Google ranks pages by speed

In the last few days Google announced that they have again made changes to their ranking algorithm. That’s the clever mathematical bit of Google that works out how far up (or down), the list your website appears.

Before Christmas we saw a major change which for the first time had Google paying close attention to real time search results. This meant that using platforms such as Twitter and Facebook suddenly had real impact when it came to position on Google’s search pages.

The latest change takes into account the speed with which web pages load and could see slow loading sites falling down in the Google league tables.

Google say that they have made the latest change because their research shows that people prefer to visit websites that load quickly. They also say in their central webmaster blog that the effect of a slow website can be cumulative: that is people remember their experience and are reluctant to repeat it.

I have to say that I agree with Google. If a web experience is poor I have to be pretty keen to persevere. I’m not the only one of course – your customers will be the same. In Google’s own words ‘faster sites create happy users’.

The good news is that Google have said that the most important criteria for search ranking is still the relevance of a page to a particular query.

If you want to test the speed of your website (or ours for that matter), you can do it here at WebPagetest.

Ursus Media produce usable, accessible, beautiful and, let’s be honest, pretty speedy websites and they’re all handcrafted here in sunny Swindon. Feel free to get in touch and if you’re in need of a new website take a look at our latest offer.

7 Reasons to blog for business

From a business point of view there are lots of good reasons to write a blog. The best business blogs give their readers a more personal perspective on sometimes impersonal corporations and allow them to engage in real dialogue with those in charge. A good blog can foster a loyal following of fans that will help you market your business in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

Here are 7 reasons to blog for your business:-

1. Become established as a thought leader in your industry.
This will appeal to customers who will visit your site or even subscribe to you as source of reliable knowledge and to potential customers who will see that you have your finger on the pulse and you understand what you’re talking about.

2. Foster a community.
You never know, you might end up engaging some of your competitors in conversation and find that you could work together. This happens a lot in creative industries; why should yours be any different?

3. Share knowledge.
Well why not? Educate and inform people and you’ll quickly find that they have a greater understanding of what you do. Take this article for example; after you’ve read this you’ll have a better understanding of blogging for business. If you ask us to build a website you’ll at least understand why you should consider adding a blog to it. If you do decide to write a blog you’ll have thought about what it needs to do for your business and maybe even have a content plan in place.

4. Court the search engines.
The search engines love websites that have lots of regularly updated, relevant content. If you blog little and often it will massively help your websites ranking on the likes of Google. If you link to other relevant sites and they link back to yours you’ll get even more of a boost.

5. It’s a ready-made PR channel.
Every so often you can insert a bit of exciting news about your company. The people that follow your blog and find it interesting will be pleased to hear the odd snippet of good news about you. We’ve just launched a special offer and moved offices and I’ve blogged about both. Now though we’re back to business – something useful for you. Don’t overdo the ‘news about us’ angle. It can backfire. Blogging is a type of social media so you give something to your readers and with a bit of luck they’ll give you something back maybe some free feedback or a community of eager testers.

6. Building relationships.
Let’s be honest, your website exists to help you sell.  Your blog however is a forum where your main objective is not to sell. It can help you establish a more personal relationship with your customers some of whom will engage with you much more deeply and on a less formal footing. They’ll see your blog as a way to talk to you on a level playing field and you should embrace this. These people will be your most loyal supporters.

7. You might learn something.
Seek out information and write stories that interest you. Expand on them – maybe turn these stories into a series. You might learn something useful in the process and be able to add even more value to your company’s offering. Think about your readers and what you can give them.

I think these are all pretty good reasons to write a blog. If you can think of any more or even if you disagree with me (cough splutter), let me know.

7 Questions to ask your web developer

I was recently asked by a client ‘what’s the difference between you and them?’ and they referred me to one of these big ‘off the shelf’, design shop websites.

Good question. This big design shop had lot’s of lovely looking sites in it’s portfolio, a very slick website (not to my taste but pretty slick) and some very, very good offers. They even gave away lots of free stuff with every commission. If you’re in the market for a new website this kind of thing is hugely attractive.

I know from experience that there’s almost always something hiding behind a shiny website with unbeatable offers that means money for old rope to the people that invest in their ‘expertise’. A little investigation proved me right.

But rather than pointing fingers and criticizing I’m going to give you the tools to find out exactly what you get for your money. This is just a list of questions that you can ask anyone in the digital media industry whether they’re multi-million pound digital media agencies or pimply faced youths beavering away in their bedrooms (and some of them are very good).

