What is HTTPS/SSL?

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure is the communication between the browser and web server. HTTPS encrypts the communication between your browser and the webserver so that the data you transmit remains secure from external sources (ie your neighbour or the government). HTTPS indicates the websites authenticity and can be recognised by the green lock icon in the address bar.

HTTPS uses the protocol Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to achieve this. HTTPS and SSL have different meanings but most people in the SEO industry will use the words interchangeably as they effectively mean the same thing.

If you don’t have a domain name yet or thinking about changing your domain, please read this guide on how to choose a domain name.

Why use HTTPS?

Because Google says so! Google has officially declared that https is one of the 200+ ranking signals used for determining a site’s Search Engine Ranking Position. How much of a factor it is as a ranking signal is the big question. It certainly doesn’t weigh as much as quality backlinks or good on-site optimisation but every little helps, according to Moz.com search engine ranking factors for 2015, there is a correlation between higher website ranking and https.

Another important reason to use https aside from the SEO benefits is because it is due to be the industry standard in the future, and browsers are looking to display website address lacking https with a red X so that it appears broken and unsecure to users. This of course affects user experience, bounce rate and indirectly SEO.

HTTPS Setup and the Cost

I guess the biggest reason why people aren’t jumping at the chance of using https if it has additional benefits is because of cost and expertise required to set it up. The cost will typically set you back $100 a year and over $1000 for the more expensive certificates.

Setting up https/SSL does require some server and webmaster knowledge. Many hosting providers offer the service to set it up for free or with additional cost if you purchase the SSL certificate from them. I hear Hostingstep has some awesome coupon deals you could try out. If you are looking to set it up yourself, then make sure you do it correctly and have the following:

• Make sure the url is working – so https://via.vision works and the website can be viewed. This is obvious but many people set up their https whilst unable to visit their https address!
• Redirect all address to the canonical address which is the https version, for example http://graftene.co.uk should redirect to https://via.vision.
• Use 301 permanent redirect, not 302 temporary redirect.

The above tips will make sure you don’t lose any SEO points for attempting to use https on your website poorly.

Conclusion

The conclusion is that switching to HTTPS will have additional immediate benefits in the form of better security and hitting one of Googles ranking signals for SEO, as well as long term benefits as Google intends for all websites in the future to use https. So why not get in there sooner rather than later?

The obvious drawback is the cost and the sheer hassle of setting it up. You would first need to purchase a certificate from $0-$1000, and then configure your website and server to set it up. After that you would need SEO knowledge to make sure your new website address with the https does not affect your site ranking negatively. You can do this by following the best practices for setup mentioned above.

If you’ve recently switched to HTTPS or are thinking about it, let us know about your experience or if you have any questions post in the comments below.

If you’re still confused then our good friends at Blank are great technical seo consultants that may be able to help!

Ever wondered what UX Design is? You have probably heard your tech-savvy friends talking about it during a conversation – where you already have no clue what they are talking about. Not quite as confusing as IQ, PQ and OQ acronyms for the quality control industry but UX stands for User Experience. The experience of being the clueless odd one out is frustrating. Most of the time it makes you feel dumb. Continue on reading, as I’m keen to share what I know and enlighten you about the subject regardless if you’re just curious or wanting to branch out from your old discipline of design. So let me guide you through the “What”, the “Why” and the “How” of the subject. Basically the baby steps for now, because we’ll be here till the proverbial cows come home.

What is UX Design?

Starting with the question of ‘what is it’? It’s a User-Centric design discipline with several facets that need to be addressed and the User’s Experience (UX) is at the heart of it all. I know what you’re thinking… that was quite a mouthful to digest. Don’t worry, as I’ll break it down for you. As illustrated in the diagram below, it expresses a multitude of facets that create the user experience. It’s quite a detailed and thorough process; you’re essentially conceptualizing an experience and then creating it. As you can tell I’ve been emphasizing a particular word that is a defining factor amidst all of this: Experience. Because that’s what it’s all about.

