Much? If you don't already know, then the first thing to say here is that each product should be considered a page. All modern eCommerce software will create a page for every product you add. That being said, product pages should be treated with the same importance as regular website pages. “During 2016 we consistently observed more and more shoppers skipping the ‘front door’ (the homepage) and landing directly on product pages. Due to long tail search and dedicated posts or ads on social media for specific products, traffic to product pages has gone up and so has their conversion rate. ” (via Talia Wolf, GetUplift. co) In fact, modern internet shopping, internet marketing, and search patterns have all lead to individual product pages becoming your sites' landing pages, rather than Home, About, etc. For this reason, we want to be vigilant about out of stock products. If you have been working on your websites SEO and conversion rates, then you are likely to see this fact reflected in your analytics, or in SEO reports from Logic Web Media. If your home page or static pages are attracting the most traffic, then it might be time to invest in some SEO services. But, I digress. There are two important items that are impacted when your products are out of stock or deleted from your website altogether. 1. User Experience (UX) Out of stock or deleted product pages can be frustrating to the user. Have you ever been looking for something on the internet and been driven to a page that is either a 404 error or simply sold out? This is an example of poor user experience. 2. Technical SEO There are several ranking factors that are impacted when products are deleted or out of stock. One of them is 404 errors, which will result in completely losing your link value. Another factor will be bounce rate, which will increase as users land on a useless page and immediately leave. So what are some solutions? Let's look at the different types of out of stock... SEO Solutions to Out of Stock Items For Out of Stock Items that Are Not Coming Back The first step in determining how to handle out of stock products for SEO would be to look at your analytics. Is the page getting good traffic? Is the page registering as a landing page? Are there any external links to the product page? If you answered NO to those questions, then there's a couple simple solutions: Delete the page and let it 404 404s get a bad rap, and only some of it is for good reason: 404s are generally bad for UX. However, if your product page is not ranking and not receiving traffic, then it doesn't really matter. Also, 404s will drop out of the Google index eventually, which makes this the easiest solution. 301 Redirect the page Although many SEO's decide to redirect literally everything that is no longer needed on the website, I would caution against this - EXCEPT in cases where people have answered NO to all of the above questions. 301s are thought to pass link juice back into the site, rather than being stopped dead by a 404. While this is accurate, too many 301s can be seen as spammy link practices and should be done with discretion. When done right, 301s can help user experience by redirecting the user to a similar product or to the parent category. By showing other options, you prevent people from landing on a 404 and leaving the site immediately. For your products that are not ranking and not registering traffic, this is a viable option. I do not recommend 301s for ranking products, but I will get to that shortly. If you answered YES to any of those questions, then there are a few options: Delete the page and create a unique 404 page 404ing a page is sometimes the easiest and cleanest way to get an old product out of your CMS and your sitemap. However, you don't want to have a poor UX or increase your bounce rate by having users fall on a 404. The best way to combat this is to create a 404 page that is engaging and promotes conversions. Some companies will show a list of products, a search bar, or another call to action to help steady their conversions and bounce rate. Others just try to be clever with their 404s because it makes people happy, which is the ultimate UX. 301 Redirect and create a post-redirect message 301 redirects on your pages of value will ensure that your websites link juice stays flowing freely through the site. However, this can be potentially hurt your conversions if a user is looking for something specific and keeps getting redirected to something they don't want without explanation. For these reasons, I recommend redirecting to a (very) similar product or to the parent category, and include a post-redirect message. This message should include information on why they are being redirected, and why they should look for another product. Deploy Robots exclusion protocol (Advanced) This solution is great for when you are no longer carrying an entire line of items, or if you've let your eCommerce store get bogged down with undeleted items. “if you’ve got a huge number of pages, I would go ahead and take the extra step of using something like unavailable_after so that those pages don’t crowd up the search results with expired listings that are just going to annoy users. ” (via Matt Cutts, Google Webmasters) Robots exclusion basically tells Google to stop showing particular pages within the index. Pages are typically removed within 24 hours of the unavailable_after date. This is a viable option because it limits the chances of users finding the dead page in search results and clicking on it. The few caveats with this method is that you are potentially losing link juice and any backlinks to these pages will be lost. Example For Out of Stock Items that Are Coming Back Products that are due to return are a little easier to deal with, and have a lot more options to sustain SEO, UX, and conversions. Without having to wrestle with options (and opinions ) surrounding 404s, you are free to focus on front-end changes to improve UX. Be clear about stock availability The phrase "Out of Stock" should always be accompanied by a date when it will return. If you give an approximation, then be sure to update it if you go passed that date. Add related items While you don't want to overwhelm the user, it will be valuable to have some options. Having related items on the out of stock product page will encourage users to explore other options on your site. Get their contact info Instead of directing the user to another item or giving them a date to check back, offer to notify them. Have the user submit their email address and create a list in your Mail Chimp or Constant Contact to send out once the product becomes available. Get ahead of the click Out of stock items are terrible for your bounce rate. Even if you have all these other options on the product level, you are likely to get a quick bounce. The internet, after all, is fraught with snap decisions. A potential solution to this issue is to stop a click through to the product page before it happens. By labeling on your category page when items are out of stock, users are more likely to scroll by without clicking on the product. Conclusion While out of stock pages seem like something to ignore, there are definitely some SEO considerations to explore. As with all things relating to eCommerce and conversions: there is always room for improvement and for more sales. "Out of stock" is an inevitability in the eCommerce world. Best practice is to make them work for you, and bring something beneficial to the table: Reduce bounce rate Lead capturing with stock notifications Disperse link juice and maintain flow Improve UX Convert new products --- > Our data-driven and brand-specific approach to digital marketing helped our clients earn a huge payday in 2018. - Published: 2019-01-22 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/digital-advertising/2018-success-from-paid-and-organic-advertising/ At Logic Web Media, 2018 has been quite a busy year. We’ve spent the year doing what we do best: helping businesses seize awesome selling opportunities online. Between equipping new clients with niche marketing solutions and helping existing clients to improve their digital marketing strategy, we’ve kept ourselves occupied. Whether we’re pushing custom jerseys or trucking services, we’re always thinking about the endgame: return on investment. We’re happy to report that, through a dedicated and results-driven approach, our work has paid off in droves. Curious how? Take a look at some of our awesome results from 2018 below!   Qualified Google Ad Conversions When we say instant results, we’re not kidding. With the right account manager, it’s possible to reach plenty of new customers-- even on a minimal budget. Our advertising specialists have mastered this low-spend, high-return method through a strategic, conversion-oriented approach. We oversee ad campaigns for clients in a number of different industries, including: Home Services Professionals Medical Practices Law Firms eCommerce Retailers Material and Equipment Resale 40,700 Qualified Leads From Google Ads Even if everyone in the world sees your ad, it won’t matter if nobody clicks. Over the course of the year, our advertising specialists got (literally) thousands of clicks through targeted ads that spend every dollar in your budget wisely. Average of $10 Earned For Each $1 Spent No, we didn't make that up. Online advertising is cheap— the challenge is having an account manager that understands where to place your ads, and how to draw in the right audience. As you can see, the right approach leads to awesome results. 1400% Average Return on Ad Investment When it works, it really works. Qualified leads clicking on your ads will give your bottom line a serious boost.     Championing the Social Media Game Social media networks are great for procrastination, but they're also a great place for your brand to reach customers. Taking advantage of the various social media networks is critical for eCommerce brands and local businesses alike. $7 Earned For Every $1 Spent on Facebook Ads Facebook has the best demographic targeting tools on the internet, and the potential to reach hundreds of shoppers with minimal spending is high. For marketers, this means that the right strategy can help them to land new customers easily. For businesses, this means sky high return for every dollar spent. 231,000 Total Instagram Likes Instagram has over 1 billion users-- with some creativity and strategy, they can be your followers, too! It’s no secret that a successful Instagram marketing strategy can help you to discover new audiences, and engage with your existing audience. Throughout 2018, our social media marketing team helped numerous brands to expand their reach through a creative (yet data-driven) approach. With more eyes on your social media posts, your brand awareness and ROI will skyrocket!     Dominating Google with SEO If you want new leads to discover your business, then your search visibility is everything. And, there’s a lot of effort that goes into bringing your website’s rankings up to the next level. Between writing content, adjusting the code, and utilizing high-traffic keywords, our SEO experts are highly effective in boosting organic rankings. 185 Keywords Brought to Page 1 of Google Our SEO specialists don’t mess around. After thorough keyword and industry research, we helped several websites achieve and maintain Google dominance with an informed and data-driven strategy. 20% Stronger Visibility Than Competitors Excelling in the online search game is all about diligently tracking data throughout the campaign. Our SEO team is adept at helping websites boost overall search engine visibility and finding new business opportunities.     Make 2019 Your Year to Earn New Leads Your business can reap the benefits of an aggressive digital marketing strategy this year too! If you're interested in gaining new leads that can become high-paying customers, then give us a call! We'll brainstorm to determine a hard-hitting strategy for your business based on your industry and audience. --- > This holiday, we're giving away our SEO skills and expertise for free. Check this page each day to find the day's SEO giveaway, and learn how this service can improve your internet presence! - Published: 2018-12-11 - Modified: 2023-10-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/12-days-seo-giveaways/ The New Year is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf. Eating healthier certainly can’t hurt, but the new year is also the perfect time to focus on driving sales for your business. By improving your website’s SEO value, you can open up a whole new world of business opportunities for your company. At Logic Web Media, we’re in the spirit of giving. During this holiday season, we’re giving away our skills and expertise to new customers that want to get started with SEO! Each day, we’ll provide information about one aspect of the world of SEO, and about how you can cash in on one of our free SEO services (which top off at $600 in value)! Check this page each day for the daily tip and giveaway! December 12th, 2018 - Day 1 Giveaway 1. FREE SEO Website Audit ($75 value) The first step in any SEO campaign is an SEO website audit. Think of the site audit as a thorough evaluation of your existing website. Technical issues on your website could be holding it back from reaching its full potential. Using top-of-the-line software and SEO know-how, we can identify your website’s strengths, and any areas of improvement. With a thorough report of your website, you’ll know where the issues lie, and what you need to improve on. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free SEO website audit! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 13th, 2018 - Day 2 Giveaway 2. FREE 1-Hour Consultation on Your Website’s SEO Value ($150 value) Speaking to an SEO expert about your website’s existing strengths can help you to determine the quickest route to a stronger search engine presence. By seizing these small opportunities, you can increase your website’s SEO value in a relatively short time. An SEO expert can also explain technical jargon so that you have a stronger understanding of how you need to move forward for quality website SEO. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free 1-hour consultation! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 14th, 2018 - Day 3 Giveaway 3. FREE Blog Post Optimized For Your Target Keyword and Audience ($300 value) Writing blog posts should be the meat and potatoes of your SEO strategy. Each blog post should be geared toward answering questions that your audience might have about your company or industry. For example, if you own a plumbing business, then your content should be geared toward all types of customers. We might write content about how often you should install new toilets, or common causes of leaking sinks. Based on keyword research and your competitors’ strategies, we’ll optimize your blog post for your target keywords, and local searches where applicable. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free keyword-optimized blog post! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 15th, 2018 - Day 4 Giveaway 4. FREE Google Analytics & Google Search Console Website Integration ($75 value) With SEO, you should always be reevaluating what’s working, and what’s not. That’s where Google Analytics and Search Console come in. Google has extremely valuable tools that helps us to understand where your website traffic is coming from. By learning which keywords are generating traffic for your website, we can revise our strategy to increase your bottom line. Unfortunately, installing Google Analytics and Search Console can be somewhat challenging without a technical skill set. Our web design and SEO team can install Google Analytics and Search Console on your website to continually update your overarching strategy. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” to have Google Analytics installed on your website for free! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 16th, 2018 - Day 5 Giveaway 5. FREE Sitemap Creation and Submission to Google ($129 value) Google will never know about all of your website’s great content if you don’t tell them. Having an XML sitemap is a crucial aspect of being found via Google. Think of an XML sitemap as a list of your website’s important pages that Google scans. Whenever you create a new page or add new content to a page, the XML sitemap will automatically update. We can ensure that Google discovers your content by creating and submitting an XML sitemap for your site! Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free XML Sitemap that we’ll submit to Google! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 17th, 2018 - Day 6 Giveaway 6. FREE Meta Keyword Optimization on Website Pages (up to 10 pages; $200 value) Keywords are crucial in helping your website to be found by Google. For Google to notice your pages, meta titles and descriptions should be rich with keywords. The meta title and description should offer a brief snippet of information about the page, and compel users to click. Google will favor these pages, and users will be more likely to click as well. Our SEO team can write compelling meta titles and descriptions that will improve click rates and boost traffic. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free keyword-optimized meta titles and descriptions on up to ten of your pages! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 18th, 2018 - Day 7 Giveaway 7. FREE Blog Post Optimization for your Target Keyword on 2 Existing Posts (up to $250 value) If you’ve written blog posts in the past, then your website is already on track for SEO greatness. But, without incorporating target keywords and optimizing the code, these blog posts won’t make a dent against the competition. Updating older content to ensure that you’re taking advantage of all of your opportunities is essential. It also conveys to Google that your website offers credible, up-to-date information-- which is a major ranking factor. By integrating the keywords that people are searching for to find your business within existing blog posts, we can increase your internet exposure. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for a free keyword optimization on two of your existing blog posts! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 19th, 2018 - Day 8 Giveaway 8. FREE Homepage Schema Markup ($300 value) As search engines have evolved, the goal has shifted from ranking in the first spot to aiming for position zero. This is the box that typically shows up above the search results, with either quick answers or a list of map locations to answer a search query. The primary way to achieve this position is through paying attention to the website’s code, specifically schema markup. Schema markup structures the website’s data to give Google very specific instructions about how to categorize your website, and which searches it should apply to. With our SEO and coding expertise, we can maximize your website’s chances of ranking by writing schema markup. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for free Schema Markup on your homepage! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 20th, 2018 - Day 9 Giveaway 9. 20% OFF Content Optimization on your Website’s Top 3 Pages (up to $75 value) It’s certainly a victory if your blog posts are ranking for your target keywords. But, with SEO, the ultimate goal is for the blog posts to direct traffic to other pages on your website, like the services pages. Services pages generally outline your company’s offerings, while also highlighting your expertise. Unlike blog posts, which should answer questions, services pages should compel the customer to take the desired action. Depending on your industry, this may be making an appointment, deposit, or a phone call. So, having these services pages rank on Google should be the priority. We can help you to accomplish this by integrating keywords, as well as improving the position by linking to blog posts. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for 20% off content optimization on 3 of your website’s pages! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 21st, 2018 - Day 10 Giveaway 10. 20% OFF Website speed improvement services (up to $200 value depending on website speed audit) Google knows what makes customers click, and they aren’t afraid to devalue your website based on technical factors. One of these factors is your website’s speed. When your website takes too long to load, chances are that visitors won’t wait. Instead, they’ll go back to the search results page, and click on one of your competitors. Because of this, Google considers website speed to be an important factor when determining rankings. We’ll improve your website’s speed to keep your rankings high and your customers’ website experiences seamless. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for 20% off a website speed overhaul! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 22nd, 2018 - Day 11 Giveaway 11. 30% OFF Mobile responsive website conversion services on existing website (up to $600 value depending on website size) Like website speed, having a mobile-friendly website that appears in a neat format on mobile devices increases your chances of ranking. In fact, Google even formally announced that websites would be ranked based primarily on the mobile version because more people search on mobile devices than desktops. With a careful eye for detail, our coders and developers can write your website’s code so that the layout adjusts depending on the device. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for 30% off a mobile responsive website! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email December 23rd, 2018 - Day 12 Giveaway 12. 30% OFF first month SEO services (up to $1,000 value depending on plan; Must sign up for a minimum of 6 months) SEO isn’t a one-time project, and it involves more than using the right keywords. If you want to really reap the benefits of SEO, then you need to take a multifaceted approach. A high-quality SEO company will do more than write blog posts. They’ll pay attention to the overall structure of your website, and analyze how your pages are performing after the fact. By continuously writing keyword focused content for your fine-tuned website, you can enjoy increased internet exposure for the long haul. Give us a call at (631) 824-3390 and mention the “12 Days of SEO” for 30% off your first month of SEO services! Or click the button below to redeem this offer! Redeem NOW by Email How to Redeem SEO Giveaways: Pay close attention to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts for information about our daily SEO giveaways Call us and mention the “12 Days of SEO” to retrieve your awesome free service or discount Continue your SEO strategy for sustained improvements in your rankings Sit back and enjoy your new leads! SEO Giveaway Terms and Conditions Limit 1 offer per customer and 1 website All offers are eligible to be claimed through January 15th, 2019 For new SEO customers only (cannot have an existing SEO account with LWM) Any issues in carrying out an offer due to the state of the website is not the responsibility of Logic Web Media. Any coding edits that need to be made will be billed separately. We will not provide ongoing analytics on work provided, unless customer signs up for an ongoing SEO plan Customer must provide necessary logins/access to website to carry out any offer that requires connection to Google or Meta/Schema markup via website coding --- > A recent Supreme Court ruling permits states to collect sales taxes on all eCommerce purchases. If you sell online, your website needs a major update to make county-specific taxation possible. - Published: 2018-06-29 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/state-sales-taxes-your-ecommerce-store-needs-a-major-update/ In the modern eCommerce age, we purchase products online quite a lot. In the first quarter of 2018, eCommerce sales accounted for 9. 5% of all sales. As eCommerce becomes more prevalent, the government has taken steps to regulate online sales the same way that they regulate in-store purchases. A recent Supreme Court ruling is now allowing states to collect sales taxes from all purchases. Read on to learn what this means for your eCommerce store, and what you need to do to adapt. The Bottom Line: A recent Supreme Court ruling permits states to collect sales taxes on all eCommerce purchases. If you sell online, your website needs a major update to make county-specific taxation possible. The Case: South Dakota V. Wayfair Inc. Since the internet’s inception, states were prohibited from collecting taxes on out-of-state online consumer purchases. This policy, called the sales tax nexus, required only companies with a “sufficient physical presence” to pay state sales taxes. Companies like Best Buy, which have an established physical presence, are required to pay sales taxes, even on products sold online. In essence, these policies lingered from an era when online sales were fundamentally different in nature and volume. But, the recent landmark case is changing all of that, and it will have a significant impact on your eCommerce store. The state of South Dakota, which does not charge an income tax, is reliant on sales taxes for income. In an effort to boost this income, South Dakota legislators passed into effect a law that would allow them to collect sales taxes on all online purchases. Wayfair was one of the vendors that challenged this legislation, and the resulting Supreme Court case saw South Dakota come out on top. This precedent changed the game for all states that charge a sales tax, allowing states to collect from all eCommerce transactions made by residents. The Verdict: States Can Collect Sales Tax on All eCommerce Purchases The way that eCommerce stores do business has changed. On June 21st, the Supreme Court issued a verdict that permits states to collect sales tax on in-state consumers purchasing items from out-of-state eCommerce stores. This policy complements the existing taxation policies, which already permitted states to collect on in-state residents purchasing from in-state eCommerce stores. This ruling extends beyond Amazon, and also impacts smaller, niche eCommerce stores. What Does This Mean for eCommerce Stores? eCommerce stores can vary in complexity. Some may only have a handful of products, while others using more complex content management systems like Magento 2 may venture deep into the hundreds (or thousands) territory. Regardless of the quantity of available products, they are all subject to a state sales tax. Your eCommerce store needs a technical solution to tackle the complexity of this project. State taxes can vary drastically -- not only by state, but also by county. So, customers living in Broome County, NY would pay a drastically different sales tax than NYC residents. Your website needs to reflect those tax rates. For example, an eCommerce store based in California needs to charge customers throughout the country the appropriate rate. Your website needs to automatically charge customers living in Massachusetts a different rate than California residents. And, the sales tax rates in Boston may differ from those in Springfield. The Solution: A Dynamic Sales Tax System From a technical perspective, a simple solution simply won’t work. On paper, it might make sense to input every zip code in the country, and the corresponding tax rate. Aside from being a logistical nightmare, this approach also ignores the (albeit minor) changes in sales tax rates. The only reliable way to prepare your website for this is a dynamic, automated state sales tax solution. We can configure the back end of your website to charge customers based on the location. By tapping into a database with constantly updated tax rates, we’ll ensure complete accuracy, without any room for error. Configuring your website to achieve this increased capability is the only way to remain in compliance with federal and state tax laws. In the future, integrating this dynamic taxing functionality will be a critical aspect of eCommerce web design. Taking this step is a necessary measure for any eCommerce stores looking to continue selling products uninterrupted. What’s the Penalty for Non-Compliance? While the details regarding this recent landmark decision are still forthcoming, the penalty for non-compliance will not be light. Failing to collect state taxes will, in essence, be the same as neglecting to pay taxes. Regardless, your eCommerce store will still be held accountable for payment -- presumably from your own pocket. Denying these charges may even lead to a tax audit. By this point, you’ll have compounded interest rates to contend with. Ensuring that your website is equipped to handle these complex tax rates is imperative. Prepare Your Website for the Future The team at Logic Web Media is more than qualified to handle this difficult website coding project for you. As eCommerce professionals, we are capable of handling everything from site layout, to product organization, and beyond. We can adjust your existing site to charge customers based on their billing location. Contact us to start the transition, and have the peace of mind that you need as an internet proprietor. --- > Google’s search algorithm is constantly evolving to improve user experience, and the latest change could spell danger for older websites. Google has responded to the ever-increasing number of mobile searches by favoring mobile websites. - Published: 2018-06-11 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/mobile-first-indexing-is-your-site-ready/ Google’s search algorithm is constantly evolving to improve user experience, and the latest change could spell danger for older websites. Google has responded to the ever-increasing number of mobile searches by favoring mobile websites. They first expressed this preference via the Webmaster blog in 2016. This post detailed plans to base all search results on each website’s mobile version, rather than the desktop version. This mobile-first index has been rolled out to various websites gradually, based on pre-existing optimization, and will affect your website soon. Mobile Content Is a Priority When Google’s mobile-first indexing policy reaches your website, it may already be too late. Before the mobile-first indexing transition, Google had one (and only one) search algorithm that determined results. This search algorithm determined the results based on the desktop version of each website, even for mobile searches. With the introduction of mobile-first indexing, the tables have turned. Instead, Google will examine the mobile version of each website, even for desktop searches. If your website does not have a mobile version, then Google will default to the desktop version. But, with this deferral comes a severe ranking penalty. If your website does not have a dedicated mobile version, then you risk losing business to a competitor that does. Trying to compete in the internet marketing world without a mobile optimized website is like riding a donkey down the L. I. E. -- it just won’t work. The Transition Starts With This (Random) Email Unfortunately, business owners have no control over when Google will begin evaluating the mobile version of the website, rather than the desktop version. This transition is happening slowly, so as to give businesses the time they need to bolster their mobile websites. However, Google will not wait forever-- eventually, your website will make this transition, ready or not. There’s no warning-- only an after-the-fact memo. If you want to keep the rankings that you’ve worked hard to earn (or invested in), then you need to go mobile now. Building a Mobile Website Requires a Professional’s Touch The process of building a fully capable mobile website takes time, so starting the process early on is critical. Responsive Design: Having a website that dynamically adjusts to fit the respective screen size is crucial. Content: The mobile version of your website should contain the same content as your desktop website (if not more)-- including blog posts, service pages, and other pages. Schema Markup: Structured data is written differently for mobile and desktop websites. Metadata: Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions for the mobile version requires an approach that is different from desktop pages. International: Websites that appeal to international audiences need coordinated hreflang tags. Sitemaps: Informing Google about the structure of the website and its various pages through an XML sitemap provides an easy way for the search engine to find content quickly and easily. Search Console: Verify the mobile version of your website. What Does this Mean for You? If your website is already optimized for mobile, then you should have nothing to worry about. With this transition in mind, all of the websites that we built within the past two years are already optimized for the mobile-first index. However, examining each aspect of the website’s mobile performance will enhance your chances to rank high, and beat competitors. Businesses with older websites have cause for concern. If your website was developed over four years ago, then it will not meet the rigorous technical standards of Google’s new mobile-first indexing. In this case, building a dedicated mobile version, along with a possible desktop redesign, is the smartest move. But, a simple redesign can fix this issue. Our Long Island SEO company can easily update the structure, coding and meta data of the website to optimize it for mobile rankings. No Mobile Version? Expect Decreased Rankings and Reduced Exposure Google is currently in the midst of implementing these changes. It may be a month, or a year, but Google will change the way it indexes your website sooner or later, and without warning. Logic Web Media can ensure that your website is prepared for this transition. With experts in both coding and SEO, our team can build a robust mobile website for your business, enabling it to beat out local competitors in searches. --- > For Long Island businesses, voice search is more important and relevant than ever. As voice search continues to advance, having a website that is equipped to answer user questions will become increasingly important. Here, we’ll discuss how your website can increase its accessibility in preparation for the voice search revolution. - Published: 2018-05-31 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/voice-search-part-2-long-island-seo/ Search engine technology is constantly evolving, in light of both consumer trends and emerging technologies. This is a follow-up to our most recent blog post, which discussed the rapid evolution of voice search. For Long Island businesses, voice search is more important and relevant than ever. Even lifetime Long Islanders with a knowledge of the area use voice search to find local businesses. As voice search continues to advance in popularity, having a website that is equipped to answer user questions will become increasingly important. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how your website can increase its accessibility in preparation for the voice search revolution. 3 Common Usages for Voice Search 1. Voice Search While Driving Around Long Island In a way, voice search was created for densely populated suburban areas like Long Island. Think about it. If you’re a resident of Wantagh, and you find yourself in Greenlawn for work, then how will you find a local coffee shop? Ten years ago, nobody would have batted an eye if you politely asked a local for their favorite cafe. But now, voice search has eliminated the need for that interaction, and made this process more convenient. Simply ask Siri for a local suggestion as you are driving around. Unsurprisingly, most voice search queries are related to directions. Including the address of your business in title tags and meta descriptions gives Google a stronger ability to provide directions. People living in urban areas are not as inclined to take advantage of voice search -- at least not on the go. With access to public transportation and the ability to walk around, people are less likely to use voice search. How to Optimize for Driving Voice Searches 1. Schema Markup Structured data like schema markup has played a crucial role in recent years. It will only become more important in voice search, as it provides specific information about your business. The most important part in this case, is your location and directions that will be provided to get to you. This essential tactic requires an experienced coder’s attention to detail. 2. Google My Business In the same vein as schema markup, a Google My Business profile helps the search engine match your business to the voice search query. 2. Voice Search for "Near Me" Services There is no shortage of service industry businesses on Long Island, and for good reason: the high population necessitates it. Contractors, plumbers and electricians constantly receive calls from homeowners who need immediate work done on their homes. Rather than thoroughly vetting local companies, frenzied homeowners will contact the first professional they can find. If you’re like 53 percent of smart speaker owners, you’re going to ask for a plumber’s phone number. Then, call immediately. Service industry businesses can generate high profits and build lifelong relationships in emergencies like this. The same principle applies to medical professionals. People who are fed up with back pain want to find a chiropractor to minimize their back pain promptly. People with a recent shoulder injury may want to schedule a physical therapy session. In order to cater to these customers, local businesses need to begin optimizing for voice search. Being the first result featured in the voice search response drastically increases the chances of customers moving forward with the appointment, sale or work contract. Providing quality service or care during a time of emergency may provide long-term benefits. After receiving quality service, you will leave customers with a positive impression. So, they will be likely to then utilize that company’s services in the future. In a way, taking these steps is an investment in itself. How to Optimize for Near Me Voice Searches 1. The Two Items Mentioned Above Both Schema mark up and Google My Business will help the Voice Search algorithm to return the accurate information on your optimized Google result. 2. Reviews Customers place a lot of trust in reviews -- certainly more than they would place in your promotional copy. Search engines recognize that, and react in kind. Higher-reviewed businesses are more likely to be featured in a voice search response than lower-reviewed businesses. 3. Local SEO Overall, following local SEO best practices is critical to voice search success. Title tags and meta descriptions will directly inform search engines about who your website is relevant to. 3. Voice Search for Immediate, Actionable Information Before calling for assistance, some homeowners may try to fix that kitchen sink leak independently. It’s not uncommon for people to ask their voice search assistant for instructions on how to make these repairs. Your website can provide this much-needed information while they are in crisis mode. The good news is that if you have existing SEO blog content, then adjusting it for voice won’t be that difficult. As industry experts, we usually tackle these basic topics -- simple instructions that highlight your expertise -- early on in the campaign. So, what exactly is the benefit of this? Why would you give away your company’s secrets? With luck, customers will observe your expertise on the matter, and entrust the task to you. How to Optimize for Informational Voice Searches 1. Aim for Featured Snippets The featured snippet is one of the most desirable SERP spots for local businesses. Positioned at the top of the page inside a box, the featured snippet gives users answers to specific queries. Ranking in this spot requires a highly strategic and deliberate approach. 2. FAQs FAQ pages help Google to easily process complex, industry-specific information. Providing answers that search engines can digest with ease helps your chances to rank for these queries, and others. Generally, writing responses that fall within the featured snippet length range (40-50 words) gives your website the best shot. 3. Website Structure An organized website structure will help Google to analyze your website for information. Google is more likely to incorporate responses from your website when you provide a roadmap to the answers Voice Search Optimization 3 Critical Steps 1. Optimize Mobile Layout and Usability As we mentioned before, your existing SEO efforts will go a long way in paving the way for voice optimization. In fact, many of these tactics are identical. Responsive Design: Writing code to dynamically adjust the size and format of a page to fit a given screen. Mobile Usability: An easily scrollable interface with a clean navigation bar, allowing for maximized access. Site Speed: Pages that load quickly are easier to access, and voice search engines understand that. According to Backlinko, the average voice search results page loads 52% faster than the worldwide average. 2. Keyword Optimization Voice search algorithms are architected with user intent in mind. Therefore, keywords that reflect the often conversational tone and format of voice queries are critical. Keep in mind how customers would describe your industry (even if it is not entirely accurate), and other broad ideas. 3. Switch to HTTPS Search engines want to send users to websites that offer the best experience, and respecting security concerns is key. Having an SSL certificate on your website is an easy way to boost your potential to rank for voice search. While half of Google’s desktop results have HTTPS designations, 70% of voice search results have enhanced security. Get Ahead in the Voice Search Game Voice search is the future that we all knew was coming. It’s the natural evolution for Google’s rapidly advancing technology, and it will bring on a new level of convenience for searchers. The time to start adapting to this revolution is now. At Logic Web Media, we understand the comprehensive approach involved in ranking for voice search. Our versatile team will ensure that each part of your website is optimized for voice search, and make adjustments as needed. --- > As voice search continues to grow in popularity, Google will likely mold their algorithm to cater to this evolving trend. In this blog post, we will discuss the growing importance of voice search, and how it may shape the future of Google’s algorithm. - Published: 2018-05-24 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/what-is-voice-search-part-1/ The world wide web was launched in 1990. Google, the leading search engine, was created in 1998. Over the years, Google has updated its algorithm to streamline the search process for users, providing more accurate results. In recent years, Google has prioritized mobile search, causing industry experts to consider mobile an absolute necessity. While mobile search optimization continues to be an important Google ranking factor, many experts now believe the tide is changing once again. As voice search continues to grow in popularity, Google will likely mold their algorithm to cater to this evolving trend. In this blog post, we will discuss the growing importance of voice search, and how it may shape the future of Google’s algorithm. What is Voice Search? The concept behind voice search is fairly simple. And, it follows along with all of Google’s initiatives by creating a simpler way for searchers to find desired information. Rather than manually typing a query, voice search enabled searchers to simply verbalize these thoughts or questions. Because searchers were now speaking, rather than typing, the way that they constructed search phrases changed. Rather than typing “Chinese food in East Meadow”, one might instead say “Find me Chinese food in East Meadow. ” People placed value in voice search for its convenience, as well as its time-saving benefits. Voice search became possible when smartphones integrated internet browsing capability with mobile devices. Digital assistants like Apple’s Siri played a large role in popularizing voice search. Siri formerly utilized Bing for voice searches, and not Google. Nonetheless, voice search set the stage for a world where people could find valuable information effortlessly. Why is Voice Search Important? Voice search has grown steadily more important since its inception. As of 2017, 20% of Google mobile searches are voice-based. This number-- which may not seem massive-- will only grow as time goes by. Younger generations, who are quick to adapt to emerging technologies, will increasingly rely on voice search for simple queries. What is Voice Search Used For? 1. Asking Simple Questions Voice search also proves useful in finding local results. It can quickly give users information about local restaurants, stores, and other destinations. Furthermore, it offers an easy way for users to find directions. 2. Asking Local Questions Voice search also proves useful in finding local results. It can quickly give users information about local restaurants, stores, and other destinations. Furthermore, it offers an easy way for users to find directions. Why is Voice Search Becoming Popular? To understand the rise of voice search, this is an important question to answer. Thankfully, the answer is fairly simple: because more people are using it. These days, you’d be hard pressed to find somebody without a voice search-equipped smartphone. Beyond that, though, smart speakers have become a popular in-home accessory, and have only increased the importance of voice search. Smart Speakers: Voice Search from the Kitchen, Living Room, or Bedroom Smart speakers have also played a crucial role in the growth of voice search. This technology operates based entirely on voice commands, and without any buttons. Smart speakers have simplified the search process, streamlining it to the point that users are almost speaking to a friend. Two of the first smart speakers, the Amazon Echo and Google Home, are still the most popular today. Often placed in the living room, kitchen, or bedroom, smart speakers can give users practical information. For example, people can easily inquire about recipes for immediate information about ingredient ratios while cooking. In fact, Google recently redesigned its recipe tool to utilize structured data -- which supports the idea that voice search is on the rise. Google Has Refocused Efforts Toward Voice Search Recently, Google has taken concrete steps toward prioritizing their voice search efforts. First, Google recently rebranded their Research Blog as the AI Blog. While this change may seem minor, it does demonstrate an increasing reliance on machine learning. These machine learning capabilities are paramount in pushing voice search to the limit. Second, Google’s new AI tool highlights their technology’s progress overall. This recent demonstration showed Google’s AI answering queries with text from relevant text. Notably, Google located this relevant information based on context, rather than keyword matching. Conclusion In reality, we’re already living in the era of voice search. It may not be a conscious choice or an obvious turn of events, but voice search is here to stay. And your website needs to be prepared. Interested in what you can do to increase your website’s voice search exposure? Check our blog next month to learn what it means for your Long Island business and the steps you can take. --- > Listen carefully– which one do you hear? After the Laurel vs Yanny debate, what we know is that sometimes the right answer is ambiguous. But not with internet marketing. - Published: 2018-05-23 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-do-you-hear-seo-or-adwords/ Listen carefully-- which one do you hear? Trick question: the right answer is both! The internet recently erupted over what, at first, seemed like a relatively simple question: do you hear Yanny or Laurel? This complicated audio file drove a wedge between even the closest friends in the internet community. I first listened to the audio file with my earphones in the office, and heard Laurel. Later that very day, I listened to it in a different environment, and heard Yanny. The moral of the story? Sometimes the right answer is ambiguous. But not with internet marketing. 2 Ways to Market Your Small Business They say you should never put all of your eggs in one basket. Oddly enough, this dated idiom still applies in the internet marketing world for small businesses. Small businesses face an unprecedented amount of competition, both online and in the world. To beat out the competition and keep a strong foothold in the industry, your business needs to have a comprehensive internet marketing strategy. This involves devoting resources to both SEO and AdWords. SEO: Long-Term Effort, Long-Term Payoff What Is it? For small businesses seeking to earn new customers, dedication to search engine optimization (SEO) is imperative. The right SEO strategy will help your website to achieve higher organic rankings in Google searches. Search engines look at many variables when determining web rankings. So, when potential customers search for keywords related to your company or industry, your website will be more likely to appear on the search engine results page. In other words, you’ll have valuable exposure. What Can I Do? The entry point for small business SEO is a keyword-focused blogging strategy. Writing blog posts about your industry sounds simple on paper. But, earning the sustained results that you are seeking requires a more involved approach. Keyword research ensures that your website is pursuing lucrative keywords with a high search volume. Interlinking helps lend credence to new articles. Finally, only experienced internet bloggers can effectively write SEO blog content. Fortunately, our SEO company can take care of the whole process! Why do I Need it? In a strange way, Google’s algorithm has impacted the public’s perception. Google assigns the #1 ranking spot to the website that it deems the most relevant. In turn, users have attributed the same prestige to the result in the first spot, and the rest of the first page. Attracting potential customers to your website through SEO will certainly secure new leads for your business. AdWords: Low Effort, High Reward What Is it? Shortly after Google became the globally accepted search engine, they launched the AdWords program. Today, AdWords is still an integral component of any well-rounded internet marketing campaign. Unlike ranking for organic results, in which marketers must consistently make efforts to rank this paid advertising option offers internet marketers a simple opportunity to gain first page exposure through a bidding system. When somebody searches for a particular keyword, Google’s search algorithm locates any relevant advertisements. If there are several, it will conduct an auction. After determining which advertisement won the auction, it will position this result at the top of the results page. It will also place the runners up (if applicable) in the top and bottom of the other results pages. What Can I Do? Anyone can plug in a few keywords for an AdWords campaign. To generate maximum ROI, though, your company should hire a certified and experienced AdWords professional. Experienced AdWords professionals calculatedly assign experimental budgets in the beginning of the campaign to test the waters. Based on the campaign’s performance, they can then adjust the budget accordingly. This nuanced process can prove quite profitable for small businesses. Striking a balance with the budget is only half of the challenge-- after searchers click on the ad, they must be compelled to take the next step in the purchasing process. That’s why AdWords managers create landing pages. These unique webpages are specifically targeted toward AdWords customers. Why Do I Need it? There are two main reasons that AdWords should be a part of your overall internet marketing strategy. First, AdWords will help you grab the attention of potential customers immediately. Impatient customers may not look beyond the first result. Second, AdWords is a fairly hands-off advertising method. After configuring the advertisement, and possibly making some minor adjustments, the advertisement will work on its own. Long Island Internet Marketing from Logic Web Media With placement as the top organic and advertisement result, your website will reach new levels of exposure. Not only will this generate more clicks for your website, but it will also establish your website as a point of authority in the industry. At Logic Web Media, our team takes a multifaceted approach to digital marketing. Engaging in both SEO and internet advertising will help you to maximize your potential to earn new customers. Contact us to begin revolutionizing your internet marketing strategy, and drastically increase your ROI! --- > Have you noticed a distinct drop in your rankings and traffic during March-April 2018? You’re not the only one. Many people worry that they have been issued a penalty when they see sharp downward movements, but this is likely to not be the case. - Published: 2018-04-23 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/did-you-lose-site-traffic-and-rankings-from-march-2018-google-updates/ Have you noticed a distinct drop in your rankings and traffic during March-April 2018? You're not the only one. Many people worry that they have been issued a Google penalty when they see sharp downward movements, but this is not always the case. Google makes major, broad updates to their algorithm several times a year. These are (officially or unofficially) named updates, such as Penguin, Panda, or Fred (my personal favorite). However, the most recent updates are unnamed and, typically, unannounced. These are focused updates that affect the core algorithm, which typically happen more often throughout the year. These focused updates tell us a few things in the internet marketing world: White Hat SEO will always pay off in the end You need an SEO company to keep up with frequent algo changes Content is still king, but user experience is more important If you're affected negatively (and heavily), then you (or your current SEO company) are employing Black Hat tactics March 2018 Google Update: What Actually Happened? While some websites did get issued official penalties, the majority of sites that saw a downturn in rankings and traffic were simply devalued. Conversely, websites that have been practicing White Hat SEO saw an uptick in rankings, traffic, and overall website visibility. The updates throughout March-April focused on the main thing that Google always focuses on: E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust). By demoting websites that have little value to users, the websites with good E-A-T were improved greatly. With every update, Google is getting better at closing those Black Hat loopholes that don't improve user experience. These "tricks" that get used by SEO companies might have brought some immediate boosts, but will ultimately bring negative results. As with any update, some sites may note drops or gains. There’s nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well. Instead, it’s that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded... . — Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018 4 Possible Reasons Your Site Was Affected Negatively 1. You have good SEO, but a competitor has better SEO If a site is seeing losses, it's possible that it is not a problem with the website's SEO value. A large part of this update simply favored higher value websites. Everything is relative in Google SERPs. Therefore, if a competitor went up, your site may have went down. This is a pretty easy fix, if your SEO value is already good. If you are currently a SEO client with Logic Web Media, chances are we are already on it. However, this will be dependent on your budget and the overall state of your website. Increasing your service plan will help you gain back your rankings quicker. Additionally, updating your site's coding and speed will help you get back on top. Here is an example of a website that we did not build. It is using a WordPress template that is outdated and needs too many plugins in order to work. The plugins required on the website and the overall outdated coding makes it nearly impossible to make the changes needed to benefit SEO. As a result, this website is seeing a steady downturn in page visibility. 2. New Rich Snippets or answer box has shown up for your query Even if you held the #1 spot for your query, you may have been bumped by the new "Ranking at 0" feature. Although this was rolled out over two years ago, it is taking time to catch on and show up on the regular. So, you may have dropped on your top ranking keywords, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are in a bad place. These new features are simply helping users find quick answers. In reality however, you may not want to rank at 0, depending on the query. This is because you want traffic to your website. If people are getting the answer to a query right on the results page, then they are less likely to click to your website. Through a diverse and well constructed SEO and content strategy, you can navigate this feature in a way that benefits you the most. 3. Your website has thin or duplicate content This is a simple yet time consuming issue. Even after the work on the content is complete, it could take months (or even a year) for search engines to put a higher value on your website. Thin and duplicate content has always been a factor impacting SEO. This recent update has just placed more emphasis on it, resulting in your website pages being devalued. Again, if you are a SEO client with us, then we are already dealing with it. However, if you have a website with a ton of pages or have a website not developed by us, this may be more of a difficult fix. 4. Your website lacks depth and value The term "Content is King" gets thrown around a lot in the SEO world. Simply having content does not mean that it is useful to your website visitor. Google is smart. Like, really smart. They have advanced algorithms that pick up on linguistic nuances and are able to understand your content and website flow the way a human would. In simpler terms: they know if your content is BS. A pitfall we see clients trip into is the idea that they can create and add content (usually in the form of blog posts) as they please and this will satisfy Google's algorithm,. However, content and site structure needs to be a well thought out strategy. Here is an example of a website that we built for a client, and then proceeded to provide SEO services for. Since we knew the code was clean and had full access to customize the strategy, the website was destined for positive results. The website had zero SEO value, so we optimized the flow and link structure, and continuously added useful and rich content. The strategy paid off, as you see the updates took effect and their visibility has been steadily increasing. This website is a clear demonstration of why you need employ White Hat SEO from the start. Summary If you have been tracking your website and are seeing steady downward movements, chances are you were hit by this update. While some will jump right to blaming a penalty or even your web company, the reality is that Google has simply devalued your website. Even if you are not using Black Hat SEO, a lazy SEO plan will still affect you negatively. What You Need to Recover: SEO Audit Penalty check (just in case) Content review; Adjustments to thin/duplicate content Improved site structure --- > Ever since we started creating websites for small businesses, Logic Web Media has been on the go. 2017 has been no different. In fact, like 2016, 2017 has been quite a busy year for us. Take a look below at some of our activity over the past year. - Published: 2017-12-29 - Modified: 2021-07-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/2017-stats-websites-blogs-music-and-more/ Ever since we started creating websites for small businesses, Logic Web Media has been on the go. 2017 has been no different. In fact, like 2016, 2017 has been quite a busy year for us. Between expanding our team of web monkeys, adding some new skills and services to our repertoire, and staying updated on web trends, we think we’ve made great use of our time. But really, that’s for you to decide. Take a look below at some of our activity over the past year. 93 Logo Mockups Created Rebranding is a big job -- but not too big for the expert web designer at Logic Web Media. Creating each logo involves at least a few mock-ups that explore various concepts. Then, finally, we settle on a final logo. On average, there were about 3. 58 logos per client. 160 Page Mockups Created Like logos, creating a new website requires coordination from a few angles. The colors on the website should be similar to the logo, but the design should also appeal to the audience-- and vary slightly on subpages. As you can see, that’s no problem for us. 84 Total Websites Developed After the website is designed, our designer sends it off to our development team. They spend hours meticulously writing code that will keep the website intuitive, responsive, and appealing. 13 eCommerce Websites Built 11 Magento 1 Shopify 1 WooCommerce The purpose of an ecommerce content management system is to make website management a breeze. But before that can happen, they need an ecommerce store with great functionality. We configured several eCommerce stores with robust -- and varying -- functionality this year. 5 Websites Donated to Non Profits We understand the value of helping the community. To make sure that local community organizations do not go unheard, we built several websites for non-profit organizations. 7,248 Products Added to eComm Stores As a web design company, we never truly understood how much work goes into building an ecommerce store. Until now. We’ve spent a tremendous amount of time adding (and categorizing) new products in ecommerce stores. 64 SSL Certificates Installed In September of 2017, Google began notifying users who navigated to websites with a contact or email form, and without an SSL certificate. As one would guess, this would deter most new visitors from continuing their website visit. We helped many of our clients to install these certificates and avoid penalization. All Websites Mobile Optimized These days, mobile websites are a must for companies looking to reach new audiences. At Logic Web Media, we optimized every website we built for mobile, so that all users have a great experience. 0 Templates Used Web design templates are derivative, difficult to navigate and functionality-limiting. We build all of our websites with custom designs and features. 231 Blog Posts Written SEO is central to what we do here at Logic Web Media. That’s why we take blogging so seriously. Over the past year, we wrote these blog posts to help our clients rank, and help their customers understand their business just a little better. 150 Keywords Brought to Page 1 of Google After diligently writing numerous blog posts, it’s nice to see hard work pay off. Ranking on the first SERP page for organic search is the best way to earn new clients. 76 SEO Audits Conducted When we’re performing SEO-related services for a client, we always want them to be in the loop. We drafted 76 SEO reports, informing clients of keyword ranking changes throughout the year. And now for some monkey business... Over 1,000 Nerf Darts Fired We recently acquired some pretty heavy artillery -- and we did not let it go to waste. Over the past week, we’ve fired our treasured Nerf darts over 1,000 times. 32 Game of Thrones Conversations What does a fantasy television series with pervading anti-war themes and several incestuous characters have in common with SEO and web design? We love to talk about it! In the recent months, we’ve had several extended conversations about Game of Thrones. 