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How Small Businesses are Surviving the Pandemic!

Small businesses have been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to CNBC, using Yelp data, around 60% of these small businesses have permanently closed their doors. Many of them had been caught off guard and were not able to sustain themselves with the restrictions in place. Fortunately, some small businesses have been able to pull through with innovations and with the help of technology to prevent closure. Here is what they are doing to survive these trying times.

Delivery and In-Store Pickup

Delivery and In-store pickup are two ways businesses have adapted to bring in customers. Delivery inhibits customers from having to go out to the store and lets them interact with less people. In-store pickup may not prevent one from going to the business, but results in less person-to-person contact. Small businesses that already had delivery and pickup options are doing better compared to others. The benefit of these services can be best seen with the food industry. Restaurants who focused on a dining experience are more likely to be having a harder time than establishments focused on to-go orders.

Digital Channels

Smaller businesses before the pandemic may have solely relied on foot traffic and physical store locations. This put them at a greater disadvantage with the pandemic. The switch to digital channels has discouraged further destruction of businesses who have made the effort. As mentioned above, ordering online with curbside pick up has prevented some establishments from closing. This digital switch includes re-training workers to work from home, which they might have not done before Covid.

Social media has become more important for the promotion of products and services because of the pandemic. Lower amounts of people are going out and higher amounts are browsing the internet. Business owners can let potential customers know what they are about with social media pages. This digital connection does not replace what was possible before, but assists in keeping the community alive. Business owners can still talk to their customers online in communities they build together.

Live Streaming

Live streaming is another digital channel the small businesses are taking advantage of. It may be less thought of than social media pages, but is just as useful. Live streaming allows for business owners and employees to continue connecting with customers. Live streams have been extremely successful for art and performance based businesses. The live stream can bring the show to you at home. Artists such as painters, potters, tattoo artists, bakers, musicians etc, who have not tried live streaming should probably do so immediately.

Cutting Costs, Refocused Priorities

Working from home requires less office space and reduces costs for employers by not needing to pay large expenses. Social distancing, regulations, and sanitation cost money but an online office prevents those costs by avoiding them altogether. Businesses that can not fully go remote must not cut corners when it comes to keeping their business sanitized and safe. Customers can see when measures are in place to keep them safe and sound. This is something that smaller businesses remaining open have not slacked on. This includes installing plastic shields at registers, cleaning high touch surfaces often, and store capacity limits.

How Can I Help?

Order from small businesses

Like, follow, and share on social media

Volunteer Expertise

Offer discounts

If you are not personally affected by the havoc Covid-19 has caused for small businesses, you most likely know someone who has been. If you are going to order takeout, consider small business options over corporations. Some are solely getting by on takeout orders and your support can prevent doors closing permanently. This includes all types of businesses, not only restaurants, try to choose local options over corporate.

On social media like, follow, and share business pages/posts to make them reach a wider number of eyes. You can share your own stories on social media about the business as a form of support. Another great way to aid small businesses is by volunteering your skills for free if you have the time and ability to do so. Offering to manage social media, create merchandise, start a fundraiser, etc will be appreciated by all. If you own your own business you can offer discounted rates for smaller businesses, or delayed payments.

Originally published at https://phpstudios.com/ on December 23, 2020

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The Impact of Big Data and Analytics on eCommerce

What exactly is big data and analytics? Big data is large and varied sets of data that are both structured and unstructured. According to SAS, these sets of data need to be analyzed using non-traditional software. This is because big data is so complex it would not be feasible to use regular methods to process it. Big data technology is used to analyze big data and make it applicable for business purposes.

By using analytics, businesses can find out what are commonly occurring patterns and leverage them to be lucrative. eCommerce is driven by data, making big data and analyzing it extremely necessary. By looking at past data, improvements can be made to fix what was not working. The use of big data is one reason why eCommerce has seen the amount of growth it has.

How does this impact eCommerce?

Personalized Shopping

With gathered data, the shopping experience can be modeled to more accurately measure up to consumer interests. The data can identify more details about the customer, making them more likely to purchase products. Products can be recommended based on what else the customer has viewed or bought in the past. This makes it possible to predict what this shopper is looking for, and display items they are most likely going to buy.

This can be done with time periods as well, not just products and services. The time periods where traffic reaches its highest can be paired with sales promotions or new product releases. If you have multiple types of customers who shop for different products at different times, this can help reach each group effectively. Without data usage, it will be hard to compete with others already using the information to grow their eCommerce business.

