#Lean UX

[greenplumbboblover]

[WIP] TS3 UI "Krystal"

I figured it would be cool to finally publicly share what I've been working on behind the scenes, as well as some mockups!

A few of you on Patreon or Discord may have already seen sneak peeks/given feedback. I kept things quiet because I wasn’t sure I’d even do it in the first place as a next modding project, and I didn’t want to let anyone down.

Luckily, @lazyduchess’s Monopatcher made the job ten times easier. The biggest hurdle was that I would've had to make a core mod to override UI code (I’m normally anti–core mod), but the patcher solved that and let me push ahead.

(Psst, if you're looking at seeing the mockups bigger, I also posted this post on my site: Simblr.cc 😉)

Creating the Mockups

Fun fact: I actually have a degree in UI/UX design! (for websites) While principles like “How wide should this padding be?” or “Which colors send the right signal to the user?”—game UI is a whole different beast.😬

Main Menu

I started with the main menu:

Cut the SimPoints clutter and the “Buy TS4!” banner—after a decade, we get it exists 😉.

Grouped items into clean blocks

Added a text-free “Create New Family” icon

Swapped lot thumbnails for family shots (still baffled by EA’s original choice).

Dropped an options gear in the bottom-left; might label it if it’s too subtle.

Different backgrounds: one solid blue, one closer to the classic gradient.

A lil' sneek peek of where I'm at:

She's not finished, but it's definitely getting there! 😉

Load Screen

Not much has changed here! It's just less... busy I suppose, lol!

2 Different backgrounds to choose from

Moved the Game Tips to the bottom, so the main focus stays on that loading bar 😉

I also have a third option but I'm strongly leaning towards just having the loading bar as it's the most clear!

Live Mode

The hardest of them all lol. Kudos to EA for figuring that one all out! I really struggled with this one in regards to shape and what to even move around/remove!

I figured, it should be nice to pull really into that glassmorphism I've been using over the Mockups! Now I do realise that it can hamper user experience in the sense of not being able to read anything. But these are pictures! So that should be all fine and dandy.

The active item in the queue will now be more "visible". The queued item however, you'll see look a bit more "unactive" compared to what the current version has.

I also completely overhauled the thumbnails for your sims, showing their moods a bit better, and giving the active sim a tiny plumbob! :D

And now the real deal: The control panel! You might notice it's not the whole thing, but I'm still working on that part.

I removed the camera controls from the panel. However, upon feedback, I did hear that it's better to have them as some people are limited in their hand movements on their keyboard and that those controls are really useful. So I will make sure to share 2 versions :)

I also realised I completely forgot the Build/buy mode buttons 😬 So, err, stay tuned for that? lol.

Notifications I really just tidied up :p

I am aware that the space where the text is and the thumbnail is huge, and normally I'd wrap the surrounding text, but apparently in TS3's UI stuff that's practically impossible. Hence that they got this "2 column" effect to them 😉

About releasing the UI:

I'm hoping to release them all in bits and pieces! So first up is the Main Menu (and possibly the Loading screen given it's simplicity).

After that, I hope in my second "update" to release a big portion of Live mode, but that's a bigger task on it's own of course 😉

Any feedback at this point is also completely welcome by the way!

[xuchiya]

tug in the heart || jung wooyoung || one-shot

| genre: fluff. slice of life. enemies-to-lovers- kind of trope. office kind of trope. | mentions: wooyoung being a tease. teasing.

this is wooyoung's version of yeosang's one-shot.

Monday has passed, and now it’s 4:30 in the afternoon—every employee is clocking out, and so are you. The office hums with quiet chatter, the rhythmic tapping of keyboards filling the air as the late sun filters through the blinds. You stretch in your chair, glancing at the clock. Almost there.

Grabbing your bag, you leave your laptop and charger on your desk, planning to squeeze in another hour of work before heading home. You move around your cubicle when—

"Yah, are you really gonna leave like that?"

A familiar, mischievous voice cuts through your thoughts. Your eyelids flutter shut for a brief moment as you inhale deeply, already bracing yourself. You don’t even have to turn around to know who it is.

Jung Wooyoung. The walking chaos of your intern group. Ever since you joined the company as a UI/UX Designer intern, he’s made it his mission to get on your nerves. He takes the smallest opportunity to nitpick your designs—“That’s not aligned,” “The shade is slightly off,” “Are you colorblind?”—all just to push your buttons.

And, of course, you don’t let him win. If he’s annoying, then you’re his worst nightmare. You still take pride in the time you designed an interface so "user-friendly" that even he, a software developer, admitted it was complicated.

Let’s just say, the war never ends.

You roll your eyes and finally turn to face him. “Like what?”

Wooyoung leans against your desk, arms crossed, that signature smirk playing on his lips. The one that says he’s up to something. “With that tail of yours, of course.”

You blink, confused—until you feel a slight tug at your ID lace. It had become your habit to always leave your ID hanging on the back of your pocket jeans. Your breath hitches not because you were caught but because he’s holding it between his fingers, twirling the end like it’s the most amusing thing in the world.

“Seriously?” you deadpan, reaching to snatch it back. But he’s faster—of course he is. With a playful flick of his wrist, he yanks it just enough to make you stumble forward—straight into him.

Your hands instinctively press against his chest, the warmth beneath his shirt making your heart stutter. For a moment, the world stops.

Wooyoung tilts his head, clearly enjoying your flustered state. “Woah there, no need to fall for me so fast.”

Your face burns. You shove at his shoulder, scowling. “You’re insufferable.”

“But entertaining.” He wiggles his brows. “And you love it.”

“You wish.”

“Same thing.”

The bickering doesn’t stop as you both step out of the office, the cool evening air welcoming you. The food park a few steps away is already alive with customers, the scent of sizzling meat and freshly baked bread lingering in the air.

You pull out your phone, typing a quick message in the group chat: Stepping out to grab dinner with Wooyoung. Pray for my patience.

The moment you glance up, Wooyoung tugs at your ID lace again.

“Would you��” Before you can finish, he pulls just hard enough to throw off your balance. You stumble forward—

—straight into the path of a passing server.

Your eyes widen as the tray tilts, drinks wobbling precariously. Your body tenses, bracing for the inevitable disaster—

But it never comes.

Wooyoung is faster. His arm shoots out, steadying the tray just in time before it spills. The server exhales in relief, muttering a quick “Thanks,” before rushing off.

You, on the other hand, whirl on Wooyoung, heart still racing from the near disaster. “Are you serious?! Were you actually trying to embarrass me?” Your face heats up, a mix of frustration and lingering shame bubbling up. “Is this your way of taking things to the next level?!”

At first, he laughs—because to him, it had just been a joke. A harmless, stupid joke. But the second he sees the look on your face, the way your shoulders are stiff, your eyes glaring but also a little unsure—his laughter fades.

His expression softens, and before you can react, he tugs at your ID lace with a light flick, shaking his head. “Didn’t think you’d get that worked up,” he murmurs, almost to himself. Then, with a crooked smile, “Hey, you didn’t actually fall, right? ‘Cause I got you.”

Something in his voice—something quieter, almost careful—makes your breath catch. His teasing is still there, but it’s gentler now, laced with something else.

And then, just like that, he’s back to being Wooyoung. He lets go of your ID lace with a smirk and stuffs his hands into his pockets. “Seriously though,” he muses, “That guy is rushing and you weren't paying attention. Be careful. Can’t have you getting dragged away by your own ID.”

The ridiculousness of it should make you roll your eyes, but instead, your heart does an embarrassing little flip.

Before you can think of something witty to fire back, Wooyoung moves closer—closer than necessary. With zero hesitation, he slings an arm over your shoulders, his warmth seeping through your sleeve as he steers you toward the food stalls.

