Why SEO Services in Los Angeles Are the Key to the Future of Your Business
Creating a website is just the first step in becoming an eCommerce business or expanding your brick-and-mortar business to include online ordering. Even if you’re not selling a product online, you want people to find your website to learn more about your services or your organization. Without search engine optimization, though, you may find that your website gets very little traffic. This is why it is so vital that you work with a company that offers experienced SEO services in Los Angeles. Here are some of the ways your business may struggle without SEO.
Customers Will not Be Able to Find You
If you don’t have good SEO, search engines simply won’t be able to properly match what your website offers with what customers are looking for. Your site will constantly be ranked lower than those with better keywords, which means you won’t be on the first page. You may not even be on the second or third pages of results, and very few people search beyond that. You’ll likely see that you are getting very little traffic and even fewer conversions. It won’t be because of your products, services, or even your webpage design—it will simply be because people aren’t seeing your website in search results.
Competitors Will Steal Your Customers
Without a good Pasadena SEO company on your side, you’ll be at a disadvantage when compared to your competitors. They will be working with top SEO companies and other online marketing experts, which means they will be ranking in the top positions on a search. Potential customers who are simply looking for a product or service instead of your specific business are going to look at these competitors first. If they find the product they want at the right price, they will never get to your website. They’re going to buy from your competitor, and they are likely going to become repeat customers unless they have a compelling reason not to. Every time this happens, your potential customer base shrinks.
You May Lose Mobile Customers
When it comes to SEO and web design, fighting to bring in PC users is no longer enough. Many people use their smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices to search for local businesses, especially retail businesses and restaurants. If you don’t have your website optimized for local queries and aren’t working with a top web designer in Burbank to create a website that reads well on mobile devices, those customers will go elsewhere. You may find yourself struggling as fewer and fewer customers look at things like flyers and signs but instead turn to mobile searches to find nearby businesses.
Your Marketing Campaigns Will Be Less Effective
Speaking of flyers, signs, billboards, and other traditional marketing means, you may find that you no longer see as good of a return on these campaigns as you once did. There are several reasons for this. First, of course, is that many people look online for businesses rather than looking at flyers or other information. Mailers often go right in the trash or recycling unless they come at just the right time. Signs are often ignored since customers often do their online research before they leave the house, so they already have their destination in mind. Then there’s the increasing costs of doing traditional advertising. Direct mailing, for example, is more expensive than ever due to postage costs going up. Printing, too, has increased in cost. These additional costs mean your campaign must bring in more revenue in order to justify those costs.
That’s not to say that you should abandon these traditional marking methods—they do have their place in increasing your customer base and revenue. However, relying on them alone can be a mistake. Instead, SEO should become a key part of your marketing plan. In fact, SEO typically has a much better return on investment and is a more effective manner of reaching people than any print material. This is especially true if you work with a great content writing company to craft text that highlights your company, your products, and why customers should work with you instead of others.
If You Take a DIY Approach to SEO, You Can Do More Harm Than Good
It is true that there is a lot of information online about SEO, including several tutorials and DIY instructions. Some, especially small business owners, are often tempted to take on the task of optimizing their websites themselves. However, while this may sound like a way of saving money, ultimately it can cost much more. SEO is always changing, and methods that were once widely used may no longer get any results. In some cases, they can cause search engines to penalize your website. Keyword stuffing, for example, used to be done all the time. Today, though, websites that do this often get de-listed from results.
This means trying to figure out how to do your own SEO can backfire if you don’t keep up with SEO trends or if you read old information. You may end up using ineffective keywords, which means your website won’t rank in the right searches. It can be difficult to work out what’s wrong with these keywords if you don’t have experience with SEO, so you may not be able to improve your results.
Then there’s the fact that you’re focusing your time and energy on learning SEO instead of doing what you need to do to advance your business. You may find yourself trying to your business, coordinate with manufacturers, manage your shipments, and learn SEO all at once. That will take its toll on you and likely means things aren’t done to the best of your ability.
The teams that offer SEO services in Los Angeles focus solely on SEO and web design. They aren’t dividing their attention between tasks. You can rely on them to use today’s best SEO strategies to get your website the attention it deserves. Don’t hesitate to partner with an SEO services company to reduce the struggles you face.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/why-seo-services-in-los-angeles-are-the-key-to-the-future-of-your-business/
Cryptocurrency’s Huge Impact on Businesses in 2021
You can’t help but hear the buzz about cryptocurrency these days. You may be at the point of being ready to invest in it, and perhaps you’ve thought about accepting crypto at your business. Here are several compelling reasons to strongly consider making that move in 2021.
Crypto’s User Base Is Growing Globally
It’s often easier to make business decisions when you can refer to reliable, relevant data. Statistics can give you an idea of the overall trends that could positively or negatively impact your company. Seeing measurable indications that a progressively larger number of people use cryptocurrency could be enough to convince you that 2021 is an excellent time to start accepting it at your business.
The University of Cambridge’s 2nd Global Cryptoasset Survey may provide the content you need. It includes data through part of 2018 — the most recent information available from the authors — and shows a clear growth pattern in the number of people using cryptocurrencies. For example, the research highlighted a 94% growth rate in the number of identification-verified cryptocurrency users between the end of 2017 and the first three quarters of 2018.
Moreover, identification-verified user accounts only comprised 10% of all signups at cryptocurrency services in 2016, but the percentage rose to 25% in the first quarter of 2018.
The study’s data came from 47 countries and five world regions. That means wherever you operate, there’s a good chance your nation will experience some of this growth.
The researchers also mentioned that measuring identification-verified users provided a more accurate total than overall people on a crypto platform. Some may sign up but never do anything more at the site. Those that take time to verify an ID are likely more serious about actively participating.
Specialized Maps Show People Where They Can Use Cryptocurrency
You probably already know the importance of going through the steps of getting your business verified and making it show up on Google Maps. Something useful to know when thinking about accepting crypto at your enterprise is that there are several specialized maps showing the tens of thousands of places worldwide where people can pay with cryptocurrencies.