Demand and Trends

Big Data Analytics can give guidance on what trends will increase and which will decline. This will be good to look at when deciding on which products are worth having in stock. New products that match trends can be added to the store, and products predicted to have losses can be removed. This information will outline a plan for your eCommerce strategy and is able to change as new data is received. Inventory predictions will help manage additional costs by not having to carry more inventory than what is needed.

Automated Service

Customers want quick service and oftentimes service that is automated can be more convenient. Using chatbots can provide customers with speedy, accurate, and consistent responses for questions they want immediate answers for. They add an element of personalization to the shopping experience by acting as a human and giving personalized shopping recommendations. Chatbots can redirect customers to a live agent if they have a more complicated issue they can not resolve. Websites that do not have chatbots might lose potential customers due to the inability of getting answers to their customers easily.

Improved Customer Service

The way big data and analytics affects eCommerce the most is through improvements in customer service. Personalization, trends, and chatbots all serve the customers’ wants and needs. The data makes it possible to persuade customers based on their own interests, making online shopping even more personal than in-store shopping could be. An employee can assist customers with purchases, but is unable to recommend items as accurately as data can. This is an advantage eCommerce has over in-store shopping, which may not have as uniform service.

Originally published at https://phpstudios.com/ on December 14, 2020

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Is Work-From-Home The New “Normal”?

In a world full of uncertainty, we try to cling to what is familiar to maintain some semblance of normalcy and routine. While work can be a pillar of stability to many people, the past year of lockdowns, social distancing, and pandemic precautions have caused workplace atmospheres and expectations to change drastically in a short amount of time. Out of all of the adjustments though, one has taken center stage in paving the way for workplace environments in the future: working from home.

Before the rise of the COVID 19 pandemic, coming across full time “work-from-homers” was almost an anomaly. According to NBC News, only “12% of the U.S. workforce worked from home for at least one full day per month” pre-pandemic. However, the number has jumped to 32 million, or one-fifth of the workforce now works from home, as of October.

The Positives

Face to face interaction is considered a critical aspect of most jobs. While there are plenty of occupations that wouldn’t exist without being present at the workplace, the pandemic has required society to do a deep dive on what careers can survive by working remotely, revealing more options and positive benefits for working at home than anyone expected.

Employees get to experience the positive benefits that come with working in a familiar and comfortable environment. The luxury of being able to go to work from the comfort of your home has cut down on the stress of commutes, sleep depravity, and the drama that can come with being in a workplace, and it has been proven that working from home has caused work-related stress levels to decrease, which allows for more passion to be put into the actual work itself.

Many occupations were perceived to be obligatorily hands-on, however we have learned that that’s not necessarily the case. Occupations such as psychologists, instructors, or professors, for instance, may work the most effectively when they are in person with their clients or students, however it is still possible for them to work effectively from home.

By learning what occupations can survive virtually, it allows employers to prepare for a future where accommodations could be more freely given to workers who can’t work in person all the time, and job requirements could be more lenient on time in person. Employees may not have to worry about being replaced or using excessive sick/vacation time if extenuating circumstances require them to work from home. This could cause an influx in job opportunities for citizens that may want to work to work in person but are unable to. All of this could be done while providing society the stability of having a backup plan in case of another scenario of having to work remotely again. A backup plan that we didn���t have before the pandemic.

The Negatives

Despite all of the benefits that come from being at home, there are also a substantial amount of obstacles that stand in the way of having remote working be an ideal environment.

Creating an office, with just the basic necessities being furniture and appliances could easily cost up to, if not more than, $1,000, not including special models of computers to run specific software or internet services just to be able to do your job. Let alone someone that doesn’t have a stable internet connection, a computer, or the equipment required for their job. Having to come up with a substantial amount of money like that within a matter of days just to be able to do your job is completely unreasonable.

Additionally, time management and distractions became a point of contention for many employees who had to work from home. Home is associated with comfort, and where you relax after working. But when you don’t leave the place of comfort to go to work, then it becomes easy to get distracted by all of those things that you either get to escape at work, or the things that make home fun and relaxing. The kids don’t go to school anymore, your dog isn’t used to you being home, or you have five unfinished projects staring at you, begging to be completed, all while you’re supposed to be focusing on work.