1 Fridge Thrown from the Balcony Why gently place an old appliance in the dumpster if you have a balcony to throw it from? Regrettably, this only happened once. 440 Times "Where is My Mind" Played If you think that Where is My Mind is only famous for inclusion in the Edward Norton/ Brad Pitt cult classic Fight Club, you’re wrong. It’s also the most popular song on our office Pandora. In fact, we listened to it almost 2 times per day this year. It Only Gets Better We’re hoping to continue our great streak into the new year, and we hope you do too! At Logic Web Media, we’re always here to take care of all of your web design, SEO, and internet marketing needs. Contact us and we’ll do everything we can to help. --- > Here's the abridged version of Net Neutrality. Then, we will delve into how the repeal affects your business’ website and online marketing. - Published: 2017-12-19 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/how-can-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-affect-small-business-websites/ Unless you have been under a rock, you have heard the term “Net Neutrality” being thrown around a lot lately. It is a complicated topic to discuss, but it is one that will affect every American. What makes it so complicated is that no one is too sure of the exact effects the repeal will have. This is due to the fact that the internet has always had Net Neutrality, making the post-repeal internet somewhat of a mystery. What we do know, is that the person that created the World Wide Web did so in order to create an incredible source of data and information. The repeal of Net Neutrality has the ability to stifle that. Here, we are going to give you the Cliff’s Notes version of what it all means. Then, we are going to delve into how it affects your business’ website and online marketing. What is Net Neutrality? Currently, the internet is like the Wild Wild West. Ok, not exactly. But generally speaking, everyone has equal usage and access, as long as the activities are legal. The Open Internet (another term for Net Neutrality) operates by all internet service providers (ISPs; like Verizon and Comcast) treating and delivering all web traffic and content equally. Net Neutrality laws passed during the Obama Administration were created in order to protect users from ISPs discriminating services based on the nature of the content. The idea was to allow users to share and access the information of their choosing without interference, regardless of your ISP. Another factor was to prevent ISPs from splitting the internet into “packages,” as seen by this Tweet. Some services on the list are already paid (like Netflix). But most are free, like Facebook, Gmail and Snapchat. The ISPs are now able to charge for an otherwise free service that is integral to your daily web traffic, and internet marketing platforms we have become accustomed to. In Portugal, with no net neutrality, internet providers are starting to split the net into packages. pic. twitter. com/TlLYGezmv6— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) October 27, 2017 What Net Neutrality Rules Were Repealed? Here are the rules that went into effect in 2015, which were repealed as of Thursday, December 14th, 2017: Blocking: Internet service providers could not discriminate against any lawful content by blocking websites or apps. Throttling: Service providers could not slow the transmission of data based on the nature of the content, as long as it is legal. Paid Prioritization: Service providers could not create an internet fast lane for companies and consumers who pay premiums, and a slow lane for those who don’t. Is It Really the End of Net Neutrality? Not yet. While the FCC vote passed, there are still other governing bodies that can intervene. Currently the New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has put together a database for people to find if the names of their deceased relatives were used to fabricate pro-reversal sentiments. I can’t go down that rabbit hole in this post, so feel free to read about that here. Additionally, a dozen or so senators are working on a Congressional Review Act. This allows Congress to counter regulatory rulings of federal agencies, such as the FCC. And -- if they succeed in reversing the vote -- the FCC would not be able to repeal net neutrality again. {{hand rubbing intensifies}} How the Repeal of Net Neutrality Can Affect Small Businesses As a small business owner, you rely heavily on your website bringing in business. This is especially true for companies with eCommerce websites, where their business revenue depends on an open internet. Again, no one can be certain of the actual effects just yet. But the concerns are justified, as the repealed regulations have the potential to favor more established (and richer) companies. 1. Your Website Speed Can be Affected With ISPs now having the power to throttle web traffic, they can allow bigger company’s -- or their partners -- websites a faster speed. Site speed plays an important role in SEO. So, if your website is being throttled by an ISP, your organic rankings in Google will go down. Many companies (including us here at Logic Web Media) rely primarily on organic internet traffic for new customer leads. Additionally, we know in the web world that website speed is very important to user experience (UX). According to a study done by Adobe, 39% of people will stop engaging with a website if the images or content take too long to load. 2. You May Have to Pay for Preference Similar to what is mentioned above, certain companies will get preferential treatment. However, the ISP will (of course) allow you to pay to get better treatment. This may be easy for a company like Netflix to do, but may not be so easy for your small business. Furthermore, paying one ISP for preference might mean that potential customers on another competing ISP will have less access than they originally had. Additionally, if you do decide to pay for preference, that money has to come from somewhere. We can assume that this will mean increasing your prices, so that the burden on you is offset and passed to your customer. This is not a judgment on anyone -- that’s just how business works. 3. You Might See Financial Challenges Beyond the Internet Small companies know that taking part in any internet marketing efforts requires money. However, businesses rarely have “extra” money. We just allocate it accordingly. With ISPs ability to throttle and block, you may need to up your internet marketing budget substantially. As a result, small businesses may wind up tightening the financial reigns, just to be able to have a web presence. This could mean slower job growth or the reduction in the usual extras your employees are used to. 4. You May Be Playing on an Uneven Field The main argument for the repeal, is to prioritize content and businesses with a “fast-lane” option. However, if there is a fast-lane, then there must be a slow-lane. The favorable treatment of the websites will be dictated by the ISP and, frankly, money. This money is either coming from your consumer’s ability to pay to see your content, or your ability to pay for your content to be visible. Either way, someone is paying more than what they are accustomed to, just for access to your business. Currently, favorable treatment on the internet is given to quality content, good user reviews, a good website build, and, basically, by the overall experience that comes with your internet presence. Conclusion Again, these effects are only speculation at this point. They come from our experience of building websites and providing internet marketing for many years. However, it is important to be aware of these major changes and take actions to help your small business should any of this come to life. Should any of these ISPs exercise a lack of restraint and ethics, we will see a major shift in the web design industry. Back in July when the conversation started, Comcast promised to support Net Neutrality in this tweet. Comcast supports Net Neutrality. We won’t block, slow or throttle your data. https://t. co/BZKkzYRfRU pic. twitter. com/UF68eFtv2H— Comcast (@comcast) July 13, 2017 And, since the vote on 12/14/17, several commitments have been deleted from their website. Here's what @comcast removed from their Net Neutrality page. They no longer promise to:-Not throttle back the speed at which content comes to you-Not prioritize Internet traffic or create paid fast lanes-Make internet accessible to low income familieshttps://t. co/tRoOTyATYk pic. twitter. com/LqhnwwYSGv— Jon Henshaw (@henshaw) December 14, 2017 Happy browsing --- > eCommerce web design & development has a few key elements that set it apart. Here are 6 things you need to build a successful eCommerce website. - Published: 2017-12-18 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/6-things-you-need-for-a-successful-ecommerce-website/ With online shopping on the rise, businesses everywhere are trying to keep up and cash in. In order to stay competitive, building an eCommerce website is a good move for all retail stores. Although it is essentially just another website, eCommerce has a few key elements that set it apart. Here are 6 things you need to build a successful eCommerce website. 1. High Quality Product Images Pictures are extremely important to any website. However, it is extra important for an eCommerce website. Potential buyers need to be able to see what they are buying. Customers rarely make a purchase without seeing the actual product. Showing your product from different angles and highlighting any important features will help your sales greatly. Showing your products in real-life settings is also known to help generate sales. These are called “lifestyle” photos. This not only helps the customer see the product size in relation to the person and see it in action, but also is psychologically more engaging. Additionally, the quality of the photos is also important. You may have a great product, but if the pictures look sloppy, you run the risk of visitors bouncing off your site. Your website represents your brand and your business. If you don’t take care in how your products are displayed, how can a buyer be sure that they will get what they paid for, that there will be support if anything goes wrong, or if their personal information will be safe? 2. Customer Ratings & Reviews When people like your products and customer service, let them talk about it! Use the trust of past buyers to be a high-performing marketing asset. Letting past customers speak about your product will show credibility for your sale and will help the possible buyer see the information they need to make a decision. 3. Related Products & Upsells This is the digital version of “Would you like fries with that? ” Upselling and cross-selling is a good way to interest customers in complementary products. For every sale you make, there is a possibility of increasing the subtotal by some well-placed and well thought out product upsells and cross sells. Now, this may seem “spammy” in nature, but it’s not depending on how you do it. The key to upselling and cross selling is that you offer upgrades and products that will add value to and improve your customer’s life. 4. Website Security Website security should be a major concern when you are selling your products online. Not only is it a legal requirement, but having your site be the cause of stolen identities will be a brand killer. It is important to be PCI Compliant and let your customers know your site is safe for transactions. Sending personal information over a website is something every person is weary of. There are always risks involved in online shopping, and everyone has it somewhere in the back of their minds. Highlighting that your website is secure and is protected by an SSL certificate will help users to be more comfortable with their purchase. 5. Site Speed eCommerce sites have a lot of moving parts. As a person that is not familiar with code, you may not be overly aware of this. However, the images, advanced coding, content, and other elements in eCommerce will weigh down site speed. This becomes a problem when a potential customer visits your site and winds up thinking it’s broken because of how it’s rendering. I am sure in your internet travels that you have gotten to a site that didn’t load quickly enough. You most likely navigated away. And as well you should! Any decent eCommerce store will be speedy and able to manage traffic and even the worst of WiFi connections. 6. Expand Your Merchant Accounts Making the checkout process easier for the customer will always be important. With so many ways to pay online, it makes sense to offer more than one. If you only take the regular credit cards and not PayPal, you may be losing out on sales. Expanding your merchant account is easy. And it’s an easy way to nab a sale that would have passed. Start Selling Online! Whether you have an eCommerce store or are building one, these features will help give you a boost. Our goal at Logic Web Media is to have you improve your web presence and your bottom line. --- > WordPress templates simply cannot meet your needs. We’ll explore the benefits of having a custom web designer develop your website. - Published: 2017-12-11 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/9-ways-a-custom-wordpress-site-can-help-your-business/ We built over over 100 websites last year. As a web design company, we think it’s fair to say that we know a good website design when we see one. Every time we build a new website, we consider the unique needs and image of the company we are building it for. What is their branding strategy? What kind of customers are they trying to reach? We accommodated these companies by tailoring their websites to these needs, rather than using generic templates. WordPress templates simply cannot meet your needs. We’ll explore the benefits of having a custom web designer develop your website. 1. Own Your WordPress Website If you opt for a template website, your website will rely on the template author. As they make edits to the template, the functionality of your website will be impacted in real time. Load speed, mobile appearance, and other features will suffer-- and there won’t be an easy solution. When your website is custom built, you maintain complete ownership of it. You can make as many edits as you would like. So, if you will be spending money, then it is in your best interests to own your place on the web. Owning your website will enable you to make these changes, helping your small business to flourish. 2. Build a Website Once -- Correctly After deciding to plunge into the world of the internet, many business owners decide to purchase a template. It seems like an easy, DIY solution that will save them time and money. Everything goes well until, one day, they get stuck. At this point, they reach out to a web design agency to add some key features. Unfortunately, the web design agency can rarely do anything to salvage these template websites. Ultimately, this process ends with the business owner pursuing a custom WordPress site. To avoid this process, it’s best to go with the WordPress site from the outset. This will save time, frustration, and most importantly, money. 3. Custom Website Features With a custom built WordPress website, the functionality options are endless. This means that you can include custom features for your target audience. Payment integrations, product sidebars and moving banner images are only a few of the ways that you can create a unique experience. A template website may have a title, pictures, promotional copy and other fields. For those who spend a lot of time on the web, these templates will be easy to identify. There will be hundreds (or more) of other websites that mirror the structure, appearance and theme of your website. To add more functions, many people use plugins-- but these slow load times and require frequent updates. Template websites demonstrate a lack of effort and investment in one’s work. They are also associated with individuals, rather than entire companies with an array of services to offer. Conversion rates will suffer. 4. Showcase Your Brand WordPress websites can speak volumes about your brand identity. Our website has a “Recent Work” page dedicated to showcasing projects. We embedded each project on the portfolio page to resemble a Twitter card. The purpose of this was twofold: to use an aesthetic that web users are accustomed to, and to encourage interactivity. The dynamic display of each project includes a snippet of the project description, as well as meta tags-- in the form of hashtags-- that describe the focus of the project. With a template, this level of customization would be impossible. Even if you can envision a great design, templates have too many creative restrictions. A custom web developer can incorporate your brand logo and colors for much stronger results. 5. Get Expert Advice Sometimes, your website ideas may be more abstract than realistic. A custom web developer understands how to bring that vision to reality. Communicating with an expert can help you to develop your ideas, giving you additional suggestions about creating the perfect website. This knowledge will be useful in the future, whether you pursue internet marketing endeavors now, or decide to get another website later. 6. Create a User-Friendly Interface Websites in different industries have varying needs. An ecommerce store would need to have clearly categorized products. A home improvement company would need client testimonials, and before/after pictures. A medical practice’s website should explain their procedures, with pictures that demonstrate the services. Using WordPress, a custom web developer can create a fully customized interface specific to your website. Thinking about how your standard customer would interact with your website-- and streamlining the buying process so that it is easy to understand for them-- makes all of the difference. Our web development team is constantly focusing their efforts toward simplifying the end-user experience, and staying ahead of the competition. 7. Create Custom Formats For Your Content The internet gods have spoken, and yes, content is king. Even with perfect images, a consistent color scheme and a well-organized site structure, content will make or break your website. With WordPress, you can display your content in customized formats. This means that you can categorize blog posts for easy visibility, link to other blog posts, and include custom-sized images. As a business owner, you might not have the time to thoroughly research the content that your competitors have, and create content encouraging customers to follow through. Most web design agencies have an in-house content writer responsible for researching popular industry topics. With this information, they write original, detailed and compelling content for your website, regardless of the topic. Over time, these blog posts will help your website to rank higher in Google searches. Which brings us to our next point. 8. Better SEO Value One natural advantage of having a custom web developer design your website is that it will perform better on Google. For businesses with at least one local competitor (that is probably also utilizing SEO tactics), SEO is crucial. With templates, there are bound to be several crawl errors, for which Google will penalize your rankings. An experienced web designer will ensure that your website’s technical elements are optimized for search engine purposes. 9. Create Effective Calls To Action A call to action is any element on your website that instructs visitors to take the next step in the purchasing process. On each page of your website, there should be a call to action button that helps potential customers identify the next step in the buying process. Custom web developers understand where to put these for the best results. That means more leads, and more guaranteed money for you. Generally, calls to action use active language that encourages participation in a positive way. For example, “Buy Now”, “Learn More”, or “Contact Us” are all very encouraging, and have been used as calls to action for years. Based on the sub-page, the text used in the call to action should vary. By continually monitoring the analytics of these pages, you can determine which phrase has the highest conversion rate. Contact Our Custom Web Development Team Today In the end, a positive user experience is the only thing that will keep customers coming back. Done right, a custom website will give your small business the opportunity to leave customers in awe of the functionality and design. Template websites simply do not have the capability that will keep customers returning. We can help your small business to approach your internet presence with reasonable goals and a results-oriented perspective. --- > The date of this new feature will be October 2017. The security warning will apply to all sites that are not secured with an SSL certificate. - Published: 2017-09-01 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/october-2017-google-ssl-update-puts-security-warnings-on-every-site/ Do you have a form on your website? Well, that is a silly question. Here at Logic Web Media, we have never built a website without a form. If your website doesn’t have a form, then you will be missing leads and contacts from your website. Without that lead-capturing feature, your website is essentially rendered useless. We are speaking about the forms on your site, such as on your “Contact Us” page. Additionally, you may have a newsletter signup box on your site where users enter just their email addresses. In some cases, websites will also have a “Login” page where customers can access specific information that others can’t. Now that you know what we are talking about, I will tell you why we are asking. Google Update: Chrome and Firefox will put Security Warning on Your Site Google had begun talking about this update last month, and finally set a date. The date of this new feature will be October 2017. The security warning will apply to all sites that are not secured with an SSL certificate. When a user fills out any form on your website, a "Not Secure" notice will appear. This is a part of Google's efforts to continuously improve user experience, which includes limiting spam and the possibility of stolen information. Get Ahead of the 2017 Update Secure Your Website Today! We are available by phone or email 9-5pm/Mon-Fri. After business hours, please email support@logicwebmedia. com for immediate response. Call Now Email Support SSL: What is it and do you have one? How do you know if you have an SSL certificate? Chances are that if you have to ask, that means that you don’t have one. It is a minimal yearly fee tacked on to a hosting package, and you will be able to see it when you visit your site. Websites with an SSL certificate start with “HTTPS,” while sites without ones are “HTTP. ” Additionally, you will see a little padlock next to the URL in the address bar on any browser. Why is an SSL Certificate Important? This padlock and HTTPS encryption tells the user that the website is secure, and all information being transmitted on it is safe from hackers and spammers. SSL Certificates have been common practice for eCommerce stores for some time, due to the fact that sellers need to be PCI Compliant when taking people’s personal and credit card information. Furthermore, we have been steadily installing SSL certificates on websites that we provide SEO services for. This is becoming a more standard practice for us when helping clients get better rankings in Google. As part of an update in December 2015, Google prefers HTTPS websites over HTTP ones. How the Security Warning will Affect Your Business The effects of this update you may not notice right away. However, over time you will begin to see a decrease in site visits and leads. These effects combined with Google already preferring SSL encryption, will drastically drop your search rankings. Now, even as SEO pros, we cannot guarantee what effects will be when this update happens. But our experience in the field and seeing how other Google updates have effected our sites, we know that this is going to be a big deal. What the October 2017 Update Means for Your Bottom Line Think about the psychology of a person going to put their personal information in a form, and the browser popping up and saying “NOT SECURE. ” That alone tells us that your site needs an SSL. While some visitors may continue filling out the form, many will not. You will lose leads, which means losing revenue. Furthermore, those same people that are hesitant about filling out an insecure form, will be confident in filling out another company’s form that is secure. Don’t lose your leads to the next company! Install an SSL Today Secure Your Website and Your Business! We are available by phone or email 9-5pm/Mon-Fri. After business hours, please email support@logicwebmedia. com for immediate response. Call Now Email Support --- > Instagram does a lot to set itself apart from other social media platforms. You can use that to your advantage to grow your following and improve your reach on the internet. - Published: 2017-08-05 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/social-media/small-business-owners-guide-to-social-media-marketing-part-2-instagram/ This is the second post in a series on social media marketing for small businesses. Here is part 2 on Instagram marketing. Marketing on Instagram can be extremely effective, especially if you are looking to reach a younger population. Instagram is also a very active social media platform, with its 2. 35 billion monthly active users. Instagram is the 4th most popular social media in the world. Small businesses have a lot to take advantage of on Instagram. Instagram appeals to our visual nature. With an added bit of text and a few hashtags, these visuals can help your small business grow. Who Uses Instagram? Instagram is a favorite of younger people. Almost twice the amount of people in the 18-29 age range use Instagram than the 30-49 age bracket. It skews slightly toward the female population. A majority of Instagram users are outside of the US, but don't let that deter you! With a good plan and target marketing, you can reach your audience effectively. Marketing a Business on Instagram Like all other forms of marketing, there are two routes: paid and organic. Paid advertising is still relatively new on the scene, but it is improving every day. Organic marketing takes time, effort, and thoughtfulness about the images and consistency of posting, and is highly effective. Paid Advertising Advertising on Instagram has an impressive ROI. Although we have seen Instagram help promote local businesses and events, it proves most effective for eCommerce stores. Instagram ads are good for a quick sale and promoting your products. Since marketing on Instagram is still relatively new, it is less competitive than other platforms. This is beneficial to a small business because you will not have to worry so much about vying for visibility. Chances are your local competitors have not taken advantage of this platform, which allows your ads to be placed exactly where you want them and make impressions on the audience you are targeting. Paid ads and sponsored content on Instagram works a little different that other platforms in that you need to use Facebook in order to do it. There are a couple different ways you can show up in Instagram feeds. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, there are several options: 1. Image Ads This is a particularly simple and straightforward method, especially if you already have an Instagram account. If you have a post that you think is very representative of your brand, you can make it a sponsored post and include a call-to-action for users to take one more step. The call-to-action options are very versatile depending on what you want the user to do next. This could be things like "Learn More", "Shop Now", "Install Now", "Sign Up", etc. You can choose based on your objective, and your objective should be determined prior to spending any money on advertising. Some common ad objectives are brand awareness, lead generation, conversions, traffic, and more. Image ads are easy to set up and will perform well. It is also a safe place to start if you are looking to be more reserved with your paid marketing. 2. Carousel Ads The carousel feature is one of the newer ones on the scene. It is generally good to use if you are telling a story or want to put more images out there for a specific goal. It also allows you some more flexibility and creativity. Instagram has stated that multi-image ads drive a 2. 5 point increase in brand recall. These ads are very effective in going a more in-depth look into your brand and keeps a user focused a little longer. Unlike single image ads where a user may just scroll by without a thought, the carousel encourages interaction in order for the user to see the full scope of your product or service. 3. Video Ads Video ads are possibly the most appealing and, therefore, the most effective. Videos (especially ones with captions) are the most engaging pieces of content on social media. We are such a visual society and watching a video where the user basically has to do nothing to get information, will be the most effective way to capture a user's attention. Videos are more difficult to create than the single or multiple image sets. Creating a video takes a lot of preparation and software that not everyone has access to. If you are able to develop a concept, create, and produce a video that promotes your brand well, then this is definitely the way to go. Videos are a great way to tell a story about your business or a product. This option will definitely help your brand to stand out. Organic Marketing Since engagement is higher on Instagram than Facebook, the time spent on organic social media marketing can go a long way. Once you have successfully started up your Instagram account and start building it, you'll see that if you follow a few key steps, you are likely to get more bang for your buck. 7 Tips for Effective Instagram Marketing 1. Set Up Your Account Correctly This may seem like a no-brainer, but we should still mention it. Your Instagram account should have a natural and concise bio that explains who you are and what you do. You should also put your website in your bio and connect your other social media accounts for easy cross sharing. 2. Follow, Like, and Comment A great way to kick off your Instagram account is to interact with other users that are hold similar interests as your business. While you're doing that, you can also get ideas on how other small businesses have grown their social media presence. 3. Post with Consistency Posting on a regular basis helps keep your followers engaged and interacting with your brand. It is also extremely beneficial when your posts also have consistency. Using the same filter (or a very similar one) on your images and posting with a generally similar aesthetic has proven to be more appealing and effective. Accelerate your site launch #longislandseo A post shared by Logic Web Media (@logicwebmedia) on May 18, 2017 at 6:25pm PDT Meeting time A post shared by Logic Web Media (@logicwebmedia) on Jun 22, 2017 at 2:59pm PDT 4. Add a Caption and a Hashtag... or 10 of them! Although Instagram is purely visual, adding a caption gives and extra boost of engagement. Adding a compelling caption to go with the image, along with an emoji or two can help get your point across and shows your brand voice. Hashtagging is also extremely important on Instagram. It's search function primarily uses hashtags to determine the content of the image. Additionally, users looking for specific types of products, services, or topics will follow hashtags to find something relative to their interests. 5. Follow the 80/20 Rule The 80/20 rule of social media marketing is a good one to follow. Basically, it entails spending 20% of your posts on promotion and 80% on quality content to promote engagement. This is effective because it engages your customer without turning them off by being overly promotional. The more subtle you can be highlighting your products or services, the better. 6. Offer Sales & Discounts Instagram is also a great way to share your current sales and promotions with your followers. You can also consider a contest or creating a hashtag to further drive engagement. 