“Alright, alright,” he drawls, voice dipping into something undeniably sweet. “I was a little mean, so let me make it up to you. My treat. Anything you want.”

You narrow your eyes at him, suspicious. “Anything?”

He grins, tilting his head. “Anything,” he repeats, gaze warm, teasing—just softer now.

Jung Wooyoung was still trouble. Just… a different kind of trouble.

[thezombieprostitute]

Tech Tuesday - Introductions

A/N: Entirely written on my phone. Apologies for errors!

A/N2: This chapter is mainly an introduction to the setting and the majority of the characters. It'll be different readers for each character (give or take).

Ok, first day, very important to not make an idiot of yourself. That's been your internal mantra for the entire commute. You've been really hoping it'll help you out today.

You've gotten a ticket to take to IT for your new work laptop but you got lost trying to find your way there. You look around at the signs, trying to figure it out when someone gently coughs to get your attention. Turning you see a tall, lean man with short blondish brown hair and light blue eyes.

"Do you need some help?" His accent and soft tone help soothe your nerves.

"Um..." you hesitate. "I'm, I'm trying to find the IT department?"

His eyes widen as he smiles, "you must be the new hire." You nod and he holds out his hand, "I'm Jonathan, manager of the IT department. I'll show you the way."

He talks as he guides you to the one section of the building you hadn't been to yet.

"Here is our own little corner of the world," Jonathan gestures around the open area. "For a new employee you're going to want to talk to Jake." He points to a young man with spiky hair, glasses and a goatee who's talking on the phone.

"Ain't gonna happen for a while." A large bear of a man with a beard and a bald top, wearing a Lynyrd Skinner shirt steps towards you. "He's helping that little old lady on the third floor that never remembers her password."

"Ah, yes," Jonathan winces. "She is quite the talker." He looks to you and introduces the second man as Syverson. "We both run the department but Sy is better at managing the employees while I'm better at convincing the higher ups to give us a better budget."

"One of th' smoothest talkers I've ever worked with," Sy grins. "As far as your laptop, you wait right here an' I'll go get from Walter. He's our main hardware guy. Then we'll get...hmmm." He looks around as he ponders.

"Johnny is currently mid battle with that hacker he keeps toying with," Jonathan muses. "How is Ransom's mood today?"

Sy snorts, "same as always. Definitely don't wanna scare the lady away." He snaps his fingers, "Rogers!"

A head pops out of a cubicle, "you call?"

"Got a new employee," Sy explains. "Gonna need you to help her get her laptop setup." Sy turns and heads to where you're guessing Walter is with the hardware you'll need.

You turn back to where Steve was situated and almost jump at seeing him so close. He's huge but you didn't hear him at all! The big and tall blonde man's eyes are shining with enthusiasm.

He holds out his hand and you introduce yourself. "It's nice to meet you. Not a lot of new people around here lately. I work with the designs for our internal programs. Me and Bucky," he gestures back to his cubicle, "work together on the UX and accessibility stuff for the external website."

"That's impressive," you nod, practically hypnotized by his eyes. And his muscles, if you're being honest with yourself.

Sy returns and hands Steve the laptop. "Follow me," Steve smiles as he turns. You try your best to fight the urge to ogle his ass. It's your first day and you don't want to already make a fool of yourself! No matter how handsome these guys are.

Steve takes you through the setup. He's incredibly patient and kind. Plus his voice could keep your attention forever. He's going through some of the standard company security stuff when there's a knock. You both turn and you see a burly man with a beanie and a beard so full you almost miss the lip piercing.

"Hey, Curtis. What's up?"

"Bucky's out getting another coffee," Curtis starts. "Need you to tell him I've got the code worked out for the next update and need him to check the legacy compatibility."

"Sure thing," Steve nods and Curtis heads back to whenever he'd been.

"Don't you have an internal communications thing for this?" You're surprised that someone has to intervene in the communication.

Steve chuckles as he pulls out his phone. "Bucky never responds to work stuff while he's out, even just to a cafe. But there's a time crunch on this and I'm the only person he'll actually check his phone for."

"Oh," is all you can say.

Steve finishes his text and gets back to your training. When you're done you thank him for everything and he blushes a little.

"If you want I can help you with the physical setup at your desk?" He almost looks like he's pleading for you to say yes.

"It won't be a problem? I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Not at all," he assures. "Besides, I don't want to be here for the upcoming Bucky and Curtis debate."

You giggle nervously, "ok. And thank you!"

Tagging @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @ellethespaceunicorn; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @late-to-the-party-81; @lokislady82 ; @ronearoundblindly

Also tagging @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory to test if this post is working!

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

[eliotlime]

End of October Update

There's got to be a less clunky way for me to title these things but maybe I'll figure it out after a few posts.

Anyway at the top of the order I want to say that uh... the Abacelsus zine is not happening by halloween unforch.. I just started school part-time and it being part-time is still kicking my ass! So tentative release date will be on 11th November unless something else happens....

On the plus side I'm done with the cover so all that's left is the back page and cramming all 24 pages full of drawings 👍

-> As I've said at the end of my previous post I want to make more blog style posts so here's me trying to do that, more under the cut

🔐Abacelsus Zine

I'm still deciding on whether i want to print it A5 or B5 but I'm leaning towards A5, though for the digital release it doesn't really matter lol

As mentioned, I'm done with the main cover so I just need to fill this entire thing with stuff, I said 24 pages but really the total page count is 30. I'm just not counting the cover and the blurb stuff.

I'm half taking a break with this at the risk of burning myself out and half paralysed with starting it. Plus I've kind of been more into Axl & I-no hilariously but I'll always love A.B.A. I think the lack of any real info really lends her well to interpretation which is always fun.

I've never really been one to engage in fandom so I'm probably going to be doing my own thing. That being said if anyone has any suggestions feel free to drop them in my strawpage or ask box :)

🥤 Strawpage & General Socials

The bugs make my pages so decorative, I gotta draw more bugstyle guys.

Speaking of strawpage, I made one of those! It was really fun, I have a short OC info tab with descriptions of some of my main guys. I'd love for you to check it out.

This kind of acts as my ask box for twitter since there's not one there and apparently it's basically my main social media site these days so I'm just mirroring my experience here over there too.

Hilarious timing considering that it's basically collapsing on itself once again, I'll probably still be on that damn site until it implodes but I also have a Bluesky account for those that care about it.

The sky follower bridge extension is really useful for bulk following people from twitter to bsky

I'd love to post there more but there's not a queue function and that's very important to me as someone who is not American and lazy to remember optimal timings.

Did you see? I also have a new pinned for this blog! Wanted to make a new one for a while now, always thought the old one was so freaking long. All the old info is still on my about and faq page though I don't know who actually looks at those.. a relic from years past..

☹ School

Sigh, like I mentioned earlier I'm doing school again! At my big age, but I'm having fun so far! It's part-time but it's still kicking my fucking ass! It's the main reason why I'm a little disoriented this month honestly.

Do you like it? I spent an entire Sunday making my class miro board look niceys and then proceeded to get nauseous from cybersickness afterwards LOL

I'm doing a UI/UX course and I have to say the funnest part about it is making personas, it's like making OCs. Don't particularly like writing though.. but also that's a lie considering the numerous amount of paragraphs in this blog post alone haha

🎁 Merch

I've also gotten confirmation that I'll be boothing again next year in Febuary! So I gotta start locking into making more stickers and general merch. I say this a lot but I do need to look into opening an online store because I just have tonnes of stickers and stuff lying around waiting till the next time I do a convention which is kind of a shame.

Oh, but I will say that if you are from Singapore and would like anything from my previous convention catalogue feel free to shoot me a DM on instagram and I can mail it to you locally, shipping's $2 SGD.

➰Closing Thoughts

All in all, been kind of busy this month with school and various loose threads from September but overall I think I'm doing better! I've also been cooking lately and truthfully that's my biggest achievement this month haha, been also getting really into canned fish. Yummy!