Getting your business listed on them is typically a self-service process you can do in a few minutes. Some maps also show you where crypto ATMs are located. Studying those specifics can help you decide if it’s worthwhile to have one on your premises.
The fact that these specialty maps exist is another solid reason to start accepting cryptocurrencies at your business in 2021. Consider that the people most often accessing them are probably either long-time crypto enthusiasts or individuals who are just beginning to get involved and want to find cryptocurrency-friendly merchants. Consumers from both of those segments could bring you new business and become repeat customers.
Some of your existing customers may use cryptocurrencies as well. That’s why it makes sense to publicize your acceptance of those forms of payment on your blog, social media pages, and website. Consider how signage such as a window sticker on the front door could inform passersby that you accept some cryptocurrencies, along with more traditional types of payment, such as credit and debit cards.
Most People Use Cryptocurrency for Aboveboard Transactions
Maybe you’ve seen headlines associating cryptocurrencies with illegal activities like Ponzi schemes, ransomware attacks, and money laundering efforts. You might think cryptocurrencies could hurt your business more than help it, given those eyebrow-raising ways that some people use them.
However, the critical thing to remember is that the vast majority of people dealing with cryptocurrencies do so for legitimate, legal reasons. Research into incidences of cryptocurrencies used in financial crimes shows that they account for a tiny amount of overall digital currency activity. Only about 1% of cryptocurrency transactions in 2019 had links to illicit activities.
The report also cited that 81% of Americans are familiar with cryptocurrencies. You can take those two statistics together and see why accepting cryptocurrencies at your business in 2021 makes sense.
The chances of you directly encountering someone using cryptocurrency illegally are incredibly slim. It’s even less likely that your business would get wrapped up in a crypto-related crime just because one of your customers did not abide by the laws. Keep in mind, too, that the ways law enforcement officials catch people engaged in financial crimes have evolved along with the nontraditional payment forms those criminals might use.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and the blockchain are among the emerging options that can spot potentially unlawful activities. As it stands, business owners should not feel overly fearful about people who use cryptocurrencies for illegal reasons. They should instead focus on how accepting crypto could appeal to new customers and help their enterprises grow.
Research Indicates That Accepting Cryptocurrency Drives New Customers and Sales
Perhaps the statistics about the growing usage of cryptocurrencies is still not enough to wholly win you over and convince you to start accepting them at your business. If so, consider that a study also found a connection between merchants letting people pay with cryptocurrency and getting more customers and sales.
The study examined the outcomes of sellers that used a service to accept bitcoin at their businesses. It found that up to 40% of people who paid with that cryptocurrency were new customers. Additionally, the sizes of the bitcoin purchases were more than twice that of credit card transactions.
Due to those advantages, the merchants that chose to accept bitcoin saw an average 327% return on investment, the research revealed. Another interesting conclusion was that enabling people to pay with bitcoin caused a substantial reduction in business risk by lowering or eliminating expenses related to fraud or errors.
Accepting cryptocurrencies does not mean you can scale back on the things that ordinarily attract people to your business, such as fantastic service, reasonable prices and a wide selection of products people want. However, as this study confirmed, being open to cryptocurrency could make more consumers eager and willing to buy from you.
What Can You Expect as a Crypto-Friendly Merchant?
It’s impossible to predict what will happen if you decide to start offering cryptocurrencies at your business. However, this overview uses data to give you a trustworthy look at what’s likely.
For example, the rising growth and familiarity with cryptocurrencies mean a larger segment of your audience may already be using them or want to soon. Additionally, crypto integration services and maps showing the locations that accept cryptocurrencies make it easier for merchants to take digital currencies and promote the fact that people can pay with them.
Statistics also emphasize that accepting cryptocurrencies could have a direct and positive impact on sales and customer volumes. Plus, although some people use cryptocurrencies for illegal reasons, the percentage of doing so represents a remote risk. It should not make you avoid catering to people who want to conduct their transactions with bitcoin or other popular crypto options.
Think of this information as food for thought. You should do a substantial amount of additional research before finalizing this or any other business decision. However, the odds appear in favor of company owners who decide to embrace cryptocurrencies in 2021.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her Goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/cryptocurrencys-huge-impact-on-businesses-in-2021/
How to Prepare for Another WFH Quarter
2020 has been a year filled with personal and professional challenges. To promote social distancing, many companies have gone to a work from home (WFH) model. The longer employees complete tasks from the comfort of their homes, the more likely it is they’ll want to continue for the foreseeable future.
According to Stanford economic researcher Nicholas Bloom, 42% of Americans now work from home, with only 26% working in essential positions and service jobs. There are also many still unemployed due to lockdowns and the subsequent recession.
Bloom points out that there are both positives and negatives with a WFH-centric economy. As we near the one-year mark of being on a pandemic shutdown, here are some ways you can prepare for another quarter of remote work for your business and employees.
1. Audit Your Expenses
Although the first coronavirus vaccines have arrived in some areas of the country, it may be many months before everyone gets an injection and life returns somewhat to normal. It’s also possible that another virus or threat arrives at the tail end of COVID-19, throwing the country into a longer social distancing period.
Now is a great time to look ahead and decide if you want some roles to continue in remote work even after the threat eases. If so, you may be able to reduce some of your expenses. Do you need such a large office space if you have half the workers in the building?
2. Offer Better Security
One concern many people working from home have is how to keep their network secure. They don’t have an IT department in their home as they have in an office building. They may worry about accidentally spilling company secrets or someone getting on their private network and tapping into their personal computers and smart speakers.
Research shows that about 50% of all remote workers fear security threats in a new setting. Tactics such as multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and biometrics help ease these worries.
3. Encourage Communication
There are pros and cons to not having someone in the same building as you. One big drawback is that you can’t talk to them anytime you want without picking up a phone or initiating an online meeting. One significant advantage is that you can’t distract your workers by constantly popping into their office for a chat.
