#protofuse

[thenerdymusicenthusiast]

Today (10th of October) marks the anniversary of an important for jazz history, protofusion/jazz-rock record by Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

[idmradio]

julien bayle julienbayle.net

[megsreflectionsondigitalmedia]

Planning & Designing a Website

In this weeks Web Authoring class we looked at the website planning process

in broad sense - how we would plan our websites. Up till this point, we have learnt HTML, CSS and have dabbled in WordPress (a content management system) and Servers; however in this class we took a step back to look at the overall design process of web authoring. Before I get into the details, here is a very useful and detailed step-by-step guide to website planning/designing I found online: https://webflow.com/blog/how-to-design-a-website. This process can be decribed in the following steps:

Receiving the Client’s Brief

Talking to the Client (gauging Purpose of Website)

Extensive Research & Creating Creative Brief (response to Client Brief)

In the first two stages, the web developer is given their project brief from the client and discusses the purpose of the site with the client. It is important to know whether the client is wanting to persuade or inform their audience in particular ways, who their audience is and the client’s goals for the website.

There is a lot of work and detail that goes into the research stage of the website designing process. After pinning down the clients goals and who their target audience is and their traits (what devices do they use? etc.), the web developer breaks down what the users will do on the site (task analysis - do they purchase something? etc.). The next step is to find out where the media for the site is coming from (images, typefaces, etc.) - does the client have the required people hired? It is also important to look at the client’s competitors’ websites; what can your client’s website have that is better than the rest and how can you make it stand out? Finally, the web developer would make a virtual mood board within the boarders of current design trends (of the clients website genre also) and go into more depth on the website’s overall structure and functionalities (making a wireframe), page organization (sitemap) and aesthetics (suitable themes, etc.). 

It is vital to note that the key things to keep in mind through this website designing process are consistency, detailed organization, and focus on the target audiences’ needs (not necessarily you or the clients). This process can continue and loop around and around; after all, over time aesthetic website trends might change and so might the competitors’ websites. 

Image Reference:

ProtoFuse, 2015. 5 Ways Wireframing Helps You Plan For Better Content. [image] Available at: <https://www.protofuse.com/blog/details/website-wireframing-helps-plan-better-content/> [Accessed 5 December 2021].

[plungermusic]

Plunger go Upstairs Downstairs with the Mule...

Gov’t Mule’s visits have long been a highlight of Plunger’s summer, going back to 2005 at least. While we might have been down the front at the Mean Fiddler fourteen years ago, these days the balcony is more attractive...

Greeting us with his traditional “How you doin’?” laconic frontman Warren Haynes launched into the twelve-string Les Paul-led muscular folkiness of Railroad Boy, his powerful soul-cum-rock vox ringing clear above blistering backing from Matt Abts’ thundering beat, Jorgen Carlson’s lithe bass and Danny Louis’ swirling Hammond.

A set long on “hits” included several we first heard back in 2005: Thorazine Shuffle’s off-kilter bass and chilly tremolo chords were topped with fluid electric piano and a tour de force tour de kit from Matt, and Game Face, another trouser-flapping-bass-led power-chord pile-driver, climaxed in a short Mountain Jam tease. These two bookended the breezy Free-style rock of Million Miles From Yesterday and the emotive Otis-style soul epic The Man I Want To Be: passionate vocals, restrained drum-and-bass and genre-specific Wurlitzery keys leading to spine-tingling ABBish singing-tone soloing.

Revolution Come, Revolution Go displayed a loose-limbed jazzy slink: restless walking bass and supple drums behind gimlet-toned fusiony guitar, before Danny broke out the trombone to swap licks with Warren. Closing the first set, surprise special guest Joe Bonamassa joined in for Warren’s slow blues (famously covered by Joe) If Heartaches Were Nickels, and the full-on protofusion of Jeff Beck’s Freeway Jam: a barrelling tight performance showcased grandstanding piano and some frenzied to-you-to-me guitar interplay.

The effects-laden noodling and cymbal-rich drumming of Thorns Of Life announced the start of set two, Warren’s vox surprisingly silky over the burbling bass and trippy keys then reaching rock scream levels in the gutsy chorus before subsiding back to the psychedelic haze. It’s not a Mule show without a dash of Caribbean spirit, Time To Confess providing the if-only-all-reggae-was-this-good moment: its extended dubtastic excursion featuring echo-drenched electric piano, tricksy around-the-beat drums, and an exquisite crescendo of banshee guitar.