Oh and a last thing is that I've been itching to animate again so I'll end this post with a WIP of a gif I did last night/morning. I almost always never finish my animations but here's hoping this one actually makes it to the colouring stage haha

No prizes to anyone who can guess who these two because of course.

Thank you for reading! I know I can't expect everything to be done in a single month but I just wish I could do everything without getting tired or cybersick! If you'd like to support me, here's my ko-fi page and my itchi.io & gumroad as well.

If you have any questions or just generally want to talk to me, my DMs and askbox is always open! Any professional enquires can be sent towards my email as well: eliotlime@gmail.com

XOXO, Stay weird!

-Eliot :)

[corishadowfang]

WAIT HANG ON TODAY'S THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO TALK ABOUT THE KHUX DIGIMON AU--

Okay. Okay, so, part of the main plot of KHUX is that they're stuck in a digital version of their world, and getting trapped in the digital world is just like...a standard Digimon plot, haha. So it doesn't take too much reworking to make the KHUX plot for this.

Basically, the idea would be that, instead of MoM recruiting kids to be Keyblade wielders, he's recruiting people to play this new virtual reality game. Each player gets teamed up with their own Digimon, and they log on to do daily quests, can join different groups, etc.

Just like in KHUX, Ephemer realizes Something's Up; in this case, he suspects the Digimon are actual, living things (we're really leaning on the standard Digimon plots here), and that MoM is recruiting them for some OTHER reason besides testing the game.

And...he's right! Basically, the digital world has some sort of entity that's slowing destroying it. MoM's familiar with the legends of "chosen children" partnering with Digimon to save the world, and is mass-recruiting people to basically like...brute force that. Like in KHUX, a lot of kids die for this. The Union Leaders end up being the designated "Chosen Children" and end up trapped in the digital world until they can save it.

...Of course, MoM doesn't actually have the power to choose the 'destined heroes,' so this goes awry. One: Skuld and Ephemer rescue the Player and drag them along with them, and Two: the entity MoM's trying so hard to get rid of catches wind of the plan and hijacks it. (The whole Ven and Strelitzia switch thing.)

There's a lot of stuff that plays out similarly to UX after that, with the caveat that they KNOW they're stuck in a digital world this time: they discover Ven's an imposter, the entity manifests to fight them, Ven and his Digimon sacrifice themselves to save the others, the world starts to fall, and they find a way out. The way out's still pretty flawed--it's something that Brain essentially hacked into the game--so people still end up in the wrong places/with spotty memories once they're out.

Skuld, Ephemer, and the Player still get stopped at the end by the entity, and the Player and their partner still fight them. In this case, though, they're fighting them to try and force them out--and staying behind to stall the entity long enough to force them to die with the falling world. It works.

Anyway, the UX crew and their Digimon end up in the real world, but separated, with memories spotty, though with the impression that they're missing something important. They'll probably go looking for each other eventually, but uh, that's as far as I've got for the moment, haha!

As for partners and where people end up:

Player would have Gatomon! (Gatomon -> Angewomon -> Magnadramon line) Partly because the fact that Gatomon is a cat like Chirithy, partly because Chirithy's English VA is the same as Kari's VA (Gatomon's partner in the anime). I imagine the OG Player ends up as like...a digital ghost after they die? Maybe Player 2 and the members of the Baroque Society are friends and end up poking through the remains of "Daybreak Town," and Player 2 starts to slowly pick up memories from Player 1, which starts to make their identity feel...blurred.

Ven's original partner is Lopmon (Lopmon -> Turuiemon -> Antylamon -> Cherubimon Vice/Virtue). Since Ven's a "pure light" in KH canon, I figured it'd be fun if he was partnered with the member of the Three Great Angels that was most famously corrupted. Lopmon is kind of... possessed and rebooted by the entity, and so doesn't get to escape with Ven. Ven ends up being found by Terra, Aqua, and Eraqus and taken in. (Not 100% sure what's going on with Eraqus and Xehanort; maybe they were part of the of the original, REAL chosen children, but they failed because the entity possessed Baldr and his partner and they killed everyone else?) Ven I think later ends up with a Pteromon he accidentally befriends, who encourages him to go looking for the things he's missing. (Maybe Eraqus reveals a little of his history to Terra and Aqua here because he needs to get Ven back? And sends them out with their own, newly-obtained partners.)

(Side note, but I think when Ven leaves the digital world the first time, he leaves behind a digital "copy" of himself that was influenced by the entity. This is Vanitas, who I think inherits a corrupted/reborn Lopmon. He has most of OG Ven's memories.)

@hallowed-nebulae said at one point that he'd probably pair Ephemer with Coronamon and Skuld with Lunamon so they could fuse into GraceNovamon for the final battle, and I honestly LOVE that idea. Alternatively, I could see Ephemer with Dorumon (Dorumon -> Raptordramon -> Grademon -> Alphamon) for the whole "leader of the Royal Knights"/leader of the Union Leaders" thing. Ephemer I think does the best job retaining his memories, though things are still spotty. He and his partner work on trying to rebuild the digital world.

If Skuld didn't end up with Lunamon, I think Gammamon (Gammamon -> BetelGammamon -> Canoweissmon -> Siriusmon) would be a good fit for the connection to the stars. I think Xehanort still finds her? If we go with the "Xehanort was one of the OG chosen children" thing, maybe he became like... obsessed with that and takes Skuld in because he found another one "like him." (Maybe he finds Vanitas, too, even if Vanitas is still trapped in the digital world? And trains him and Skuld together. Vanitas and Skuld interactions have Potential.)

(OH WAIT. Fun partner idea: maybe Skuld had Lunamon originally, but passes her on to Isa to protect her/because Xehanort has implied SOMETHING is going to happen and she wants to make sure Isa and Lea remember her, and THEN she gets Gammamon. Since GulusGammamon has a full line, I could see her having that at first, before moving into the main BetelGammamon line.)

(Also Gammamon's bandana reminds her of someone and she doesn't know who.)

Brain would get Keramon (Keramon -> Chrysalimon -> Infermon -> Diaboromon) because he says he's going to be "the virus that rewrites the program," and Keramon is a LITERAL virus. I think maybe Sigurd works for MoM and gets sent out to bring at least one of the UX crew in and try again? I'd guess that Brain realizes something's up at some point.

Lauriam would have Floramon (Floramon -> Kiwimon -> Blossomon -> BloomLordmon) because of the flower theme, and because Bloomlordmon reminds me of Marluxia, haha. Not 100% sure what happens with him; I kind of like the idea of him and Elrena doing their own thing? Maybe Elrena was part of the game originally, but had to quit playing or something, and she ends up teaming up with Lauriam after he reappears, since she knew his sister.

(Elrena I could see with Herissmon or Pulsemon? A little undecided there.)

Strelitzia gets Leomon. Just so everyone knows exactly what's going to happen to her :). (Okay, but outside of the "Leomon always dies" joke, Pomumon -> Parasaurmon -> Toropiamon -> Hydramon would work.)

The nice part of this AU is that the UX crew can actually all reunite with each other eventually! Since they're just scattered across space, and not time.

[eluviannaa]

As Per My Last Void Whisper

A friend just blew my mind. Write what you know took on a whole new meaning this week:

Friend: Elu manages corruption like a career

Me: it is her “career”?

Friend: yeah but who makes the void file tps reports 😏

And that's when the lightbulb went off. The Void as a metaphor for the artistic process—messy, unpredictable, yet full of potential when structured correctly. Making the abstract actionable.

Her approach, the ability to quantify and catalog the unquantifiable comes from something I know all too well: the challenge of making art/design/ux/ui understandable to software engineers.