How do you encourage communication without taking valuable productivity time away? You can host stand-up meetings via Zoom to start each day. Each person gives a quick update on where they’re at, and you offer some words of inspiration. These meetings should be short and to the point.
You should also have an open-door policy where your remote workers can text, instant message, or email you throughout the day. Make responding a priority, even if you have to assign one person to chat with employees and help with issues.
4. Utilize Third-Party Project Management
Using third-party project management tools keeps all your employees on the same page. Cloud-based solutions update in real-time. So, if your graphic artist logs in, she can see if there are notes on her phase of the project and implement them, thereby avoiding wasted time and effort.
Sites such as Trello, Basecamp, and Asana help everyone stay on track. See at a glance where you are on a project. It’s one of the best ways for people from different locations to work together without confusion. You can even loop in a client to approve a graphic or mockup.
5. Onboard Everyone
Many of your employees may have been thrown into the role of a remote worker when they never planned to work from home. Their initial training was likely in-person through the human resources department. Now, they face a situation where they may not feel fully equipped to finish tasks independently.
The Human Capital Institute conducted their 2020 Talent Pulse Priorities survey with 462 human resources leaders. They found the biggest priority is retaining high performers. The best way to ensure engagement is excellent and applicable onboarding.
Your onboarding process must look different for remote work. Go through some basic concepts with everyone, such as securing their computers, protecting passwords, and what a nondisclosure agreement really means.
6. Improve Time Management Skills
One of the biggest challenges your employees face is time management. For many working parents, their children are home and may even be doing e-learning at the moment. Juggling family responsibilities and work is challenging.
You can help them navigate this time by allowing for some flexibility in the schedule. Let them start the day early before the kids wake up. Give them longer breaks so they can ensure their children sign on to meet with their teachers. Allow them to work later into the evening.
You can encourage higher productivity and loyalty if you provide flexible scheduling. This only works for some types of positions, though. A salesperson must call prospects when they’re most likely to answer the phone, for example. However, someone working on a graphic for a new website design can do the work at any time, as long as they meet deadlines.
Ask for Input
Going from an in-person office setting to a remote environment presents unique challenges. Be open to ideas from your workers. Ask for input on how to improve every process. They deal with co-workers and clients daily. They can see where any wasted time goes and pinpoint a better method to complete tasks on time.
The more you give your staff ownership of projects, the more likely it is they’ll develop brilliant ideas. Anything that improves productivity and team morale is a positive change for your brand, especially when everyone works from home.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her Goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/how-to-prepare-for-another-wfh-quarter/
How to Protect Your Startup During COVID-19
2020 is coming to an end. However, for small businesses and startups, this year’s struggles aren’t over quite yet.
While the end of the pandemic may be in sight, with several effective vaccines on the way, vaccine distribution will likely take months. A real economic recovery may not start until sometime around the middle of 2021.
That means there will still be a few challenging months ahead for small business and startup owners looking to weather the crisis.
These nine tips will help any startup stay afloat during the last few months of COVID-19 — and prepare you for businesses during the recovery to come.
1. Find New Opportunities for Business Growth
During the novel coronavirus pandemic, successful businesses have found ways to offer new, safer services. Gyms that offer outdoor exercise classes, outdoor seating for restaurants, and contactless pickup, for example, are three well-known examples of businesses innovating to stay afloat.
Local business partnerships may also be a possibility. Depending on what niche you’re in, you may find other local business owners who are happy to partner on product campaigns or offer services you can’t provide alone.
2. Don’t Skimp on Advertising Spend
Amid a crisis, it can be tempting to cut back the marketing budget.
However, it’s generally better to optimize your advertising spend before trying to make cuts. Take stock of existing ad campaigns and use ad data to launch new campaigns and cut the ones that aren’t working to help you get more out of your current ad spending.
New campaigns adapted to your audience’s needs and preferences during COVID-19 can also help. Collecting additional data, tweaking targeting settings, changing keywords, or adopting new, potentially low-cost advertising approaches — like content marketing — may also be successful.
3. Don’t Leave Existing Customers Behind
According to data from Adobe, purchases from just 8% of shoppers account for 41% of e-commerce revenue. While it’s crucial to pursue new audiences and grow your business when you can, cash for advertising may be tight right now.
When planning your ad strategy, don’t forget about your existing customers — be sure to include campaigns that target current clients and encourage them to keep shopping with your brand.
4. Prepare Your Business’ Digital Defenses
Small businesses are dealing with a growing number of cyberattacks aimed at stealing their data and gaining access to company networks. While larger businesses remain more popular targets, about 28% of all data breaches in 2020 targeted small businesses, instead.
Taking stock of the information you hold on to can make your business easier to secure. Research on retention policies shows that about 70% of the data a business holds on to has no real value or useful information.
Releasing this extra data can help simplify your data management, smoothing the path for you to defend the essential things — and, potentially, saving you some money on data storage.
5. Take Advantage of Government Funding for Businesses
The CARES act provided some substantial relief for small businesses. However, you may have already applied for and received this aid.
At the time of this article’s writing, the government is debating the specifics of a new economic stimulus. Details about the finished bill aren’t available yet, but it’s likely to include individual stimulus checks and additional support for small businesses.
Expanded SBA resources like Paycheck Protection Program loans may be able to help. You may want to stay on top of the news and prepare to apply for any government support programs your startup can qualify for.
In the meantime, other sources of government funding — like the USDA’s Rural Development Grant — may also be a major help for some startups and small businesses.
6. Learn About Local Financial Support
In addition to federal government relief, your startup may also qualify for local relief programs. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at least 24 states plus Washington, D.C., offer some kind of relief program for small businesses.
If you find your state on the list of those offering support, you may be able to apply for loans or other stimuli that can keep your business afloat during the next few months.
7. Look to Private Organizations for Support
Some private organizations are also offering support for organizations during COVID-19. FedEx, for example, offers an annual small business grant. The National Association for the Self-Employed also offers grants for self-employed people who need some extra assistance with their small business or work.