Either side of that were two long-time “band theme songs”: Mule’s steamhammer drums, elastic roving bass, and rising tide of Hammond underpinned Warren’s jagged chordal riff and taut vox; his muscle car bottleneck vrooms culminating in paint-peeling peaks. Soulshine has been a Warren standard pre-Allmans and beyond: the lighters-in-the-air anthem was greeted with huge cheers and saw a discursive solo with the briefest Jessica tease before an emotional gospel-tinged finale.

Lightning-fast bass introduced the fusiony complexity and panache of Trane, with stylish switches of rhythm and vibe throughout (and a nod to Third Stone/Mountain Jam) before segueing into the brooding stoner haze of ‘Beautifully Broken’. Driving us toward the close were another pair of nostalgic faves: the barrelling Bad Little Doggie, with buzzsaw guitar propelled by thunderous bass and busy inventive drums, segueing into another headlong rocker Mr Man, where Blackmoreish phrasing and rising organ led to a brief burst of Highway Star.

Running short of time there was only one encore: the stately, dreamy progress of Endless Parade. With relaxed, resigned vox and restrained speaking-guitar, the lengthy coda saw a fine disappearing-over-the-hill piano-and-guitar diminuendo eventual fade to silence, for a somewhat low-key end to another sparkling annual appearance.

Oh, and the actual Upstairs Downstairs / Gov’t Mule connection is... Railroad Boy is sung by one of the Downstairs mob in the first series. Not a lot of people know that.

[sushtg]

via Twitter https://twitter.com/sush21may

[sualkmedeiors]

Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves

Let’s face it: The marketing world moves quickly. So quickly that as you chase down the latest and greatest channels and tools available, it’s possible to lose sight of the very foundation that enabled you to get this far.

It’s important to position your brand where people spend their time, and having your marketing team experiment with creative new channels, such as new social media platforms, is vitally important. However, C-suite leaders must remain focused on the facts through all the fads and trends coming and going at top speed. And one fact is unwavering: A website is one of your most valuable customer-facing assets.

Pay to Play with Platforms

There are plenty of attention-grabbing platforms that are positioned to spread your message and engage with your audience, but keep in mind that such platforms usually benefit from this partnership more than you do. Not only are there strict guidelines on how your brand can appear, but most of the platforms also require you to pay them in order to drive traffic to your content or landing page. Typically, platforms also bury outbound links, so your consumers and followers must navigate to your website on their own.

To take back control of your messaging, devote your attention (and investments) to building a best-in-class website. Many business leaders commission a website, proclaim it finished, and allow it to remain static for months or even years. Consumer demands, on the other hand, are never dormant, so your website shouldn’t be either.

A truly compelling website requires excellent content marketing, beautiful design, and constant optimization to the user experience. If you invest in the right talent and infrastructure to build these pillars, your website will be much more adept to achieve your goals, whether that’s driving conversions, newsletter signups, or whitepaper downloads.

5 Components of an Engaging Website

When a company spends all of its resources to develop new channels at the expense of its website, viewers will notice. Any responsible consumer will do their due diligence before buying a product or signing up for a service, and that includes visiting your company’s website and using it as an evaluation tool.

Think of it this way: If a customer is in a mall, and they comes across a storefront that’s unkempt and outdated, they will probably pass on it. In this way, your website is your online storefront, so make sure it’s designed to establish trust and win over customers.

To bring your old or clunky website up to speed, start by prioritizing investment in the following areas:

1. Infrastructure

The right hosting platform can speed up page load times, reduce or eliminate downtime, improve security, and more. According to Kissmetrics, speed alone is vital because a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Invest in the foundation of your website, and you’ll incur fewer costs down the road that stem from cart abandonment, loss of business, low conversion rates, and data hacks. Take note: When you spend more on your cell phone bill than your hosting, your priorities are way off.

2. Live Chat

If you’re after conversions, implement a live chat feature. These tools can instantly answer a visitor’s question, and move him or her further down the conversion funnel. Live chat features also capture new leads in your CRM and create nurturing campaigns that keep your business top of mind. An American Marketing Association study reports that live chat software typically comes with more than a 300% ROI, and prospects who take advantage of the feature are three times as likely to convert.

3. MarTech Stack

For an optimal website, consider how you use your MarTech stack. Picking up a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist—it takes thousands of hours to master a new tool. Therefore, investing in a strong MarTech stack right away is crucial. However, according to Marketing Insider Group, if you try to adapt too many tools, your team will fail to master any of them. Pay special attention to compatible tools that keep all of your data in sync. They’ll make this information more accessible and allow you to leverage it more easily.