Making something flowery and feel-y like say, why I chose to make something in the ui blue, becomes less “i just think it's pretty” and more “let's reference the established psychological framework for color along with the brand guidelines”. Because they will argue logic for all of your design decisions. But! You're the expert here, and you have logical answers. (So fun.)

Writing technical documentation, workflows, analyzing data, and presenting that work to entirely different disciplines seems so boring when you compare it to fiction/fantasy/rp. But I absolutely love it. With Elu being an academic, or at the very least a nerd, she brings that same spirit of rigor to her own world. And how she manages darkness becomes a theme that isn't so surprising after all.

Not to mention, satire and absurd humor are the best. All workplaces are ridiculous, but that was the easy part to lean into. The Void is chaos, but there's a method for dealing with the madness.

Write what you know, indeed.

[lucky0stars]

Can I request a ficlet of Ventus reuniting with past lover who died during the UX keyblade war and came back via reincarnation. Also hope you're having a good week!

Ooooh, I've been missing UX so much lately, seeing this request in the box immediately caught my eye and really got the gears turning! I know it's been a while for this one, so thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy this little ficlet!

And I hope your week is going well too!

**Reunion in Another Life - Ventus x Reader**

Words: 1741

----------------------------------------

For as long as you could remember, you’ve had such unusual dreams. Memories of a different time, you could almost believe, for how vivid they were: a distant town bathed in a morning glow, a fuzzy tabby cat with threaded eyes always following at your heels, and a boy with spiky blond hair and the sweetest smile.

It was the boy who lingered in your thoughts the most. He didn’t resemble anyone you knew, and you were certain that you had never met him before. You didn’t even know his name. But something about him was so innately familiar, enough to conjure a lightness in your chest every time you saw him in that far-away dream.

Though your time in those moments between sleep was always too brief, you could piece together a story. He was a constant companion of yours—the two of you had been inseparable from the moment you’d first arrived at the town. Often you’d both be accompanied by the bipedal tabby cats who frequently tagged along on your adventures, but just as many times it would be only you and him sneaking private moments together: wandering through the town side-by-side, or fighting yellow-eyed monsters, or sitting together atop the purple tile rooftops in the shadow of the clocktower.

That night’s dream was one of the latter. You could feel the cool early morning air against your skin, inhale the sweet smell of night flowers growing from the window plots above your head. It was just you and that boy climbing the vine-covered trellises to the top of the building, making your way out of the shadowy streets and into the pale light of dawn.

He was the first to reach the top. “Whew…” He braced his hands against his knees for just a moment as he caught his breath, but it wasn’t long before he turned to look over his shoulder as your hand finally grasped the purple tile rooftop. His bright blue eyes met yours as you looked up at him, and quickly he reached out, pulling you up with a gentle squeeze of your hand.

“Talk about a morning workout, right?” he said with a smile that soon turned a touch concerned. “You okay? That fence was kind of wobbly. You almost slipped back there.”

Your cheeks heated up as they always did when he looked at you like that. “Don’t worry, I’m fine,” you replied. “Thank you for waking up so early again to come with me here.”

His smile returned. “Of course! No way I’d miss this,” he said as the two of you turned to face the distant hills beyond the town.

You sat with him in comfortable silence on the rooftop for a while, watching the way the sky lightened and the clouds turned pink to banish the darkness of night. It wasn’t until the sun finally crested over the hills that you spoke again.

“Will we always be like this?” you asked. The cold morning air made you shiver, but as you leaned in against his shoulder and inhaled his comforting, brisk scent that was like the summer wind, you were filled with warmth. “Together?”

“Of course we will,” he said with sincerity, an innocent, earnest shine in his eyes. “And even if we’re ever separated, we’ll never be far apart.” He took your hand in his, letting your fingers intertwine with the gentlest pressure. “I’ll find you, always. I promise.”

And then as you always did, you woke up—his voice and that promise slipping away into the realm of sleep, leaving only an emptiness and ache in your heart.

Who are you? was the burning question that flitted through your mind as you stared at the bedroom ceiling, watching the morning’s rays creep in through the window like the sunlight that illuminated that town. You could see his face, hear his voice, almost feel his hand pressed against your own. But even when his name danced on the tip of your tongue, that hidden knowledge just as quickly faded away. Nothing, you thought with a sigh.

Well, there was no use getting worked up over it. It was just a dream, you reminded yourself, and not for the first time. No matter how often those dreams came, surely that boy was just a product of your overactive imagination. Nothing more than a wishful fantasy to keep your heart distracted and full until it was time to awaken.

You pulled yourself out of bed and forced yourself to move on with your day, blissfully unaware of what fate had in store.

The marketplace was bustling with activity as it always was in the early afternoon. Townsfolk wandered between the stalls to examine fresh produce, moogle-forged trinkets, and all manner of shiny goodies that were on display for anyone to purchase. Navigating through the crowd was a bit difficult, but you managed to go about your errands with a gradually increasing number of bags digging into your hands. By the time you added a fourth one, you decided to take a break and give your poor fingers some rest.

Slipping from the crowded marketplace stalls, you scanned your surroundings for an open bench or a table—somewhere you could sit. So busy were you, looking out past people’s shoulders and over scampering children’s heads, that you didn’t notice the diminutive creature wandering in your direction until you quite literally tripped over it.

“W-whoa!” a startled voice cried out at your knees. You could only gasp as you teetered off-balance, doing your best not to drop your bags while also trying desperately not to crush whatever it was that had been unfortunate enough to bump into you. Falling back, you hit the hard stone ground, the wind rushing out of your lungs and your bags collapsing in a disorganized heap all around you.

“Oh, no!” the startled voice exclaimed as something fuzzy and gray entered your field of vision. As you winced, bracing yourself up on your elbows and rubbing your head, you looked over at your apparent assailant—and blinked when a pair of blue threaded eyes met yours.

It was a tabby cat, soft and plush as a doll and standing on two feet, with a big round head and folded-over ears. A pink purse hung from its neck, jostling around as it frantically gave you a once over for any scrapes or bruises.

“Ahh, I’m sorry!” the cat said, pressing its paws to its muzzle. “I didn’t see you there… Are you hurt?”

Despite the cat’s concern and the dull pain that throbbed in your body from the fall, you could only stare in stunned silence at the creature standing before you. Images flashed through your mind, the ones that had filled your dreams—the same gray cat that had always been at your side, or at least one of the many you recalled from that town. A confused, disbelieving noise rumbled in your throat. “Y-you’re…” you started to say.

“Chirithy!” another voice, a boy’s familiar voice, cut through the chatter of the market, interrupting your thoughts. “Oh! Are you okay?”

You jerked your head up as someone came running over. The sunlight beaming down overhead turned the world around you blindingly bright, and you squinted at the silhouette that kneeled down over you.

You couldn’t believe your eyes.

He wasn’t exactly the same as in your dreams. His face was a little slimmer, a little older. His unruly blond spikes had grown out. But those blue eyes that stared at you, concerned and curious and bright, were just the same as they always were.

It was him. The boy from your dreams.

You’re… real?

By then, the crowd had parted around you, giving you and the tabby cat and the new arrival a wide berth. Maybe it was the way you were staring, wide-eyed and utterly speechless. The boy’s brows furrowed together and he reached out, bracing a hand against your shoulder to help you sit upright, a touch that sent a shiver down the length of your spine. “Hey, are you okay? Can you understand me?” he asked.

“Did you hit your head?” the little gray cat added.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, struggling to find your voice. When you couldn’t, you merely shook your head.

The boy gave a sigh of relief before his lips pulled into an all-too familiar grin. “That’s good,” he said, straightening up. He offered his hand to help you stand as well, but as you sat there and the two of you stared at each other, letting the seconds wear on, that smile of his began to change.