7. Follow-up on Your Posts Don't just drop it and run. If someone comments, always respond! If people are liking your posts, send a few likes their way! Social media in general works on reciprocity. It is important to have good give and take when building your brand's profile. Conclusion Instagram does a lot to set itself apart from other social media platforms. You can use that to your advantage to grow your following and improve your reach on the internet. We have found Instagram particularly beneficial for our clients looking to sell online. The benefits won't come overnight. Once you get the ball rolling with organic and paid ads, you will see your brand start to grow and reach new heights. --- > As an experienced web design and development company, we are able to help businesses to connect with new and existing client-base. - Published: 2017-08-02 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/how-a-modern-website-will-benefit-your-old-fashioned-business/ Old-fashioned businesses are a well-respected cornerstone of American commerce. However, with changing economic landscapes and ever evolving technologies, some industries have nearly gone extinct. While the marketing world primarily caters to new technology and services, there are some industries that may find themselves at a loss in trying to keep up. Older businesses that have survived the test of time have done so by adapting to the changing world. As an experienced web design and development company, we are able to help businesses to connect with new and existing client-base. We do this by utilizing the company's rich history, their time-honored branding, and the stories that have followed them throughout the years. For most old-fashioned businesses, they tend rely on word-of-mouth recommendations and their brand recognition, which comes from decades of creating and perfecting the same product. Some of these products or services may now be bordering on obsolete, depending on newer solutions. So, how do these hard-sell companies get an extra boost in clients and revenue? The answer to that is a complex one. The first step we recommend, is an updated website. Without a quality modern website, these companies are likely to fail at any future marketing efforts. Think of your site's home page as the welcome mat of your business. Here, we've compiled a list of what a modern website can do for your old-fashioned business. Top 4 Things a Modern Website Can Do For You #1 Broaden Your Customer Base Your existing customer base will always be your strongest. After all, they have followed you through the time before the internet existed, into the early period of the internet, through to present day. With a modern website, you can gain new customers without losing out on your favorites. Once your new website is built, you can utilize various internet marketing techniques. A website that looks and works great will have a better chance of retaining visitors and capturing leads. There are two ways we recommend doing this: 1. Organic SEO Organic SEO is a high-effort, high-reward approach to gaining more website traffic in the long term. Starting with keyword and competitor research, our SEO plans are custom-tailored to your industry and demographic. With the right approach, search engines will begin to recognize the legitimacy of your website and the quality of your content, helping you to rank higher for searches. SEO may take time, but it will get better over time and will prove to be most beneficial to gaining new customers. 2. Paid Advertising In your travels throughout the internet, you may have noticed that the first results are normally accompanied by a tag that reads “sponsored” or “Ad”. These companies are participating in paid advertising. This approach works immediately, improving your ROI. With Google AdWords, you will be bidding on certain keywords in order to show up in the paid results section of the SERPs. There are, however, two caveats to exclusively pursuing paid advertising. The first is that many customers will recognize that it is a paid advertisement, and may glance right over it. The second is that once you stop paying for clicks, you will go right back to having no rankings in search engines. For this reason, we recommend a combination of paid search and organic SEO, in order to kick start your new web presence. #2 Effectively Explain Your Product or Service Landscapers landscape and painters paint, but not all industries are so easily understood. At times, customers can be wary of purchasing from, or even considering a business that they do not fully understand. This can be a hurdle for old-fashioned businesses with products or services in a niche industry. Modern web design and development techniques have helped a company's ability to give the site visitor a complete vision of what they're offering. Elements such as typography, graphics, images, and videos help to tell stories and explain your company. Improving your visitor's experience will improve your lead generation. #3 Keep Up With Your Competitors According to a recent article from SmallBusiness. com, 71% of small businesses report that they have a website. Furthermore, 79% of small business owners with websites reported that their websites are mobile friendly. This means that small businesses without websites are in the minority, as are non-mobile friendly websites. While this will probably won't affect the company's existing customer base, your outdated website will likely not attract new customers. Prospective customers are likely to prefer a modern website with engaging visuals, easy navigation and ample content over an old, disorganized website. #4 Improve the Perception of Your Business It's great that your brand is recognized positively by existing customers, but how do you show potential customers that you are reliable and good at what you do? A potential client visiting your out-dated site will not know that you have a classic brand and company that has stood the test of time. With a modern redesign, you can alter the perception of your company. Being "old" might not matter to the customers that know you, but it will to the modern internet user. an outdated website will indicate that the company is not interested in providing information beyond essential contact information. It could also indicate stagnancy, a decline in quality, or that a company has gone out of business. A modern website can help your old-fashioned business to come across as dedicated, hardworking, and self-aware. Case Study: Lawrence Metal & Post Rope Lawrence Metal & Post Rope has gained renown for over a century as the designer and producer of the world’s most popular metal stanchions. In simple terms, this means that they have been producing metal barrier posts since 1881 - a quintessentially old-fashioned business. Their website did not make it easy for users to understand, compare products, or make purchases. It was not viable in the competitive area of modern eCommerce. The Challenge The Lawrence site was outdated and, frankly, very ugly. The colors were not pleasing to the eye and the layout/placement of the website sections made the checkout process confusing. The site failed to be a successful way to sell products on the web. As you can see by the attached images, the website doesn't show the classic, history-rich brand that is Lawrence. New businesses that need to use their products will not understand the experience and quality of the Lawrence brand. Working Towards Solution Our solution was to make a modern design, while utilizing the classic branding image of the company. There is a clear and concise navigation, which helps guide the user though the checkout process. In addition to the design elements, we also developed the site using modern software. This website was coded and developed as a custom Magento website. The backend content management system makes it easy for the company to manage customers, orders, and their inventory. The Redesign We made some major visual and interface touch-ups, improved the product descriptions, and added customization options. After that, they were better equipped to sell their product. This modern website takes the best elements of an old-fashioned business’ identity and makes it visible to the world. Appealing to an entirely new audience while maintaining branding helps earn new business and maintain old customers. Visit Website What Improved Since the site's completion, the website has seen a 66% improvement in organic search traffic. Additionally, existing customers that typically rely on faxing in orders can now order (and, more importantly, reorder) their products quickly and efficiently. New customers have been purchasing through the online eCommerce system. Lawrence has taken back sales that they had previously lost to websites like Amazon and eBay, where resellers have been selling their custom products. What's Next Now that Lawrence has a shiny new site, it's time for some effective internet marketing. Typically when we redesign a site, we like to allow search engines to register the changes and give it a chance to see what has improved for the company. Since we have seen the instant improvement in search and on-site sales, we are more prepared to optimize the website and improve upon what is already effective. With a combination of organic SEO and paid advertising (as noted at the beginning of this article), the Lawrence website is sure to continue improving by leaps and bounds! As a full website design and development agency, our staff specializes in designing websites for all companies. We understand the intricacies of creating websites that cater to specific demographics, while still being accessible to all customers. For specific details about how we can help build your old-fashioned business a robust website, contact us. --- > This is the first in a series of blog posts on social media marketing for small businesses. Here is part 1 on Facebook marketing. - Published: 2017-07-31 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/social-media/small-business-owners-guide-to-social-media-part-1/ This is the first in a series of blog posts on social media marketing for small businesses. Here is part 1 on Facebook marketing. Website content should be deliberate, explanatory, and drive sales, leaving little room for personal engagement. For small businesses, that’s where social media marketing comes in. Social media is a valuable tool for speaking to your audience on a more conversational level. Each social media platform has its own niche audience, and a particular voice associated with it. Using the same post across channels will make it seem “not at home”, and discourage users from engaging. Learning about the demographics, ideal posting time and posting frequency will help your social media channels to acquire new business. Read on to find out which platforms your small business should be posting on, and how you can write the perfect copy for each platform. Who Uses Facebook? Well, I guess we shouldn’t say that every platform has a niche audience. Almost everyone uses Facebook. Younger people, middle-aged people, older people. People with and without college educations. Though it does skew slightly toward women, it is generally used by everyone. In the past few years, people over the age of 65 have been joining as well. That being said, younger people have recently been favoring platforms with less of an adult presence, such as Instagram, which we’ll discuss in the next post. Marketing Your Company on Facebook The first thing you need to do is create a Facebook page. This may seem obvious, but we say it for people who don't understand that there is a difference between a personal profile and a page. A Facebook page can be created for a local business or place, company, organization or institution, brand or product, artist, band or public figure, entertainment, and cause or community. Facebook pages should be used for marketing efforts, and the personal pages should be left as personal. Paid Ads There are two main ways that you can market your brand on Facebook. The first is the paid route. With Facebook paid ads, you can target a particular demographic, and appear as sponsored or suggested posts in that demographic’s news feed. Facebook boosted posts will only appear to people who have liked your brand’s page (unless you pay for a higher reach, which expands the scope of your presence). These are the ads that you see in the right column on your desktop computer, or in your feed on a mobile device or desktop. With the right configuration and research on who would be the most responsive to your page, this can be extremely beneficial to your business. Organic Marketing The second way, which is way more tedious and time-consuming, is organic marketing. Put simply, this is good old fashioned engaging with your customers. By encouraging your customers to "like" your page and leave reviews (either in person, through email marketing, print ads, or on your website), you are growing your audience and boosting your reach. Since Facebook changed their algorithm (which essentially forces people to pay for visibility), it is important that you continuously post, comment, and engage with your audience so that you remain relevant and, therefore, visible in news feeds. Organic marketing on Facebook is somewhat a snowball effect, in that its tough to get going, but once you pick up momentum it gets easier. This bring us to our next topic... 8 Tips for Effective Facebook Posts As stated above, keeping your audience engaged is very important when marketing on social media. Being conversational without seeming unprofessional is the key to writing a well-received Facebook post. However, be sure that the voice you use is in line with your company branding. 1. Include Pictures in Your Posts Posts with pictures liven up customers’ news feeds, and give them a reason to engage with your brand. You don’t need to take the picture to post it on your page - just make sure there are no copyright infringements. 2. Keep Text to a Minimum Facebook doesn’t have a character limit like Twitter, but posts with minimal text tend to perform better than posts with excessive text. If you wouldn’t read your post, then consider tightening it. 3. Include a Call to Action This is crucial. You should have a goal for each Facebook post. After delivering your message, challenge your customers to take the next step. This can be to register for, purchase, or even read more about something. A call to action is generally a link to your website. 4. Be Conversational & Engaging Don’t be excessively informal, but show your customers that you are more than a computer. With rare exceptions, writing in a positive, light voice can compel readers to engage with your call to action. 5. Avoid Hashtags Hashtags are primarily used in more specialized platforms like Twitter and Instagram. On Facebook, they can come off as spammy, careless, and visually unappealing. 6. Edit Link Headlines & Descriptions As a Facebook page admin, you have the privilege of editing the headline and brief description for each article or link you share. This means that you should carefully parcel out your message between the headline, description and post copy, while avoiding redundancy. 7. Think About Posting Time & Frequency Depending on your business and competition, certain times will be more effective than others to post. You can do your research and check the "insights" on your Facebook page to see what days and times are most effective. There are tools, such as Hootsuite, that will post for you when the time is right. Depending upon the quantity of content you have at your disposal, try to post around two times per day. More than this may overload customers’ news feeds, and dissuade them from engaging or taking further action. 8. Keep Mobile Users in Mind These days, most social media users are on mobile devices. If you’re posting from a desktop, think about how your post would appear on a mobile feed before posting it. Depending upon your audience, you may have to vary your strategy slightly. However, Facebook offers free analytics that will help you to determine how certain posts perform in comparison to others based on factors such as posting time, likes, engagement, comments and more. Experiment, and use these analytics to determine what works for you! --- > As a small business vying for local (and possibly distant) business, a cohesive branding strategy will give your company an edge. - Published: 2017-06-07 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/the-essential-small-business-branding-guide/ Branding is a strange concept. It entails cultivating an identity that encompasses both visual and voice elements to positively promote your company, products and/or services, and be recognizable to consumers. Branding influences your consumer to have a specific impression of your company. It puts an optimal perception of your company into the consumer’s mind. Branding may seem unnecessary for small businesses that have only one location, or offer boilerplate services to an established client base. However, as a small business vying for local (and possibly distant) business, a cohesive branding strategy will give your company an edge. A cohesive branding strategy should be a unified front that includes several elements. After realizing all of the individual components, they should be implemented universally throughout your website, as well as in any print promotional materials, business cards, fliers, commercials or digital advertising, and any other marketing collateral. So, how can you determine the best strategy for your small business branding elements? #1 Cohesive Branding Element: Design Your Company Colors The colors a company chooses for its branding speak volumes. Immediately, before processing the design of the logo or any words, prospective customers will subconsciously notice the color scheme. Take baseball as an example; The logos for the NY Mets and the NY Yankees are extremely similar -- a capital Y transposed upon a capital N. And yet, New York residents (and possibly many throughout the country) have never confused the two. Why is that? The color schemes are more recognizable than the logos. The Mets’ orange and blue logo is instantly distinguishable from the Yankees’ blue and white logo. This strategy can work on a much simpler level too. The psychology of colors -- or the idea that specific colors appeal to different customer bases for different products -- can be useful when determining how to brand your business. For example, gray comes off as a serious, professional color. Conversely, yellow has an energizing effect on the viewer. These considerations are paramount to determining a strategy for small business branding. Writing For Your Audience Similarly, the font you select can indicate to prospective customers the attitude you take toward your business. An eccentric font like Lobster may be the right choice for a bowling alley, millennial-oriented wine shop, or art studio. On the other hand, a private security company, medical practice, or construction company that preaches reliability should choose a more serious font. Restaurants and stores that sell high-class products often use cursive fonts. These sophisticated, elegant fonts communicate the exclusivity of your establishment, and are inviting to the target audience. The most aesthetically pleasing font is not always the most fitting choice for your small business branding strategy. Choose a font that conveys your brand personality -- and inspires action. Logo Choice: Strategy and Design Both your color and font choices, as well as the factors you considered in these decisions, should inform your company logo strategy. A well-designed, recognizable logo that captures the spirit and focus of your small business is foundational for cohesive branding. There are three main logo styles, each with their own advantages and disadvantages: Logotype- A company name with a unique font Iconic- A wordless image Combination- A combination of the two While large corporations like Apple, Microsoft and others drive enormous business with iconic logos, this is not a realistic option for small business branding. Having consumers recognize a wordless logo takes years of exposure, media coverage and success. It is, however, entirely possible to create a recognizable logo with your company’s name and a unique image. Depending on your business, this image can vary from tools or equipment involved in your business, your trademark product, to a mascot created for branding purposes. As you undergo the design process, be sure to keep in mind that it must be legible, and usable for several different mediums. This means that you should tailor the style for use in different spaces, and create logos in several different sizes. Also, discourage associates and outside vendors from making minor, one-off alterations. Most importantly, ensure that your logo, font, and color choice are aligned with each other, as well as your company’s messaging. #2 Cohesive Branding Element: Voice Tagline / Catch Phrase Your tagline is the verbal equivalent of your logo. It’s the eight word snapshot into your company that consumers get before ever learning about your products or services. Because taglines are so compact, this language is more memorable and impactful than, say, your mission statement or company goals. Depending on the size and purpose of the print and digital collateral, the tagline may or may not be included. As mentioned previously, the tagline must be strategically paired with the logo -- it cannot be an afterthought addition to your small business branding strategy. Consistency Is Key When conducting regular business, you would want your employees to interact with customers in a certain way. The language and approach you take in all digital and print marketing endeavors should reflect this vision. A well-placed company voice should interact with users in the way that best attracts them. For example, a website that markets to baby boomers should be descriptive, with polite calls to action. A company offering high-end services primarily to wealthy people should write in a way that is respectful to their time, and values their money. Finally, an eCommerce sneaker shop should use millennial-focused language, with shorter, flashier sentences. Take all of these demographic considerations, and more, into account when developing your small business branding strategy. Most importantly, this voice should be reflected across all platforms. This means that website copy, blog posts, social media posts and everything else associated with your company should speak in your consistent voice. Companies that do not have a unified voice may contradict themselves, and consequently, appear disingenuous. KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid While the theory surrounding how your small business should select a logo, voice, etc. may be complicated, the components themselves must be simple. Simplicity is essential to make your products, services and, more generally, your brand, easily consumable. Effects of Cohesive Branding Implementing a successful cohesive small business branding strategy will yield myriad positive effects, including: Trust- Having a logo, tagline and distinct voice will lend tremendous credence to the credibility of your company. Brand Recognition- As time passes and you increase the scope of your business, people will begin to recognize your brand more and more. Raise Conversion Rate- A compatible company name, tagline and logo will help you to see more success on your own website, and in ads, social media, and other platforms. Create Higher Expectations- By accomplishing a stronger web (and community) presence through strategic branding, your customers will heighten their expectations for you. Fulfilling them will increase your reputation, and amplify the other effects of strategic small business branding. Conclusion It’s difficult to have all of the elements involved in a cohesive branding strategy coalesce into a marketable brand identity. And it takes time. Once you achieve this, however, customers will begin to observe the personality you’ve created. As a full-service web design company, Logic Web Media specializes in all aspects of cohesive branding. Our team roster includes talented, creative graphic designers who design logos, as well as web content and copywriters who collaborate to craft highly marketable brand identities. We are capable of assisting you in all of your website identity and branding needs, and more. Contact us for more information about how we can help you to establish or enhance your branding strategy. --- > Did your search rank and web traffic drop? It is possible that your site was affected by the most recent semi-major Google algorithm update. Find out about its impact and how to recover. - Published: 2017-05-15 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/google-fred-update-impact-and-recovery/ Did your search rank and web traffic drop? It is possible that your site was affected by the most recent semi-major Google algorithm update. Now, I realize that to most of our client-base that this article will like a lot of nerdy tech jargon. However, having a website that drives traffic and brings in new leads is vital to any business. Therefore, this tech nonsense is very necessary to your continued growth and success. It is for this reason, that we stay on our toes and pay attention to what may or may not affect our SEO campaigns. Noticing Changes between February and May 2017 SEO's recently observed a noticeable shift in web traffic patterns and search rank. While Google has neither officially confirmed nor denied the validity of this semi-major algorithm update, we are still able to measure impact and results. Personally, I knew something had updated purely by the majority of our 30+ campaigns showing major shifts. Thankfully, most of our campaigns improved, while some dropped; but such is the life and times of SEO. Once the pro SEO's figured out something was up, they began pressing the Google team via Twitter to try to get an answer. The first response, however, was not entirely sufficient. But this vague reply is very typical of Google, who is very private about their inner workings. @i_praveensharma @rustybrick @JohnMu we have 3 updates a day in average. I think it's pretty safe to assume there was one recently... — Gary Illyes ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ (@methode) March 9, 2017 Why Do We Care About Algorithm Updates? We here at Logic Web Media are constantly staying on top of updates and new trends in SEO, both for our own business growth and for our clients. With so many online experiences beginning with a Google search, it is imperative to know how to dominate the SERPs. Once you get past the hurdle of understanding what Google favors, it is pretty straightforward. Google updates their algorithm constantly, although we in the web world are always looking for a named update. If you are keeping a watchful eye on your site's analytics and have a basic knowledge of SEO, you probably have heard names like Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, etc. However, there are tons of updates that are unconfirmed and barely recognizable by the search weather. The most recent update that has shook a lot of sites, has been jokingly given the name "Fred" by Google's Gary Illyes. So, what's with all the talk of names and updates and Twitter trolling? Well, organic search is a big deal and it is (at its core) extremely complex. Brass tacks: Google makes these updates in order to provide users with high-quality search results. These updates push the good content and useful sites to the top. Additionally, part of search improvement is eliminating content from SERPs that is spammy or unhelpful to the user. And what it means to you: Do you want to be at the top of search results or nowhere to be found? @methode Fred it is https://t. co/aEE7sfm7X5 @i_praveensharma @JohnMu — Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) March 9, 2017 What is "Fred" All About? “Fred” primarily affected websites using Black Hat (and even Gray Hat) SEO techniques. It is possible that this update went unnamed since it addressed what is already a part of the webmaster guidelines. To that end, there really wasn't anything new or shocking about the update. Black/Gray Hat SEO refers to practices that are generally considered unreliable and illegitimate. This includes, but is not limited to: keyword stuffing, link spamming, duplicate content, spammy backlinks, and other similar tactics. These practices seek to trick search engines into listing their pages at higher rankings, without having content that is deserving of increased web presence. Google algorithms eventually catch on to this, and attempt to gradually root out the offending websites. Overview of Fred's Targets Low-value content High volume of ads Lots and lots of keyword-based content Overly focused on call-to-action overlays Poor quality backlinks Content to drive revenue, rather than solve search queries How to Tell if Your Site Was Impacted As these Black Hat pages decreased in ranking, more legitimate pages observed ranking increases. These pages will likely sustain higher rankings, especially after the Black Hat pages suffered such a defeat. As stated above, this is how I was first alerted to a seemingly major update. The best way to check, is to use your existing Google Analytics account. Go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages. You will be able to see any dramatic shifts taking place after the update period. The update was suspected to be rolled out on March 8th, 2017, but your site's shift may not have taken place exactly on that date. Another way to check is by using a tracking software like Moz or SEMRush. They both have an easy-to-use interface that tracks your sites stats over time. The one in particular that is good for seeing the effects of Google updates, is the Visibility Trend tool. In both Moz and SEMRush (pictured below), the visibility trend is a percentage determined by keyword rankings in Google and Click-Through Rate (CTR). The cool thing about SEMRush is that they note on the chart where the updates are. See that little Google logo on March 8th where the visibility of the site increased exponentially? Yeah, that was good ol' Fred. Some changes aren't as dramatic as the ones above, however. For our accounts that we are optimizing regularly, there is barely a noticeable change around the update timeframe. In these instances, we have been seeing a steady increase over time. Although we like seeing big jumps in rankings, it speaks to our consistency and quality of work when a major update is rolled out and we continue to increase in rankings. Generally speaking, it is better to be ethical and use White Hat techniques, rather than scrambling to recover when your site gets hit by an update. 