2. It’s infinitely flexible, thanks to a plethora of plugins. Plugins are pieces of code that work with WordPress that developers write and distribute. Some plugins cost money; others are free. Furthermore, WordPress plugins are independent, so you don’t need to do a chain of updates to get things working again after, say, you update your server. And they cover all kinds of things, from making sure Google Analytics functions to reducing spam to displaying fun quotes on your site which change daily.

3. WordPress allows you to manage more than one site, with a different URL and completely different content, on the same installation. So, if you have several sales agents, they can each get a custom URL and site, even with a different theme.

4. Almost anyone can post content – and multiple people can easily post to the same site. To post to WordPress, you only need to be able to type, spell, and punctuate – and the latter two are optional with the right plugins. WordPress is ideal for organizations where people who have no technical experience are routinely posting content. With the right plugins, you can also automatically post content from other sources.

5. Social media integration is a standard feature. It’s easy to have your WordPress site publish the updates you post to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. You can also integrate YouTube for videos, Google Maps for directions to your office and Flickr for photos. Again, the person posting on WordPress does not need to have much technical knowledge.

6. It is extensively customizable. A quick search reveals that there are over 11,000 different WordPress themes, many of which can be customized at least in colour scheme – and quite a few of which are offered for free.

7. It’s global. WordPress has been translated into at least 65 languages with more language options in progress. In fact, since 2014, there have been more WordPress installs in a language other than English than there have been in English.

8. It’s popular. Because WordPress is so prevalent, knowing how to use it, especially advanced functions like customizing themes and installing plugins, has become an essential skill that most office workers feel it would be an asset to learn. It is becoming easier to find people who know how to use WordPress, which in turn encourages companies to use it. An analysis of recent job descriptions indicated that WordPress skills are amongst the most requested and desirable skills in the job market.

9. It is simple to upgrade and maintain. With the right backup plugin, updating to a new version of WordPress takes only a couple of minutes, keeping downtime to a minimum. Updating is a matter of making a couple of clicks and entering your password.

10. It’s built for SEO. WordPress is designed to make it easy to insert meta tags that can be picked up by robots, but not people, allowing you to use an effective SEO strategy in a way that does not result in awkward wording of your content or website. Optimizing your site is no longer a task relegated to developers; it takes very little time to become acquainted with WordPress’ SEO tools and plugins.

Millions of people use WordPress daily – from Fortune 500 companies and brand-name publications to small business users working alone in a home office. If you are setting up or upgrading a website, consider using WordPress – most businesses that start using it never look back. For assistance with your WordPress site, from strategy to development through deployment and maintenance, send an email to support@stepsoftware.com.

The post Why Some of the Largest Companies Are Choosing WordPress first appeared on STEP Software.

One of the main advantages of mobile website optimization is that it is a fantastic way to rank much higher in search engines. A mobile-friendly website that ranks high in Google search results will reach a much wider audience than a site that isn’t optimized for mobile users. Ultimately, reaching a larger audience can increase the bottom line for your business and give you a competitive edge over other companies that fail to create mobile-friendly websites.

2. KEEP USER ATTENTION

The speed of a website is essential in today’s digital world, as the average attention span seems to decrease each year. However, a fast mobile site significantly increases the chance that a visitor will stay around to learn more about the services of your business. On the other hand, numerous studies have shown that many mobile website users will quickly leave for another page if they have to wait more than 5 seconds for the site to load.

3. ENHANCE BRAND IMAGE

Businesses are always looking for different ways to reach clients and improve the image of their company brand. Creating a top-quality website is one of the most effective ways to enhance the perception of your company’s brand. A mobile-optimized site allows you to stand out from the crowd and makes it easy for potential clients to visit your website on their preferred device. Improving your company’s brand image can help you stay one step ahead of competitors and puts new levels of success within easy reach.

Mobile websites will only continue to grow in relevance as the use of smartphones continues to expand in today’s digital culture. Taking the extra time to optimize your mobile website is well worth the effort, as it enables you to reach a wider audience by improving your ranking in search results, grab and hold the attention of each visitor, and improve the overall brand image of your organization. Now is the perfect time to increase the outreach of your company by focusing on mobile website optimization.