“Do I… know you?” he asked as he lowered his hand, confusion there in his eyes, but also something else—a lingering uncertainty, not-quite-recognition, that made your heart beat faster. “You seem… really familiar.”

“I don’t know,” you said. “I think…”

Suddenly you were in a different time, a different place. The sky was dark and angry, filled with blackened clouds and the icy drum of rain on a dry and ravaged landscape. The sounds of battle echoed over the wasteland: metal clashing against metal, magic crackling through the air, and the panicked cries of the other children you had once called your friends.

You lay in the dirt on your back, facing the stormy sky as your breathing became more haggard, and your fingertips turned numb and cold. The darkness began to creep in at the edges of your vision, turning your eyelids heavy.

I can’t… I can’t let it end here. We’re supposed to be together, always.

Your body was getting weaker, but all you could think of was that day on the roof when the two of you sat side-by-side and he held his hand in yours. Your hand slowly closed as if he was there now within your grasp, like a lifeline to cling to.

You’ll find me, right? You promised.

“Ventus…?” you whispered, the name tumbling from your lips in the present as memories from a lifetime ago flooded through your head.

The boy’s eyes widened. He stared at you for a few long moments, searching your face. And then finally, after what seemed like an eternity, something sparked in his blue irises that made you hold your breath. The faintest inkling of recognition.

He smiled, gently this time, and once again held out his hand to you.

“Yeah, it’s me. It’s Ven.”

----------------------------------------

-Mod Orna

[eightyonekilograms]

I want to lean more heavily on the "rely on device mode" thing for light mode/dark mode, especially when using winter lighting, but applications aren't really cooperating. Most programs look fine in light mode and look like shit in dark mode, except Discord which is exactly the opposite. It seems like every application has a "main" theme that gets all the UX care and attention and the "alternate" theme which gets the crumbs.

[cq-studios]

For the friendship ask game: 'games' for the UX crew!

(For this)

Okay, I’ve done some thinking, and after suppressing the primal urge to choose Warewolf/Mafia, I’m thinking the NULs would actually rotate who chooses the games

So for individual games… (not taking into account when each game was made… because I could deep dive into what board games were popular in the 40s and how to play them but I don’t want this post to take 5 hours so that’s for another time lol)

(Imagine it in a modern AU, I guess)

I think Ephemer is nosy enough to choose truth or dare but he also strikes me as someone who’d really enjoy a good round of Cards Against Humanity. He probably suggests one until the others are sick of it, than switches gears lol

Brain would like more analytical and strategy based stuff so I think he’d generally lean more towards something like chess, Mastermind, or, uh, Chickapig. Those aren’t really party games though, so more in terms of that I think he’d choose a general knowledge trivia game like Trivial Pursuit (although I’m sure he’d have more hyper specific ones hidden away that no one ever agrees to playing).

I think Skuld’s go to would be stuff along the lines of Catchphrase, or Charades and Pictionary for a quieter game night. Though, similarly to Ephemer, I also think she’d enjoy Cards Against Humanity. Maybe in this universe they played that with their party lol

Now you’re gonna have to hear me out with Ven, because it may sound weird at first, but Just Dance. Like you ever just pull up one of the dances on YouTube and not care about Wii remotes so you can play it with as many people as you want? That’s what I’m talking about. I feel like he would make everyone to do a Just Dance with him. He strikes me as someone who’d make everyone do a Just Dance with him.

Lauriam, I’ve been wracking my brain on for a while but I’m gonna have to say he rotates between card games. Which card games? I’m not sure. Is this a cop out? Yes (sorry Lauriam, I got nothing lol).

[fragileizy]

thank you for tagging me @dayochoco !!!! i'm so late to this you tagged me like a month ago BUT BUT BUT— (i also think i got tagged by a second person, but it's been so long that i forget who it was????)

Get to know you game! Answer the questions and tag 9 people who you want to know better.

Last song listened to: It's actually been a while since I've listened to a song?? Oh, Jesus. I think the last song I listened to was Shinigami Eyes by Grimes ? That sounds about right...??

Currently watching: Do youtube series count? I've been watching Hermitcraft season 10 nonstop. It's just been so much fun! Livestreams, episodes, behind-the-scenes... ahhh. I've also been watching Percy Jackson with my dad, but it's really slow because my dad works two jobs and I don't catch him in time before he's asleep :D

Currently reading: I'm learning UI design on my own! I've been taking a few courses, so right now I'm reading Lean UX to get a better grip on my website design.

Currently obsessed with: Carnaval! I love turning on the TV and watching the floats pass by. It's a shame that we don't have satellite TV and we instead have Internet cable, because the feed just can't handle all the colors and makes the TV so blurry, but it's still so wonderful to look at.

Tagging: @writer-rider-dirty-thirties | @girlblogger-97 | @apollo-zero-one | @transiconlink | @isabugs | @illpunchababy | @valiantlyjollynightmare | @leftyreea | @arnieb95

[piltover-sharpshooter]

𝘒𝘕𝘖𝘞𝘐𝘕𝘎  𝘠𝘖𝘜𝘙  𝘗𝘈𝘙𝘛𝘕𝘌𝘙  𝘞𝘌𝘓𝘓  𝘊𝘈𝘕  𝘗𝘖𝘛𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘐𝘈𝘓𝘓𝘠  𝘔𝘈𝘒𝘌  𝘞𝘙𝘐𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘎  𝘛𝘖𝘎𝘌𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘙  𝘈  𝘓𝘖𝘛  𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘐𝘌𝘙.

NAME :　Monkey (or Tick, even if I don't go by that anymore)

PRONOUNS :　He/Him

PREFERENCE  OF  COMMUNICATION :　Discord. Tumblr IMs isn’t awful, but the design and ux of it make me want to vomit.

NAME  OF  MUSE(S) :　Main one is Caitlyn Kiramman. I also have a Sett blog that I’m barely on, and two guest muses Nova the Stellacorn and Alex the druid.

EXPERIENCE  /  HOW  LONG  (  MONTHS  /  YEARS? ) : Around 9 ish years or roleplay experience. If we go back to fanfic writing, then around 12, and just writing I’d say like 20 because of all the extracurricular English I had to do.

BEST  EXPERIENCE : Frankly it was when I first came back to tumblr and everyone was on the Vampire AU craze. Met a lot of my current RP friends, there were many different people reaching out to others for interactions, and it made me think that RPing back here would work.

RP  PET  PEEVES  /  DEALBREAKERS :　I don’t enjoy being hounded for replies. Anyone who has ever RPed with me has had to accept beforehand that I don’t have the time, and I enjoy small snippets. I understand if that is a dealbreaker for others, hence why I always point it out before starting, so bringing the subject up really annoys me.

MUSE  PREFERENCES  FLUFF,   ANGST  OR  SMUT :　Hmm, I’d say Angst creates the best opportunities and I like torturing my girl, but frankly I seem to be leaning onto fluff more and more. It’s just nice to be nice I guess! And yes, I love smut, but we have to talk about it beforehand.PLOTS  OR  MEMES :　Memes but with an asterisk. Meme asks help make little interactions, and they are sweet and to the point. However I do like plotting with people, and if we talk on discord I most certainly will throw you ideas from time to time, it’s just that since I don’t have that much free time, plotting puts a lot of commitment that I might not have time to follow, and I just don’t want to let my partners down.

LONG  OR  SHORT  REPLIES :　Short replies. I can do long form, but I burn out quick. It mainly has to do with the fact that I don’t have the attention span nor the time. I also think that sometimes it’s important to go back to what you wrote and force myself to cut 30% of it, to see what is really important and what is extra, it’s a technique I learnt to cut off unnecessary things.