4 Steps to Recover Lost Traffic and Rankings Several years ago after a one-two-punch of updates, Google had us scrambling to provide Penguin and Panda Recovery services. What had happened was websites had climbed to the top of the rankings due to those shady Black Hat techniques, and then were wiped off the face of search as we know it. In some extreme cases, sites were hit with some harsh penalties and had to ditch their domain entirely. While this update wasn't nearly as drastic, there are some concrete steps you can take to recover some of your lost rankings and traffic. Additionally, these tips are just your basic, good old fashioned, White Hat SEO, thumbs up kind of tactics that everyone should be practicing. After all, the best way to write for search engines, is to write for the user. #1 Improve your content Your affected pages are likely to have relatively thin content. Revise and improve your site's content by making them more useful to your visitors. Increasing word count, adding media, and linking to valuable resources are all good ways to improve upon existing content. Another important aspect of this is the purpose of your content. When the content seeks to draw revenue, rather than answer questions, you should consider changing it up a bit. Blog posts that are basically 600 words of how great your company is at a particular service with tons of "call us now," Google will frown upon it. While writing your posts, think to yourself: What is the point of this? Will anyone want read this? and Does this sound natural or like a bad infomercial? Of course you want leads and traffic, but you can do that by being awesome, instead of telling people you're awesome. #2 Remove (some) ads We get that you are in business to make money. But if you are relying heavily on ad clicks and impressions, you are going to have a bad time. Ads block your user from getting to the content they want and will slow your site down. We advise testing and measuring to find the right amount of ads. Here at Logic Web Media, we have found 3-5 per page to be the sweet spot. Moreover, it is better for everyone if the user knows that what they are looking at is an advertisement. Let's face it, nobody likes to get tricked! #3 Cleanup your backlinks This might be unchartered-territory for lots of folks, but it is worth the time. Don't know about your backlinks? There are tons of resources online to help you. If you have an SEO plan in action, your SEO company should have that under control. If they don't know the status of your backlinks or are practicing spammy back-linking, you may want to jump ship. Regardless, sites with poor quality backlinks or a bunch of artificial (purchased) backlinks, should be assessing and disavowing. #4 Check your call-to-action overlays If your call-to-action overlays are too aggressive or stop the user from reaching the content of the page, you will want to adjust. While those calls-to-action are good for gaining a quick lead, without your search rank there will be no traffic to get leads from in the first place! Conclusion While some website owners and SEO's find these updates to be a hassle, I'm not mad about it. Google wants to show the most relevant results for every single query entered. Updates are the best and fastest way to do so. It's the very reason why the word "Google" has become a popular verb these days. We all depend on it for quick and easy answers. So, as responsible marketers and SEO's, why would we want to, essentially, spam ourselves? If there's anything that "Fred" has taught us, it's that if you do the right thing by your audience, it will pay off. Often times we get clients looking for a quick fix to their poor search results. There are currently over 1 billion websites live today and we have come a long way from the first-ever website. We have found that the best way to stand out from the crowd is with an intuitive design, informative content, quality back linking, and regular updating. So, curb your click-bait and check your ad roll at the door. The internet is at its best when supported with what it is used for: helping people share and connect. Oh... and of course, memes --- > When we look at SEO factors affecting search rank, we tend to think of content and structural elements. However, those are not the only factors for increasing SERPs, gaining new traffic, and converting visitors. - Published: 2017-03-28 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/2017-search-trends-how-important-is-desktop-and-mobile-site-speed/ When we look at the 2017 SEO factors affecting search rank, we tend to think of content marketing and structural elements. However, those aren’t the only factors for increasing SERPs, gaining new traffic, and converting visitors. Page speed and site load time has become more important within the past several years. More importantly, we have been seeing a heavier focus on mobile page speed. Think about it... People these days don’t like waiting. Whether its on line at the bank or getting information from a website, we tend to get bored and angry when we have to wait. On the internet, people are looking for fast answers. If your site takes to long to deliver those answers, your visitor will bounce off to your competitor’s site. Does Google Need Speed? When it comes to your site’s ranking in search engines, speed definitely matters. Google has always favored sites that load quickly. But now that we have seen an increase in mobile favorability, there is an added focus on mobile speed. Most importantly, the speediness of your site will also provide a better user experience. The faster everything loads, the more people will want to stay on your site. And the more people want to stay on your site, the more Google likes your site. Accelerated Mobile Pages A little over a year ago, Google introduced the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project. This project is an open-source initiative that helps news pages load faster for a better user experience. This came as a result of the ever-growing standard of people accessing information on their phones and tablets. These pages are basically a simplified and stripped down version of the actual site. The folks over at Moz have coined it "diet HTML. " While the functionality is still low (i. e. - no carousels, no Bootstrap, no advanced CSS, etc. ), Google intends on growing the feature without sacrificing load time. It's likely that you have visited an AMP article without even knowing it. To recognize these pages, you can look in your search results for the "AMP" lightning bolt symbol and the word AMP next to it. Another giveaway that you're on an AMP page, is that it is a very simple page that loads quickly. If you are reading this via a mobile device, it's likely that you are viewing it on our AMP version! Can I Have AMP on My Site? Yes! AMP is not for just large publications. Here at Logic Web Media, if we are providing Search Engine Optimization services for you, then your blog feed has AMP integration. For everyone else, the process is rather simple but it is important to make sure your markup is valid. And there is a very fine line between valid and invalid when creating Accelerated Mobile Pages. AMP Project has created an online validator to help with the process. OK, so AMP is great for a blog. But what about the rest of my site? What Slows Your Site Down? Having a website that looks great is important, but its load speed takes priority. Too many images and content can potentially slow your site speed significantly. Some specific things on your site that might be contributing to your slow speed include: 1. Unoptimized Images: Unoptimized images are a killer. 90% of the Alexa Top 1000 sites are impacted by this problem. Luckily enough, this problem is easy to fix, but it can be time consuming and a little monotonous. The pros here at Logic Web Media, compress, deflate and optimize all images on your site. 2. Social Sharing Buttons: Of course you want to be social! Social media plays an important role in today's internet marketing. However, those plugins or widgets that people often use (especially on WordPress sites) will contribute to slow load times. There are simple work arounds to this problem, so there will be no lack of social interaction from your site! 3. Bulky Code: Modern websites tend to be crammed with HTML5, CSS, Javascript, etc. While these elements make your site cool and fun to look at, the weight of this can make your site drag. If you are not optimizing your code and minifying files, then it's likely that visitors aren't seeing your cool elements because they are not loading. 4. Website Hosting: This is something that some clients fail to realize. At the end of the day, saving a few bucks a year on hosting is not worth a slow website. Additionally, those highly important lead forms on your site might take forever to reach your inbox if your hosting is cheap. Logic Web Media offers top of the line, speedy, and secure web hosting; and it's just as affordable as GoDaddy. How Do I Test My Site? Are you curious how your site stacks up? The best tool for a quick and easy response is Google's PageSpeed Insights. Another good resource is GTmetrix. Although speed testing tools on the internet will give you different values and varying results, the bottom line is the same. They will give you a score and list what you can do to optimize your site for speed. GTmetrix tends to go a little more in-depth, so if you are looking for an easy overview, I would go with Google's speed tool. --- > It’s been established that you not only need a website, but a great website. The homepage is the front door to all the cool details that make up the rest of your website, so shouldn’t it be as amazing as possible? - Published: 2017-03-17 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/why-your-websites-homepage-is-so-important/ It’s been established that your company not only needs a website, but a great website. What exactly does that mean? For one thing, it is more than just writing some words and adding some pictures. Your site needs to be functional, and we want it to be fantastic. The homepage is the front door to all the cool details that make up the rest of your website, so shouldn’t it be as amazing as possible? Yeah we think so. Homepage: The Welcome Mat of the Web Remember when you were a kid and went trick or treating on Halloween? On one side of the street there would be this run down house. It probably had an unmowed lawn, chipped paint, maybe even some broken windows. All of your intuition told you that you were not going to get the best candy from whoever lived there, so you didn’t go to the door. But on the other side of the street was this other house. It had a beautifully landscaped lawn, an inviting pathway leading to a peaceful porch, beautiful lighting visible through pristine windows, and the color of the front door made the whole house pop. It stood out, and you knew you’d likely score a full size snickers by ringing the doorbell. Think of your homepage in comparison to these two houses. You want people ringing your doorbell, be the nice house. When someone lands on your website from a search engine, (another major goal you should have), you want them to go inside for more. Grab their attention without being overbearing. The trends of homepages today are so different than they were just a few years ago. Modern home pages have a refreshing quality to them, as well as a simple creative appeal. What are some specific elements of that kind of homepage? 1. Clear Branding You know how I keep saying that your homepage is like the front door to your house? Think of your brand representation as one of those really cool door knockers some people have. The logo for your company should be represented clearly making it a focal point, but not overwhelming to the eye. If you are including a tagline, be sure that it is directly to the heart of your mission. 2. Homepage Website Copy Text used to be the primary focus of websites. It’s not so true anymore, but the words are still very important. I know, I’m the writer so I’m supposed to feel that way. Seriously though, the wording and style of the text of your entire site, especially on the homepage, can help you establish the identity of your company. Keep things simple, so you don’t overwhelm your visitors with excessive reading material. That’s what blogs are for! 3. Thoughtful Design Back in the day websites were all about flash and spectacle. Not so anymore. The design of your homepage should be carried out delicately. Yes, you want to express your creative side, but don’t overdo it. Use color combinations that blend nicely and don’t use too many graphics. The modern web crawler tends to gravitate towards the “less is more” kind of design. 4. Website Navigation Page layout and easy navigability is crucial to the success of your site. The main function of a homepage is to direct users around your site, so it is important that your guests can do so with ease. Clearly mark the difference between the choices, and have a good sense of what lies beneath the links. The main navigation area should reveal the most important content of the site so that users have an idea what they will find. Here are some basic, but essential, do’s and don’ts for smooth navigation: The main navigation area should be in a prominent place. Next to the main body of the page is a good call, or directly underneath it. Group similar navigation items are next to each other. Icons should be used in navigation only if they help users in recognizing a group of items. 5. Social Media Connection A great way to establish credibility and diverse web presence is to include links to your social media accounts on your homepage. Sharing cons to your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, at the footer of your homepage, (and throughout your site), will allow your audience to easily share your site’s content. It probably won’t hurt your search rankings either. Remember that your homepage is the first impression that you give to your audience. You are letting the world know that your company is successful and the rest of your site is going to be awesome. Our team here at Logic Web Media has over a 15 year history of creating professional, streamlined websites. The home pages we’ve created have not only generated visitors who knock on the front door, but come in and have some coffee too! --- > SERP stands for “Search Engine Results Page”. It is the list of results for a user’s search query. For example, if you go to Google and type in “restaurants near me”, you will be redirected to a page with a list of websites that offer you that information. - Published: 2017-03-13 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-is-search-engine-results-page-serp/ SERP stands for “Search Engine Results Page”. It is the list of results for a user’s search query. For example, if you go to Google and type in “restaurants near me”, you will be redirected to a page with a list of websites that offer you that information. Every SERP is unique, even when searching the same words. All search engines will customize the SERP based on location, browsing behavior, and other settings. Even for the same query, there will always be subtle differences. Studies show the higher up you appear in search results, the more likely someone searching will click on your site. Websites that rank higher up in search engine results pages are the ones that are likely to get the most traffic. If you want high traffic on your website, you want to rank high on SERP. The number one spot is coveted by many, and can be hard to obtain unless you pay for it. If your website is on the first page, and one of the top selections, it means your site is probably doing well as far as traffic is concerned. 2 Ways to Get your Website to the Top of SERPs Organic Search Results These are the standard placement results of a search engine. When your website contains great content, useful information, helpful links etc. , the site may naturally receive a high ranking in search engines. If your site contains information relevant to a popular search, chances are good that your ranking will be towards the top. There are 3 types of search results in Google: Informational, Navigational, and Transactional. Informational are the basic results that show as a result for a given topic. Navigational results appear when the user is looking for a specific website, not necessarily just a topic. And, finally, transactional searches are the ones where the paid results will appear. These tend to have commercial content and suggest making a purchase. Paid Search Results The name says it all. High search engine ranking can be purchased. A company can buy ads for their site that will allow it to come up at the top of a SERP. These are known as “pay per click ads” because the advertiser only pays when a user clicks the link to the site. There are several different paid ads a user will see in the SERP. Some are shopping ads, with image-based results. While others are text-based, which take the user to a specific page on the website. Top Ranking Signals for SERPs The organic results you see have been indexed by search engines based on ranking signals determined by an algorithm. While no one outside of Google knows exactly what these factors are, through research and old fashioned trial and error, SEO’s have a good idea of what works. Here are some important ranking signals: 1. Backlinks: Number of links, link authority, and diversity 2. Page-Level Factors: Keywords in the website title tag, meta description, and H1, keyword density, content length, and page speed 3. Mobile-First User Experience: Mobile optimization and speed Top Signals Negatively Impacting SERPs The organic results you see have been indexed by search engines based on ranking signals determined by an algorithm. While no one outside of Google knows exactly what these factors are, through research and old fashioned trial and error, SEO’s have a good idea of what works. Here are some important ranking signals: 1. Crawl Errors: Missing page titles or meta descriptions, broken links, and 404 pages 2. Duplicate Content: Duplicate page content, titles, and meta descriptions 3. Site Speed: Slow page loading time There are many more aspects to understanding SERPs, but this guide is a good overview. The bottom line is that the competition for top spots (whether organic or paid) is quite heavy. That's where hiring a SEO company (like Logic Web Media! ) comes in handy. With search algorithms constantly changing, you are likely to see your website fluctuate in the SERPs. A solid SEO strategy based on research and planning, will help you get the placement your business needs for greater visibility. --- > Learn the importance of bounce rate metrics and how these statistics will help provide valuable insights about your websites visitors. - Published: 2017-01-23 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/bounce-rate/ "Bouncing" refers to the amount of visitors who leave the website after only viewing the single page which they landed on. Bounce rate is an Internet marketing term used in web traffic analysis. It represents the percentage of visitors who bounce from your site. Bounce rates can be used to determine how effective a website is in performance. If a site has a high bounce rate, it is a strong indication that it isn’t holding the interest of many visitors. There is no minimum or maximum time by which a visitor must leave a site in order for their visit to be considered a bounce. What is considered a good or a bad bounce rate? Bounce Rate Scale 26%-40% Excellent 41%-55% Above Average 56%-70% Average 70% and higher Bad What Contributes To A High Bounce Rate? There are several factors of your website that can increase your bounce rate. Some of the most important things to consider include: Slow Load Time: If your landing page takes more than 3 seconds to load, chances are users will bounce. Today’s web audience wants to see things as quickly as one click, so if your site isn’t up to speed you’ll probably have a high bounce rate. Slow load times can also negatively impact your sites SEO. Intrusive Advertising: When a user clicks onto your site and is bombarded by a loud, distracting ad that distract from your primary call to action, that user is probably going to bounce. Single Page Site: Analytics will not recognize a page receiving multiple page views unless users reload that page. Because of this, single-page sites generally have high bounce rates. Poor Content: Grammar and spelling errors are usually a turn off to the intellectual web-crawler. Make sure your content is well written and keeps to the topic at hand. It is also important to keep your content broken down into headings and subheadings. If your page is not easily skimmed, the user is bouncing. User Behavior: Some things you just can’t control, like the behavior of your audience. For instance, if a user bookmarks a page on your site, visits it, and leaves, that is considered a bounce. Poor Web Design: Outdated or busy web designs will immediately distract the users eye. This sort of confusion will cause the user to either look elsewhere, or quit surfing the internet all together. How To Decrease Bounce Rate To decrease your website’s bounce rate, it is essential to take the above factors into consideration. Make sure your website loads quickly, is free of obnoxious ads, buttons and pop-ups, and is chock full of strong content with relevant keywords and phrases. Can I Check My Bounce Rate Online? Yes, by visiting Google Analytics. The service of analyzing your website’s behavior is comprehensive and sign up is free. Decrease Bounce Rates Now --- > As we settle into 2017 we would like to take a moment to share our accomplishments of the preceding year in regards to the amount of sites developed, blogs written, cups of coffee consumed and more. - Published: 2017-01-09 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/logic-web-media-2016-by-the-numbers/ The end of the year is always a time of reflection. We look at the past 12 months and recognize what we’ve accomplished, and what goals we have for the approaching year. It can be pretty insightful. The same absolutely holds true for the work we get done here at Logic Web Media. We’ve gathered up our statistics from 2016 and the results have really helped put our work into perspective. On The Clock We like to think we devote a good chunk of our time to our clients’ needs. Between emails and phone calls, we keep a strong link between our office and our clients. Our design process is very interactive and the stats prove it. In 2016 we spent a total of 2,346 hours working on the needs of our clientele. Keeping Motivated... and Awake The Web Monkeys and I have no shame in the fact that we need to stay caffeinated. Between making pots of coffee in the office and a couple of emergency runs to Starbucks every week, we have collectively consumed 5,735 cups of coffee this year. The Busy Blogger Statistics are really eye opening. I take a lot of pride in creating content for our clients’ sites, and my goal is to always have my fingers at the keyboard. Maybe I’m doing something right, because numbers show that 219 blog posts have been written this year. That breaks down to 87,600 words! Many of our clients are SEO clients, meaning that our posts help increase their visibility on search engines. Out of all of the words we’ve typed, 378 of them were keywords that were brought to Page 1 of Google! Those are some really great numbers, and my fingers are ready to take to the keyboard for 2017. Glad we make so much coffee! How Many Sites Did We Actually Build? Of all the components that make up our company, the overall goal is to create awesome websites. From creating designs, content, images, and everything else that goes into a quality site, everyone is always hard at work to get them live. It’s no easy task, but it seems we’ve risen to the challenge and built 104 websites in 2016. That averages out to 1. 99 sites a week. Out of all the sites we’ve created, 32% of them are eCommerce sites, so we’ve helped our clients keep selling their fantastic products and services. It’s pretty cool to look at the work our team has produced in just one year. All of the elements came together to make 2016 a success and I’m really astounded by these numbers. Let’s raise the bar for 2017 and get to work on another successful year! I’ll start the coffee. --- > Is your company’s website due for redesign? Ask yourself these 5 questions to help you decide what your website needs to bring it up to date. - Published: 2016-11-28 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/redesign-your-website-5-things-to-consider/ Need a website redesigned? Why? Is it slow or unattractive? If you let out a deep breath does dust fly out of the computer? Look, the bottom line is, if you have to ask this question you probably already have the answer. Your website is the face of your company. It is the first thing anyone sees before booking an appointment with you. If this were the late 90’s, you were at the top of your game if you simply had a website. As 2017 approaches you not only need a site, you need a sharp and navigable site that is user friendly and attractive. Here at Logic Web Media, we have helped hundreds of clients across long island revamp their existing sites. This brings them a stronger base of clientele and higher level of success. So if you need your site retooled and re-imagined, we’re the team for you. Let’s start with why you need the redesign in the first place. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself to determine if your site is ready for its extreme makeover. 1. Is Your Site Mobile Friendly? This is the smartphone revolution and the majority of people use their phone for all of their inter web needs. In fact, over 20% of google searches are performed on mobile devices, and over 25% of people in the US use only their mobile device for the internet. If your company sells a product, or provides any kind of service, think about these statistics related to digital marketing. Most people are doing their shopping on their phones, so your site needs to be prepared for that. If you can’t see a full, mobile compatible version of your website on your phone, it’s time to give Logic Web Media a call. 2. How Are You Ranking? Showing up on the first page of a google search sounds a lot better than page nine, right? Over 90% of online experiences begin at the search engine, and you want your site to be one of the first that are seen. If your search engine rankings are on the low side, you need some help with Search Engine Optimization. Creating a site with SEO in mind is a strong strategy to boosting your search engine results. 3. Are You Up To Speed? How many seconds does it take for your site to load? If you’re counting past two seconds, that’s too long. Over 40% of internet consumers report abandoning a website if it takes over three seconds to load. Slow sites are incredibly detrimental to your company’s web success because not only are potential consumers leaving your page, but your search engine rankings are probably low. Our team of developers at Logic Web Media have the answers to speeding up your site and making its visitors want to stay! 4. How's Your Social Life? Your website’s social media presence is vital to its success and its like-ability. Social Media seems to rule the world nowadays, so having your company’s website linked to Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter is a smart move. Linking up to these sites increases your company’s visibility to the max and leaves digital footprints on the web. Integrating social media also allows your audience easy access to your brand, creating a positive relationship between your company and the rest of the internet. 5. Do You Need to Clean House? Your website is the face of your company, and your homepage is the face of your website. Is your homepage filled with pics, links, and too much text? It’s probably time to minimize the clutter with a redesign. It is important to create a site that is eye-catching and informative, but we want to avoid text and graphic overload. When a guest clicks onto your site, they need to be welcomed into what they know will be a positive and navigable experience. When a homepage is overwhelming to the eye it could be a turn-off. That’s not what we want for your site. We know that your guests want to go to a site that is visually appealing and where all of the content is within easy reach of their fingertips. LET’S GO! Have you answered "YES! " to any of these questions? If you did it’s time for an overhaul. The Logic Web Media team is equipped with the knowledge and technology to give your site its ultimate reboot. We have redesigned hundreds of websites for businesses across Long Island and beyond! If you would like to see some examples of the refreshing differences we’ve been able to make, feel free to ask! Logic Web Media Can Help! --- > It is the time of year to focus on what to be thankful for. We have much to be grateful for here at Logic Web Media, but we know that isn’t the case for everyone. So many families on Long Island need assistance, especially during the holidays. - Published: 2016-11-22 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/huntington-food-drive-drop-off-location/ It is the time of year to focus on what to be thankful for. We have much to be grateful for here at Logic Web Media, but we know that isn’t the case for everyone. So many families on Long Island need assistance, especially during the holidays. Our staff feels that it is necessary to help people in any way that we can. This year, we are proud to be a part of Long Island Cares Food Drive through the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Long Island Cares Official Drop-Off Location Logic Web Media 710 East Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station, NY, 11746 Monday - Friday 9am-6pm Feel free to call us at (631) 824-3390 if you have trouble finding us or need to drop off donations outside of our regular business hours. Get Directions The Logic Web Media team is happy to be working with an organization like Long Island Cares. By collecting food, we feel that we play a role in their vision to end Long Island hunger. If you have any questions about how you can help, feel free to contact us anytime. How Can You Help? There are many ways to be of service to families that need assistance. The most convenient way to help is by participating in the Long Island Cares Food Drive. Through December 28th, you can simply stop by Logic Web Media and provide to a family that is less fortunate. We are collecting any non-perishable foods, canned proteins, baby food, diapers, and personal care items right here in our office. We are here Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and located at 710 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station, NY 11746. What If I Can’t Donate Food? Long Island Cares accepts tax-deductible financial donations throughout the year. You can always make a donation by visiting Long Island Cares’ website. Other ways of helping those in need is by volunteering at soup kitchens or shelters, or even advocacy to spread awareness of what the organization does. Long Island Cares Most Needed Donations Include: Proteins Canned tuna/chicken, beans, nut & non-nut butters, etc. Dairy Shelf stable milk, canned/evaporated milk, instant breakfasts, shelf stable parmesan cheese. Household Toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergents, paper goods. Addt'l Foods Flour, cooking oils, coffee, tea, snacks, condiments. Fruits Canned or dried fruits, juice boxes, bottled juices, jams/jelly, fruit bars. Baby Diapers, wipes, formula, cereal, unused bottles, plastic jars of baby food, lotions, powder, diaper ointment. Vegetables Canned soups, vegetables, Tomato sauces, dry soup mix. Grains Pasta, rice, hot/cold cereals, quinoa, pancake/waffle mix. Pet Food Canned and dry dog/cat food and treats, caged animal foods. Personal Soap, dental care, shampoos, hairbrushes, deodorants, feminine care. *no glass jars please* Check us out on the Huntington Patch About Long Island Cares The late Grammy winning songwriter and social activist Harry Chapin founded the food bank in 1980, making it the first on Long Island. The organization quickly spread and became Long Island Cares, offering not only food drives but programs of self sufficiency such as job training, veterans’ services, and mobile outreach. LIC is one of the east coast’s most comprehensive hunger assistance programs and serves thousands of families in need each year. Do You Need Help? Know that you are not alone if you or members of your family need any assistance as the holidays approach. There are many resources available for you through Long Island Cares. Please know that help is available to you. You can find a list of locations that will help you right on the LIC website. --- > We’ve got a bunch of hungry Web Monkeys. Here are awesome lunch places in Huntington, with our own banana rating system! - Published: 2016-11-21 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/monkey-business/top-8-huntington-lunch-spots/ We’ve got a bunch of hungry Web Monkeys here at Logic Web Media, so bananas aren’t usually our top choice for lunch. It’s rare that we don’t order out from one of the many places in our area. In fact, some of their employees recognize us by name and phone number when we call with our order. What can I say? We are loyal diners. In the interest of giving credit where it is deliciously due, the staff and I decided to share our top 8 favorite lunchtime spots. 