4. Analytics

Another website necessity includes analytics. In today’s agile landscape, brands must ensure that websites are continuously optimized for design and functionality across a wide range of browsers and devices. Use reliable tools to test and to ensure you have techniques to accurately measure results. Then, act on them. All the data in the world won’t help you if you aren’t committed to using it to improve your website and customer journey.

5. SEO

Investing in SEO is a great way to generate awareness for your brand. Companies that show up on the first page of search results will see substantially more traffic to their website. In fact, showing up on the second page means you’re practically invisible. According to ProtoFuse, less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google search results. Keep in mind that seeing SEO results takes time, so play the long game on this one.

By all means, think outside the box, but don’t let the emergence of new marketing channels cause you to lose sight of what’s tried and true. Unlike channels that rapidly flare up and then fizzle out, the website is here to stay, and chances are good that you can make better use of yours.

The post Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/modernb2bmarketing/~3/KPQ3vUuM6FM/5-critical-element-successful-website.html

[darkammarketing]

Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves

Let’s face it: The marketing world moves quickly. So quickly that as you chase down the latest and greatest channels and tools available, it’s possible to lose sight of the very foundation that enabled you to get this far.

It’s important to position your brand where people spend their time, and having your marketing team experiment with creative new channels, such as new social media platforms, is vitally important. However, C-suite leaders must remain focused on the facts through all the fads and trends coming and going at top speed. And one fact is unwavering: A website is one of your most valuable customer-facing assets.

Pay to Play with Platforms

There are plenty of attention-grabbing platforms that are positioned to spread your message and engage with your audience, but keep in mind that such platforms usually benefit from this partnership more than you do. Not only are there strict guidelines on how your brand can appear, but most of the platforms also require you to pay them in order to drive traffic to your content or landing page. Typically, platforms also bury outbound links, so your consumers and followers must navigate to your website on their own.

To take back control of your messaging, devote your attention (and investments) to building a best-in-class website. Many business leaders commission a website, proclaim it finished, and allow it to remain static for months or even years. Consumer demands, on the other hand, are never dormant, so your website shouldn’t be either.

A truly compelling website requires excellent content marketing, beautiful design, and constant optimization to the user experience. If you invest in the right talent and infrastructure to build these pillars, your website will be much more adept to achieve your goals, whether that’s driving conversions, newsletter signups, or whitepaper downloads.

5 Components of an Engaging Website

When a company spends all of its resources to develop new channels at the expense of its website, viewers will notice. Any responsible consumer will do their due diligence before buying a product or signing up for a service, and that includes visiting your company’s website and using it as an evaluation tool.

Think of it this way: If a customer is in a mall, and they comes across a storefront that’s unkempt and outdated, they will probably pass on it. In this way, your website is your online storefront, so make sure it’s designed to establish trust and win over customers.

To bring your old or clunky website up to speed, start by prioritizing investment in the following areas:

1. Infrastructure

The right hosting platform can speed up page load times, reduce or eliminate downtime, improve security, and more. According to Kissmetrics, speed alone is vital because a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Invest in the foundation of your website, and you’ll incur fewer costs down the road that stem from cart abandonment, loss of business, low conversion rates, and data hacks. Take note: When you spend more on your cell phone bill than your hosting, your priorities are way off.

2. Live Chat

If you’re after conversions, implement a live chat feature. These tools can instantly answer a visitor’s question, and move him or her further down the conversion funnel. Live chat features also capture new leads in your CRM and create nurturing campaigns that keep your business top of mind. An American Marketing Association study reports that live chat software typically comes with more than a 300% ROI, and prospects who take advantage of the feature are three times as likely to convert.

3. MarTech Stack

For an optimal website, consider how you use your MarTech stack. Picking up a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist—it takes thousands of hours to master a new tool. Therefore, investing in a strong MarTech stack right away is crucial. However, according to Marketing Insider Group, if you try to adapt too many tools, your team will fail to master any of them. Pay special attention to compatible tools that keep all of your data in sync. They’ll make this information more accessible and allow you to leverage it more easily.

4. Analytics

Another website necessity includes analytics. In today’s agile landscape, brands must ensure that websites are continuously optimized for design and functionality across a wide range of browsers and devices. Use reliable tools to test and to ensure you have techniques to accurately measure results. Then, act on them. All the data in the world won’t help you if you aren’t committed to using it to improve your website and customer journey.