8. Remain Flexible
One advantage that small businesses have over larger corporations is their flexibility — it’s possible for a business with fewer staff members to coordinate and fewer resources to manage to rapidly pivot or change how they do business.
Right now, that flexibility is probably the most valuable asset. Customer needs and opportunities are constantly shifting. Businesses of all kinds are dealing with new problems as they arise — like supply chain disruptions or issues with the U.S. Postal Service.
Identifying new ideas to serve your customers — like pickup options or outdoor versions of indoor services — is one of the best ways to keep revenue up during the pandemic. These new offerings may also provide you a competitive advantage long after the pandemic finally ends.
9. Prepare for After the Crisis Is Over
Sudden fluctuations in demand — positive or negative — can be challenging for any business to manage. If your startup is managing a mostly steady revenue and has a loyal customer base, you may want to start looking at how you’ll prepare for the coming economic recovery.
Where possible, you can stock up on supplies or make changes that will help you manage a possible increase in demand once consumer spending starts to return to more typical levels.
Staying Afloat During the Last Months of the Pandemic
The end of the pandemic is in sight, but we aren’t there quite yet. For businesses that need some extra help during these last few months of the pandemic, there are a few strategies and resources that may be helpful.
Government and private grants, for example, have been essential through the pandemic, and another round of federal support may be on the way.
Adopting new strategies, optimizing advertising spending, and creating new offerings may also help you reduce costs and generate more revenue while demand remains low.
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/how-to-protect-your-startup-during-covid-19/
Five Ways to Grow Your Online Business’s Profit Margins
Profit margins can vary widely, especially among online retailers. Some businesses are seeing margins as low as 0.5% to 4.5%, and some of the most efficient is making nearly six times as much.
Any business will find it hard to grow without the cash flow to invest in new products, staff, and resources. Some of the most successful e-commerce businesses may have a profit margin of around 20% — double the average. With that kind of margin, you can do a lot more with the money you already make. This efficiency can open a lot of opportunities, helping you reach new markets and grow your customer base more quickly.
These five techniques will allow you to grow your online business’s profit margins and see a bigger return on investment across your company’s e-commerce operations:
1. Increase Your Average Order Size
Higher average order size can improve profit margins by driving up average order value without increasing expenses — like the cost of shipping per order or the cost to acquire a new sale.
You can boost the value of your average orders by promoting relevant offerings and deals, helping customers find products they may have missed while filling up their cart. For example, when patrons are checking out, serve them links to relevant add-ons and value-adds. These can be insurance policies, warranties, accessories, and products that other users with similar orders bought.
You may also invest in a recommendations engine that offers links to related products when a customer is looking at a specific product page, or when they add an item to their cart.
Offering free shipping at a certain order value threshold can also encourage larger orders — but it may cut into the shipping costs you saved by driving up order sizes.
2. Focus on Your Return Customers
For most online businesses, return customers make up the foundation of their income. According to data from Adobe, repeat shoppers generate 41% of a retailer’s revenue on average, despite making up just 8% of the total number of customers.
You can use certain strategies to encourage repeat shoppers. Retargeting, customer loyalty programs, and personalized marketing — like targeted emails that highlight discounts, deals, and product updates — help you encourage customers to keep coming back. High-quality customer service can also go a long way. Satisfied patrons often return and might be better at recalling your brand later on. Shoppers who remember you may recommend your company to their friends and families, helping you acquire additional customers with little extra spending.
3. Offer Personalization and Customization
Small differences in packaging, product design, and branding can make a big difference in profit margins over time.
Customized packaging, for example, can be a valuable opportunity to improve brand awareness and provide a better customer experience. Packaging made with your chosen materials and your logo printed on top can help your brand stick in customers’ minds. If they like your product, they may be more likely to remember your brand and come back for another purchase the next time they need something you offer.
This effort may help you bring in more return customers — especially if you’re already following the advice from the last list item — and grow your profit margin over time.
4. Optimize for Customer Experience
Whenever your customers interact with your brand, you want to make sure they have the best experience possible. Customer experience can significantly impact spending. According to research from American Express, consumers in the U.S. are willing to spend 17% more on average for good customer service. At the same time, 52% will ditch a transaction due to bad service.
There are many small tweaks you can make to your online presence, sales funnel and customer service operations to improve customer experience.
A fast-loading page, for example, is typically easy to attain with the right web design practices and can seriously enhance your customer’s experiences with your brand. Compressing images, minimizing your site’s code, and cutting out unnecessary JavaScript can all upgrade site performance.
Fast page speeds can also speak to your site’s professionalism and trustworthiness, making it easier for customers to trust your brand.
A clear sales funnel and web design that makes essential information easy to access — with pages like contact information, hours, and FAQs easy to reach from anywhere on your site — can also provide significantly enhanced customer experiences.
5. Audit Your Operating Expenses
A cost audit may be a tedious process, but having a full, organized list of your business’s operating expenses can be extraordinarily valuable in helping you figure out which costs provide value to your business. You might break down your marketing budget to see which campaigns have yielded the most return on investment. Doing this can help you find better data on why some campaigns work better than others for your company.
You may also catch overlooked expenses and find opportunities to make your business’s shipping or fulfillment operations even more efficient.
Getting the Most Profit From Your Business’s Budget
Without cash, you’ll have a hard time growing your business. Boosting your profit margin will help you make more money without a significant increase in your company’s budget, which helps you make the most of the capital you already have on hand.
Simple practices — like product personalization, customer experience optimization, and cost auditing — can go a long way in making your spending more efficient. Over time, your growth in profits will help you keep your business competitive.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/five-ways-to-grow-your-online-businesss-profit-margins/
The Importance of Understanding Logo Design Styles
Logos are a classic and important piece of branding. Regardless of what type of company you have, your logo should be on-message and communicate well with your audience. Your logo also needs to be memorable and unique.
But there are a lot of elements that come into play — and one of the most basic revolves around the type of design style you choose.