BEST TIME TO WRITE :　Around the afternoon, so 4 to 6 pm (GMT-3)

ARE  YOU  LIKE  YOUR  MUSE(S) :HAHAHAHA, NO! Caitlyn is actually fun to write because she’s so different. I’m a bit messy, speak a very casual English, and I don’t consider myself smart, while Cait is organized, speaks with a refined tone and is quite smart. I’m also not as buff as Sett, nor as cute as Nova, nor as committed like Alex. I think it’s more fun that way, I get to get into the headspace of someone I’m wildly different and see if I can properly pretend to be them. I also really enjoy using all that British English I learnt way back , makes it fun.

Tagged by: @ferinehuntress

Tagging: Whoever wants to!

[jmtorres]

you have hit on one of the great paradoxes if designing for the average (mean) human being: while most people (68% in a normal distribution) are within one standard deviation of average, very few people, if any at all, are EXACTLY the perfect measurements of average

In the 1920s, the US Air Force measured hundreds of pilots to create a perfectly average-fitted cockpit.

nobody fit in it. pilots crashed all the fucking time.

in the 1940s and 50s they remeasured thinking there had been some generational change in the average. that wasn't the problem. The problem, someone finally discovered, was that even among the limited preselected group of AF pilots used to calculate the average, no individual was matched the average across all the measurements. no individual was average enough to fit the perfectly average cockpit

the solution was not a perfectly average cockpit but a cockpit were everything was adjustable

anyway, this test technically gives people enough information to figure out how many standard deviations from normal you are but i don't think standard deviations are a commonly understood phenomenon if you haven't taken a statistics class (or if it's been a while). It would be more meaningful if the test told you directly.

here's the shorthand/quick and dirty calculation of standard deviations

ok so prev's perfectly average score means they see greener than 50% of people and bluer than 50% of people, right?

ok. so. assuming this data set is a normal (bell curve) distribution, which it seems to be even if it's displayed a little irregularly, everyone who sees bluer or greener than 50-84% of the population falls within one standard deviation of the perfect average. (because the middle 68%--34 over and 34 under center-- is within one standard deviation.)

(For example. I see bluer than the entire greenleaning 50% + 16% of less blueleaning people at 66%, my 16% off center falls squarely inside a standard deviation of up to 34% off center)

so. if the percentage the test gave you is a number under or up to 84% you're definitely normal

ok but guess what statistically you're not even really considered weird ("stastitically significant") until you're TWO standard deviations from normal. two standard deviations is the middle NINETY-FIVE+ percent of results. if you see bluer (or greener) than the bottom 50% plus ~48% of blue seers who lean less blue than you--if the test gave a number of 98% or higher--ok you're a weirdo. under 98% you're not a statistically significant result--you're well with expected range.

you wanna be different tho you wanna be an outlier? you wanna be spiders georg? ok "outlier" is technically subjective ie scientists decide what counts as an outlier on a dataset-by-dataset basis

but kind if a rule of thumb is three standard deviations from average? that's an outlier.

three standard deviations covers 99.7% of the normally distributed bell curve. to fall beyond it, you gotta be greener (or bluer) than the bottom 50%, + 49.85% of folks who lean green less strongly than you.

if the test told your percentage was 99.85% or higher (and i'm not sure it gives figures to that decimal place at all) you are vision spiders georg.

tl;dr hardly anyone ever is perfectly average but the vast majority of results are statistically normal

HOW DO YOUR PERCEIVE BLUE AND GREEN?

[itfreaks]

How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO: What Digital Marketers Must Know

In today's fast-paced digital world, How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO is more than just a buzzphrase—it’s a reality transforming how businesses attract, engage, and convert audiences. From content generation to search ranking dynamics, artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining every aspect of search engine optimization (SEO). In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO in clear, accessible language for digital marketers. We’ll explore practical insights, proven strategies, and expert advice to help you stay ahead of the curve.

1. What Exactly Is AI in SEO?

AI in SEO refers to the use of machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and other intelligent algorithms to improve how websites rank and how content is created, analyzed, and optimized. Search engines like Google now rely heavily on AI to:

Understand user intent and context

Evaluate content quality with E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Optimize search result relevance

Knowing How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO helps you leverage these advancements effectively.

2. Predictive Analytics: Smart Strategy Before You Start

One of the biggest benefits of AI-driven SEO is predictive analytics. Tools powered by AI can now forecast:

Trending keywords

Seasonal or regional search behaviors

Unexpected spikes in search interest

By integrating predictive analytics, brands can proactively adjust strategies rather than react after their competitors. This proactive approach shows precisely How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO through data-driven foresight.

3. AI-Powered Keyword Research and Topic Ideation

Traditional keyword research is time-consuming. AI tools automate this by analyzing large volumes of keyword data, clustering related terms, and identifying semantic connections. This reveals long-tail keywords and content gaps that manual research might miss.

When you grasp How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO, you recognize that AI isn’t just boosting speed—it’s enhancing insight quality, allowing marketers to craft laser-focused content that resonates.

4. Automated Content Creation and Optimization

Generative AI tools, like GPT-based models, are now used to draft blog posts, product descriptions, meta tags, and more. Tips for using these tools effectively:

Use AI for first drafts: Save time but always refine with a human touch.

Follow SEO best practices: Incorporate your primary keyword (e.g., “How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO”) within the first paragraph, H1/headings, and naturally throughout (~2–4% density).

Quality check: Ensure tone, accuracy, and context align with your brand voice.

By leaning into How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO, marketers can produce bulk content faster without sacrificing quality or relevance.

5. Enhancing User Experience with AI

Search engines reward sites that deliver excellent user experience (UX). AI helps by:

Optimizing site structure: AI analyzes navigation patterns and suggests improvements.

Personalizing content: Tailored recommendations based on user behavior.

Predicting churn: Spotting users likely to exit early and prompting dynamic interventions.

These applications highlight How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO by intertwining UX and SEO for better engagement and lower bounce rates.

6. AI-Driven Technical SEO: Smarter, Faster, Better

On the technical side, AI excels in areas like:

Crawl budget optimization: Prioritizing important pages to reduce wasted resources.

AI-powered image & video tagging: Improving discoverability through smart alt text and captions.

Log file analysis: Detecting crawl errors and inefficiencies quickly.

All these technical gains reflect How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO behind the scenes.

7. Semantic Search: The Role of NLP

Semantic search uses NLP to interpret not just keywords, but the entire meaning behind queries. AI understands synonyms, intent, and context—making SEO more sophisticated.

To stay aligned with How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO, embrace:

Topic clusters: Structure content with pillar pages and subtopics.

Answer boxes & featured snippets: Write concise, question-based content.

Entity-based optimization: Include relevant entities associated with your topic.

This shifts SEO from “keyword stuffing” to genuine, meaningful content.

8. Smarter Link Building with AI

Traditional link-building can be tedious. AI revolutionizes it by:

Identifying outreach opportunities: Find relevant blogs, forums, and stakeholders.

Predicting link-worthy content: Spot topics that naturally attract backlinks.

Monitoring backlinks: Alerting you to toxic links or broken links that harm SEO.

Seeing How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO here shows it’s not just smarter work—it’s more efficient and effective link strategies.

9. Voice and Visual Search: AI in Emerging Interfaces

Voice assistants (Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa) and visual search (Google Lens) rely heavily on AI:

Voice search: Focus on natural phrasing and local intent.

Visual search: Optimize images with structured metadata and descriptive captions.

Understanding How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO means preparing for these next-gen search methods.

10. The Role of Tools

A variety of AI-powered SEO tools are transforming how marketers plan and execute strategies:

Surfer SEO: Helps structure content and improve on-page SEO elements.

MarketMuse: Assists in deep topic research and content scoring for better authority.

ChatGPT API: Useful for content generation, idea expansion, and query refinement.

For those looking to learn how to use AI in SEO, platforms like WsCube Tech offer reliable and structured training. Their practical, hands-on courses are designed for beginners and professionals who want to stay ahead in the SEO game.