The most common example of user experience is an interaction between the user and a systems user-interface, such as using a smart phone. You swipe left, swipe right and you press on the particular app you want to use. An easy experience for anybody. Features like this contribute to constituting a user Experience. However that is merely the beginning, as UX DESIGN essentially aims for a positive and memorable experience for the user and this is when the other factors come into play, even before the interaction. A good example for good UX is the iPhone by Apple. The iPhone UX is so simple it contributes to the brands image, reputation and fits very well. Fun fact even the marketing contributes to a good UX (such as stepping into the apple store itself).

The spectrum of User Experience Design

Why UX Design?

At this stage you’re probably wondering why is it such a big deal? It is a big deal. To put it quite simply: we are dealing with and catering to the needs of the user. It’s not rocket science. To justify the need of good UX is easy, because it has a several facets that constitute the experience as a whole. Websites have become bigger, more complex and brimming with additional features – this has taken away the simplicity from the user experience. Not only have websites have become bigger and complex but they have become more accessible from different devices other than just desktop computers; such as through mobile, tablets, and even the television! This has created a need for greater UX Design to tackle these problems. To simplify what is complicated, and to give users a better experience without sacrificing the additional features, and making it accessible on the many new platforms available.

How can UX be done?

Now we must conclude this article by settling the question of “how can this be done?” As I said before, it’s quite a thorough process. There are several tasks that a UX Design performs at different parts of the process, such as evaluations of a current system, Option A VS B Testing, surveys, wireframes and prototypes. The list goes on.

Example wireframe

For now let’s look at the technique of Wireframing as an example. As you can see this technique is pretty simple to grasp, because all you’re doing is just simply plotting how where features will be placed prior to development. If you’re resourceful enough, you can also do this on pen and paper.  Take into account these wireframes are derived from evaluations, testing’s, surveys etc.  So take your time at this part of the process. At this point the importance of UX DESIGN should be abundantly clear.

I hope this article helps you as much as it helped me sharing it.

Images credited to the respective owners:

UX Spectrum – http://randsinrepose.com/archives/a-design-primer-for-engineers/
Wireframe example – http://webarmy.co.nz/portfolio/
For a more in-depth read on UX check out this great UX Checklist

To ensure the highest usability and quality Google has launched their new update in their algorithm especially for mobile friendly usage all around the world. The update was over thereports/news for the last two months like a hot beverage. With being mobile friendly now a crucial part of SEO.

Launched in 21st of April Google named this update “Mobilegeddon”. It even sounds exiting, doesn’t it! In any case it’s new and it’s trendy and it should matter the most right about now.

Exmaple of GOOD and BAD

MobileGeddon FAQ

Some people might think that this new update is quite useless in fact it’s making things even worse. Some website are losing their momentum by the lower traffic since the update. But it isn’t trying to get any website out of business. Rather than hurt any single website or to hamper its reputation, Google is aiming for higher performance according to the new trend which is smartphones. Its main intention is to increase user’s usability to its fullest. And by far it’s achieving its goal quite nicely.

Some of the key features of Mobilegeddon:

• With this update you will be able to see mobile apps in their best ranking according to app indexing. But this facility will only be allowed for  users who are signed in.
• Mobile ranking factors will completely change its ways by determining through their new algorithm website rankings according to the site’s Mobile Usability.
• According to Google, most users will get more accurate search results which is suited for their device.

mobilegeddon facts

Reasons behind Mobilegeddon

Google has been considering for this new update for quite a long time, it’s not like that they invented it as a fluke. After careful consideration they have decided to verify if a page is mobile friendly or not. Most searches are from mobile devices.

The testing tool provided by Google will also determine and detect the issues of a non-friendly site so it’s fairly easy to update and fix the website.

Users searching through a mobile phone can experience this new update and its usability’s to the fullest. But other than that users who are using tablets, laptops or even desktop won’t get this feature. For those users the results will be the same as always.

The right thing to-do:

mobile friendliness

Google said this is expanding on its mobile ranking demotion algorithm launched back in 2013.

Google also said “Users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimised for their devices.”

This update in Google’s algorithm only effect mobile searches from Google, not any other devices. So, if one particular site doesn’t have good traffic according to Google then one probably shouldn’t think about changing it, it won’t be worth the time and money both.