Depending on how you define them, there can be anywhere from five to twenty different logo styles — or even more, if you incorporate more elements into the definitions!
But don’t stress out about the sheer number of options! Logo styles can be broken down into some basic categories, and understanding them will help you to choose the best logotype for your brand.
Let’s talk about why.
What Your Logo Design Says About Your Company
As mentioned, creating a logo that is on-message is important to make sure that your company’s values and personality can be understood from the visuals that represent it. In other words, if your brand personality is “edgy and unique,” then you want an edgy and unique logo to match. If your brand is all about promoting family values and creating a trustworthy atmosphere, then your logo should emphasize those.
Yes, your logo’s message is greatly defined by the individual elements you choose, like colors, font types, and graphics.
But the overall style of the logo can also either emphasize the message or clash with it.
You can think of logo design styles the way you think of music genres. An individual song can be unique, but how you react to it will probably depend greatly on the genre it belongs to and your personal music preferences. Country songs tend to have pretty calm lyrics and themes, and rap songs very rarely are about pickup trucks and tractors.
But logos aren’t quite as easy to define as music genres. So how do you know ahead of time what message is sent by any given logo style, and whether it melds with your brand?
Different Logo Styles And What They Mean
Here are seven different types of logos, including some examples of each kind.
As was said earlier, you may encounter fewer — or far more — design types. But these are some basic guidelines, and you can extrapolate information about other types of logos by analyzing these.
Icon or Symbol
A symbolic or iconic logo is a logo that uses a pictorial mark as its center focus. It’s primarily graphics-based, and the graphic is readily identifiable as a certain object.
The most famous examples of an iconic or symbolic logo truly do just use that graphic image as the logo, rather than accompanying the logo with typography. So it can be difficult to establish your company using just an iconic logo; often, companies start with a combination mark (more on that later) and after reaching a certain level of fame, they can drop the typographic part of the logo and just stick to the icon.
This type of logo is great for companies that are very well established in their branding, rather than companies that are still finding their way. It does require that you think carefully about what icon or symbol best represents the brand because if you do it right, this logo will become synonymous with your brand.
Famous examples include Target, with its “target” symbol, and Apple, with its very iconic “bitten apple” icon.
Black and White
A monochromatic logo can make a deep impression on the viewer. These logos tend to be starker, simply because they don’t use rich colors. Color can distract from the message of a logo, at times, so it’s always good to check and see what your logo looks like when rendered in black and white.
Black and white logos are classy, eye-catching designs. They’re also a great way to include negative space in logo design, making both the active and the inactive portions of the design work for you to create a dynamic logo design. Monochromatic logos tend to be simpler, which can also work well for the overall design, making it easier to print, more scalable, and even more memorable and striking.
Famous examples include the panda from the World Wildlife Fund and Gucci.
Emblematic
An emblem logo includes a shape such as a shield, crest, or banner. It often has text within that shape, and sometimes an additional icon.
Emblem logos give gravity and respectability to a brand, often imbuing it with a sense of trustworthiness and tradition. You’ll see these kinds of logos used frequently in higher-end brands, like certain automakers. But emblems are also popular for schools, and incredibly popular for unique on-trend items, like craft breweries.
Famous examples include Harvard and Lamborghini.
Abstract
Abstract logos, much like other types of logos on this list, are basically exactly what they sound like. Rather than using a readily-identifiable pictorial symbol or icon for the focus, they use an abstract shape.
These types of logos can be difficult to pull off if your design isn’t completely on-point. The design needs to be unique, and not generic; and it also needs to have the on-brand flair and flavor, which can be hard to quantify with abstract shape.
On the other hand, when done well, this is a great logo for a brand that emphasizes uniqueness and creativity.
Famous examples include Pepsi-Cola and the Nike swoosh.
Mascot
Everybody knows a mascot logo when they see one. Whether it’s an animal or a person created specifically for the brand, mascot logos are designed to give the audience something to identify with.
If you want to make your customers connect with your brand on a personal level, increasing investment and engagement, a mascot logo could be the perfect way to go. They’re seen for sports teams across the world, of course, but also pop up for things like restaurants on a regular basis.
Famous examples include Red Robin’s red robin and Wendy’s Wendy.
Wordmark, Lettermark, and Monogram
These three types really fall under the same basic category: logos that are focused on the typography element.
- Wordmark logos use an entire word, usually the name of the company.
- Lettermark logos use a single letter, usually the initial letter of the company name.
- Monograms use the initial letters of each proper name in the company name, usually three or four.
Typographic logos can also be very impressive, though care should be taken when choosing your font. You don’t want a font that is overly eccentric or difficult to read; at the same time, you don’t want to choose something boring that will just blend in with everything around it, either.
Monograms and letter marks are great for companies with more words in their name, allowing you to shorten the branding to a manageable level; and wordmarks are perfect for companies with a single shorter word in their name.
Examples range from things like NASA to Disney.
Combination Mark
A combination mark logo combines two or more different logo styles. Usually, this includes a graphic element and a typographic element, but it can also include things like emblems, too.
If your company is just starting up, this is probably the recommendation for you. It gives you the chance to tie your graphic elements together with your company name and makes sure that your logo’s message stays on-point.
As your brand and your reputation grow, you may choose to update the logo and turn it into a single type, such as an iconic logo.
Great examples can be found among carmakers, such as BMW and Volkswagen.
How To Choose A Logo Style
When it comes down to actually choosing a logo style, it’s important to take all considerations into account.
- What does this style inherently say about my brand?
- Will my other design choices work along with this logo style, or will they clash?
- Is my brand at the point where this logo style will do it justice?
- Will I be able to update my logo as my brand continues to grow?
And if you are pressed for time and don’t know where to start, then you can always work with a professional graphic designer like PXMedia to get a bearing of your brand image.
The short run-downs included in this article should give you a good idea of what message is given by each logo design style.
So which style will work for your brand? The decision is up to you!