Agencies and learners alike are now blending human creativity with AI efficiency, and WsCube Tech is playing a pivotal role in preparing the next generation of SEO experts. That’s a great example of How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO by combining education, expertise, and cutting-edge tools.

11. Ethics and the Human Touch

As AI takes a larger role, ethics and human judgment become critical:

Avoid AI-generated fluff: Always fact-check and edit.

Stay transparent: Let users know when content is AI-assisted.

Value human experience: Unique perspectives still drive engagement and trust.

This balance shows How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO responsibly and sustainably.

12. Measuring Impact: AI-Powered Analytics

AI enhances analytics platforms by:

Predicting performance: Identify top- and low-performing pages.

Attributing ROI: Assign conversions to content and channels smartly.

Automated reporting: Deliver real-time dashboards with insights.

These metrics help marketers understand How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO in measurable, actionable ways.

13. Practical Roadmap for Digital Marketers

Ready to act? Here’s a step-by-step plan embracing How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO:

Audit your current SEO: Include technical, content, and link profiles.

Select AI tools: Choose a mix that suits your budget and goals.

Create an AI-driven pilot: Focus on content, UX, or technical improvement.

Test and iterate: Use A/B testing and analytics to refine strategies.

Scale with oversight: Expand successful pilots while monitoring quality.

Stay updated: Keep learning about new AI features from search engines.

14. FAQs on AI in SEO

Q: Will AI replace SEO professionals? A: No—it enhances human work. Strategy, creativity, and judgment remain indispensable.

Q: How do I maintain SEO keyword density? A: Include your main keyword naturally in titles, headings, first paragraphs, and body—around 2–4% is safe.

Q: Can AI help with voice search? A: Yes—voice search optimization requires natural phrasing and conversational tone, which AI can help craft.

15. Final Thoughts

AI is not just a tool—it’s redefining How AI is Shaping the Future of SEO across every layer of the field. From smart content to predictive analytics, voice interfaces to technical automations, AI accelerates and refines how marketers optimize websites. The competitive edge belongs to those who leverage AI thoughtfully—complemented by human expertise and ethical standards.

As digital marketers, it’s time to embrace AI: test the right tools, stay ethical, focus on value, and keep people at the center. That’s the real future of SEO.

[corishadowfang]

After reading your recent story I found myself really attached to the girl, Elaine,,,, so I thought I'd give a sprite a go in ux :3

It was a really interesting exercise to work with the ux options to try and convey what few things you mentioned about her!! (Mage, the pendant, young [i aimed for around 10-12], etc). Thanks for the inspiration!!!

P.s. did you have a particular fate in mind while writing? Since she was picked by Ava I was leaning towards the Dandelions, but I want to know what you were thinking :3

Twitchy!! That's so cool! She looks perfect; you captured her really well, despite only getting a few descriptors.

As for her fate: while writing, I was originally thinking that she ended up dying on a mission some point before the Keyblade War. That said, it's left intentionally ambiguous so that people can fill in their own interpretation of events, so her ending up with the Dandelions would be equally valid!

[digitdigitech]

How to show Shopify store traffic to sales in 8 Steps in (2025)

Want professional help?

Clicks are rolling in, analytics dashboards are glowing, and you’re ready to look at income stack up. however at the cease of the day? Crickets. No orders, no revenue, only a sinking feeling that something’s broken. Hire trusted shopify experts india in India to craft high-performing, custom eCommerce experiences.

Your visitors isn’t converting, and each neglected sale appears like a punch. In 2025, visitors barring sales isn’t just irritating, it’s a signal your keep’s letting customers slip via the cracks. Conversions are your keep’s lifeblood. 

if you’re getting 1,000 site visitors a month, that’s the difference between 20 income and 50, or $six hundred as opposed to $1,five hundred at a $30 order value. the coolest information? You don’t want a large price range or a tech crew to restoration this. 

With the proper tools, a clear attention, and a bit of hustle, you could flip those clicks into coins. geared up to make your Shopify store a sales device? In this newsletter, you'll analyze the excellent 8 demonstrated steps to show your Shopify store traffic into sales, so you can begin selling like a pro.

How to show Shopify visitors into income in 2025

strolling a Shopify store potential running clever, now not challenging. You don’t need to be a tech wizard or lease an costly company to boost conversions. right here’s your 8-step playbook to diagnose what’s blocking income and fasten it, so your keep turns into a lean, suggest selling machine.

Step 1: Audit Your keep’s performance

you may’t repair what you don’t recognize. A overall performance audit exhibits wherein visitors drop off, assisting you pinpoint problems like gradual pages or confusing layouts. Scale your online business with the help of experienced Shopify Experts in India.

What to do:

Use analytics tools: check Shopify Analytics for leap charges, cart abandonment, and go out pages. add Google Analytics four for deeper insights into consumer behaviour.

Map the funnel: become aware of wherein drop-offs show up, on the homepage, product pages, or checkout. A jump fee above 50% signals UX troubles; cart abandonment above 70% factors to checkout friction.

Watch actual customers: Use Hotjar or Microsoft clarity to document periods and spot wherein shoppers hesitate or go away.

Shopify Tip: Spend half-hour weekly reviewing analytics. It’s like checking your inventory, understanding what’s running and what’s not.

Step 2: speed up Your site

A sluggish keep kills conversions before shoppers see your merchandise. Google records shows that a 1-2nd delay can reduce conversions through 7%, and fifty three% of cellular users bounce after three seconds.

What to do:

take a look at your velocity: Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to score your keep and locate troubles like massive photos or heavy scripts.

Compress images: reduce files with TinyPNG or ShortPixel, aiming for beneath 200KB consistent with product image.

Use a quick Shopify subject: transfer to lightweight topics like dawn or Booster. permit lazy loading for images beneath the fold.

upload a CDN: Use Cloudflare to serve pages faster globally.

suggested examine: Why Your Shopify store Isn’t converting and a way to repair It

Step 3: Simplify Navigation

perplexing navigation drives customers away. If they could’t find what they want in seconds, they’re long past.

What to do:

limit menu objects: keep your pinnacle menu to 5–7 selections (e.g., keep, Collections, approximately). pass extras like FAQs to the footer.

upload clever seek: install a search bar with predictive text the usage of apps like Algolia.

test mobile: make certain menus disintegrate cleanly and buttons are tappable (44px minimum). 

manual the journey: Use clean class names and breadcrumb trails (e.g., home > men’s > Shirts).

Shopify Tip: faux you’re a new consumer. If you may’t discover a product in 5 seconds, simplify your navigation.

Step 4: construct trust rapid

customers gained’t buy in the event that they don’t faith you. a store besides opinions, touch info, or safety indicators feels risky.

What to do:

display opinions: Use Trustpilot or Loox to display established customer evaluations with pics on product pages.

upload belief badges: location “secure Checkout,” SSL, and charge logos (Visa, PayPal) at checkout and on key pages.

Create an about web page: proportion your tale, upload a photo, and consist of actual touch information (electronic mail, telephone, or chat).

spotlight ensures: offer cash-again guarantees or unfastened returns, simply stated.

Shopify Tip: assume like a sceptical client. if you wouldn’t trust your save, upload indicators to alternate that.

Step 5: Streamline Checkout

A clunky checkout is in which income die. With cart abandonment charges averaging 70%, every friction point fees you.

What to do:

Use one-web page checkout: Shopify’s default one-page checkout converts higher than a multi-step.

allow visitor checkout: Don’t force account introduction—it provides trouble.

offer charge preferences: encompass save Pay, PayPal, Apple Pay, and neighborhood strategies.

Be transparent: show delivery and taxes in advance. add a development bar (e.g., “Step 1 of 2”).

Shopify Tip: test your checkout on mobile as a customer. If it feels gradual or complicated, restoration it rapid.