5. SEO

Investing in SEO is a great way to generate awareness for your brand. Companies that show up on the first page of search results will see substantially more traffic to their website. In fact, showing up on the second page means you’re practically invisible. According to ProtoFuse, less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google search results. Keep in mind that seeing SEO results takes time, so play the long game on this one.

By all means, think outside the box, but don’t let the emergence of new marketing channels cause you to lose sight of what’s tried and true. Unlike channels that rapidly flare up and then fizzle out, the website is here to stay, and chances are good that you can make better use of yours.

The post Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from http://bit.ly/2LeSvm2 via IFTTT via Blogger http://bit.ly/2zYzLTD

[archiebwoollard]

Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves

Let’s face it: The marketing world moves quickly. So quickly that as you chase down the latest and greatest channels and tools available, it’s possible to lose sight of the very foundation that enabled you to get this far.

It’s important to position your brand where people spend their time, and having your marketing team experiment with creative new channels, such as new social media platforms, is vitally important. However, C-suite leaders must remain focused on the facts through all the fads and trends coming and going at top speed. And one fact is unwavering: A website is one of your most valuable customer-facing assets.

Pay to Play with Platforms

There are plenty of attention-grabbing platforms that are positioned to spread your message and engage with your audience, but keep in mind that such platforms usually benefit from this partnership more than you do. Not only are there strict guidelines on how your brand can appear, but most of the platforms also require you to pay them in order to drive traffic to your content or landing page. Typically, platforms also bury outbound links, so your consumers and followers must navigate to your website on their own.

To take back control of your messaging, devote your attention (and investments) to building a best-in-class website. Many business leaders commission a website, proclaim it finished, and allow it to remain static for months or even years. Consumer demands, on the other hand, are never dormant, so your website shouldn’t be either.

A truly compelling website requires excellent content marketing, beautiful design, and constant optimization to the user experience. If you invest in the right talent and infrastructure to build these pillars, your website will be much more adept to achieve your goals, whether that’s driving conversions, newsletter signups, or whitepaper downloads.

5 Components of an Engaging Website

When a company spends all of its resources to develop new channels at the expense of its website, viewers will notice. Any responsible consumer will do their due diligence before buying a product or signing up for a service, and that includes visiting your company’s website and using it as an evaluation tool.

Think of it this way: If a customer is in a mall, and they comes across a storefront that’s unkempt and outdated, they will probably pass on it. In this way, your website is your online storefront, so make sure it’s designed to establish trust and win over customers.

To bring your old or clunky website up to speed, start by prioritizing investment in the following areas:

1. Infrastructure

The right hosting platform can speed up page load times, reduce or eliminate downtime, improve security, and more. According to Kissmetrics, speed alone is vital because a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Invest in the foundation of your website, and you’ll incur fewer costs down the road that stem from cart abandonment, loss of business, low conversion rates, and data hacks. Take note: When you spend more on your cell phone bill than your hosting, your priorities are way off.

2. Live Chat

If you’re after conversions, implement a live chat feature. These tools can instantly answer a visitor’s question, and move him or her further down the conversion funnel. Live chat features also capture new leads in your CRM and create nurturing campaigns that keep your business top of mind. An American Marketing Association study reports that live chat software typically comes with more than a 300% ROI, and prospects who take advantage of the feature are three times as likely to convert.

3. MarTech Stack

For an optimal website, consider how you use your MarTech stack. Picking up a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist—it takes thousands of hours to master a new tool. Therefore, investing in a strong MarTech stack right away is crucial. However, according to Marketing Insider Group, if you try to adapt too many tools, your team will fail to master any of them. Pay special attention to compatible tools that keep all of your data in sync. They’ll make this information more accessible and allow you to leverage it more easily.

4. Analytics

Another website necessity includes analytics. In today’s agile landscape, brands must ensure that websites are continuously optimized for design and functionality across a wide range of browsers and devices. Use reliable tools to test and to ensure you have techniques to accurately measure results. Then, act on them. All the data in the world won’t help you if you aren’t committed to using it to improve your website and customer journey.

5. SEO

Investing in SEO is a great way to generate awareness for your brand. Companies that show up on the first page of search results will see substantially more traffic to their website. In fact, showing up on the second page means you’re practically invisible. According to ProtoFuse, less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google search results. Keep in mind that seeing SEO results takes time, so play the long game on this one.