So 7 questions to ask before you commission a web designer:

1. Are your sites made with ‘tables’?
   Tables are part of the code that a website is made from. They’re fine for things like price lists or time-tables and once upon a time most sites were made this way. Now though it’s bad practice and usually means that search engines like Google can struggle to see the content of the page. This is fundamental to a websites performance in search results. Generally developers creating websites using tables are cutting corners. It’s like buying a lovely new car with no engine – there’s no disputing it’s a car but let’s be honest: it’s performance is going to be limited.
2. Are your websites standards compliant?
   This leads on from question one and frankly if that doesn’t set of alarm bells this one will. There are industry standards for website design and development and every organisation developing and designing websites should aim to comply. The risk is that you will end up with a site that may not be indexed by Google and may not be available to all of your potential customers. At worst you could find yourself in hot water with the law as there are moves afoot in the UK to ensure that all websites are accessible to a minimum standard. At the very least ask if they:
   - Use CSS to seperate code and content
   - Validate their sites with the relevant tools
   At the bottom of our website you’ll see two little icons with ticks next to them. This means that our site validates for both code and CSS.
3. What do you mean by SEO?
   Search Engine Optimisation is a process by which the performance of a website on search engines such as Google is improved. This is a gradual and ongoing process that will push a site up the rankings with measured and careful changes to the code and content of your website. Some people will claim to provide free SEO with a new website – make sure you know exactly what this means. We optimise every site that we build so that it can be quickly and easily indexed by all of the search engines and we see this as simple best practice.
4. Is that really free?
   Let’s get one thing straight – there is no such thing as free. Sorry but that’s just the way it is. What free really means is ‘included’. That’s ok. It’s marketing speak. We’re all used to it. If things are included or ‘free’ that’s fine but you should find out where they’ve made savings. We occasionally run package offers and include lots of things in the price but we don’t work for free. We will build down to a price but we won’t sacrifice our standards so what it means is that some features and functionality that you might want right now will have to wait until your budget catches up with your ambitions – which brings me to next question.
5. Is it scaleable?
   If you’re a new business your budget will be limited – for now. Before you commission a new website ask if it can grow with your business. Can your web designer add additional pages and functionality to the site that they make for you without having to start again or make huge changes to your existing site? Can they refresh the overall look and feel of your site regularly so that it’s the best shop front your business can possibly have now and into the future.
6. What secondary services do you offer?
   It’s important to know whether or not your web developer has the necessary skills and resources available to help you make the most of your online presence. Find out if they can provide some or all of the following:
   - Support
   - Online marketing
   - Social media marketing
   - Training
   - Search Engine Optimisation
   - Copywriting
   You may not need these additional services now but the chances are you will in the future. Discussing these things will also give a good feel for the overall skillset of the company you’re talking to.
7. How will you ensure that my site is delivered on time?
   How do they manage projects? If the company you’re talking to can’t deliver work to you on time they’re no use to you. It doesn’t matter how cheap they are. For example we use an agile project management process call Scrum. This means that we deliver projects on time and communicate with you regularly. You’ll know exactly what’s going on every step of the way and when we need something from you (images or text perhaps), we’ll prompt you.

I hope this doesn’t sound too much like some sort of ‘infommercial’. There are many great companies out there creating stunning websites but at the same time there people who give a great first impression that just doesn’t stack up when they’ve got your money. Shop around, ask these questions, decide whether or not you like the person you’re dealing with and only when you’re completely happy should you commission them.

Ultimately that old chestnut still rings true: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you need any help with your web project please feel free to get in touch with us. Whatever your plans we’ll provide you with a free, no obligation quote.

10 Reasons your business needs a website

Even in this, the internet age, is it a given that every business needs a website?
The simple answer is yes. Sorry; were you expecting something else?

I suppose that you want me to quantify my answer with good clear reasons. After all someone from a company that designs and develops websites is bound to say that.