Author Biography
Betty Shane works as a professional blogger for multiple websites. Her work as a freelance content writer allows her to explore diverse topics including but not limited to digital marketing, business, and design.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/the-importance-of-understanding-logo-design-styles/
How to Seamlessly Convert a Brick-and-Mortar Business to Online
How do you convert from a brick-and-mortar store to the internet? Perhaps you want to add an online presence to what you already do. Maybe you need to reduce overhead and eventually shut down your physical store. Whatever your goal, you can take some specific steps to start an e-commerce store today.
Visual Objects polled 500 American small-business owners. It discovered that 29% plan to start a website this year, showing there are still many brick-and-mortar companies without an online presence. They miss out on reaching new clients because they can’t connect digitally. A large percentage of people start their searches for local companies online, and without a website, you lose a lot of control over how they see your brand on the internet. You’re left to the mercy of reviewers and mentions here and there.
Going online is a bit scary. It adds costs to what you’re already doing, and the competition is fierce. Not only are you competing with local businesses, but with ones around the globe that might have lower prices or better delivery systems in place. Still, you can expand what you’re doing successfully by offering your products through a website. Here are some steps to take to get you from no presence to a robust one.
1. Get on Google
There are many free marketing tools you can use before you create your website, such as Google My Business. Make sure your brand has a presence on repositories making sense for your industry. If you own a restaurant, claim your Yelp presence. Check into the Better Business Bureau and sites such as Angie’s List if you provide home repair services.
2. Choose Online-Friendly Products
Think about the items you sell that might do well online. You don’t have to offer the same things you do in your stores. It’s fine to have some things exclusively for your online customers and other products just for in-store specials. Take stock of your inventory, figure out what your online competitors are doing and serve up your choices.
3. Perfect Your Customer Experience
Before you attempt competition with online stores, think through your customer service policies. People expect stellar customer experience (CX). How can you deliver the same level of personalization and service you do in-person? Train your sales agents to respond the same way online as they would face-to-face. Figure out your return policies and how you can make exchanges easy, such as allowing people to return via mail or at various locations.
4. Go With a Minimalist Design
You don’t have to offer everything on your website. Keep things simple at first. Create a home page, contact page, list of locations and a shopping area. Later, you can add a blog, more detailed information and an expanded product line. Right now, you’re trying to keep costs low while you transition to an online store. The more pages and complexity, the more expensive your website is to build. Start small with a plan for how you’ll expand later.
5. Know Where Your Target Audience Hangs Out
Think about who your brick-and-mortar customers are. Pull data from your files and make a list of some of their traits. Do they fall within a specific age range? Perhaps most of your customers are blue-collar workers. Once you have a list of characteristics, create one or more buyer personas representing your average shopper. You’ll have a blueprint showing who buys your products.
Consider where your buyer personas might hang out online. If you sell mostly to married females between 26 and 50, Pinterest could be a good choice for driving traffic to your new website. Facebook also allows you to narrowly target your audience, so you can input parameters into your advertising and reach the people you most want to attract.
6. Figure Out Logistics
You’re competing with companies such as Amazon and Walmart, who’ve perfected order fulfillment. Plan completing orders the minute they come in and get them shipped as quickly as possible.
You should also think about how you’d like to package your products. Add personalization by sending a note or offering a discount on the products they purchase most often. Put your logo on the outside of the box, so others see your branding and consider ordering from you. You should also decide how to best handle returns. Do you pay postage, or do they?
7. Choose the Right POS
Does your current point-of-sale system offer an online option? If not, upgrade to one that does so you can use the same POS in-store and online. You should also add options such as PayPal or Stripe for online users. Many do not want to share their credit card information online, even with an established brand. Offer users options, so they feel comfortable entrusting you with their hard-earned dollars.
Test Your Methods
Selling online can be vastly different than doing so in real life. As you add various features to your website, conduct A/B testing. See which features, products and styles your customers respond to. When you run a marketing campaign for your e-commerce store, track the results, make tweaks and keep trying new things until you find the perfect combination.
Adding an online store is quite rewarding and increases your revenue. You just have to become familiar with the differences in digital sales. Once you do, you can realize the full potential of the internet.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/how-to-seamlessly-convert-a-brick-and-mortar-business-to-online/
How to Modify Your E-commerce Business to Meet International Orders
International orders have huge potential for all e-commerce businesses. If you want your business to grow, offering international orders is a great way to build your customer base and ensure you have access to the widest market possible.
This is true even for small businesses that plan to sell just a few items internationally. Some 70 percent of customers shop globally, and that number has only gone up over the past few years.
If you don’t offer international orders, you may also be left behind the competition. More than 90 percent of businesses already offer overseas shipping. For many customers, it’s become the norm. Small businesses can compete with larger businesses in the e-commerce, but it will require adapting to the global market.
While shipping can be complicated even domestically, you may also be intimidated by the process of accepting and shipping international orders.
It is true that shipping internationally is a little more complex, but the benefits of shipping internationally almost always outweigh the costs. Here are steps that you can take to modify your e-commerce business to meet international orders.
Key Guidelines for International Shipping
Most major U.S. package delivery services offer international shipping and will provide assistance in the form of services like customs brokerage and international package tracking. While these services exist, you’ll still need to ensure that the items are correctly packaged and labeled.
Depending on the kinds of goods you’re shipping, packaging guidelines can become pretty complicated. For example, any material that’s considered hazardous by the UN will be labeled with UN packaging codes. These codes relay certain information about the cargo being shipped, like the level of risk and composition. You’ll need to provide this information when shipping hazardous materials. Otherwise, you risk having your parcels held up before it reaches your customer.
Certain countries also prohibit or restrict the import of specific goods. For most products, this won’t be a problem — but animal and plant products are often tricky or harshly regulated due to concerns about potentially introducing invasive species or diseases, or the unintentional facilitation of animal trafficking. If you have customers in France, for example, you won’t be able to ship them, honey, without a government-approved certificate of origin and non-infection.