A Silver Lining

Although these negative effects are very critical to acknowledge, there is a silver lining to working remotely. Most of these side effects could have been offset if the pandemic and lockdown hadn’t set in so instantaneously. There was no time to save money for an office or equipment, or to prepare for the kids to be homeschooled while you would be home working.

News sources are examining the possibility of employers and the government contributing to the costs of having employees work from home, giving home workers some hope for compensation. Once society has had the chance to adjust to the requirements of working from home, the benefits will make themselves known on an everyday basis, whether that be through finding more enjoyment in your work, being less stressed, saving money from commuting, or even just learning more about how to navigate the virtual world.

Despite the great struggles of living through the pandemic, society as a whole will be more disciplined and flexible. Because we took the time in quarantine to explore and experiment with working from home and it’s benefits, it should be more common than ever before. Hopefully when/if it becomes safe to physically go back to work, employers will implement some of the lessons learned into their employees’ new work environment. Whether it be creating hybrid work weeks or having entire jobs online, the stress deduction alone should be enough to implement a new system that focuses on keeping its employees happy.

Of course there will be both sides: those happy working from home, and those who are longing to get back to their clients, workplace, and career. There will be some who want to do both. Exposing so many employees to working at home broke down society’s idea of a “normal” work life, but as frequently seen throughout history, what was once uncertain and anything but, will soon become the new “normal.”

Originally published at https://phpstudios.com/ on December 09, 2020

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Top 10 eCommerce Business Ideas

eCommerce can be entirely managed from the comfort of your home, though it is tricky to come up with a worthwhile business idea. It takes effort and research to start your business, whether it is online or offline. There are an unimaginable amount of products and services to start your business venture. Here is a list of the top 10 eCommerce business ideas that make the cut.

1. Thrifting

Searching through what others donate or throw away can bring up some rare finds. You can go to a local second hand store or a chain like Goodwill, and look for items of value. Hundreds of items are sorted before being put out for sale. Big ticket items likely will be put for sale online by these stores, but that does not mean all items were found by workers. Many high value items can be bought for as little as a few dollars if you know what to look for. People will donate items that were sitting in storage for years, not understanding the merit of what they have tossed.

2. Refurbished Items

If you do not have an eye for spotting hidden gold, perhaps you can create it. Refurbished items are also popular online. Clothing and furniture can be bought for a fraction of the normal price and given a new life. Refurbishing and thrifting is a good idea for those of you who are environmentally conscious, history buffs, and creative DIYers. Both are a unique niche that provides one with items you cannot get anywhere else.

3. Custom Products

Custom products can include T-shirts, mugs, blankets, posters, etc. There are options to use a drop shipping model or to do the customization yourself. Sites like Printful and Teespring make it easy for one to upload their designs to be printed on products. This option for eCommerce can be used by beginners or those who already have a following. It can be used to create merchandise relating to your brand or content if you are a content creator. The market for custom products is highly competitive, but it is also flexible.

4. Handmade Products

There are a number of items that can be handmade and sold at your eCommerce store. Some items to make include jewelry, candles, beauty products, pottery, etc. One should heavily research competition if this is your choice. It is better for your product to be as niche as possible due to the large amount of competition. It is still a great option for eCommerce as the demand for handmade items remains. Talented artists can develop a loyal customer base who return for distinctive products.

5. Drop Shipping

Drop shipping is a good choice for those who do not want to deal with inventory and shipping. One can sell a variety of items with drop shipping due to being able to purchase inventory without supplying it. It is good for newcomers as it is easier to plan out and does not cost as much as other options. However, it is still hard work and requires good management skills. Just like handmade products, drop shipping has enormous competition. Picking niche products and reliable suppliers will be the most important steps if you choose drop shipping.

6. Skill-Based Service

Maybe you do not sell products, but your skills as a service instead. There is a wide range of skills you can build an eCommerce business around. For example, if you are an amazing writer, you can start your own content writing service for customers. If you have great writing, design, development, or financial skills, you can start a service business. This is a good option for those who trust their own ability to perform well. It also gives you more control of the business and allows you to develop your own skills further.

7. Sub-Niche

While every business has a niche, this is about honing in on a smaller, more specialized niche. Keyword research can help one obtain a competitive advantage when it comes to finding a niche with low competition and high demand. If you have deep knowledge of a profession or hobby, this insight can direct your research. Let’s say someone’s hobby is building electronics, is there an electrical component that is hard to find on other online sites? These items may not always be exciting, but the profits they bring to your online store are.