1. The internet is a global shop window
   Unless you’re very lucky you’re facing competition from all directions. A good website can extend your reach to anyone with a computer, anywhere in the world, immediately. They can see who you are, what you do and how you do it instantly. They can then make contact and interact with you all the while marvelling at how you’re absolutely the right people for the job.
2. Communicate with your customers and clients
   I guarantee that most of your customers are already online. Perhaps they do business online, their banking perhaps; how many people do you know that have book a holiday online or ordered Christmas presents from Amazon? The web is an easy way to communicate effortlessly with your customers. Encourage them to get in touch with you. Get them to talk to you.
3. Open yourself up to new opportunities
   You can open up your business to opportunities that you didn’t know existed until you got online and your shiny new customers from around the world got in touch. £3.8bn is spent online in Britain alone every month and some of that could be yours.
4. Learn from the people on your site
   At the risk of making myself sound incredibly dull, I love the data that websites can provide. You can get an understanding of what people want and need, not just from what they say but from what they do. The data that you can gather from users of your website is empirical. You can adapt your website quickly and cost effectively based on real evidence as opposed to ‘gut feelings’. I know of a very famous online DVD rental company that increased sales by 10% overnight by changing two simple things on its website. The decision to do that was based on good hard data.
5. Catch up with your competition
   Not a good enough reason on its own but I bet the competition are online. If they use their website effectively they’ll be picking up business from your potential clients. Don’t let them get away with it. Remember too that the web levels the playing field – you get the same access to the same clients as anyone else online.
6. Work around the clock every day of the year
   Your website will work hard for you (at least it will if we build it), long after every other member of staff has gone home. If you sell online you can look forward to coming into work in the mornings and flicking though a pile of orders from around the world as you enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee.
7. Save lots of money
   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The web is the most cost effective way of marketing and selling that there is. Do it properly and your website will make far more for you than it will cost. Don’t cut corners though or it’ll just be a white elephant with the name of your business painted on the side. The internet is complex and clever so hire a professional whose job it is to deliver value for money.
8. Free advertising
   Your website is the perfect place to advertise. If you have a good flow of traffic you can tell people about new products and services, sales and special offers. You can even let them send information to their friends directly from your website. Remember your reach is global and constant so make the most of it.
9. Portray the perfect image for your business all the time
   Keep your website up to date (little and often is the key here) and you can update your image and develop your brand continuously. The web is by far the most cost effective way to show people who you are and what you stand for.
10. If you think you’re so great – prove it
    Show people how great you are. Show them why your cheese is better than Sainsbury’s, why you can deliver better service than the other dry cleaners up the road, why your widget costs twice as much as your competitors. Sometimes you need to show what goes on behind the scenes in order to make people appreciate just what a great company you are. Make people comfortable with who you are and tell them exactly why they should buy your product or service and they probably will.

So there you are: 10 good reasons why you need a website. And 10 equally good reasons to give us a call and get our help to grow your business online.

Related items:

• 7 Questions to ask your web developer
• Special offer

Kiddicare – eCommerce Perfection?

Spending our days working on the internet we deal with a lot of businesses online and sometimes we’re left feeling a little cynical and thinking ‘wow… you could really do with our help’.

Every so often though we find a company that operates so well online we’re left speechless and wondering why every online business isn’t that good.

Kiddicare is just such a business. We haven’t been involved in any part of their operation but when we see something done really well we’ll talk about it here. Although the Kiddicare website leaves a little bit to be desired (in my opinion) it does work and the entire process from finding the right product to despatching the items right through to delivery and, in fact, beyond is superb.

The story unfolds below:

1. Monday 25th January 2010 at 10:15pm: Order placed. Email order confirmation recieved immediately.
2. Tuesday 26th January 2010 at 7:15pm: Text confirmation (not email), stating that the goods had been despatched and would be delivered the next day.
3. Tuesday 26th January 2010 at 7:20pm:  Email confirmation as above.
4. Wednesday 27th January at 8:26am: Email received stating that the order was out for delivery. A tracking code was included so that we could keep an eye on it ourselves.
5. Wednesday 27th January 2010 at 8:26am: Text confirmation that the order was on the couriers van. This included an option for changing the delivery day simply by replying to the text message.
6. Wednesday 27th January 2010 at 9:05am: Online tracking stated that delivery would be with us in a one hour slot between 12:22pm and 1:22pm.
7. Wednesday 27th January 2010 at 12:42pm: Order arrives at home in Swindon, complete and in perfect condition.

So can you see why this was such a great experience? It’s not because the order was delivered the next day. It’s not because they were the cheapest supplier. Dealing with Kiddicare was a great experience simply because their communication to us, the customer, was superb. They’ve joined the whole process up from order to delivery and they keep the customer informed at every stage.

So if you’d like to be as good as Kiddicare and would like some help with eCommerce or online marketing; feel free to get in touch with us.