By all means, think outside the box, but don’t let the emergence of new marketing channels cause you to lose sight of what’s tried and true. Unlike channels that rapidly flare up and then fizzle out, the website is here to stay, and chances are good that you can make better use of yours.

The post Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/modernb2bmarketing/~3/KPQ3vUuM6FM/5-critical-element-successful-website.html

[racheltgibsau]

Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves

Let’s face it: The marketing world moves quickly. So quickly that as you chase down the latest and greatest channels and tools available, it’s possible to lose sight of the very foundation that enabled you to get this far.

It’s important to position your brand where people spend their time, and having your marketing team experiment with creative new channels, such as new social media platforms, is vitally important. However, C-suite leaders must remain focused on the facts through all the fads and trends coming and going at top speed. And one fact is unwavering: A website is one of your most valuable customer-facing assets.

Pay to Play with Platforms

There are plenty of attention-grabbing platforms that are positioned to spread your message and engage with your audience, but keep in mind that such platforms usually benefit from this partnership more than you do. Not only are there strict guidelines on how your brand can appear, but most of the platforms also require you to pay them in order to drive traffic to your content or landing page. Typically, platforms also bury outbound links, so your consumers and followers must navigate to your website on their own.

To take back control of your messaging, devote your attention (and investments) to building a best-in-class website. Many business leaders commission a website, proclaim it finished, and allow it to remain static for months or even years. Consumer demands, on the other hand, are never dormant, so your website shouldn’t be either.

A truly compelling website requires excellent content marketing, beautiful design, and constant optimization to the user experience. If you invest in the right talent and infrastructure to build these pillars, your website will be much more adept to achieve your goals, whether that’s driving conversions, newsletter signups, or whitepaper downloads.

5 Components of an Engaging Website

When a company spends all of its resources to develop new channels at the expense of its website, viewers will notice. Any responsible consumer will do their due diligence before buying a product or signing up for a service, and that includes visiting your company’s website and using it as an evaluation tool.

Think of it this way: If a customer is in a mall, and they comes across a storefront that’s unkempt and outdated, they will probably pass on it. In this way, your website is your online storefront, so make sure it’s designed to establish trust and win over customers.

To bring your old or clunky website up to speed, start by prioritizing investment in the following areas:

1. Infrastructure

The right hosting platform can speed up page load times, reduce or eliminate downtime, improve security, and more. According to Kissmetrics, speed alone is vital because a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Invest in the foundation of your website, and you’ll incur fewer costs down the road that stem from cart abandonment, loss of business, low conversion rates, and data hacks. Take note: When you spend more on your cell phone bill than your hosting, your priorities are way off.

2. Live Chat

If you’re after conversions, implement a live chat feature. These tools can instantly answer a visitor’s question, and move him or her further down the conversion funnel. Live chat features also capture new leads in your CRM and create nurturing campaigns that keep your business top of mind. An American Marketing Association study reports that live chat software typically comes with more than a 300% ROI, and prospects who take advantage of the feature are three times as likely to convert.

3. MarTech Stack

For an optimal website, consider how you use your MarTech stack. Picking up a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist—it takes thousands of hours to master a new tool. Therefore, investing in a strong MarTech stack right away is crucial. However, according to Marketing Insider Group, if you try to adapt too many tools, your team will fail to master any of them. Pay special attention to compatible tools that keep all of your data in sync. They’ll make this information more accessible and allow you to leverage it more easily.

4. Analytics

Another website necessity includes analytics. In today’s agile landscape, brands must ensure that websites are continuously optimized for design and functionality across a wide range of browsers and devices. Use reliable tools to test and to ensure you have techniques to accurately measure results. Then, act on them. All the data in the world won’t help you if you aren’t committed to using it to improve your website and customer journey.

5. SEO

Investing in SEO is a great way to generate awareness for your brand. Companies that show up on the first page of search results will see substantially more traffic to their website. In fact, showing up on the second page means you’re practically invisible. According to ProtoFuse, less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google search results. Keep in mind that seeing SEO results takes time, so play the long game on this one.

By all means, think outside the box, but don’t let the emergence of new marketing channels cause you to lose sight of what’s tried and true. Unlike channels that rapidly flare up and then fizzle out, the website is here to stay, and chances are good that you can make better use of yours.