Food, alcohol and prison-made items are also typically regulated a little more heavily than other goods. The USPS has a full list of international shipping restrictions on their site. Each entry covers items that are banned or restricted in a country or region, as well as any special packaging or shipping requirements for that area.
Additional Costs of International Shipping
Beyond differing regulations and standards, the biggest difference between international and domestic shipping is probably the cost. International shipping will almost always be more expensive than domestic shipping — and because of varying taxes and shipping services, it can be more difficult to predict exactly how much an order will cost to ship.
Be aware of potential hidden costs of international shipping, like handling charges and local duties and taxes. Many global carriers and shipping services, like USPS, offer calculators and fact sheets you can use to estimate the total cost.
If you’re concerned about your shipped items being damaged in transit, package insurance may be a good investment, especially for packages that are particularly valuable or fragile. Many global carriers also offer fairly cheap package insurance. USPS, for example, will insure international packages for around $1 per $100 of value.
Managing International Customer Checkout
Once you have a good idea of how you’ll ship your packages and how much it will cost, you’ll still need to prep your storefront for international customers.
It’s a good idea to ensure a localized checkout experience — and e-commerce experience in general — where possible.
You can use customer location data and user preferences to automatically convert storefront prices from USD to a local currency so that customers don’t have to calculate how much they’ll spend. Setting your payment processor to accept other currencies can also help prevent surprise foreign transaction fees, which can easily lead to cart abandonment.
Most shoppers prefer to make purchases on websites that are in their native language, meaning translating your storefront and checkout can go a long way toward making them more comfortable. This may not be practical for every business, but if you want to target a specific, nearby country — or you notice many of your customers speak a specific language — investing in localization can be helpful.
When offering international shipping, consider providing multiple delivery options. International shipping isn’t cheap for you or your customers, and many overseas shoppers are willing to wait a little longer if they can cut back on shipping costs.
Some fees may not be avoidable. For example, if you’re shipping to an EU country, you’ll probably need to collect a value-added tax (VAT) from your customers. You should communicate information about potential fees clearly on a policy page and in other relevant locations, like your shipping information page. This will help make sure your customers don’t feel blindsided by these costs when it’s time to check out.
Prepping Your E-commerce Business for International Orders
If you want to access to the widest possible market, your e-commerce business needs to offer international orders. Shipping these orders will be more complicated than managing domestic orders, but the benefits can easily outweigh the costs.
Most major mail carriers in the U.S. offer international shipping services, calculators and fact sheets that you can use to estimate costs and prep your packages. Some items will need special packaging — like hazardous materials — and others may be prohibited altogether depending on where you are shipping your goods. For the most part, however, all you’ll need to do is research and prepare for extra costs, like customs fees, extra shipping fees or local duties and taxes.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/how-to-modify-your-e-commerce-business-to-meet-international-orders/
How to Move Your Business Online?
There’s a lot to gain from moving your business online. With a strong web presence, you have access to a much larger audience, advanced marketing tools and platforms like social media that can help you build strong relationships with your consumer base.
However, there’s also a lot of room for error when moving your business online. Fortunately, you can avoid most of the common pitfalls with the right planning.
Here are 10 tips for moving your business online.
1. Start With Your Website
If you don’t have one already, you’ll need a website. It will be the central component of your brand’s online presence — almost everyone who encounters your company online will hit your site at one point or another. While other elements of your web presence — like social media accounts — are important, having a strong, well-designed website is key in moving your offline business to the web.
If you don’t have much experience with web design and development, it’s a good idea to outsource this step. Hiring a web designer and developer is one option. You can also use a website builder — like Squarespace or Wix — to quickly design your site without needing to learn any code.
2. Build a Social Media Strategy
You’ll also want to start building your social media presence as you develop your website. Start slowly — focus on just one or two of the major platforms that’s most relevant to your audience. Right now, the big three are Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and each has its own distinct user base. Instagram’s users are much younger than Facebook users, for example. Twitter’s user base also skews younger, but not as much as Instagram — and it’s also not as widely used as either of the other platforms.
In addition to being the most popular, these sites also have some of the best social media analytics platforms available.
Even if you feel like you can tackle more than just one platform, it’s a good idea to start small — especially if you haven’t run a social media page for a brand before. An abandoned or sparsely updated feed can give the impression you’re out of business or don’t care about communicating with customers. If the choice is between doing one social media platform well or a few poorly, then focusing on just one will be the better option.
3. Plan for Maintenance
Have a plan for when your website goes down or if different elements break. You should also expect any high-tech features — like automated chatbots — to need tweaking even after your website has gone live.
You may be able to handle website maintenance yourself, and some web builders will provide a support line that connects you with technicians in case of downtime or glitches. It may be worth it, however, to hire staff specifically for this task.
Contracting out your website’s maintenance can provide you with a few different benefits — like enhanced coding or some extra web development expertise.
Hiring maintenance staff is also a good idea if you don’t have a lot of experience with web design or technical know-how. Your team can ensure your online migration is as smooth as possible and also clue you in to good data migration practices, like keeping a regularly maintained backup.
4. Find an E-commerce Platform
If you plan on moving your storefront online, you will also need an e-commerce solution so you can sell your products over the web.
Ideally, you’ll have some kind of storefront up and running at the same time as your website and social media presence.
If you don’t have much experience with web development, you should look for a solution that already exists, rather than try to build your own or have one developed. E-commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce can help you quickly develop and implement an online storefront.
Gather Product Information
Once you’ve selected your e-commerce platform of choice, start gathering the information you need to build a successful online storefront. For all the services and products you offer, gather information like names, descriptions, photos and prices, and start building your online catalog.
Having this data on hand before your store goes live will ensure a smooth setup.
6. Have a Plan for Returns and Refunds
Going online can make your returns and refunds a little more complicated. Your new customers won’t be able to just show up at your store and ask for them. You’ll need to plan for how people can return items to you and be refunded or receive a replacement item.
Many e-commerce platforms and tools will come with features that make this part easy. If you decide to develop your own shopping platform, however, you’ll need to also consider how you’ll manage this.
