Web design and marketing | Drewello Digital

Navigate the Web Hosting Maze: How to Choose the Perfect Web Hosting Plan for Your Business?

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024 by Nathalie

As a web designer, I often meet entrepreneurs who are unaware that their website requires web hosting. Not only are they unfamiliar with the need for web hosting, but they also have no idea what to look for in a hosting provider. This comprehensive guide aims to help you make an informed choice by considering factors such as hosting type, support, package inclusions, downtime, and price.

Before diving into the details, it’s important to emphasize that having a robust online presence is crucial for any business. A key element of this presence is selecting the right web hosting plan and provider. This decision can significantly impact your website’s performance, security, and overall success.

Understanding Different Types of Web Hosting

Shared Hosting: Ideal for small businesses and startups, shared hosting involves multiple websites sharing a single server’s resources. It’s cost-effective but can lead to slower performance if other sites experience high traffic.

VPS Hosting: Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting offers a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. Your site shares a server but with dedicated resources, providing better performance and flexibility.

Dedicated Hosting: With dedicated hosting, you get an entire server exclusively for your website. This option offers maximum performance, control, and security, making it suitable for larger businesses with high traffic volumes.

Cloud Hosting: Cloud hosting utilizes multiple servers to balance load and maximize uptime. It’s scalable and reliable, ideal for businesses that need flexibility and can handle traffic spikes.

Managed Hosting: This is a hassle-free option where the hosting provider takes care of all technical aspects, including updates, backups, and security. It’s perfect for businesses that lack technical expertise.

What next should you be aware of?

Key Features to Consider in Hosting Packages

When comparing hosting packages, consider what each one includes:

Bandwidth and Storage: Ensure the package offers sufficient bandwidth and storage for your website’s needs. Unlimited options are available but read the fine print for any potential throttling.

SSL Certificates: Security is paramount, and SSL certificates are essential for protecting user data and building trust.

Domain Registration: Some providers offer free domain registration for the first year, which can be a cost-saving benefit.

Email Hosting: Look for packages that include professional email hosting with your domain name.

Control Panel: A user-friendly control panel (like cPanel or Plesk) can simplify website management.

Assessing Downtime and Reliability

Downtime can be detrimental to your business, leading to lost sales and a damaged reputation. When choosing a web host, consider:

Uptime Guarantee: Look for providers that offer at least a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

Redundancy and Backup: Ensure the provider has redundancy measures in place and offers regular backups to prevent data loss.

Analyzing Pricing Structures

While price shouldn’t be the only deciding factor, it’s crucial to get value for your money:

Introductory Offers: Many providers offer attractive introductory rates that increase upon renewal. Understand the long-term costs.

Package Value: Compare what’s included in the price – sometimes paying a little more provides significant benefits.

Refund Policies: Check if the provider offers a money-back guarantee, allowing you to try their services risk-free.

Additional Considerations

Scalability: Choose a host that can grow with your business, offering easy upgrades to more powerful plans.

Security Features: Beyond SSL certificates, look for features like DDoS protection, firewalls, and malware scanning.

Performance Enhancements: Some hosts provide performance optimizations like CDN (Content Delivery Network) integration and caching mechanisms.

What’s next?

Making Your Decision

To summarize, selecting the right web hosting plan and provider involves a careful assessment of your business needs and the hosting options available. Start by understanding the different types of hosting and match them with your website’s demands. Evaluate the support services, analyze the features included in hosting packages, and pay close attention to uptime guarantees and pricing structures. Don’t forget to consider additional factors like scalability and security.

By taking these steps, you’ll ensure that your business has a strong, reliable online foundation, setting the stage for growth and success in the digital marketplace. Choose wisely, and your web hosting provider will become a valuable partner in your business journey.

How Web Design Helps your Business Expand?

November 1, 2023October 31, 2023 by Nathalie

We can’t deny that in today’s information age, a well-designed website is a powerful tool for businesses. A professionally crafted web design can make a substantial difference in your online presence, user engagement, and ultimately, your sales. In this article, we will explore how web design helps businesses succeed in the competitive online marketplace.

First Impressions Matter

We are humans. And, we make judgment about almost everything all the time. We can’t help it, that’s our nature! That’s why first impression is important. Your website is often the first interaction potential customers have with your business. A visually appealing and user-friendly website design creates a positive first impression, instilling trust and credibility. A professional appearance can lead to increased engagement and conversions.

Faster Loading Speed

Slow-loading websites can deter visitors and negatively impact your search engine rankings. An efficient web design that minimizes unnecessary elements and utilizes optimized images can significantly improve loading times. Faster-loading websites not only improve user experience but also reduce bounce rates and encourage users to explore your content.

Enhanced User Experience

A well-structured website with easy navigation and fast loading times improves the user experience. When visitors can easily find what they’re looking for and access information without frustration, they are more likely to stay on your site and explore what you have to offer. A positive user experience can lead to increased time spent on your website and a higher chance of conversion.

Mobile Responsiveness

In today’s mobile-dominated world, responsive web design is essential. And yet, there are still a lot of outdated websites out there that are not responsive. Mobile-responsive websites adapt to different screen sizes and devices, providing an optimal viewing experience for all users. Google’s search algorithms also prioritize mobile-friendly websites, potentially boosting your search engine rankings.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Web design and SEO go hand in hand. It is the new norm. An SEO-optimized web design includes features like clean code, proper headings, image optimization, and meta tags. A website that follows SEO best practices is more likely to rank higher in search engine results, driving organic traffic and potential customers to your site.