The post Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/modernb2bmarketing/~3/KPQ3vUuM6FM/5-critical-element-successful-website.html

[maxforlive]

via MaxforLive.com New Devices

[findmyfreelance]

ProtoFuse: Full Stack PHP Developer

ProtoFuse: Full Stack PHP Developer

Full-time (Orlando, FL) We are currently looking for a talented Full Stack Developer to join our small but growing team of experienced web professionals. As a Full Stack Developer, you will be responsible for maintaining and enhancing our growing portfolio of successful client web sites, and for guiding new client web sites through all stages of the development process from conception to…

[darkammarketing]

Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves

Let’s face it: The marketing world moves quickly. So quickly that as you chase down the latest and greatest channels and tools available, it’s possible to lose sight of the very foundation that enabled you to get this far.

It’s important to position your brand where people spend their time, and having your marketing team experiment with creative new channels, such as new social media platforms, is vitally important. However, C-suite leaders must remain focused on the facts through all the fads and trends coming and going at top speed. And one fact is unwavering: A website is one of your most valuable customer-facing assets.

Pay to Play with Platforms

There are plenty of attention-grabbing platforms that are positioned to spread your message and engage with your audience, but keep in mind that such platforms usually benefit from this partnership more than you do. Not only are there strict guidelines on how your brand can appear, but most of the platforms also require you to pay them in order to drive traffic to your content or landing page. Typically, platforms also bury outbound links, so your consumers and followers must navigate to your website on their own.

To take back control of your messaging, devote your attention (and investments) to building a best-in-class website. Many business leaders commission a website, proclaim it finished, and allow it to remain static for months or even years. Consumer demands, on the other hand, are never dormant, so your website shouldn’t be either.

A truly compelling website requires excellent content marketing, beautiful design, and constant optimization to the user experience. If you invest in the right talent and infrastructure to build these pillars, your website will be much more adept to achieve your goals, whether that’s driving conversions, newsletter signups, or whitepaper downloads.

5 Components of an Engaging Website

When a company spends all of its resources to develop new channels at the expense of its website, viewers will notice. Any responsible consumer will do their due diligence before buying a product or signing up for a service, and that includes visiting your company’s website and using it as an evaluation tool.

Think of it this way: If a customer is in a mall, and they comes across a storefront that’s unkempt and outdated, they will probably pass on it. In this way, your website is your online storefront, so make sure it’s designed to establish trust and win over customers.

To bring your old or clunky website up to speed, start by prioritizing investment in the following areas:

1. Infrastructure

The right hosting platform can speed up page load times, reduce or eliminate downtime, improve security, and more. According to Kissmetrics, speed alone is vital because a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Invest in the foundation of your website, and you’ll incur fewer costs down the road that stem from cart abandonment, loss of business, low conversion rates, and data hacks. Take note: When you spend more on your cell phone bill than your hosting, your priorities are way off.

2. Live Chat

If you’re after conversions, implement a live chat feature. These tools can instantly answer a visitor’s question, and move him or her further down the conversion funnel. Live chat features also capture new leads in your CRM and create nurturing campaigns that keep your business top of mind. An American Marketing Association study reports that live chat software typically comes with more than a 300% ROI, and prospects who take advantage of the feature are three times as likely to convert.

3. MarTech Stack

For an optimal website, consider how you use your MarTech stack. Picking up a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist—it takes thousands of hours to master a new tool. Therefore, investing in a strong MarTech stack right away is crucial. However, according to Marketing Insider Group, if you try to adapt too many tools, your team will fail to master any of them. Pay special attention to compatible tools that keep all of your data in sync. They’ll make this information more accessible and allow you to leverage it more easily.

4. Analytics

Another website necessity includes analytics. In today’s agile landscape, brands must ensure that websites are continuously optimized for design and functionality across a wide range of browsers and devices. Use reliable tools to test and to ensure you have techniques to accurately measure results. Then, act on them. All the data in the world won’t help you if you aren’t committed to using it to improve your website and customer journey.

5. SEO

Investing in SEO is a great way to generate awareness for your brand. Companies that show up on the first page of search results will see substantially more traffic to their website. In fact, showing up on the second page means you’re practically invisible. According to ProtoFuse, less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google search results. Keep in mind that seeing SEO results takes time, so play the long game on this one.

By all means, think outside the box, but don’t let the emergence of new marketing channels cause you to lose sight of what’s tried and true. Unlike channels that rapidly flare up and then fizzle out, the website is here to stay, and chances are good that you can make better use of yours.

The post Distracted by New Technology? You Probably Aren’t Giving Your Website the Attention It Deserves appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from Marketo Marketing Blog http://bit.ly/2LeSvm2 via IFTTT