Non-branded site queries are being demoted rapidly in the searches because according to Google it’s even worse to rank a website at the top which is not mobile friendly, even if you search for the exact same website. Updates can also be valid on per paged bases. So, making even a single page mobile friendly will not go in vain. UK Web GeekZ commented on the update and they have reported increased rankings for mobile optimised websites.

To check if your site is mobile-friendly, you can examine individual pages with the Mobile-Friendly Tester check the status of your entire site through the Mobile Usability report in Webmaster Tools.

Recently there’s been a huge buzz about the digital industry thriving in the UK, with countless of digital marketing agencies and tech startups such as self-storage comparison site like WhatStorage. Now is the most popular time for starting a digital agency in the country, especially in Bournemouth and Poole of Silicon South. Thinking of starting a digital business in Bournemouth? That seems to be the trend! Graftene, a Bournemouth based web design digital agency explain what they’ve learned while setting up their web development and digital marketing business.

Bournemouth, a coastal British town, is home to a number of creative digital agencies that provide services and products such as website design, app development and digital marketing services. It is the top emerging cluster of the digital industry with 24 percent of the start-ups created within 2013 and 2014. The digital industry has played the most important role in the UK’s economic recovery with new sectors and businesses emerging continuously. The first Tech Nation report has provided amazing insights of the current and ongoing situation of the digital economy in the country.

“12.4pc of our GDP is attributed to technology and digital business, that’s the highest in the G20. We are the most digital nation in the world and it is important that government policy makes the most of this enormous potential.”
-Baroness Joanna Shields, Chair, Tech City UK

What is Tech Nation?

Tech City UK is a Government supported Cluster Alliance dedicated to helping the digital entrepreneur and accelerating digital growth thus creating the ‘Tech Nation’.

“The digital sector is growing and creating jobs, economic growth, and national prestige. “ Says Baroness Joanna Shields, Chair of Tech City UK.

According to Gerard Grech CEO of Tech City UK, now is the right time to shine the spotlight on this exciting network of digital clusters, and map out the prospects for professionals and investors.

The Tech Nation Report analysed 47,200 digital companies in the UK and 2,000+ of them were surveyed. The results were fascinating. Even though the public had a partial idea of the flourishing digital economy in the country it wasn’t clear until now that it is the nation’s booming industry. But the research that shows how one of the top clusters of digital is Bournemouth is even more astonishing, no one was expecting that.

Bouremouth statistics-1

A closer look at numbers and facts

A cluster is an economic phenomenon formed of digital companies in a region. This is why the Tech Nation Report focuses on clusters as the core focus of the research. The nations digital companies are 98 percent small businesses, 50 per cent of them were formed from 2008 and onward. The largest increase being between 2010 and 2013 where Bournemouth took the lead with a high 212 per cent of emerging start-ups. Last year 56 percent digital companies in the UK saw a rise in their revenue, whereas this year 90 per cent are expecting a blast in sales.

The digital industry is outrunning traditional industries and new sectors of the digital are being born, creating a larger demand for new skill sets and more employment opportunities. It is expected to outperform the traditional industries in job creation by 2020; today, 7.5 percent of the UK workforce is employed in the sectors of this industry. In the Dorset area, 7,272 people are a part of a digital business.

Currently there is a skills shortage in some of the digital sectors, which is why agencies and initiatives such as the Bournemouth Silicon Beach festival and Digital Day Bournemouth are engaging in discovering potential employees and talented students from Bournemouth University. In fact,a major part of the digital businesses that were interviewed for the Tech Nation report stated that the reason of growth of the digital cluster in Bournemouth is due to the availability of talented individuals with key skills in the top growing sectors of the region.

What makes Bournemouth so special?

The most notable growth of the digital economy in Bournemouth is in the ecommerce sector. Last years revenue growth was 55 per cent, but this year this number has risen to a stunning 77 per cent.

According to the Tech Nation Report, the key benefits of the Bournemouth cluster are access to social networks and access to talent.