Step 6: make stronger Product Pages

weak product pages fail to steer. They need to promote the value, now not just display the product.

What to do:

Use magnificent visuals: upload zoomable photographs and quick demo films. purpose for 3–5 images in step with product.

Write gain-pushed copy: cognizance on results (e.g., “Sleep better tonight” vs. “reminiscence foam pillow”). Use bullet factors for readability.

upload FAQs: answer commonplace objections (e.g., “What’s the go back policy?”).

encompass strong CTAs: Make “add to Cart” ambitious, colorful, and above the fold.

Shopify Tip: visit a pinnacle competitor’s product web page. If theirs feels more compelling, steal their sketch (ethically).

Step 7: Retarget Hesitant buyers

maximum site visitors don’t purchase on their first go to. Retargeting brings them returned with personalised nudges.

What to do:

set up electronic mail flows: Use Klaviyo for deserted cart emails with time-sensitive offers (e.g., “10% off if you buy in 24 hours”).

Run retargeting advertisements: Use facebook commercials supervisor to express dynamic product advertisements to site site visitors.

add go out-intent popups: provide discounts through apps like OptiMonk whilst consumers try to go away.

tune ROI: monitor retargeting performance in Shopify Analytics to make sure profitability.

Shopify Tip: start with e mail retargeting, it’s cheap and effective. test one marketing campaign this week.

Step 8: test Pricing and offers

the wrong price or provide can scare buyers away. testing facilitates you discover the candy spot.

What to do:

try bundles: offer deals like “buy two, Get 10% Off” to increase average order cost.

Run promos: Create urgency with restrained-time reductions (e.g., “Sale ends midnight”).

provide unfastened delivery: Set a threshold (e.g., loose delivery over $50) to reinforce carts.

A/B check: Use apps like Vitals to check price factors or offer variations and song conversions.

Shopify Tip: test one provide at a time and tune effects for two weeks. statistics beats guesswork each time.

Why site visitors except sales Is Your shop’s Silent Killer

Getting traffic to your Shopify keep is 1/2 the conflict, however in the event that they’re no longer shopping for, something’s broken. traffic besides income capacity lost sales, wasted ad spend, and a neglected hazard to grow your brand. right here’s why solving your Shopify store conversions is non-negotiable for store owners:

You’re dropping cash on each click on

every tourist expenses you, whether or not it’s ad spend, seo attempt, or social media hustle. If 1,000 site visitors yield zero income, you’re burning coins barring  results. Shopify statistics indicates that a 1% conversion rate growth can raise sales through 33% for a shop with $10,000 month-to-month visitors cost. fixing conversions turns clicks into income.

You’re lacking Out on trust

shoppers want to experience confident to buy. in case your keep feels clunky, unprofessional, or unsafe, they’ll soar earlier than hitting “upload to Cart.” research show over 45% of online buyers judge a emblem’s credibility based on web page layout and revel in. a shop that doesn’t convert is a store that doesn’t encourage faith.

You’re Hurting Your search engine optimization

Google tracks person behaviour like jump rates and consultation length. excessive traffic with low engagement (e.g., brief exits or no purchases) signals a poor revel in, tanking your seek scores. a store that converts continues visitors longer, boosting seo and using greater natural visitors.

You’re wasting Time

Chasing more site visitors to fix low sales is like pouring water right into a leaky bucket. in preference to burning out on new campaigns, plug the holes on your save: slow load instances, vulnerable product pages, or checkout friction. Optimising conversions saves time and scales your sales faster.

In quick, traffic is solely as precise as your potential to convert it. You don’t want a complete overhaul; you just want a shop that’s rapid, honest, and clean to shop for from. So right here’s how to show your Shopify shop site visitors into sales in 2025.

Conclusion-

those eight tested steps, from dashing up your shop to improving trust indicators and optimizing checkout, are powerful approaches to turn traffic into real sales. They assist create a clean, excessive-converting shopping revel in that clients belief and enjoy.

every improvement builds on the last, turning your shop into a sales-prepared platform that works difficult on your business. whether or not it’s higher web page velocity, more potent mobile UX, or clean name-to-moves, each detail performs a position in boosting conversions.

at the same time as those techniques are distinctly powerful, placing them all into movement can sense overwhelming for busy save owners.

Also Read : The way to hold Your Shopify store in 2025: A whole guide

What's Magic Checkout? pleasant Magic Checkout gear for Shopify

[drodriguezz]

Custom Food Delivery App Development: Why Go Custom Instead of Off-the-Shelf

Food delivery apps are everywhere from your local pizzeria’s website to big players like Zomato and Uber Eats. But if you're a restaurant owner, startup founder, or entrepreneur looking to enter this market, here's the big question:

Should you go custom or pick an off-the-shelf solution?

Let’s break down why custom food delivery app development might just be your secret sauce to standing out in a crowded space.

Why Build a Custom Food Delivery App?

1. Tailored Experience for Your Brand

Off-the-shelf apps are like frozen meals easy to serve, but everyone's eating the same thing. A custom app gives you:

Full control over user experience (UX)

Branded visuals, animations, and interactions

A vibe that feels uniquely yours

2. Unique Features = Competitive Edge

Want to offer AI-based meal recommendations? Real-time kitchen tracking? Subscription-based meal plans?

With a custom solution, you're not stuck with cookie-cutter features. You decide what goes in your app’s feature menu.

3. Scalable as You Grow

Start small, scale big. Custom apps grow with you:

Add delivery zones, cuisines, or partners anytime

Integrate with your POS, CRM, or loyalty program

Handle thousands of orders without breaking

4. Better Customer Insights

Custom apps allow better analytics and user tracking. You can:

Understand order patterns

Track user behavior

Launch smarter marketing campaigns

5. No Monthly Fees or Commission Cuts

Why keep paying SaaS fees or give a chunk of your revenue to third-party platforms?

Own your app = Keep your profits.

Must-Have Features for a Killer Food Delivery App

Here’s a simple blueprint of what your custom app can include:

Customer Panel

Easy onboarding

Menu browsing & filters

Real-time order tracking

Secure payments

Reviews & feedback

Restaurant/Dashboard Panel

Order management

Menu edits

Push notifications

Delivery updates

Analytics dashboard

Delivery Agent Panel

Route optimization

Order history

Status updates

Earnings summary

And yes, you can add voice ordering, in-app chat, or even drone delivery support if you're feeling fancy.

Who Needs a Custom Food App?

A custom food delivery app isn’t just for chains. It’s a perfect fit if you're:

A local restaurant wanting to ditch high commission fees

A cloud kitchen launching new brands

A startup looking to disrupt food delivery with a niche twist (e.g., keto-only meals or midnight snacks)

A meal-prep service with subscription models

Real-World Use Cases

ChefConnect: A custom-built app connecting home chefs with customers within their locality. No middlemen.

FarmToFork: Focused on organic produce and farm meals with traceable sourcing.

LateBite: Built for college campuses, offering food delivery from 10 PM to 3 AM.

Custom apps = custom opportunities.

How to Get Started?

Custom food delivery app Development isn’t rocket science but it does need the right ingredients:

Here’s your basic recipe:

Discovery & Planning – Understand your users, market, and goals

UI/UX Design – Sketch out user-friendly flows and branding

Development – Frontend (React Native, Flutter, etc.) + Backend (Node.js, Python, Firebase)

Testing – Fix bugs and optimize

Launch & Feedback – Go live and improve based on user reviews

And yes, you can always start lean with an MVP and scale over time.

Final Thoughts

Food delivery is no longer just a luxury it’s a lifestyle. And custom apps are how new brands are cutting through the noise, owning their customer experience, and keeping more of their revenue.

If you want to serve your users something fresh, custom development might be your best recipe.

Let’s talk food + tech. Book your free consultation today.