8 may seem like a lot, but trust me, we narrowed it down by a considerable margin. We are listing these awesome places in order of distance from our office; so we are not technically playing favorites. However, we have included a banana rating system to show how much we like them! = Bangin'! = Nom! = Pretty tasty. = Does this taste funny to you? = Can I speak to a manager? Greek Grill Website | | When we want authentic Greek cuisine, we don’t have to think twice, Greek Grill is the place to go. They offer specials that are updated daily, and have a wide selection of items. Creamy delicious hummus, veal souvlaki, and their famous lemon potatoes are some of our top choices. Staff Picks: Annie: “Greek salad topped with chicken gyro” Kevin: “The Falafel wrap and Greek Pizza are both absolutely delish! ” Dix Hills Diner Website | | Everything you want in a diner is available at the Dix Hills. Every time we order, the courteous staff gets lunch ready quickly for our busy, hungry Monkeys! Great food and service make this a Logical choice for us! Staff Picks: Joey: “ Any lunch special because they provide boat loads of food and an extravagant selection of deserts! ” Brendel’s Bagels & Eatery Website | From sunrise to sunset, Brendel’s Bagels & Eatery has a meal in mind for you. They serve up delicious kettle bagels with an extensive variety of cream cheeses as well as hot griddle breakfasts. If you’re ordering lunch, their selection of “designer” wraps and paninis are very tasty. The “Create Your Own Chopped Salad” is great too, as Brendel’s gives you a wide selection of ingredients and doesn’t charge too much for extras. Staff Picks: Kristine: “The JR Special Panini, cole slaw on the side” Adam: “The wrap with turkey, mushrooms, spinach, honey mustard and muenster cheese. Any place that has muenster is okay in my book! ” Sapsuckers Website | Home of the Alabama Sloppy Slammer rib sandwich, Sapsuckers serves up a delicious array of pub style appetizers, entrees, and sandwiches. The homemade pierogies or a griddled cheese can always get us through the afternoon slump! Staff Picks: Adam: “I like their organic fried chicken. ” Joey: “Hummus or homemade pierogies all day. ” Ting Website If you’re feelin’ fusion, Ting is the way to go. The menu features a great amount of food for their lunch specials, so that’s certainly a value. The thing about Ting is not only their great traditional Japanese cuisine, but their in-house creations as well. Specialty sushi rolls like the Godzilla, the pineapple fried rice, and the Tuna Pizza are only a few of the unique options you’ll find on the menu. Ting provides beautiful dining atmosphere and a fantastic meal at reasonable prices. Staff Picks: Kevin: “The butternut squash soup with the coconut shrimp is crazy tasty! ” Roast Sandwich House Website | | Sandwiches are made with passion and conviction over at Roast. The sammy specialists at Roast believe wholeheartedly in all-natural whole roasted meats that are free of antibiotics and added hormones. The buffalo chicken sandwich and roast beef blt are absolutely incredible. Everything is made fresh to order at Roast, including their selection of house made artisan bread. They don’t skimp on soups and sides either, offering a delicious butternut squash soup with pecan jam and maple, as well as sweet potato tots with cinnamon sugar. Staff Picks: Annie: “Anything. Literally anything. With a side of their brussel sprouts. ” Joey: “The braised brisket grilled cheese, also love their creativity when it comes to creating weekly/daily specials-they like to think out of the box when concocting meals” Batata Website | | Batata is by far one of our most frequented lunch spots. The menu features a little something for everyone, from breakfast and lunch specials, to innovative wraps and soups. The daily specials are always tempting for the palate and the pocketbook, and feature new creations by the chef that aren’t found on the main menu. All of Batata’s bread and pastry selections are baked freshly in house, including their fresh fried potato chips which compliment any wrap or sandwich. The beverage selection is nothing to sneeze at either, as they offer freshly brewed teas, coffee specialties, fresh juices and smoothies. Staff Picks: Kevin: “I am obsessed with the Red Tuscan wrap. So good. ” Joe S. : “Batata Cobb Salad all day. ” Aunt Chilada's Website | Mexican and more can be found at Aunt Chilada’s. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic enchilada, a hot burrito, or even a traditional sandwich, they’ve got the option for you. Thinking outside of the box is what makes Aunt Chilada’s a bit more special than your typical Mexican grill. They feature a fantastic section of low-carb options, specialty wraps and sandwiches, and all day breakfast burritos to start your day at anytime. The menu here has a choice for everybody, which is good news for our hungry monkeys! Staff Picks: Joey: “Nachos in a pizza box. ” Kristine: “The Avocado Breakfast Wrap! ” Food is no “monkey business” to us, but you could probably already tell. These restaurants have been great to us. We really are lucky to have so many cool local eateries. Check them all out, you will not be disappointed! --- > Every year Bethpage Federal Credit Union organizes the Best of Long Island Awards. We at Logic Web Media are beyond excited to be nominated for Best Web Services 2016! - Published: 2016-11-21 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/web-services-nomination-best-of-long-island/ Every year Bethpage Federal Credit Union organizes the Best of Long Island Awards, honoring the success of local businesses. From coffee shops to doctor’s offices, the committee over at Best of L. I. researches the top companies from Nassau to Suffolk. The web monkeys over at Logic Web Media are beyond excited to have been nominated for Best Web Services 2016! Importance of Celebrating Local Businesses Long Island businesses come and go pretty rapidly these days. In order to keep the companies we love up and running it’s vital to show our gratitude through positive recognition. That’s what Best of Long Island does for local businesses. It is clear that these companies, including our own, take a special pride in what they do. A nomination from Best of Long Island increases that sense of pride, and boy do we feel that right now over at Logic Web media! Why Logic Web Media? We know how we earned this nomination, but do you? Our staff of experienced developers pride themselves on attention to detail and awareness of what our clients need. A client specific approach to every site we create has provided over a decade of results. We customize a site and budget that suits you. Our designs are sleek and navigable which help us convert your site traffic into business leads. We work to get the most possible success out of your new website by using the most up to date resources. We have been accomplishing this for over ten years by expanding your reach with a strong and steady internet presence. Build your brand with us and learn why we are in the running for Best Web Services this year. What Does a Win Mean? It’s an honor to be nominated for Best Web Services, and a win would be an extension of that honor. We plan to continue being your winning web services regardless of the outcome, but would greatly appreciate your vote. Visit the Best Of Long Island website to vote for Logic Web media today! How to Vote for Logic Web Media: 1. Go to this link 2. Scroll down and click on "Web Services" 3. Click the red "Vote" button next to Logic Web Media! You will need to add your email address and set a password. It's an easy process, so don't worry! Also, since you are logged in, go and vote for your other favorite Long Island businesses! Let us know you voted by Tweeting us! --- > If you are concerned about your business growth, you're not alone! We at Logic Web Media can help you achieve your goals and expand your reach with a professionally designed and developed website. - Published: 2016-06-20 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/web-design-development-business-growth/ Whether big or small, all business owners want their businesses to grow. If you are concerned about your business growth, you're not alone! We at Logic Web Media can help you achieve your goals and expand your reach with a professionally designed and developed website. Your first task is to decide what you want your site to do for your business: sell, inform, promote, generate leads, etc. ? From there, we can discuss with you the right type of website with the right design that will best represent your goals. Having a website professionally designed and built will help clearly communicate to the world what your services and products are. When your site looks good and works well, it will increase your chances of converting visitors into leads and will make your business grow! Designing for Business Growth The design process for the front-end (client side; or the stuff people can see) of you website is an important aspect of building your new website. When it comes to web design and business growth, the rule of thumb is to keep things simple. Modern web design has been transforming more and more into clean, simple, and flat styles. You will want to stay away from overcrowding with unnecessary content and images. Web users these days have an incredibly short attention span and there are tons of options for services just like yours. It is important to get your point across and convert the visitor into a lead as quickly as possible. If the goal of your website is mainly to provide information, the designs navigation and layout should be easy to use. If a visitor can't find what they are looking for because of a confusing navigation or content that is thinly spread among dozens of pages, they will surely move on to another website. Logic Tip: Consider your audience when you are compiling your site. Here at Logic Web Media, we consider your audience so that the colors, layout, and function of the site will appeal directly to them. Developing for Business Growth This is more technical and best left to the experts. It is important to understand that the back-end (the stuff people can't see) of a website is just as important as the front-end of the site. Your new website should be written with valid and modern coding practices so that it works on all browsers and complies with current web standards. This will increase your sites speed and visibility to users. Maximizing your sites functions is what will set your business apart from the rest. If you are planning to sell on the internet, having the right eCommerce software for your needs is vitally important. For larger scale stores, we recommend utilizing Magento open-source software. This can handle managing products, invoicing, clients, and more, while maintaining a smooth browsing and checkout process. Things Every Website Needs & How to Do it the Right Way 1. Web Hosting Every site needs a hosting plan. This is the fee (typically payable yearly) for hosting the site files so that people can view it on the internet. There are a wide range of hosting providers with different levels of service. For the majority of web projects, basic web hosting is all that they need and typically costs $100-150 per year. Some clients, such as ones in the healthcare industry, require HIPAA compliant hosting so that patient data is secure and protected. Other clients require hosting that supports heavy influxes of traffic, disaster recovery, and eCommerce hosting that is optimized for speed and security. Regardless of your website, we can set up hosting for you so that you know your site has what it needs to reach your audience. Average Yearly Cost: $100-300 (depending on needs) 2. Domain Name This is the name that your site will live under, such as logicwebmedia. com. There are tons of options out there for domain names. Basically, if you can think of it, you can get a domain name of it. (Unless, of course, someone thought of it first. ) You can check here to see if your ideal domain is available. People choose things ranging from their business name to their services or location. you can speak with any of the certified web monkeys here at logic web media to help decide what works best for you! Logic Tip: we often see clients wanting to get their business name as their domain, which sounds like it makes sense! However, when you are just entering the complex world of the WWW, it may be better to have a domain that represents your location and you exact service. Such as longislandsecurityalarms. com, whose website has a better chance of showing up in search than if they just had computercontrolledsecurity. com. Their domain gets to the heart of what they do: Long Island Security. Average Yearly Cost: $15-30 (depending on needs) LET'S GO! Do You Want To: Increase your ROI? Show up First in Google? Increase your Conversion Rate? Increase Your Website Visitor Traffic? Make More Online Sales? Logic Web Media Can Help! --- > Since Magento 2 is brand new, it is important to go with a web development company that has the experience and expertise to accomplish this task. We have several successful migrations under our belt already and we are ready to do the same for you! - Published: 2016-02-05 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/e-commerce/why-you-should-upgrade-to-magento-2/ 2016 is a crucial year for Magento store owners to make some serious decisions regarding their online business. Chances are that if you had Logic Web Media build your eCommerce store, it was built using Magento. This is an open-source piece of software (open-source means it’s free! ) that is the best for selling your products online. We are building online stores constantly here, and we have found that literally ANYONE can use the Magento platform to add products, manage orders, manage customers, create sales and coupon codes and more. Clients come to us after using other platforms or wanting to use them (such as Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. ) but we will always use Magento. The reasons are clear: More options, more versatility, better coding structure, scalable, cost-effective, more secure, and more reliable. If you currently have a Magento store, you may have heard about the softwares newest version: Magento 2. There has been so much buzz about it and the code geeks of the world have been swooning over it. Since the Magento 1 software was originally released, there have been many updates and security patches to help better serve the ever-growing eCommerce community. If your site was built by us, you know that your store has been updated many times in order to better serve you and protect your customers information. The Dawn of Magento 2 The difference with this version is a major overhaul of the original platform. Instead of putting band-aids on certain areas and adding to the existing software, they went for a complete overhaul. Because this update is really more than just an update, this requires migrating from your version to Magento 2 by a web development company. Magento has been doing extensive testing and reporting on their new software. As shown in the tweet here, they are seeing a 60% conversion rate increase! Do you want a 60% conversion rate increase on your eCommerce store? I thought so... The reason for these results probably comes from mainly the improved speed and performance of catalog and checkout pages. When a site is clean and snappy, customers will naturally have confidence in purchasing online. Also, the internet creates a short attention span for its users: if you don't nab the sale right away, they will move on! #Magento2 site goes live in only 8 weeks & improves mobile conversion by 60% for @Venroy_AUS https://t. co/NrtYBKIaA1 pic. twitter. com/DdgP7nI4Vm— Magento (@magento) February 2, 2016 What Does this Mean for Your eCommerce Store This means that you have the option of updating or not updating. We have migrated several stores so far and we can tell you that it is a good move! Not only is it easy to use and faster, but it will definitely put you ahead of your competitors. If you are spending money doing SEO or AdWords on your eCommerce store, you understand the value of doing what you do better than your competition. Having a modern site that is faster and more secure will inspire confidence to gain customers and promote returning customers. A lot of our Magento clients also use email marketing. And with the Magento 2 migration, they have been able to create bigger email lists and utilize them more frequently and in more creative ways. The Benefits of Migrating: 1. Next level flexibility 2. Improved performance 3. More user-friendly backend system 4. 20% Faster than the older version 5. Better security 6. Improved email marketing capability The Benefits of Not: 1. Don’t have to learn a different (but better looking) backend system 2. Avoid having to make a change (at least for a couple years) 3. Yeah... that's about it. The Magento 2 Differencce If you are dealing with an eCommerce company that says it’s difficult, bad, complicated, etc... RUN! We are developers here and as developers, we understand the value of Magento software. Our clients are successful, make sales, and easily manage their stores. What we can tell you from migrating stores to the updated version is that it is different. Across the internet you will see a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation regarding having to migrate stores to Magento 2. This is because people who use it understand what an important company Magento is to the eCommerce world as well as how complex the platform is. If you use Magento, you know that the value of it lies in its complexity. Other platforms that are seemingly “simpler” are just that: not as advanced and will leave you several steps behind your competitors. Some added benefits: 1. Get new ideas and improve on your virtual storefront 2. Improve overall usability 3. Get a jump on your competition 4. Eliminate any existing performance issues that come with having a relatively older site 5. Reformat your products and categories for improved conversion rates and SEO value 6. If you use extensions, you may be able to do away with them in the new version The Logic Web Media and Magento 2 Solution Want to step up your eCommerce game? Call Logic Web Media today and let us upgrade you to Magento 2. People all over are seeing higher conversion rates, higher customer retention, and a more manageable catalog. We can help you achieve the same results. If you are just starting out, we can help you too! Our eCommerce solutions are already successful. Imagine starting out ahead of the game with a Magento 2 store! We can help get you up and running so that you can sell your products online with confidence to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Since Magento 2 is brand new, it is important to go with a web development company that has the experience and expertise to accomplish this task. We have several successful migrations under our belt already and we are ready to do the same for you! We are staffed with a Magento Certified Developer (actually, he is certified as a "Developer Plus" ). Let's Get Started! Site redesign in only 90 days and 104% increase in #mobile revenue? @Guidance & #Magento2 helped @SOLlingerie do it https://t. co/a2UgRxCdl1— Magento (@magento) February 2, 2016 --- > Learn exactly what it means to E-A-T your websites search engine optimization from the experts at Logic Web Media. - Published: 2015-12-17 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/e-a-t-your-search-engine-optimization/ A few weeks ago, Google released a 160 page quality rating pdf guideline. Google creates quality guidelines, to help it's search quality raters understand how to judge the websites they're reviewing. The reviews provided by Google's search quality raters will not directly influence their rankings in Google. Google uses these reviews solely for the purpose of their own experiments, with the ultimate goal of providing the most accurate search results for users. Here we will discuss the term labeled E-A-T, which was a main factor covered in Google's guideline. Understanding E-A-T can help you learn how to enhance your websites search engine optimization. E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness Google considers these three components when judging the quality of your content. Google wants to know who's writing this content, are they an expert in the industry? Why does their opinion matter? Who Qualifies As An Expert? Expertise will vary by field or industry. If you're reviewing a hotel for your travel blog and have visited many hotels across the world, you can be considered an expert traveler. On the other hand if you're a copy writer creating content on medical advice, keep in mind your an expert writer not a doctor. Unless you were previously a Doctor you must be careful on how your content is crafted. In these situations by encouraging copy writers work side by side with experts in the industry the quality of the content will be less likely to be untrustworthy. Tips On Enhancing E-A-T If your an SEO looking to create quality content, highlighting your clients field of expertise is a great way to start. If you're providing search engine optimization services for a law firm, create a section "our lawyers," and boast about all of their credentials. This will help build trust and properly display their branded expertise. Highlighting their expertise shouldn't stop there, you can encourage lawyers to write a blog post and apply their signature to the content. Using experts to create your websites content will ensure the information being displayed is accurate, helpful and most importantly, high quality. Other ways to ensure the website content follows Google's expertise, is to have experts in the field review your work and provide a stamp of approval. When appropriate you can also invite guest writers to create a post. If this guest is an expert in the field with an established online reputation, this could potentially boost your SEO. Quality content is here to stay at Logic Web Media - we know what works. Honesty, accuracy, consistency are some of the important variables we include for all of our search engine optimization clients. We've found staying up to date with Google's guidelines and always being user-centric is the best way to get better search engine rankings. --- > Are you familiar with the your money, your life concept? Learn everything you need to know regarding this important Google quality update. - Published: 2015-12-17 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/learn-googles-ymyl-guidelines/ The YMYL concept can be categorized into five main areas. Shopping and financial Websites Any website where a customer can make a purchase, transfer funds, pay a bill or make any sort of financial transaction will fall under this category. Examples of websites held to this standard include e-commerce stores and online banking systems. These are at the top of the list because it involves credit cards and personal information that if put into the wrong hands, it would definitely affect a users money. Financial Information Websites This category includes websites that provide investment or tax information, financial advice regarding purchasing a home, college, insurance or even write about retirement planning. All of these websites are held to a higher standard because of the potential damage that could be done if a user was given the wrong information. If you're providing any of this information you'll want to make sure your following Google's E-A-T guidelines. Medical Information Websites The medical information pages include any website discussing or offering advice about nutrition, drugs, diseases and mental health. Let's face it, at one point or another, we've all scared ourselves by reading Web Md's symptoms pages. This is exactly why Google will check websites offering this information with a fine comb. Providing false medical information is extremely dangerous and if read by the wrong person, it could be potentially life threatening. Legal Information Websites Legal information pages will be websites related to divorce, child custody, will/estate planning, marriage, landlords and more. For all of these topics you can find pages and pages worth of information, advice and actual services. However if these companies are not truly experts or have to many bad reviews Google will find out. By removing all the clutter it will help Google provide the most accurate search engine results which reinforce their ultimate goal. Other Google suggests for this section, you use your best judgement. It's a pretty simple concept to grasp, if your website could potentially harm a persons happiness or wallet, 100% accuracy is mandatory. Choosing to always do your research and only provide thorough information, is just the start. Your life your happiness pages must follow all guidelines in order to be able to rank well in Google. We have experience designing and developing websites in all five categories listed in Google's guidelines. If you're looking to build a new website or take advantage of search engine optimization, contact Logic Web Media today. Contact Logic Web Media Now --- > Learn how to encourage more users to provide emails and grow your e-mail list to where it should be. - Published: 2015-12-17 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/who-else-wants-bigger-e-mail-lists/ E-mail marketing is the way businesses stay in touch with clients and customers. Email marketing provides an increase of sales and shares helpful information. Here we will discuss the best ways to properly integrate e-mail marketing into your website. Pop-Up Newsletters This feature will initiate a pop-up, promoting users to enter their e-mail as soon as they land on your website. Pop-up newsletters that have persuasive content such as "sign up to learn how to build your email lists in less than 5 minutes," are very successful. Use what your selling to your advantage, by creating urgency and informing your visitor if they sign up, they'll receive valuable information. Sales Promotion Incentives Product discounts or free gifts are one of the most effective ways for capturing e-mails from online visitors. We've all signed up for newsletters to save 20% off at one point or another. Who wouldn't? Integrate E-mails Into Social Media Social media and e-mail marketing are like two best friends that should go everywhere together. In other words, all e-mail campaigns should include social icons and all social media opt in forms, if applicable. e-mail marketing services such as Mailchimp allow you to have your e-mail campaigns automatically post to Facebook and Twitter. Once you've decided on the best way to capture your specific users e-mail it's time to figure out how to maintain customer retention and keep them interested. Although we won't cover this here, I'll leave you with this, no matter what you do, when it comes to e-mail marketing it's all about testing. Testing is what will give you the most useful insights and teach you how to improve your e-mail campaigns. --- > When trying to figure out the main factors Google use to rank your website, there’s a lot to consider. We’ve found through our years of experience in providing quality SEO services, catering to the user is the best policy. - Published: 2015-12-17 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/seo-factors-you-should-pay-attention-to/ Do you want improved search rankings? There are several key factors you should know when looking to optimize your website. Google prioritizes websites that cater to the user. Their complex search algorithms can detect when websites present an artificial product for ranking purposes, and lower your search rankings. Similarly, they can detect when websites have high-quality, engageable content. As they continue to learn about website and consumer trends, Google updates these algorithms. In doing so, Google succeeds in helping users access the best possible content. To continue satisfying website users, and consequently Google, you should constantly monitor these SEO factors. In no particular order, these are some of the main factors that Google takes into account when calculating search engine rankings. 1. Content Useful, High-Quality, & High Quantity It’s a cliche, but it’s still true. Content is king. Having original content on your website allows you to impart useful information to potential and existing customers alike. When you naturally intersperse commonly searched keywords, search engines are more likely to place your web page higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). Even when optimized for search engines, quality website content will also help users to understand the services that you offer. Google favors long-form content (over about 800 words). Providing content at this length (or at shorter lengths) is best accomplished in the form of a blog post. Blog posts can address any number of topics: The details of services that you offer Specific product suggestions for certain customers A satisfied customer’s experience Industry-related news or trends There are, of course, many other options for blog posts. You can take an alternate stance on a competitor’s blog post, give your opinion about related issues, and much more. Either way, blogging for your business helps you to present yourself as an industry authority, and show up on Google. Google judges content primarily on quality, length and originality. Websites with duplicate pages are penalized. 2. Link Building Useful & Credible The more websites there are linking to your website, the more that Google will trust your website. This contributes to your page and domain authority, both of which impact your overall website ranking. As you begin to build your content portfolio, other websites may like that content enough to have it on their website. It’s also important to link pages on your website to other pages on your website. This practice is also known as backlinking. The older a website or web page is, the higher its authority-- meaning that linking to older pages will increase the authority of new pages. It will also make site navigation much easier for the user. With concerted effort and organization, you can build an intricately connected network of links. 3. Site Speed Quick Load Time & Low Bounce Rate Internet users will not have the attention span (or desire) to wait for your site to load, even if it is higher up on the SERP. If this process takes too long, viewers are more likely to revert to the SERP, and click on the next result. This is bad for business, and increases bounce rate (a detriment to Google rankings). While desktop speed is important, having an accessible, optimized mobile page is imperative. Google introduced Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) in February 2016 to enable websites to appeal to mobile viewers. Websites that utilize this coding technology are favored on Google SERP rankings. Articles and blog posts that fit these AMP specifications are sometimes showcased at the top of SERPs, separate from other organic rankings. AMP have less text, fewer pictures, and are altogether simpler than pages without this attribute. Any website can qualify as an AMP. In fact, all of the blog pages that we design are qualified for AMP. There is even a free online validator to help websites determine if your blog post, article or other web page meets the criteria. 