WHAT IS THE ACCELERATED MOBILE PAGES PROJECT?

As mobile computing continues to grow, speed is becoming a critical factor in how information is presented and the likelihood that it is viewed at all.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a new coding framework that websites can use to make sure their content loads super fast on mobile phones, tablets and watches.

How fast?
Almost instantly

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR ME?

Mobile phones and tablets are becoming the preferred tools to access the internet and even if your website has ‘mobile optimised’ web pages they can load slowly when using mobile data.

Research shows that webpage visitors that have to wait for slow pages to load were far more likely to leave the site without viewing the content.
That resulted in:

• Higher bounce rates ( which damage your Search Engine Rankings )
• Lost sales opportunities
• Reduced customer satisfaction
• Loss of brand reputation.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Most people are not aware of the AMP project as it is still gaining significance in the web world.

Early adopters have the opportunity to use the framework to deliver messages to a primarily mobile phone carrying marketplace (which is a majority of Australian consumers) ahead of the slower adopters.

If you have ever thought about increasing your perceived authority in the marketplace through writing informative articles , this is the time to do it.

Yes, you will still need to write content that your target audience wants to read, but a well thought out plan now will pay dividends in the future.

HOW WE CAN HELP

All SuperGeek clients with WordPress websites that are currently hosted with us through our SuperWeb partnership will be getting upgraded automatically to this new coding format over the coming weeks.

1. If you have a WordPress website and are not currently a client you can transfer to our hosting and you will get upgraded as part of the transfer process.
2. If you don’t currently have a WordPress website we can get you one that has the new framework up and running within 24 hours of project approval
3. If you have a site with us and need help understanding how to write for the web, how to use your framework, or how to attract a wider audience to your content – we’d be happy to provide some tips and tricks, or write articles that guide you through the process ( just ask below )

Remember we’re always here to help you to build a thriving business in the technology space, so let us know what you need.

SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is the process of online content creation that is designed to improve your website’s rankings in search engines such as Google, Bing  or Yahoo .

The goal of SEO is generally to ensure that your website is found on the first page of search results. This is because most search engine users will click one of the top results over 80% of the time; which simply means that people that rank higher get more traffic and more opportunities to make sales.

In the image below – the red circles identify Pay-per-click ads. The green circle is Organic, or Natural results – which can be improved by SEO

The Two Hats of SEO

SEO techniques that ‘play by the rules’ and follow the guidelines given by search engines is called White Hat SEO (the good guys). Techniques that push the boundaries of the search engine algorithms to try to unfairly advantage their websites are said to employ Black Hat SEO.

The rewards of Black Hat SEO can be enormous, allowing a site to quickly gain a competitive advantage over the market and ‘steal’ traffic from more established players. The risks however are also very high – as penalties imposed on sites found to be employing Black Hat can include an inability to ever get ranked again.

On-Page vs Off Page SEO

Search engines are designed to deliver the highest quality results to the user. To do this they scan the pages of a website but also the pages of sites that link to that site. This helps to build an overall picture of the authority of the site in a particular topic.

On-Page SEO relates to the quality of information on the page. In very simple terms it is a measure of how clear the topic is and how well it is presented. The search engines are looking for readable and informative content that is supported by as much media as possible ( audio, video, images ).

Off Page SEO determines the authority of a website. If lots of other websites link to your site as a source of good information on a particular topic your authority will be higher. Its a little bit like being seen as a professor or doctorate in that particular area, so just like the media may refer to those types of expert, so do the search engines.

Why SEO?

SEO is a long term investment. It takes longer to rank but the clear advantage is it takes much much longer to lose your ranking once you have earned your place online as an authority.

When done correctly SEO it is much cheaper and easier to maintain than other forms of marketing, especially when compared to solutions where you have to pay for each and every click to your website ( as is the case with PPC / Pay Per Click advertising ).

If you’re interested in SEO, confused, or just have a few questions, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

A website is more than just an online brochure for your business. A good website is a 24 hour sales person and virtual assistant that is always creating positive client experiences.

Too many websites laze around in cyberspace not paying their way. A website should be considered a valuable member of the team and the expense of building and maintaining it seen as an investment that has to make a return to justify it’s existence.

Do you have a lazy website?

There are two key ways that a website should be working for you; Actively by making money through sales and marketing, or Passively by saving time and automating processes for your clients and staff. Both can result in significant boosts to the bottom line

Active ways your website can make money for your business

1. Sell Products
   

   If you sell physical products, or have developed a digital (downloadable) product you can take these to market with an online shopping cart. Most ecommerce platforms are inexpensive to set up and easy to maintain. Combined with the right internet marketing they can be hugely profitable.

2. Sell Professional Services Online
   

   If you currently provide professional services that don’t require a face to face consultation in person you can broaden your potential market by having client meetings online. This practice is already well established in the European and American markets. Using services such as Skype or Zoom allows you to widen the geographic area of your potential clientele without reducing the value of your service offering.

4. Sell Your Value Proposition Better
   

   The presentation of your brand to market can have a huge impact on how the value of your products or services are perceived and how much you can charge for them. A professional looking website increases the likelihood of conversion, can shorten the sales process and increase the amount you can charge.

Passive ways your website can make money ( by saving money )

1. Automate business processes
   

   The hyper-connectivity of the online world has several advantages for modern business. Many online services now speak to each other and connecting business tools such as website, accounting software, team management tools and online booking systems is a snap. This can save enormous amounts of time and minimise the need for costly external professional services or internal staff members.

2. Minimise data entry time & errors
   

   A website connected to your internal customer relationship management systems means that from the very first contact their data is stored in an accessible format for you and your team. If there is the need for multiple data entry points your forms can be created in an online format that uploads new data against the existing client record. No more manual entry of data and the onus is upon the client to spell their names and numbers correctly.

4. Educate, Outline processes and minimise contact
   

   In most businesses wages are the main expense. Giving your clients a clear understanding of what is required from them and informing them of any process surrounding the delivery of your products or services is an invaluable way of conserving staff member’s time and energy. The ability to refer clients to pages on the website to discover answers via an FAQ or Knowledge Library is also a blessing for harried staff.

Want to know how to whip your website into shape?

There is a lot to know when it comes to web. The easiest  way to get a clear understanding of how you can best leverage your time and money online is to get an expert to cast a trained eye over it. One of our business consultants will be able to quickly spot opportunities to get your website working harder and discuss what you can do and any costs involved.

We’re always here to help, so when you’re ready to work your website harder, get in touch.