8. Education

While you may not be a teacher, it is likely that you have intellect on a subject that others do not. Online courses can allow you to help other people while growing your business. If you have expertise in real estate, you can provide courses that explain it to others wanting to get into that field. It is extremely vital that you are providing real information to those who purchase your courses. This is a business model that can be scammy, and you do not want to ruin your reputation. If done properly, online courses can earn you trust and make you a credible source. Perhaps start by supplying information for free and have classes as an add-on to let people know what they are getting into.

9. Lifestyle Brand

Lifestyle stores are easy to build into an all encompassing brand due to the many products that can eventually be associated with them. Health and wellness types of businesses are considered to be lifestyle brands. There are countless ways of life that a store can be based around. One can find a lifestyle their customers and themselves resonate with. It is important to start off small and expand if things are going well. If one is passionate about a way of life a product helps them achieve, it can be turned into a great business venture.

10. Subscription Boxes

Another idea for an eCommerce business is subscription boxes or gift boxes. A variety of items can fit into a box and be shipped out to customers. Figuring out what you want to put in the box is up to you. This can be a subscription based service, which changes out the products monthly, or it can be a one time purchase with the same products. Brands such as Birchbox and Ipsy deliver makeup products for a monthly fee. They work by letting customers try a mix of product samples without having to buy a full size. What can you put in a box that would make things more practical for others?

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The Future of eCommerce Post-Covid!

eCommerce after the pandemic will be booming, but there are still important areas to keep note of. As stated in our “The State of eCommerce During the Covid-19 Pandemic” blog, trends are always changing. What is necessary to do during the pandemic will change afterwards as new trends emerge. A great question to ask yourself is what will people be set on once the pandemic is over? Also think about how technology is advancing, what trends that appeared during the pandemic will stick around for the long-term?

Work From Home

Many people have started working from home to follow precautions and stay safe. This has caused the workplace to change, and presumably permanently for some industries. As more employees have been exposed to this work model, they have seen how WFH can be very beneficial. This model is especially effective for eCommerce businesses who already use the internet to make sales online. Utilizing a virtual office saves costs for both employers and employees. This allows for more time to work instead of commuting or being stuck in traffic.

Online conferencing platforms such as Zoom, GoToWebinar, and WorkCast connect employees for collaborations on projects. These tools make it feasible to hire workers who live great distances apart from the company. If it is hard to fill a job opening, or find a position where one lives, remote work makes it easier to do so. According to The New York Times, most workers would prefer a hybrid model of working at home and the office after the pandemic ends. There is also a sizable amount of those who prefer only to work from home. Remote work going forward is something more workers will demand as an option.

B2B (Business-To-Business)

eCommerce will see a trend in more B2B sales particularly in the tech and marketing industries. The coronavirus has affected the budgets of businesses, which has led to them holding back on purchases. With work options expanding, more businesses will need to invest in technology integration and updates. Marketing will be needed to draw interest to tech solutions for these new problems. These sectors are doing well during the pandemic and will continue to do so when it ends. Companies who adapt now to these issues will be better off in the future.

Omnichannel Marketing

If one has an ecommerce store, or sells online along with physical locations, seamlessness is needed. Omnichannel marketing for eCommerce is just as essential as it is for brick and mortar stores. Optimizing your eCommerce website for multiple devices will give you a heads up in being updated for customers. Not all shoppers use the same devices to make purchases online. Mobile users should be able to access the same content as effortlessly as desktop users.

Customers are now expecting companies to be technologically advanced with the increase in online shopping due to the pandemic. Allow your shoppers to have multiple options to choose from for payment methods. This includes installment payments, which makes purchasing higher priced items more affordable. Consumers are not as interested in spending large amounts, which is likely to remain the same after the pandemic. The checkout process should be as quick and easy as possible to be convenient for the customer. eCommerce after the pandemic will need to be more innovative to keep tech savvy buyers satisfied.

