Spring has finally sprung here in sunny Stockport and it’s been great to walk around the town centre, seeing people about again and businesses re-opening!
This month I’ve been thinking about what ecommerce lessons businesses can take from the past year in successfully combining their ecommerce storefronts alongside their physical shops.
Also this month, in what’s possibly a strong sign I need some time away from my laptop, I’ve put together a collection of the most ANNOYING web design trends that people will just… not… stop… doing.
I’ve also got some exciting news on the new blogging course by my marketing co-star Karen, and Bo shares his top tips for reducing your digital carbon footprint!
Wishing you all a healthy and peaceful May. As ever, if you have any questions or comments feel free to get in touch.
The art of checking out
Even following the triumphant return of brick-and-mortar stores, online shopping is going to continue growing. People have got used to the convenience of shopping any time of the day, and making use of click and collect or free postage for maximum convenience.
It’s clear ecommerce is only going one way, and that’s up. So improving the online shopping experience should be a consideration for all businesses.
I’ve written a post highlighting some of the key things businesses should think about, including product descriptions, size guides, multi-tiered pricing and personal touches, and a few big no-nos too (for example abandoned basket emails).
How to p%ss off your website visitors
If you have a site but you want to actively repel anyone who might want to give you money, I’ve written a blog post just for you!
Here I highlight a few of my pet peeves, and if you apply them, you’ll be sure to send those wannabe customers packing.
Read 5 Fun Ways to P%ss off your customers
Blog like you mean it
In my SEO training workshops I highlight the importance of regularly updated content to appease search engines. Adding quality content on a regular basis gives you the chance to include keywords as well as show Google and pals that your site is worth returning to for fresh info.
My marketing sidekick Karen and I have been working together for the past two years, co-creating two blog posts a month for my site. Not only has this content provided useful for my newsletter and social media, but it has bolstered my site’s SEO and doubled my site traffic.
Karen has just launched a new course to help small businesses create effective blog content, and she has an early bird offer available until next Monday, May 3rd.
Bo’s tips for reducing your carbon footprint
As someone famous for my ability to conserve energy, I can confidently offer expert advice on the topic of energy saving. And with Earth Day fresh in our minds, I wanted to share my top tips for reducing the environmental impact of your online life.
- Clear out your old emails – all online files and data are stored on servers which all need energy to run. Regularly deleting messages you no longer need will reduce your data footprint.
- Review your ‘cloud’ backups – Check over your online storage like Google Drive, Photo backups, Dropbox and so on. Do you still need the things saved there? Consider backing up your files to an external hard drive instead.
- Delete old online accounts – Remember that old Dogecoin memes Twitter account you used to run? Or the short-lived dog treats recipe guide? They too require energy and will not be missed when you delete them.
- Get green hosting – Make your website more eco-friendly by using a hosting company that powers its servers from a sustainable source, like 34SP.
- Make your website more efficient – Compressing your images, reducing the number of third-party plugins and ditching the tracking scripts will all speed up your website, using less power to load. You can test how eco-friendly your website is with the Website Carbon Calculator.
With love from me to the planet,
Bo, Stockport’s finest web design hound
Elsewhere on the Internet
- Apple to introduce new iPhone privacy settings – Great news for iPhone users, soon you’ll be able to choose what data your phone shares with your apps. Facebook is apparently very unhappy which can only be a good thing!
- Tidying your digital life – I’ve been doing a lot of digital decluttering lately and this article is a great guide on how you can clean up your digital life.
- No to Spy Pixels – You’ll be pleased to know that the PJWD newsletter does not track you, however email spying is widespread across the internet so fellow web design Dave Smyth has launched a campaign to fight back!