The post 3 Benefits of Mobile Website Optimization first appeared on STEP Software.

One of the best ways to increase traffic to your business site is to use a professional website designer. Creating a unique website for your business can improve your position in search results and expand the outreach of your company. A professional website includes many features, such as a responsive design that loads quickly and is compatible with a variety of browsers. A professional website designer will focus on the latest SEO (search engine optimization) practices in creating a keyword-optimized site that reaches as many potential customers as possible.

2. USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY

Developing a user-friendly design is essential in keeping visitors on your site. A simple, logical design makes it easy for users to navigate your entire site, whether they prefer to learn more about your services or check out your most recent blog post. An accessible contact form is crucial in making it easy for all potential clients to reach out to your company. A professional website design company will walk you through each step of the design process to ensure that you are happy with the final result, from design to development to deployment.

3. OPTIMIZE FOR MOBILE DEVICES

The vast majority of users search the web with smartphones. Creating a mobile-friendly site is essential in ranking near the top of search results while also making it simple for visitors to navigate around your site, regardless of device. A few ways to improve your website for mobile visitors include reducing load times, optimizing image sizes, and using a font that is easy to read on smaller devices.

4. BUILT-IN RELIABILITY

Reliability is critical in maximizing your consumer outreach with a website. Trying to create a site on your own may lead to technical issues that can cause significant downtime. However, a professional website designer has the experience and professional know-how to handle any technical problems. Ultimately, you will experience far fewer issues with a professionally designed website while also receiving prompt assistance if you run into any problems.

5. SAVE TIME AND REDUCE STRESS

Managing your own business is stressful enough, and in most cases, it doesn’t make sense to add extra work by trying to create and maintain a website by yourself. You can save a significant amount of time and stress by hiring an experienced website designer to create a site that best meets the unique needs of your business. Ultimately, you will be better off spending your time focusing on your core job objectives without the added stress of designing and managing your own site.

Hiring a professional website designer offers a variety of benefits for small business owners. These advantages include maximizing website traffic with strategic SEO, creating an accessible, user-friendly design, optimizing the mobile experience, improving reliability, and reducing stress. A professionally designed and developed website is one of the best ways to rise above your competition while reaching many potentially profitable new clients.

The post 5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Website Designer first appeared on STEP Software.

Search engines scour your site’s metadata in an attempt to rank it accurately. The tags used in a site’s metadata are known as schema markup and can help improve its search engine standing. Consider the terms an individual may use when searching for your site and add relevant tags into your schema markup. It’s important to consider the subtle differences between phrases commonly used in voice searches and the ones in more traditional text-based ones.

If you can identify the terms most frequently used in voice searches, adding them to your schema markup will boost your website’s optimization. Metadata centered specifically around voice searches is a crucial and often-overlooked aspect of web development, but it can have a dramatic impact on the discoverability of your site.

2. MOBILE USE

Mobile and voice optimization are two sides of the same coin. Neither can be considered complete without attention and time being dedicated to the other, as most voice searches are made using mobile devices. Therefore, optimizing your site for use on a mobile device will also help to improve its optimization for voice searches.

The quality of your mobile site has a major influence on its search engine optimization. The site needs to work seamlessly on mobile. It should load quickly, the content should be instantly accessible, and the layout should be formatted efficiently for mobile devices. If your mobile site is poorly designed, your voice search optimization will suffer.

3. QUERIES

The types of searches made via voice functions differ subtly yet significantly from other searches. People using voice search are mostly asking simple questions that require brief and objective answers. Tailor your content to this style of voice-specific query to improve your VSO. Consider the subject matter of your site, and the intention of your average user, to determine what sort of questions may be asked.

Compile a list of likely questions and endeavour to provide easily digestible answers throughout your site. FAQ pages and educational blog posts are especially well suited for voice search optimization as they provide answers to common questions in neatly organized snippets.