Originally published on https://phpstudios.com/ on November 24, 2020

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How To Setup Magento 2.4 Locally Using Valet Plus

Magento 2.4 Catalog Search Engine Requirement

As of Magento 2.4, all installations must be configured to use Elasticsearch as the catalog search solution. Elasticsearch provides the following benefits:

Quick and advanced searches on products in the catalog

Support for multiple languages

Support for stop words and synonyms

Shoppers are not disrupted while Elasticsearch reindexes

Accurate, performant, and scalable

Works well out of the box

Easy to horizontally scale

Supports real-time data and analysis

Can be used as a document-oriented data-store

Applications in framework beyond search, including reporting, personalization, performance, and storage Supported versions

Message from Magento Regarding Compatibility :

You must install and configure Elasticsearch 7.6.x before upgrading to Magento 2.4.x.Magento 2.4.x is tested with Elasticsearch 7.6.x only. You can use other 7.x versions at your discretion, but we recommend using the tested version of Elasticsearch. Magento does not support Elasticsearch 2.x, 5.x, and 6.x.

Import Note: We have been able to use Magento 2.4 locally using ElasticSearch 6.8 and this documentation is based on that ElasticSearch version. At the time of writing this we are not able to install a version higher than 6.8

Configuring Elasticsearch

Valet Plus Comes with Elasticsearch by default . To configure Elasticsearch you have to do some customization. See Below :

Run the commands below to open up your Elastic Search configuration in nano. You can use another editor like Vim or Atom if you like.

sudo nano /usr/local/etc/nginx/valet/elasticsearch.conf

Add the configurations below to your file.

server {   listen 80;   server_name elasticsearch.test www.elasticsearch.test;   charset utf-8;   client_max_body_size 128M;   location / {       chunked_transfer_encoding on;       proxy_set_header X-NginX-Proxy true;       proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;       proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";       proxy_http_version 1.1;       proxy_redirect off;       proxy_buffering off;       proxy_pass http://localhost:9200;   } }

To Install the latest version of ElasticSearch follow the instructions below:

brew uninstall elasticsearch@< existing/older version>

valet elasticsearch install

The second command installs the latest version of Elasticsearch available from brew.

If for some reason “valet elasticsearch install” it throws an exception. Please run the following :

valet use es 6.8

Installing PHP 7.4 (optional)

Install php 7.4 if needed  running the command below :

valet use 7.4 && valet restart

Testing Elasticsearch

For testing , use this documentation.

Configuring Nginx

Create a file at the path ~/.valet/Nginx/all.conf

Add the configurations below inside it

proxy_buffer_size   4096k; proxy_buffers   128 4096k; proxy_busy_buffers_size   4096k;

Append the text below to /usr/local/etc/nginx/fastcgi_params

fastcgi_buffer_size 4096k; fastcgi_buffers 128 4096k; fastcgi_busy_buffers_size 4096k;

Restart Valet Plus

valet restart

Installing Magento 2.4

Download Magento 2.4 from Composer or using this link.

After Downloading it extract the file in your Valet Parked Directory rename the directory to “magento-24”

Magento 2.4 doesn’t support a GUI installation so you have to run the command below in the root directory.

php bin/magento setup:install --base-url=http://magento-24.test/ \--db-host=localhost --db-name=MagentoDB --db-user=root --db-password=root \--language=en_US --currency=USD --timezone=America/Chicago --use-rewrites=1 \--search-engine=elasticsearch7 --elasticsearch-host=127.0.0.1 \ --elasticsearch-port=9200

If you want to configure your admin credentials in the same step use the command below :

php bin/magento setup:install --base-url=http://magento-24.test/ \--db-host=localhost --db-name= MagentoDB --db-user=root --db-password=root\--admin-firstname=Magento --admin-lastname=User --admin-email=admin@example.com \--admin-user=admin --admin-password=admin123 --language=en_US \--currency=USD --timezone=America/Chicago --use-rewrites=1 \--search-engine=elasticsearch7 --elasticsearch-host=127.0.0.1\--elasticsearch-port=9200

–base-url: base url of project.

–db-host: Host name of database.

–db-name: Database name.

–db-user: Username of database.

–db-password: Password of database if you have.

–admin-firstname: Firstname of magento backend admin.

–admin-lastname: Lastname of magento backend admin.

–admin-email: Email address for magento backend admin.

–admin-user: Username for magento backend admin.

–admin-password: Password for magento backend admin.

–language: Default language of your store.

–currency=USD: Default currency of your store.

–timezone: Default timezone of your store.

–use-rewrites:1means you use web server rewrites for generated links in the storefront and Admin. 0disables the use of web server rewrites. This is the default.