4. Domain Name Thoughtful & Balanced When prospective customers navigate to your website, your domain name is the first opportunity to make an impression. You can express your business’s culture and values by having a domain name that fits your organization before they even see your homepage. Exact match domains are named after search queries that companies are looking to rank for, rather than a creative company name or another domain. For example, if we wanted to use an exact match domain, we would have selected “LongIslandwebdesign. com”. This, or another similar domain name, would have allowed us to initially rank high for this search term. However, Google frequently releases algorithm updates to reduce rankings for EMD websites with poor content. Consequently, this will increase rankings for other websites without keyword-centric domains, but more user-friendly content. Including your brand name in your domain is the obvious choice. It’s easily recognizable, and memorable as well. If you are just starting a new business, consider basing your company name around the availability of domains -- your future self will thank you. 5. UX/UI Accessible, User-Friendly, & Logical Without a user-friendly website interface, high speed navigation and quality content mean nothing. Having an easily navigable website interface will enable customers to find the exact product or service that they need, and learn about it as quickly as possible. User interface doesn’t just mean aesthetically clear options with strategically chosen colors, either. Without proper organization, visitors will quickly grow disillusioned with your website. Again, this will increase your bounce rate, and possibly even lower your authority. So how do you make sure that the user interface is accessible enough for all consumers? Creating a horizontal banner on the header of the page with navigation options to all of the different parts of your website is crucial. Consumers want to be able to quickly locate the product or service relevant to their needs, and likely won’t care that you have everything else available. Including a reasonable call to action is the most important part of the user experience, as this enables visitors to take the next step in pursuing your product or service. If you have an ecommerce store, then this means that you should include “add to cart” options frequently. If your website skews further to the informational side of the spectrum, then remind visitors that they can contact you by including your phone number, email address, and a contact form across the website. Beyond this, make sure that all of your web pages are crawlable -- or that they can be accessed from the website, rather than requiring users to search for them. Organizing pages in this fashion will also help search engines to view the rest of your website. These factors will aid in dictating the user’s experience, and impact their decision making process. The digital marketing landscape evolves quickly, and Google has never been far behind. As a web design company, it’s our responsibility to notice and adapt to these changes. We can help you redesign your website to optimize it for search engines, and help you gain new leads. --- > In an update of the earlier Best Web Design Trends of 2015, we go over the top 7 web deisgn trends of 2018. - Published: 2015-12-16 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/best-web-design-trends-of-2015/ This post has been updated to include web design trends that are most popular in 2018. When your business is marketing to customers through a website, there are several factors that you need to take into account. Can your customers find your website on Google? Is the content written in a way that engages with your target audience? These considerations are important, but having a website that follows modern web design trends is essential. Even if they’re not aware of it, your customers are subconsciously familiar with modern website and interface designs. If your website strays from these trends, then you might turn customers away before they even learn about your business. In this blog post, we’ll explore the web design trends that are helping customers land high conversions and ROI. 1. Strange (But Interesting) Color Combinations When it comes to branding for your small business, the psychology of color can play a major role in shaping your decisions. This is true for your company’s logo, marketing materials, and any other digital or print mediums. Recently, though, web designers have been pushing the boundaries of design with bold color choices. Without leaving brand identity in the dust, web designers are utilizing colors outside of the normal brand palette to create more vibrant color schemes. This is a stark shift in the standard fare for web design, which formerly prioritized readability. These detail-oriented designs are geared toward shaping a highly engaging experience for all users. 2. Unique, Brand-Centric Typography Like color, font plays a crucial role in your business’s brand identity. The fonts that you use on your website can have quite an impact on your potential customers. And, in 2018, web design experts continue to commit to larger and more brand-specific fonts. Especially on homepages, fonts that attract the user’s complete, undivided attention are becoming quite common. Using unique fonts draws the user’s attention to what you are trying to say-- ensuring that your message is heard. This falls in line with the previously mentioned color trend, in that bold choices are making for higher conversion rates -- when executed correctly. 3. Data Storytelling Data is one of the best tools your business could possibly use to convey your worth to prospective clients or customers. When you present your customers with data that backs up your assertions, your argument will stand better ground. This fact-driven approach is important when establishing a sense of trust with customers, who might be skeptical of your value. Leading web designers are utilizing this data-driven approach by creating designs that emphasize practical information. Incorporating features such as charts and infographics helps the reader to understand the value of your proposal. If your business relies on a certain process, then illustrating that process with data visualization may be the key to your customer’s sales. Data storytelling may even be as simple as graphically enhancing certain statistics. 4. Revamped Flat Design Over the past few years, flat design has taken the internet by storm. This hot trend has not exactly disappeared, but it has evolved. Flat design rejected the premise that websites should feature lots of overlapping objects and textures. Instead, flat designs relied on a simple digital interface. The revamped version of flat design continues this trend, but with slightly more depth than before. Instead of conventional layering techniques, though, the revamped “Flat design 2. 0” trend involves gradients and shadows. This new technique aids in demonstrating to customers where they should be looking and clicking. So, this improvement creates a better, conversion-oriented experience. 5. Practical, Attractive Illustrations For some brands, a casual, light-hearted approach to web design can be the most effective. If your business is looking to stand out with an informal identity (without appearing incompetent), then including illustrations that draw user attention can be quite effective. Think of this technique as a mullet: business in the front, party in the back. The logic behind this style is simple. Businesses have realized that they can impart meaningful information while still delivering a personalized experience. Unlike stock photography and out-of-the-box content management systems, illustrations are always custom made. This means that the website-specific illustrations will not be found in other corners of the internet, consequently creating a delightful experience. Illustrations accomplish all of this without limiting or otherwise compromising the function of a website. 6. AI-Powered Assistants In the web design world, a quality user experience is just as important as an inviting exterior. That’s why artificial intelligence continues to play a huge role in web design. Often called chatbots, these digital assistants are designed to help customers with any needs they might have while on the website. These chatbots communicate with human users using language, imitating a live assistant. So, the chatbot is a unique digital assistance designed to answer questions, or route these questions to a human who can. Some chatbots can answer simple questions-- when somebody might be available to speak, pricing and more. Other chatbots can take advantage of higher-level needs like scheduling, and even completing transactions. In a world where customers need an additional level of assurance that their needs are taken care of, chatbots play a critical role. 7. Mobile-Responsive Website Gone are the days when people are only consuming internet content on the desktop. In fact, mobile traffic now accounts for over half of all traffic. Your website needs to be accessible to customers who discover it on a smartphone. Having a mobile-responsive website is the best solution for this. This means that the same website that is designed for use via desktop can automatically be viewed on a mobile device, without any visual or functional hiccups. Without a mobile-responsive web design, you will lose out on plenty of valuable traffic from potential customers. Mobile-responsive websites adapt to the unique screen size of the device that the customer is using to view the website. So, whether the user is on an iPhone, an iPad, or another device, the experience will be superb. Responsive web design can be advantageous in other ways as well. Google’s mobile-first indexing policy will base all search results on the mobile version of a website, given the prevalence of mobile search. So, websites without a mobile version will not fare well in search. Convert Your Customers With a Modern Design That Works for Your Brand When it comes to website design, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Our web design team has decades of collective experience, and takes a practiced, results-driven approach to each project. We can create a modern website that works for your brand. --- > Learn exactly what happened because of Google's major 2015 updates. We've discovered a lot and would like to share it with you! - Published: 2015-12-16 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-we-learned-from-googles-updates-2015/ We are sharing our experience on what we've learned from Google's confirmed 2015 updates. After years of building custom websites, we saw the need to implement search engine optimization into our web services. With the help of AnnMarie, our lead SEO strategist, we were able to create our very own team of search monkeys. Our team of search monkeys are bananas about helping you get better results in Google. Below you'll find Google's 2015 updates and what we've learned from them. April 2015 - Mobile Update (Mobilgeddon) On April 2015 Google did something surprising, they announced mobile-responsive websites will receive higher rankings in mobile search results. This caused many web developers like ourselves, to work overtime. We worked around the clock to ensure all past clients who requested their website be transitioned before the update. It turn's out the outcome was not as monumental as suspected, however some websites did suffer. What We Learned: After Mobilegeddon we learned the importance of having a website that works on your phone is no longer a luxury, it's priority. Luckily for over two years, all websites leaving the Logic Web Media factory are created mobile responsive. Our mobile friendly web design is one of the first components we take into consideration, when building your website. May 2015 - The Quality Update After a large amount of websites received a drop in their Google rankings many search marketers were stumped. Google later confirmed first with Search Engine Land, they changed their algorithm in regards to measuring quality signals. Google has since than released quality guidelines, created to help Google's evaluators better judge a website's quality. What We Learned: We learned there are many components related to how Google determines quality. Simply taking another persons article and regurgitating it into your own words is not quality. Quality is taking information and putting your own spin on the subject. Quality is about putting your website's main content front and center where it's easy for the user to see. We can go on and on about quality because there truly is so much. July 2015 - Panda 4. 2 The Panda update is primarily focused on the quality of your websites content. Google's Trend Analyst, Gary Illyes, announced the Panda 4. 2 update started in July and will slowly continue to roll out. What We Learned: We learned the importance of content is dependent on value, originality, thinness and your content to code ratio. Your websites content also should be relevant towards your market and always be written for the reader not the search engine. Google is smart enough to know if you're keyword cramming, and can even judge the style and intent of your writing! Is it possible we missed any updates? Of course. Google is always making updates and tweaking it's algorithms to improve itself. However our SEO monkeys, at Logic Web Media have found strategies that can abide by Google's guidelines and provide the best possible results. **Disclaimer: We'e extremely ethical in our search engine optimization practices and frown upon "Black Hat" SEO tactics. If a web design company guarantees you first page organic results on Google... RUN! There is no way for anyone to guarantee what a 3rd party will do. Googles algorithms are user-centric and extremely top secret. They are also way smarter than 95% of anyone, anywhere that is using the internet. If you try and fool the Google, you will eventually get caught and your website will suffer the consequences. --- > Learn the difference between search engine optimization and paid search. Find out which one will better suit your businesses goals. - Published: 2015-12-16 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/search-engine-optimization-vs-paid-search/ Are you looking to drive traffic to your website or get better results in Google? There are many approaches to driving user traffic, primarily this is achieved through online advertising, paid search, organic search, social media marketing and link strategies. For the purposes of this post we will be comparing paid search (PPC) vs. organic search (SEO) and explaining the benefits of each. Paid Search When you choose a paid search campaign, you create a budget, add specific target keywords and start your campaign. There's two types of paid search, pay per click and cost per impression. Cost per impression (less popular) is the process of paying each time your ad is viewed and pay per click is well, self explanatory. Benefits of Paid Search: Paid search provides immediate results Guaranteed to show up for preferred keywords Provides user insights You're able to schedule ads and specify by location. Organic Search Organic search is the process of ranking in Google's search results, based on the search engines algorithms. In order to rank in organic search you must follow Google's guidelines and prove worthy of the ever changing user-centric algorithms. When hiring a company for search engine optimization the goal is to reach the first page, let's be real no one looks at the second page of google. Benefits of Organic Search: It's free (unless you hire a company) Organic search results are highly trusted by users Once your rankings increase it's easier to stay in place Choosing between paid search or organic search depends on your immediate goals. We recommend organic search because once your rankings are where you'd like them to be, it's a lot less expensive than paid search. If you're in need of hiring a company for search engine optimization contact the experts at Logic Web Media. We have a team full of SEO specialists, content strategists and data analyst all working toward one goal, to get you better results on Google! --- > Find out if you're website is following these important web design trends. We've narrowed down the 3 most important trends, all successful websites should follow. - Published: 2015-12-14 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/3-web-design-trends-your-website-should-follow/ Although new web design trends are constantly emerging, not all trends are appropriate for all websites. Logic Web Media, Long Island's web design experts have found through our experience, websites should always be developed with your target audience in mind. Although the new hamburger menu looks awesome, if your audience only knows about the hamburgers you eat, they'll have trouble knowing where to click. Today we'll discuss the 3 web design trends all websites should follow. The majority of web design features are simply an option, which can add cool features to your website. However we've found the following trends are important to all online users and target markets. Responsive Web Design Responsive design, also known as mobile responsive is creating a website that's functional across all platforms (smartphone, iPad, tablet). Many are saying "go responsive or go home," because of the drastic amounts of decreased traffic and Google penalties (mobilegeddon) associated with unresponsive websites. According to the Mobile Marketing Association of Asia, "more people have smart phones than tooth brushes in the entire world. " Although this fact may be quite disturbing, it's proof of how important it is that your website should work on your phone. Flat Web Design Flat or semi-flat web design is any website free of three dimensional views such as shadows. Over the past few years flat design has taken over the internet. Why? Flat design leads to enhanced user experience and adds to the minimalistic trend we'll talk about next. Flat design also contributes to faster load times, because it eliminates large excessive images. Minimalistic Web Design Although whether or not all web designs should follow the minimalistic trend is up for debate, let me explain why it's important. Minimalistic web design is about applying the less is more rule, to your website. It starts with stripping your website of all the extra and just keeping the bare essentials. By doing so, you'll find a better experience for the user because of less clutter and easy to understand layouts. Today's internet users have short attention spans causing you to have to get their attention within seconds or they're gone. Although there's many great web designs it's not always about having the most innovative visually appealing website. The main takeaway here, is understanding all websites are competing to hold the users ever decreasing attention span. By making sure your website works on the phone, loads faster than the speed of light and is easy for your user to comprehend, you're on the right track. If you're looking for Long Island web design, or need a website that works on your phone, contact Logic Web Media today. We have over a decade experience building really nice websites. --- > Are you familiar with one of the most popular website platforms terms? Here you can learn the most important online blogging vocabulary. - Published: 2015-12-05 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/wordpress-terms-you-should-know-part-2/ After a short break from our part 1 post, we're happy to continue with the WordPress terms you should know part 2. Logic Web Media, located in Huntington Long Island is a web design company, specializing in custom WordPress development. Custom Fields Custom fields are used when you need more than just the basic title and body fields. The title of your WordPress post, is a custom field generated automatically by WordPress. Using custom fields to add additional content, media or other information, makes WordPress extremely useful. For instance, ne of our clients requested a specific area they could post their pricing schedules each week, we created a custom field where the client could simply click add pricing and upload the file at their discretion. Plugin A WordPress plugin allows you to add additional features to your website. WordPress plugins are not always reliable, at Logic Web Media, we custom design and develop these additional features from scratch. Avoiding plugins, by having a developer create these features from scratch, is a much safer solution. Widgets These are areas on a website used to perform designated functions. Examples of widgets are search boxes, category sections and sidebars, these widgets are automatically set up when you install WordPress onto your server. Widgets are user interface elements which allow the user to make adjustments to the widget from the fronted. Permalinks These are permanent URL's written to your individual blog post in order to be able to trace back to the post. An example of a permalink looks like this "www. yourblog. com/? p=n," the letter n will be replace by the title of your blog post. Although you may update your blog post, the permalink will never change. The WordPress default permalink structure is not very attractive. Changing the permalink structure in the appearance settings of your dashboard, allows you to have a more professional online presence. Featured Image The featured image is most frequently used for uploading the main image of your blog post. The featured image is best interpreted, as the picture that represents or relates to your blog post. Themes A WordPress theme is the function and visual aesthetic of your website. In simpler terms a WordPress theme is the clothes your website wears. When you install your WordPress website the default theme is not cute, however switching themes can make a drastic difference. When creating a WordPress website at least one theme is required to be installed. At Logic Web Media, we create custom themes in order to provide gorgeous websites that are one of a kind. When you choose to have your website designed by us, we guarantee it will be an original. If you're in need of help with your website give us a call we'd be happy to help. We have over 10 years experience, speaking WordPress language, building custom websites, search engine optimization, e-mail marketing, e-commerce and more. Our web services are always tailored to best fit your individual needs. We hope this blog helped you gain clarity of the very contradicting language of WordPress. Did we cover all the terms you were looking for? If not let us know we'll be happy to add more! --- > Looking to gain a better understanding of WordPress websites and how they operate? Start here by learning the most commonly used WordPress terms. - Published: 2015-12-04 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/learn-the-most-common-wordpress-terms-part-1/ Logic Web Media is dedicated to providing quality websites. We have experience building custom designed websites, with WordPress being one of the most popular back-end content management systems. Understanding WordPress terms will help you better understand how useful this powerful platform can be. WordPress terminology can be confusing at first, but this post will allow you to gain clarity and better understand the basics. Dashboard The dashboard belongs up top on the terminology list because, well, it's at the top of your WordPress panel! The dashboard is similar to a website's homepage in that by clicking on "dashboard," you'll always be led back to the home screen of the WordPress back-end. Underneath the Dashboard you can gain access to your blog posts, web pages, profile, settings and whatever else you've chosen to include on your site. Posts A WordPress post is the area you can fill with content in order to populate your WordPress blog. Posts are typically used to write blogs, however it can also be used to create other informative content. Unless customized, the most recent post will always take first place on the blog's feed. The post system is dynamic in that it can be constantly updated as needed. Pages WordPress pages are static meaning the content typically stays the same. These pages are usually where the sub-pages of the site are found, such as Services, About us, Contact, etc. You can always edit this content, however static pages are not usually updated often. Categories Categories are used to organize blog posts, which will enhance the user experience and allow users to filter results at their discretion. If a user is searching an internet marketing blog, but only interested in Search Engine Optimization Tips, they can click on the SEO category in order to filter out results. Tags Tags are similar to categories, except tags will explain your posts in more detail. Many clients ask who will see my tags? Tags appear in the topics listing, which increases your chance of more WordPress. com users, viewing your posts. These terms are the most commonly used when using or referring to WordPress. Getting yourself better acquainted with these common terms can help you move forward in learning how to navigate this content management system. Look out for part 2, where we go further in depth on explaining additional WordPress terms. --- > Discover the negative effects using WordPress plugins can have on your website. If you're using too many plugins your website could be in serious trouble. - Published: 2015-11-16 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/wordpress/why-you-shouldnt-use-wordpress-plugins/ Trends come and go throughout the internet, yet WordPress seems to be here to stay. At Logic Web Media, Long Island's leading web design and development company, we have experience recovering websites that have been flooded with excessive plugins and code. If the face of your business is reliant on a third party, non-verified plugin, this could be very dangerous. WordPress is always updating in order to ward off hackers, if the plugin you installed is not compatible with the most recent update, you'll have a serious problem. Now lets back track a bit for those of you unfamiliar with WordPress. . What is WordPress? WordPress is an open source Content Management System (CMS), this platform is free and can be used for developing websites, blogs and even e-Commerce websites. Logic Web Media employs a team of WordPress developers proficient in many facets of the online website development world. What is a Plugin? A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that allows you to extend the functionality of your WordPress website. A plugin can help your website perform functions it's not normally set up to carry out. How do they work together? Plugins can be installed onto your website, in order to allow specific functions to perform. These functions can be as simple as integrating a contact form, or as complex as transforming your website to an e-Commerce store. Plugins work together with WordPress to give the basic internet user the ability to build their own website, however out of the box without plugins there's limited functionality. Not all WordPress plugins are created equally. Therefore, if you chose to install a plugin onto your website, rather than have a web developer code it for you, understand there are consequences. If you're choosing not to update WordPress out of fear the plugin will not be compatible, your website will become more susceptible to hackers. In these sort of situations your best bet is to hire a web design and development company to custom build these functions. At Logic Web Media, we’re designers and developers first, any functionality available in a plugin can be seamlessly integrated into the code of your website. With years of experience building custom websites, we can say with confidence, plugins are not the replacement of web developers. Plugins may be acceptable for adding functions to a simple blog or a small shop using WordPress for a web presence. However any person who is serious about succeeding in their online business should not use plugins. Possible Harm WordPress Plugins Can Cause Plugins can break your website. Some plugins can slow down load times which is bad for search engine optimization. When your plugins are updated they can cause glitches within the website. Updating WordPress can cause your plugins to stop functioning. By having web developers custom build your websites functions, you never have to worry about your site crashing after an update. Logic Web Media's team of web professionals can build custom code for any website big or small. Using custom code will safeguard your business and make sure every click counts. Although there may be circumstances where plugins can be used real web developers should be able to code and design everything without WordPress, plugins or frameworks. --- > Learn what Googles quality update really means for the future of search engine optimization. This post shares the factors google will consider when judging quality. - Published: 2015-07-08 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/what-you-need-to-know-about-googles-quality-update/ Long Island web design company, Logic Web Media explains google's quality update and how it affects your search rankings. After the clear unleash of google's mobile-friendly update named Mobilegeddon, many we're surprised by yet another update only weeks later. Google's quality update unleashed on May 19th, causing many search engine optimization followers to be startled. In the world of search, this update was dubbed Phantom 2, because it was the 2nd nameless update to be released in two years. At first glance many search marketers were suspicious their rankings dropped because of the mobile-friendly update. However, it was easy to prove this assumption wrong because many of the sites affected were clearly mobile responsive. What is the Quality Update? In broader terms the update means sites which carry higher quality will display higher up on SERP's. Updates from google are always happening, "Our general goal is to make sure that the quality of the search results are really as high as possible," said John Muelleer, a Webmaster Trends Analyst. It was confirmed during a google+ hangout the update was a normal algorithm update focusing on the quality of your data throughout your entire website. This means websites are being penalized as a whole rather than just specific pages. If your domain has to many spammy pages it will harshly affect the entire site instead of specific pages which has happened in the past. Many how-to sites noticed large declines in their sites overall traffic. Although not all of the pages within the site were lacking quality, the new update affects domains as a whole. How Does Google Measure Quality? Unique Content Content to Pages Ratio Click Through Rates User Experience Link Relevancy Mobile Responsive Ad. Relevancy Keywords Page Architecture It all starts with creating valuable content. Content is the gateway to engaging users and possibly getting them to link to, or share your site. Having quality content will keep visitors on your site, which in turn lowers bounce rates and increases your sites stickiness (anything on a website that keeps your visitor on the page longer) of your site. Accurate content will allow google to properly match your webpages to the correct search results. For more strategies on getting better results in google check out our 10 quick tips to enhance SEO post. SEO Practices that Negatively Affect a Pages Quality Scraped content: This means taking content from other sites and publishing it as your own, also known as plagiarism. Incorrect redirect links: Linking is meant to enhance the users experience, incorrect redirects negatively affect your link strategy. Only using rich snippets when applicable: Rich snippets are a great way to provide extra information under search results. Google only allows them to be used for events, products, recipes and reviews. Building pages that have no original content or thin content. How Logic Web Media can Help? Logic Web Media specializes in web design, development and search engine optimization. We use our proven methods to implement aggressive SEO tactics to help get you better results or rankings in google. If you'd like help navigating through the world of search marketing give us a call today! Get Better Google Rankings --- > Discover the results of Google's most recent mobile friendly algorithm also known as mobilegeddon. This article provides insight into how websites were ranked after the update. - Published: 2015-06-30 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/search-engine-optimization/how-mobilegeddon-affected-search-engine-optimization/ Larger Than Penguins... Pandas? The afore mentioned “Mobilegeddon”, also known as Google’s Mobile Friendly Update had web masters and site owners nervous after Google’s Zineb Ait Bahajj had been quoted saying that the impact from this update will be larger than both the Panda and Penguin algorithms during SMX Munich. In addition, Google’s Gary Illyes was also quoted mentioning the size and scope of “MobileGeddon”, also stating that the impact is going to be bigger than that of Penguin and Panda. With all the hype and clamor going on about the Mobile Friendly Update, the new algorithm was viewed as being massive in scale potentially dangerous to many web sites. So by now you might be asking just how bad is it? Or was "Mobilegeddon" just a typical update with no real