“Bournemouth has a vibrant network of meet-ups and events, feeding off its community of creative and app development agencies.”-Matt Desmier, Founder Silicon Beach

The top three digital industry sectors in Bournemouth:

• Marketing and advertising
• Ecommerce
• Games development and production

The top five capabilities of the Bournemouth cluster:

• UI and UX design
• Mobile and tablet development
• Visual and audio design
• Content and media production
• Digital marketing

Bouremouth statistics-2

Creative start-ups of Bournemouth

Graftene, as well as a number of the creative emerging start-ups of Bournemouth are part of these sectors. This digital agency provides services such as web design and development, logo and graphics design, digital marketing services such as SEO and mobile app development. It is a small business of five members, but this creative team could be the next little digital star of Bournemouth. Since their establishment they’ve kept their success rate on a high level, providing their clients from local and international locations with high quality websites and mobile applications. But what makes Graftene stand out from the crowd are the affordable prices they provide in the sector of growing competition.

So you want to be the next digital start-up in Dorset?

You’ve probably already thought about starting your own digital business if you haven’t maybe you should think about it. Whatever the case, now’s the right moment to go digital because the UK is blooming with the digital industry and it will continue for years to come.

But before deciding to start your own digital business there’s a variety of things to consider. Read on for some great advice that will help you start off.

Specialists and experienced entrepreneurs will agree that there is a series of steps that should be followed in starting your own business.

The core of these steps boil down to the following actions:

• Define your idea
• Define SMART goals
• Research the market
• Plan your business
• Find sources of funding, suppliers and possible partners
• Register and set up your company

Common mistakes and things that you should be aware of when starting a business:

• Risks and failures are a part of having your own business
• You must be ready to face all kinds of challenges and obstacles
• A major part of business failures is due to lack of planning, especially financial planning
• Hiring the wrong people can often be very harmful
• Inadequate research, especially of competition

Get help and support from other organizations and initiatives:

The Dorset Growth Hub is a business support programme founded by WSX Enterprise, the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bournemouth Borough Council and Dorset LEP, and funded by the Regional Growth Fund. The web portal offers extensive information and support for starting and growing a digital business. These include educational courses, online information and financial support in the means of finding grants or loans.

http://www.wsxenterprise.co.uk/

http://www.dorsetgrowthhub.co.uk/

http://www.dorsetlep.co.uk/

http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/

Other government organizations that provide help and support services for business start-ups:

https://www.gov.uk/starting-up-a-business

http://www.poole.gov.uk/business/business-support-and-advice/starting-and-growing-a-business-in-poole/business-advice-and-networking/

Tech City, the authors of the Tech Nation report whose mission and vision is to create a Tech Nation of Digital Business in the UK:

http://www.techcityuk.com/

Schofields Online are the go to for finding an accountant:

http://www.schofieldsonline.co.uk/

Start Your Own Business is a very informative web portal with lots of resources and information for new and growing businesses:

http://www.syob.net/

Outset provide free business start-up support programmes:

http://www.outsetbournemouth.co.uk/

Search engine optimization helps grow awareness and attracts sales eventually. The general rule of thumb for marketers is, if the customer wont buy on the first time then make an impact that when they think of a certain product they immediately think of you. We know the problem that is why Graftene have listed some of the best realistic solutions that are effective marketing tactic that converts to sales.

Here are the tips in getting the attention you seek.

1. Be different. Defy the norm.

   Be the purple cow, or the green ox. Stand out among the crowd. If you cant stand out then editors have no reason to publish you on front page.

2. Hire a good copywrite

   Spend on a good content writer to write about you and your company. Lets face it. A company that doesn’t have a real business owner will not be considered by the customers. A real life person showing up in their website and talking and sharing a little bit about their life and story shouts legitimacy in their passion to help out and that is what customers want to see and read.

3. Be Visual

   Utilize Visualal platforms like pinterest, google plus, facebook among others in reaching the mass media. Emotional intelligence is a skill set and your customers are in the social media 24/7. So why not be there and be in front of them.

4. Engage in forums, social media websites and emails

   Work with your team to create a successful email template to be used within the company. Update “about”page and social media profiles often to show genuine profiles that reflects the business expertise. And when people compliment your posts and company take screen shots, or video clips to show to as tangible testimonies.

Be unique but not off topic. Be a giver of information but not outlandish that will appear strange than intriguing. Just be the best version of yourself and your company and eventually the right people and possible the customers will notice you.