–search-engine: The version of Elasticsearch to use as the search engine. Possible values areelasticsearch7,elasticsearch6, andelasticsearch5. The default iselasticsearch7. Elasticsearch 5 has been deprecated and is not recommended.

–elasticsearch-host: The host name or IP address where Elasticsearch is running. The default is localhost.

–elasticsearch-host: The host name or IP address where Elasticsearch is running.

After running this command you should see a message similar to the following display to indicate a successful installation:

Post installation file permissions check... For security, remove write permissions from these directories: '/var/www/html/magento2/app/etc' [Progress: 274 / 274] [SUCCESS]: Magento installation complete. [SUCCESS]: Admin Panel URI: /admin_puu71q

The Magento software is installed in the magento2 directory relative to the web server docroot on localhost and the path to the Magento Admin is admin; therefore:

Your storefront URL is http://magento-24.test

The database server is on the same host as the web server.

The database name is magento, and the username and password are both magento.

Uses server rewrites.

The Magento administrator has the following properties:

First and last name are Magento User.

Username is admin and the password is admin123.

E-mail address is user@example.com.

Default language is en_US (U.S. English).

Default currency is U.S. dollars.

Default time zone is U.S. Central (America/Chicago).

Elasticsearch 7 is installed on es-host.example.com and connects on port 9200.

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The State of eCommerce During the Covid-19 Pandemic!

Before Covid-19

Even before the lockdowns and social distancing, ecommerce was doing extremely well. Ecommerce can be credited in part with the slow and steady decline of brick and mortar retail stores. From 2018 to 2019, a series of retail bankruptcies revealed the harsh reality of not being able to adapt to current times. Some familiar names include Forever21, Sears, David’s Bridal, Brookstone, and Payless Shoesource.

Retail has continued on with difficulty, while online stores have seen continuous growth during recent years. According to Digital Commerce 360, 2019 had seen ecommerce penetration grow to 16% up from 14.4% the previous year. While physical stores are still important, many businesses have struggled with creating an ecommerce presence that is up to date. This shows that a strong online strategy was needed before the pandemic had occurred.

During Covid-19

Ecommerce sales have heightened during the pandemic, causing an acceleration of the already growing industry. Data from the Census Bureau shows the second quarter of 2020 for U.S. retail ecommerce sales had seen an increase of 31.8% from the first quarter. Lockdowns and other pandemic precautions have caused more people to turn to online shopping. This is to prevent going to highly infectious places like a crowded grocery store. The restrictions in place make a normally carefree shopping experience bothersome for customers.

Many items one would get in-store can be found online without the hassle. Trends show consumers are focusing on essential items and putting off larger purchases. This is related to high unemployment numbers. A number of people without work leads to a decrease in consumer spending. All excess funds will be used for what is necessary like food items, cleaning products, electronics for remote work/learning, and paying bills. Ecommerce has climbed higher, but the spending power of consumers has gone down. Certain products such as groceries have seen price hikes due to an increase in demand from panic buying.

Post Covid-19

Will the appeal of ecommerce remain after the pandemic is over? A certain change is different shopping trends appearing. As trends have changed due to the pandemic, they will likely switch again as things begin to reach a resolution. To guess what these trends might be, we can look at what is happening now to try to understand the uncertainty.

With the economic issues caused by the pandemic, it is safe to assume people are going to continue to center on essential items in the near future. The economy will take time to recover, which will also slow the return of consumer spending power. Ecommerce has plausibly gained more customers who prefer to shop online instead of in-store. Businesses that are centered around home deliveries likely have gained new customers who previously never used such services. Digital and electronics related companies will have retained growth due to the accelerated use of technology, all made possible by the pandemic.

Originally published at www.phpstudios.com on November 12, 2020

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How To Improve SEO For Your Website?

Search Engine Optimization is a crucial step in getting traffic to your eCommerce website and building a consumer base. Taking the time to work on SEO will make it easier for your online business to develop towards the next level of success. Thankfully, optimizing your website does not have to be complicated or confusing by following these simple steps below.

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the first and most essential step in gaining free organic SEO traffic. It is all about finding out what people are currently searching and what your audience cares about. Identifying keywords that have a high amount of traffic can allow one to make content based around these terms. This makes it more likely that your content will appear in the search results for those looking up those keywords and phrases. One SEO strategy to try is focusing on keywords with low competition.