4. TEXT

Aside from the search engine-friendly FAQs, the rest of your site’s copy can further improve your VSO. The text on every page should be created to appeal to voice searches. Using more casual language is one way of doing this as it complements the vernacular most frequently used in voice searches. Review the most common searches made in your industry and analyze the language used. Once you know how your user-base frames their queries, you can adapt the text of your website appropriately.

Copy that is at odds with how the user-base actually talks will be ranked less highly than one that matches your visitors’ most commonly-used vocabulary. For instance, if most searches contain a lot of specific technical terms, it would be most appropriate to take a more academic tone in your copy. However, if most voice searches are more casual and flippant in nature, it should be reflected in your website content.

5. HTTPS

Search engines always prioritize secure websites over others. In fact, there are browsers that penalize insecure sites by warning incoming visitors that the site they are trying to navigate to is not secure. It doesn’t matter how the user searches for your content if you don’t have a firm grip on your site’s security. The simplest way to improve security is to switch from HTTP to HTTPS so that all information passing through the site is encrypted. HTTPS sites displayed by these browsers have a green padlock by the URL that instantly informs your visitors of the additional recommended security layer.

Voice search is a rapidly growing method of finding content. Not paying attention to VSO is no longer an option – if you neglect voice search optimization, you will be quickly surpassed by your more savvy competitors. The tactics used to improve voice search optimization are easy to apply to any site and will have a dramatic effect. The evolution of the digital landscape shows no sign of slowing down, so businesses have no choice but to adapt or risk becoming obsolete. Optimizing your site content for voice search is the latest, and perhaps the easiest, way of staying ahead of the curve.

The post 5 Ways to Improve Your Voice Search Optimization first appeared on STEP Software.

Relationship building is a key factor in modern SEO, allowing you to gain backlinks that might previously be out of reach. Many people have achieved top rankings without focusing on relationships, often purchasing links or using automated software. However, the search engines have gotten better at detecting these activities, so your results might not last long. Solid relationships, though, enable you to gain backlinks and promotion from relevant authority sites. You can provide guest posts for a blog, get added to a resource page, or be used as a citation within an article. Along with backlinks, you can also receive traffic and promotion from social media and email, thereby boosting your brand recognition within the industry. A number of strategic partnerships in your industry can form the foundation of an SEO campaign.

PUT YOUR VISITORS FIRST

In the past, great search results could be gained from following processes that weren’t to the benefit of visitors. Spun content stuffed with keywords, spammy backlinks, and excessive advertising, with no outbound links, could all offer success without providing a positive user experience. Frequent algorithm updates have changed the landscape, however, and you can gain better results from offering a positive user experience that customers appreciate. Bounce rate and site speed are important, so optimize your site loading times and offer content above the fold. Quality content should always take precedence over inferior or spun content. Finally, be willing to link out to authority sites where appropriate, showing the search engines you are not trying to prevent visitors from leaving your site.

ANALYTICS

Analytics are often ignored or used sparingly in an SEO campaign. Looking at the data should, however, be more than just a way to view your traffic levels. Google Analytics, for example, along with the entire Search Console, will show where traffic is coming from, the keywords you are ranking for, and bounce rate, along with plenty of other information. Using analytics can help you focus your efforts in the right places, targeting areas where you can most benefit. Authority sites can often rank for a wide variety of keywords, so you can find important search terms you weren’t actively targeting before. Finally, you can learn of any negative SEO campaigns directed at your site, and remove spammy links that could damage your prospects.

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed system for SEO, so you have to be prepared to assess your results and improvise with your methodology. There are too many elements in the algorithm to be certain of results, while also having to compete with many other sites looking to outrank you. However, building a solid base, following best practices, and analyzing results will put you in the best position to succeed. While SEO can feel extremely complex to beginners, anyone with experience with ranking sites understands that the learning curve dissuades much of the competition, making the process easier for anyone willing to commit to the process.

The post 3 Key Factors that Will Influence Your SEO Results first appeared on STEP Software.