effect? A study was done measuring the effect that “Mobilegeddon” had on the Internet and who its potential victims were. The study monitored the top ten results for 15,235 search entries in the week April 17th (one week before the algorithm officially rolled out) and once again during the week of May 17th. Not only did the study gather ranking information but it also determined which of the sites being monitored had utilized mobile friendly layouts or implemented a “responsive design”. With this information we can now see the true nature of “Mobilegeddon” and how Google’s newest update will change the landscape of the Internet. The Aftermath Now the information has been analyzed, we get a pretty clear picture of what happened and what is going to happen in the coming months. The top sites that already utilized a mobile theme or a responsive design went up in rankings but not by much, while the top sites which did not incorporate a responsive design fell in ranking. Its also important to note that study tracked which sites had implemented mobile designs after the algorithm’s roll out and how Google ranked them after their changes were made as well. It turns out that the sites which were previously not mobile friendly but then made the switch to using a responsive design went up in ranking, even more so than the higher ranked sites that already incorporated mobile friendly layouts. But why? Well the short answer is that the sites with the highest rankings already utilizing responsive themes simply did not have much space to grow in terms of rank. New Beginnings For Web Development And SEO Now that some time has passed since the Mobile Friendly Update has rolled out and studies have been done, its safe to say that Google is all but demanding web sites to incorporate mobile friendly and responsive designs. They’re doing this so that anyone can find what they’re looking for across the ever growing collection of devices and new ways we have to connect to the Internet. This means that in order for your business or message to stay relevant in the eyes of Google, you must utilize a responsive design in your web site or it will get left on the Internet wayside while your competition speeds past all the benchmarks you’ve set for yourself. This new update can be a blessing or a nightmare search engine optimization, commonly referred to SEO. This how Google will decide who lives withing this new world they're creating. Here at Logic Web Media, we've guided many Long Island business's and site owners through the labyrinth that is the Google ranking process. We've been at the forefront of Mobile Web Design for years now so for our clients this new update has skyrocketed their sales and brand awareness. --- > A history of Social Media, where it came from and where its going. The internet is a mecca for news, information, shopping and is continuing to grow. - Published: 2014-12-05 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/history-social-media/ I remember when we got our first computer. My father won it in a contest and came home with this clunky, mysterious machine. We were in awe of it yet, frankly, had no idea how to use it. It came with a virtual reality device, but unfortunately, we were never able to use it correctly. My parents seldom used that computer-- my brother and I played Wolfenstein and Doom on it. After AOL (America Online, for those who did not have the pleasure) hit the scene, I began my earliest experiences with social media. However, we didn’t really think of it like that back then. I connected with high school friends, chatted with people from all over the country, and even had an internet girlfriend. I accomplished this at a snail's pace, with the phone line connected to a modem (not that there was any other choice). The tables have turned. Throughout the world, there are an estimated 4 billion people on the internet right now. This number will only rise as the world population increases. People are using the internet for all sorts of different things-- news, research, shopping, communication, and of course, social media. In this “blast from the past” blog post, let’s take a look at the different iterations of social media. Social Media: A Blast from the Past Sixdegrees. com What began with sites like AOL, BBS (Bulletin Board System) and Compuserve eventually grew into Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. But before all of those websites, we had Sixdegrees. com. Launched in 1997, Sixdegrees. com was the first modern social networking websites. By giving each user an individual profile, users were able to view other profiles, organize groups of people, and most importantly, invite their friends to join the website by making a profile. As the name of the website indicates, the idea behind this specific network was that members would eventually branch out and communicate with their connections’ connections. To further this, founders of the website strongly encouraged inviting new members to the website. Unfortunately, many grew tired of these tactics, and the fact that the website had become a network of loosely associated users, with an otherwise spammy interface. Shortly after the turn of the century, the entire website folded. Friendster In 2002, social media really came into its own as an internet institution with Friendster. Friendster was designed and configured exactly like a dating website, except its goal was to enable people to find friends with similar interests. This identity was integral to its conception and marketing strategy. With Friendster, the mutual friend gimmick took a backseat to the idea of building circles of friends. At its peak, Friendster had 3 million users. This social network is now essentially obsolete. LinkedIn LinkedIn emerged during the same time as Friendster, and had more ambitious goals. Rather than giving users another chance to make golfing buddies, LinkedIn sought to help professionals network with each other. While one might choose to befriend a classmate, neighbor, or another person from cyberspace, the website was largely intended for business professionals to interact with other business professionals. To reaffirm that distinction, LinkedIn refers to what many social media channels would call friends as connections. LinkedIn is still alive and well today, and is considered a must-have for executives and job-seeking college students alike. Myspace At one point, Myspace was the social media channel of choice. It attracted young adults and college students by having user-friendly and easily customizable profiles. Myspace also made it easy to incorporate music, music videos, and other features that allowed users to express their interests. In fact, Myspace capitalized off of its identity as a “new and improved” version of Friendster. Eventually, Myspace’s popularity died down, and it is viewed by many as a precursor to what came next. Social Media in the Modern Age Facebook Facebook. That definitely sounds familiar, right? Facebook is by far the most popular social media channel today, with over 1 billion users from all around the world. However, it didn’t start as a website that out-of-state grandparents would use to find out about the activities of their grandchildren. During the good ol’ days, Facebook was a way for college students to share a digital space. Founder Mark Zuckerberg conceived the idea as a way to expand and simplify the physical “face book” that Harvard students would have to see the faces of students with whom they shared dormitories. However, the social network quickly grew to include other college campuses and high school students. In 2006, Facebook was opened to the general public, and the rest is history. Facebook was successful early on due to a few reasons. What Made Facebook Appealing in the Beginning? Open API: Rather than merely linking to and/or embedding apps and games, Facebook allowed developers and programmers to build these apps within Facebook itself. EdgeRank: While no longer in use, EdgeRank was integral to an early Facebook user’s experience. Like Google, Facebook has never been forward about how posts rank higher in their algorithms. Internet experts have, however, theorized that these three factors play a key role: Affinity: The amount of interaction that occurs between two profiles. The more that one user interacts with a second user’s posts, the more that the second user will show up on the first user’s feed. Post Type: Photos and videos were prioritized over links, and links over plain text posts. This hierarchy had a great impact in shaping news feeds. Age: To keep posts new and relevant, Facebook prioritized the newer posts over older posts. “Like” Feature: The ability to engage with another user simply by clicking a “like” button is part and parcel of Facebook’s successful strategy. This feature has become so popular that it now appears as an option on articles and products not affiliated with Facebook. Now, Facebook is still one of the most popular ways to connect with friends, family and others. Facebook is also a popular destination for marketers to sell products and expand brand presence. Social Media Platforms on the Rise There are a few channels that have recently come into prominence, and show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Twitter: Notorious for its restrictive 140 character per tweet limit, Twitter is popular among journalists, politicians, celebrities and others for its ability to quickly disseminate brief messages. Instagram: In social media marketing, including a picture with each post is key. And with Instagram, it’s mandatory. This picture-only channel focuses on curating visual content, and has over 700 million users. Google+: While it’s not nearly as popular as the search engine it’s named after, Google + is appealing to many businesses. This is primarily because the content can be integrated with the business profiles that appear on the right side of the SERP for businesses. The Future of Social Media Who knows what could come next? With the advent of Google eye-glasses, it seems that there will be even more integration between social media and virtual reality. Social media has certainly come along way since the days of chatting with strangers on AIM. The future of social media seems promising, and exciting. In the future, we may see a community-run and advertisement-free website, which would likely improve the user experience. No matter which social media channel is in the spotlight at any given moment, engagement is key to pursuing a high-exposure rate. Long Island Social Media Agency As a full service web marketing agency, Logic Web Media is experienced in helping small businesses to gain and retain social media followers. We excel in engaging with customers and creating new content to attract new customers. Contact us for more information. --- > Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website or landing page in order to convert your visitors into customers. This internet marketing tactic can be vital in driving sales. - Published: 2014-05-13 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/conversion-rate-optimization/ So you have an E-Commerce store but having trouble selling? Well you are not alone! Here at Logic Web Media we have custom designed and developed dozens of E-Commerce stores and we are gaining clients everyday. Online shopping is all the rage these days and especially when you are selling specialty items that you can't find just anywhere. The problem that we see is that there are literally thousands of E-Commerce stores just like yours that are all competing for the same customers. Here at Logic, we are experts at SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and have gotten great results for out clients. We use our proven SEO techniques to bring our clients to the top of Google search results. However, just because people are viewing your site does not mean people are purchasing from your site or becoming repeat customers. It is at this point when we start talking about Conversion Rate Optimization. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website or landing page in order to convert your visitors into customers. This internet marketing tactic can be vital in driving sales and honing specific areas of your online presence. You can't sell a Mercedes when you show up in a beat up hooptie. If your website shows you are professional, is pleasing to look at, is easy to navigate and everything works, then you are a step ahead of tons of competitors. For our clients that come to us with an existing e-commerce site, our first focus will be on updating and re-designing. Make Your Site Mobile Responsive If your site is not mobile-responsive, then you are missing out on a ton of benefits. Even if your website is in the top 5 Google results, your site will absolutely be skipped over when a person cannot easily view it from a mobile device. Mobile devices are game changing in the world of e-commerce. The annual mobile commerce grew more than 81% between 2011 and 2012, and this is likely to continue to increase substantially over the next few years. Analyze & Track Your Traffic In order to successfully convert visitors into customers we examine who visits the page and tailor the site and search to fit their needs. By figuring out the customer’s intent we can create a simple hassle free design that will help the purchase be as smooth as possible. We use the latest tracking softwares to help us to analyze the user’s behavior with data based metrics. After analyzing behavior we have copious methods to heighten consumer’s engagement. Edit, Analyze, & Repeat Once we have gathered the necessary information, we can then start optimizing your site where it is necessary. By editing the content, adjusting your "Call to Action" elements (e. g. - "Buy Now," "Sign Up," "Get Started," etc. ), adjusting the click-through process and cleaning up the navigation, we will create a more buyer-friendly experience. The results take time to be seen, but we will watch closely at what works and what does not. Once we have analyzed the results of the changes made, we then begin to make further edits to improve upon your CRO. Added Benefits of CRO Although the goal is to generate more revenue, there are some added benefits to optimizing your site. Let’s take a quick look at why some key aspects to why CRO works in more ways than one. By improving user’s engagement and decreasing bounce rate you are also staying up to date with Google's constant changing algorithm and getting higher rankings By tailoring the website to fit the customer’s need you are providing them with a better experience which in return gives your brand a positive perception Testing the results will give you an in depth look at your customers, causing you to learn more about what they like and works for them Being a step ahead of your competition and staying up to date will keep you relevant and up to speed with your consumer --- > Filter Bubbles - The original intentions of the internet was not to bring us solely relevant information. What was once a tool to introduce us to new ideas and... - Published: 2013-09-23 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/filter-bubbles-beware-helpful/ Filter Bubbles: Beware or Be Helpful? The emergence of the internet pushed aside the human gatekeepers of information. These gatekeepers from Fox, CNN, etc. are the editors that control the flow of information in broadcasting. With the growth and expansion of the internet came an opening of free access to all information and connections. However, there are new algorithmic editors that are now filtering our information. This is becoming known as "The Filter Bubble". When Mark Zuckerberg was asked in an interview about why some posts were being removed from people's newsfeeds he said that people may find a small animal dying on their lawn more relevant to their interests than people dying in a foreign country. If you've checked your Instagram feed lately, what he's saying isn't too far off. The idea is that with personal search, the algorithm will deliver a more useful experience to us. The algorithm will take information from what we click on, view, and subscribe to in order to give us customized results. Facebook, Yahoo, Google, are all doing this invisible editing of our web based on the new algorithm. I understand how this may be helpful in getting from point A to point B... like if you are in need of a vacuum repair in Lolo, Montana or are looking to solely dress in vintage reproductions. Yet the problem that Eli Praiser and others are speaking out on is about losing the abstract, new, and possibly uncomfortable ideas in our searches that bring new life into old patterns of thinking and behavior. The original intentions of the internet was not to bring us solely relevant information. What was once a tool to introduce us to new ideas and people, is now leaving us isolated in a web of one. Put it to the Test! In Eli Pariser's TEDtalk, he experimented by having a friend Google the same word from their respective computers. The results were quite different. I tested this personalization experiment by asking a friend to Google "golf" and screen shot his results. My results (being a female blogger with interest in random facts and today's news in article form) received quite different results from my male friend (whose results showed where he could go golfing nearby and for how much). I particularly enjoyed (quite sarcastically) the listing in my search results for the website "America's Golfing Couple"- a charming website for lovers on the back nine. You know nothing Google! So What Does it all Mean? So what do we do from here? It seems that the fate of our searches lie in the hands of these internet moguls. While we understand that their intentions are probably (probably) to help users have an easier time getting what they need right now, the ramifications of this algorithm could be bringing us a future of truncated information. There are a few ways that you can turn off personalization and so-called relevancy. One of the simplest ways is by clicking "More Search Tools" link and then click "Verbatim. " This isn't a permanent solution, but it is a good way to see a contrast of the search results a specific query will throw at you. --- > World Wide Web - So, what's the guy who changed the world (and was Knighted for it) doing these days? Besides talking a lot in front of eager... - Published: 2013-09-06 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/guy-invented-wold-wide-web/ While working at CERN as a software engineer in 1989, Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. CERN is a large particle physics laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland where many scientists participate in experiments around the world. These scientists were eager to exchange data and results but were having difficulties doing so due to the distance. Berners-Lee describes the creation of the world wide web as an act of desperation. Most of the technology that is involved in the world wide web was already present, such as hypertext and the internet. Berners-Lee just linked them together into a lager imaginary documentation system-a web. He combined hypertext with the internet and connected that with the Transmission Control Protocol and domain name system; thus giving birth to to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The first ever website was about the WWW project itself. The 1993 copy of the original still exists at its original address. The site was set up so visitors could learn about the web and access details for creating their own web pages. Despite some small changes, the three fundamental technologies remain the foundation's of today's web: HTML, URI, and HTTP. These acronyms changed the way the entire world operates and communicates. So, what's the guy who changed the world (and was Knighted for it) doing these days? Besides talking a lot in front of eager nerds and running the World Wide Web Foundation, he's working on some new developments to continue to revolutionize his already revolutionary idea. Firstly let me say this: the things that happen with the web has far surpassed anyone's expectations at its inception. The original website was built to exemplify a way to send information in document form. What we do here at Logic and what other web developers do (though let's face it, not as well) is manipulate files in the web to look great and do cool stuff. What Berners-Lee is doing now is getting web designers and developers to not get lost in the design and forget about the importance of raw data. The term he is using as the future of the world wide web is "Linked Data. " The best and probably simplest example of this is Wikipedia. When you go to a Wiki page, there's invariably boxes on the sides that has pulled data from the entry and will link to other descriptive information from the original data. The benefit of this is that a person can then explore other useful information and hopefully bring them to a better understanding of the original search. Example of Wikipedia's Linked Data The power of linked data goes way beyond the random "What the heck is that? Let's Google it... " that we experience daily. In Berners-Lee's TED Talk on Linked Data, he uses the example of government data being put on the web for everyone to view. Should these documents be linked, it enhances our relationship to it. We can then explore the information as it relates to our lives in business, school, etc. Programs such as "dbpedia" are being developed in order extract the arbitrary (linked) data and link it to other data and so on. Some questions that we may have for Google are far more complex. When utilizing linked data on our sites it creates a broader relationship than the typical hyperlink and makes the information extracted by Google (Bing, Yahoo, etc... ) more relevant. So... how do we do this? Berners-Lee in his article on linked data describes a 5-star system for developers: Basically, the guy who invented the world wide web wants us to do our part to create an incredible resource of data. The framework exists in his development of the web but now we are challenged to take it a step further by creating a more personal relationship to the data. He's the genius, I say we listen to him. Here's his TED Talk: --- > When you raise positivity, the brain develops "The Happiness Advantage." This results in job retention, more productivity and resiliency, and greater sales - Published: 2013-08-20 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/happiness-advantage-for-workplace-success/ I Think This Means You Are A Unicorn 7-year-old Shawn Achor was playing with his 5-year-old sister Amy, who just the week prior had broken her arm due to her older brothers rough-housing. Not learning his lesson, Shawn accidentally shoved Amy from the top of the bunk bed and watched as she crashed to the floor landing on all fours. In fear of getting in even more trouble he quickly attempted to ease his pained sister before she began to wail: "Did you see how you landed? Amy, I think this means you are a unicorn. " A face of horror quickly shifted to happiness as she bounced back up on the bed, excited to begin her new identity as a unicorn. Could the excitement and happiness from her brothers astute manipulation stop Amy's pain from ever coming? Shawn Achor researches people who are positive outliers- people who seem to be naturally well above average and positive. Studies show that it is not reality that shapes us, but the lens with which we view our reality. If we change this lens, we can not only change our happiness but every single business and educational outcome. Common belief is that we need to be successful to be happy, but it's more possible that the formula is backwards. Achor says that if we are to look at all the external factors of a person's life, we can only determine roughly 10% of their long-term happiness. What this means is that it is a common misconception that a person's external reality determines their happiness. Simple positive psychology can transform your organization. Awareness of the science of happiness can raise levels of engagement, productivity, creativity and happiness at work. There are many great resources for information about what Shawn Achor has discovered through his research. When you change the formula with which you view happiness and success, it is possible to change your reality. As a society, we believe that if were to be successful, we will be happier. However when a person is able to raise the level of positivity in the present moment, the brain develops what is known as "The Happiness Advantage. " This results in better secure jobs, better at keeping jobs, superior productivity, more resilient, less vulnerable to burning out, less turnover, and greater sales. Here are 5 easy science-backed ways to be happier:. 1. Exercise more- even just for 7 minutes- Exercise has a monstrous effect on happiness and well-being. It is actually a proven strategy for overcoming depression. Exercise releases endorphins and dopamine. Dopamine is know for it's feel-good effects, but it also makes the brain function better. It turns on all the learning centers of the brain. Exercising regularly trains your brain that your heavier matters. 2. Sleep more- Sleep helps our bodies to repair and recover, but it also helps us to focus and be more productive. One study shows that sleep affects our sensitivity to negative emotions. 3. Go outside- happiness is maximized at 57 degrees- Spending twenty minutes outside in good weather boosts positive mood, broadens thinking and improves working memory. The American Meteorological Society found that current temperature affects happiness more than wind or humidity. Keep your eye on the weather, 57 degrees fahrenheit is the magic number. 4. Meditate- Meditation is a practice that literally clears your mind. Studies of the brain before and after meditation shows that it calms parts of the brain that have been excited throughout the day. In today's speedy lifestyle, we train our brains with self-imposed ADHD. Meditation helps to focus on one task at a time, the task at hand. 5. Write down 3 gratitudes a day- Everyday write down three new things you are grateful for. It will train your brain to scan your day looking for the positives in life. Recalling a positive experience in your life over the last 24 hours allows your brain to relive it in the present. --- > If have a business that sells products or services, you need a mobile site. Mobile devices are used to search more than a laptop or PC these days. - Published: 2013-06-18 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/web-design/if-you-build-it-they-will-buy-it/ The reality is that most people are codependent with their phones today. Our smart phones tell us what clothes we should wear for the weather and the exact locations of our friends who didn't invite us out. They give us reminders when we are near certain stores so we can get that tube of toothpaste we forget we need until the exact moment that we need it the most and if you can think of it, chances are there's an app for that too. If you're running a business that sells products or services, you need a mobile site. Mobile phones and tablets are used to search products and services more than a laptop or PC these days. Have you ever looked up a website that wasn't responsive to the device you were accessing it from? It's frustrating, unprofessional, and completely useless. Most people will just navigate to the next Google result that is mobile-ready simply for the ease of the layout. Here are 5 advantages to making your website mobile friendly: 1. More Visits: People use many different types of devices to browse the web, do research, shop and just kill time. Having a mobile friendly website allows users to interact with your website and will decrease your sites bounce rate, which is the rate that users leave the site after entering it. Google takes bounce rates and mobile optimization into account when measuring your site's ranking. You may be an SEO pro, but without a mobile site you are bringing a knife to a gun fight. 2. More Usability: Websites that are not optimized often have image and text distortion when viewed from mobile sources. People will have no idea what they are looking at and can't read what's happening. Chances are that what you're selling isn't worth the hassle of straining or buying blindly. Your visitors are moving on... 3. More Competitive Edge: You will stand out among competitors with a mobile ready site. Even if you have no idea what you are talking about or have no idea what SEO actually is, your company will appear more modern and forward thinking. We are living in a material world, and we are all material girls: Image is everything. 4. More Interaction and Integration With Offline Media: Mobile sites have the ability to merge the online and offline. A great example of this is QR codes, which can be used to bring possible customers to additional information or a coupon for services. This helps you build a relationship with your customers. 5. More Sales: The statistics are all different when it comes to this, but an average number is 90% and we'll go with that. 90% of all purchases begin online. People make their purchasing decisions more immediately when they are on the go and have it at their fingertips. --- > With all the myriad of options for an iPhone case, we have to assume this gives an insight to our overall personalities. - Published: 2013-06-07 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://longislandwebdesign.com/tech-news/what-does-your-iphone-case-say-about-you/ At Logic Web Media we've spent the last several years as no strangers to the Apple world. Ok, we'll admit it... . we're Apple snobs! Mostly it's because Apple offers us unlimited resources in web design. But the style and design of the products we use are definitely keeping us interested. With all the myriad of options to adorn your iPhone, we have to assume this gives an insight to our overall personalities. Here's a list of the typical cases we see and what they say about you: The Purist: Your iPhone case is... well... . plain! Solid color case means you just don't want your phone to be scratched or squashed. You are practical and keep a roll of floss and chapstick on hand. I bet you invest in your 401(k) too, you commonsensical iPhoner! The Nerd: You got that from Etsy, didn't you? Whether it's got a mustache and glasses or it has an owl on it, it's sure to be whimsical and maybe a bit of a fad. When, exactly. did nerds become all the rage? Regardless, us nerdy web developers are quite grateful! I digress... The Adult Child: You drink diet coke and are obsessed with Snapchat. Chances are it's shaped like a bear or a cat or some other random cartoon character shaped from a rubbery material. Whatever it is, it sure as the sun doesn't fit in your pocket. The Blinged-out Diva: You watch Mean Girls and The Kardashians. The flashier the better and you love all things pink and glittery. Style trumps protection with this iPhone case. I'm willing to bet you bedazzled that thing yourself because you couldn't buy something that sparkles as much as you! The Butterfingers: You are no stranger to broken devices and death-by-toilet. The look of your case isn't as important as the protection you get when you've watched your iPhone crash down to the pavement in slow motion a half dozen times while yelling "Noooooo... " Your case resembles luggage and you are probably insanely neurotic. The Hipster: It's got a random abstract design or an image that looks like it was processed through an Instagram filter. It's probably made of recycled material and costs more to look cheap and old. You know all the functions of your iPhone and can compare it with previous models. Let me guess, you liked Apple before it was cool? Regardless, you now have to use the case to cover up the Apple logo 'cause that's the irony of life. The Designer: This one is familiar to us at Logic Web Media. This type of person wants to express them self the way no case can. When you are looking to shroud the most widely used phone in the world, you want it to be unique and personal to you. You have an eye for design are creative, fun and interesting... . or you want to advertise your awesome logo of your awesome company! --- ---