If you are a startup or smaller business starting out, this will make it possible to compete with competitors who have higher domain authority. The DA ranking measurement was created by the company Moz to show the likelihood of a website’s ability to rank on search engines. The DA score is related to the amount of links from other websites leading to one’s own. This is called an inbound link, which increases the credibility and authority of your website.

Purposeful Content

After researching, it is necessary that the content you create is valuable to your audience who will consume it. Think of the industry you are a part of and who your competitors are. Analyzing the competition will aid you in knowing what is currently in demand. The amount of inbound links to your site will also improve with high quality content being produced. Instead of quantity, focus on solid work that solves your target market’s problems.

For example, let’s say your audience wants to know the benefits of doing ecommerce with Magento. They likely do not know much about this topic, which is why they are searching for it. What questions would your audience as beginners need to have resolved? If your audience has intermediate or advanced knowledge of your topic, change your language to match their expertise. Is there something you can provide that your competitors are not delivering on?

Improve User Experience

If your website attracts organic traffic, but nothing is working properly, it will drive your bounce rate up. While a high bounce rate will not directly affect SEO, it indicates there is a problem with the website. It is crucial to make sure users can find the information they want easily with no chance of errors interrupting. This includes the website’s layout, not just technical functions.

To streamline navigation, one can use internal links to other parts of their own website. This increases the length of time a visitor will stay on your page. Make sure your contact information is available and up-to-date to show that you are a trustworthy site. This also allows users to directly ask questions and get a response not listed on your site.

Be Patient

Boosting SEO traffic can take some time and adjustments. The average amount of time to see results can take 4 to 6 months. Though the amount of time depends on multiple factors like current ranking, time, and budget put into growing SEO. The first results one sees have the potential to get bigger over time, making it a long-term effort.

To speed up growth, use social media to share your website and content. Not only does this increase your outreach, but it adds to your reputation as a brand. The website and content can share your knowledge to your followers and potential followers. Connecting with the users can be done more effectively through managing social media along with the website and content.

Read more on this here -> Forbes

Originally published at https://phpstudios.com/ on November 06, 2020

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How to choose a Magento Development Company?

Ecommerce is the latest trend among many businesses today. Although it would only take a few steps to establish a web store, accomplishing success in the industry isn’t simple. The success of your eCommerce business relies upon the software development team that you hire.

This article discusses the significant factors you need to consider in choosing a Magento development company. These pointers will help you make the right choice.

Select Based on Your Needs

Requirements for starting a web store can complicate the process immensely. For this reason, it becomes imperative to acquire a team that can manage your online business. Before you begin looking for prospects, make sure to establish objectives that they can fulfill. Objectives derive from your company needs, including the following:

- Fulfill Customer Needs - To obtain market insight - Gain a competitive edge over your competitors

The objectives refer to your business needs that should be achieved by your eCommerce. Setting up a comprehensive team with business intelligence and marketing background for eCommerce industries can contribute to your business growth. This analysis also helps you obtain a clear understanding of the type of eCommerce store you need to succeed.

Allocation of Budget

Before you dive deep into this venture, the proper allocation of budget is vital. You should anticipate the costs of starting an online business along with acquiring a team for it. An approximate 5% of your total revenue is a simple rule to remember when starting an eCommerce endeavor. This percentage includes the expenses for licensing, hosting the website, the Magento web development services, and more.

Choosing the Best Magento Development Company

Magento is a complex tool that requires profound technical expertise. Therefore, you need to consider these factors for a smooth collaboration with Magento experts.

Credentials

The first thing you need to look for is their relevant Magento certifications. Magento development companies obtain certificates through their previous projects. It is also integral that you verify that the Magento developers on your team are certified. Developers qualify for certification every year, so they must be up to date.

Size of the Company

In selecting a Magento development company, another significant factor is its size. Make sure that they have enough numbers to provide all your business needs. Most businesses hire 2 to 3 Magento developers depending on the complexity of the project.

Experience

Experience is the primary factor, as it determines the company’s capability to finish all sorts of projects you throw at them, including their commitment to your business. A Magento development company with relevant experience provides you a wide array of resources and skills to make your eCommerce dreams happen.

Along with their years of experience, find out their reputation within the industry through reviews, portfolios, and testimonies. The company portfolio includes its existing and completed projects that provide insight into how it works with its clients. Ultimately, this gives you an overall idea about their work ethic, estimated budget, and the results they can deliver.

Originally published at https://phpstudios.com/ on October 06, 2020