7. Learn the Basics of Online Marketing
Familiarize yourself with your options for ad campaigns and social media marketing, as well as common online marketing terms — like conversion rate, SEO or A/B testing.
If you haven’t used an online marketing platform before, you should do some research and experiment with basic features. Consider testing a simple ad campaign once you’ve launched your web presence.
8. Learn About Web Analytics
Before your website goes live, you should also begin learning how to use a web analytics platform, like Google Analytics. These tools can help you track important information about your site — like how long visitors stick around, your bounce rate and how long your page is taking to load. All this information will be valuable in fine-tuning your web presence.
9. Work With Existing Tools
Unless you have a lot of technical experience, you should generally avoid creating tools yourself. If you need something — like an e-commerce platform or digital chat window for your customer support team — someone out there has probably designed it already.
10. Regularly Test and Audit Your Web Presence
Once you’ve gone live, keep track of your analytics. Watch out for red flags — like high bounce rates or long loading times — that may suggest something is wrong with the design or tech behind your website.
You may also want to develop a regular maintenance schedule to ensure that all the tech that’s keeping your website running is up-to-date and secure.
Moving Your Business to the Web
Moving your business online can provide you with access to a larger audience and a great range of digital tools. However, it can also be tricky to manage. If you want to avoid some of the most common pitfalls, you should work with existing tools and learn the basics of online marketing.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/how-to-move-your-business-online/
Why You Should Upgrade Your Business Site Right Now
In a matter of weeks, the world as we know it changed. Whether you were already an exclusively online business or you’ve jumped into e-commerce because of a temporary closure of your storefront, you want your conversion rate as high as possible. You may be getting more traffic than you did before the social distancing recommendations came into play.
The number of people utilizing consumer packaged goods (CPG) shopping was already on an upward tick. With the limitations in travel and local shopping, even more people shopped online in the last few weeks. According to Nielsen, the two weeks ending on March 21, 2020, saw an increase of $8.5 billion in sales, which is about 15 times the usual sales for that period.
Increased traffic is just one reason to improve your site during the COVID-19 pandemic. You likely have a bit more time than when your brick-and-mortar stores keep regular hours. Here are eight different upgrades that would benefit your site during this time.
1. Review Navigational Hierarchy
Navigation is what site visitors use to orient themselves to a new website. No matter where a person lands on your site, they can use the navbar to figure out how to move around your pages and get where they want to go. Over time, it’s easy for the navigational structure of a site to become a bit cluttered and off-kilter. Figure out what your main categories are and what subcategories fall under them and rework your directional cues throughout the site.
The Rocks has a left vertical navigation bar. What works particularly well for the site structure is that it limits the main categories to only four selections. There are some subcategories/links under those main categories, but it is clear from the bolder and larger typography that these four are their primary focus for the site.
2. Get Faster
As internet connection speeds increase, people expect websites that load at lightning speed. There are several things you can do to increase the speed of your site, such as paying for a virtual private network and compressing images. If you aren’t sure what else to do to decrease load times, hire a professional to review your site and make improvements. You can focus on sales and running your business and let a site manager make backend changes.
3. Cut the Clutter
Each page of your website should have a specific goal. The objective might be to convert a visitor into a newsletter subscriber or collect information from new leads. Whatever your goal, look at your page and cut out anything that isn’t related to moving the buyer toward the target.
Korem Geospatial has a beautiful minimalist look with flat modern design elements. Notice how there is plenty of negative space, so the user’s eye is drawn to the most pertinent areas. The overall look is clean, with a limited number of colors and typefaces, and pleasing to the eye.
4. Upgrade Images
Consider the images on your website. If you’re using stock photos instead of unique pictures unique to your business, it’s time to upgrade. Hire a professional photographer to take product shots, and replace generic graphics with more specific ones.
5. Improve Your CTAs
Your calls to action (CTAs) can make or break your closing rate. CTAs should use actionable words, be in a contrasting color and guide the user to the activity you want them to complete. You should always try out your CTAs with A/B testing and see what changes your users prefer.
Knapsack used the action word “meet” and offers site visitors the opportunity to chat with a designer. Note how the button color contrasts sharply with the white background and pops on the page. The eye goes immediately to the CTA button.
6. Check Responsiveness
Statista projects that between 2017 and 2022, mobile data traffic will increase sevenfold. More people will visit websites from their smartphones. If your site doesn’t present in a usable way to those browsers, you risk them bouncing away. Access your site through a mobile device and see how it looks and functions. If you have a signup form, how difficult is it for mobile users to fill in fields? Check for both usability and aesthetics.
7. Engage Users
The average person has limitless distractions, and with COVID-19 worries and kids being home for e-learning, the interruptions may be more than normal. Assess your site to see how well it engages users. From the moment they land on your page, they should be interested in what you’re saying and highly entertained. Get them moving, clicking things and checking out what you have to offer. Help them focus on only the most essential elements.
Cellular Agricultural Society (CAS) has a highly interactive site that grabs the user from the minute they land on the page. First, you move your mouse to morph the screen from a simple circle into an image of cows looking at the city and leaves blowing in the wind. A slideshow starts offering various information about CAS. You can add elements such as animation.
8. Add Content
No matter what type of business you run, you likely have employees whose roles changed a bit with the stay-at-home orders. Tap into your talent pool and task them with creating exciting content for the website. Great photos, infographics and videos give you something to share on social media and hopefully drive even more traffic to your pages.
Tap Into User Emotions
Step back and think about what your typical customer is experiencing at this point. People feel fear, anger and frustration. If you can offer something that alleviates their worry a bit, they will remember that you cared about them during a difficult period. Look for ways to tap into an emerging online market. Be fair with pricing and shipping policies, and do your part to make the new situation we face one that is a bit more palatable.
Lexie is a digital nomad and graphic designer. If she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
Content is originally posted at https://www.pxmediainc.com/why-you-should-upgrade-your-business-site-right-now/
Graphic Designer Los Angeles, Web Design Company Los Angeles 