Clear Branding and Messaging

Your website is a reflection of your brand. A consistent and visually appealing web design that aligns with your brand identity helps reinforce your message, values and mission. This consistency fosters brand recognition and trust among your audience.

Conversion Optimization

Web design plays a crucial role in conversion rate optimization. A strategically designed website can incorporate clear and compelling call-to-action buttons, well-placed contact forms, and persuasive content layouts. These elements guide visitors through the sales funnel, increasing the likelihood of conversions, whether that means making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting a quote.

Content Presentation

You must have heard it already: Content is king on the internet. And the way it’s presented matters. A well-designed website organizes content in an easily digestible manner, making it engaging and informative. High-quality visuals, well-structured text, and interactive elements enhance content presentation and capture the attention of your audience.

Web design is a fundamental element of your online business strategy. It impacts first impressions, user experience, search engine rankings, and ultimately, your business’s success. By investing in a professional, SEO-optimized web design, you can create a positive online presence, engage your audience, and drive meaningful results for your business. So, don’t underestimate the power of web design in helping your business thrive in the digital landscape.

Hope this comprehensive guideline helps you understand how web design has an impact on your business. If you need professional assistance for your web project, reach out at contact@drewellodigital.com

Your 9 to 5 Job Is Not 100% Secure – Time To Add A Side Gig

June 14, 2024November 11, 2020 by Nathalie

Since the first lockdown in March, the coronavirus has cost hundreds of thousands of people their jobs in the UK alone. All over the world, unemployment has risen, especially in industries that depend on social contacts. This alarming situation makes a lot of people realize that their 9 to 5 job is not 100% secure. And relying on it is definitely not enough.

That pandemic took us all by surprise. Even though we were aware of the situation in China, for some reason, in the West, there was a general belief that it won’t affect us – like SARS, like Ebola.

However, things changed dramatically when the virus ‘reached’ the occidental world. All of a sudden, people who had jobs for years, worked in offices, pubs, shops or whatever kind of venues every day or night, found themselves at home. Many were left in a deep crisis not knowing how they would pay their next bills. The lucky ones got furlough payments, but no one knew how long the situation would take and how long the government would be prepared to provide a degree of support.

Our basic needs that we thought are covered sufficiently resurfaced as a potential question mark reminding us that nothing can be taken for granted. Without a job, you might not be able to pay for your rent or mortgage, you might not have enough to eat and without a roof under your head, you might not be able to find another job.

There is government support for people who are in an emergency situation, but as it looks universal credit is by far not universal enough. And while many people are aware that government support wouldn’t be the solution, they also realise that they have one very weakness: With the reliance on their jobs and specialised qualifications, they realise that if they lose their job, there might be no other job for their specialised qualification profile available, because of a situation like a pandemic, an economic sectoral change, technological change or maybe because of their age.

If you are in employment, maybe it is time to think of some backup in case things go downhill for whatever reason.

In this article, we will first explore what the benefits are of having a side gig. Then, we will provide a few ideas of gigs you can do while still in employment.

What Are The Advantages Of Having A Side Gig?

The gig economy is booming, even before this pandemic, many people have already embarked on this journey and use these jobs as their main source of income. It is estimated that in the UK, five million people are employed in this type of job.

Before going further, I just want to clarify that I am not advising you to leave your current job but I rather encourage anyone to have a supplement of income. As you might have heard, many freelancers were actually rather ignored in the initial support packages by the government.

So, why despite this, am I advising you to see the gig economy as a potential opportunity?

As already mentioned above, things can change at any time. Besides, job stability as our parents knew it seems to have changed a lot for the past decades. So, doing something in addition to your day job can have a lot of advantages. In the following, here are a few reasons to consider:

Paying back your debt: Some gigs are so well remunerated that some spare time freelancers bring home £1000 to £5000 every month. Remember that is added to your primary salary. If you have some credit to reimburse such as school fees, mortgage, or paying off credit cards, this supplement can really help you out. Having said this, in principle your lifestyle should be at the level of your regular employment income given the uncertainty surrounding the gig market.

Enjoying life more: Currently, as we are facing a second lockdown, there is not so much we can do right now. Hopefully, this situation won’t last forever. When life will be back as it used to be, earning any extra income enables you to enjoy life more. You can go out more often and meet friends. With more money, you can buy whatever you want or travel the world again. Having said this, you will also need to spend more time looking for gigs and doing the jobs actually.

It’s empowering: When you work as an ‘independent’ or a contractor, and you start generating money from your own effort and skills, you feel very proud of yourself. It’s empowering as you realise that you have economic value outside your day job from your employer. Having said this, this is when you have established yourself in the gig market and could even imagine earning a living there.

The main reason for doing this, however, should be to establish a potential alternative route in the event that your main income source evaporates. In the beginning, it would be rather an exploration. It would be about learning to be competitive in this market, understanding the market, and while you’re having in the background a regular income you would still have a choice whether to take gigs or not.

What Type Of Side Gig Can You Do?

Finding time to work on a side gig requires time. You also need courage because after a long day from work, when arriving home, all you feel you want to do is just to relax. This is where you must be strong enough to still work on side projects. I guess determination and discipline must be added to the list of skill sets while starting any side gig.

Below is a small list of side gigs you can do in your spare time. Note that the list is much more exhaustive than this.

Photography: You might have seen this suggestion a lot, but the side gig doesn’t have to be something very fancy. It is easier to go for something you like and passionate about so that it won’t feel like a burden. So, for instance, you might love taking pictures and if you already have a big collection of images stored in the hard drive of your computer, why not sell them to some stock pictures websites such as Istockphoto, Dreamstime, etc.. However, please be aware that the competition is high and in order to be able to earn a decent income, you need to be able to stand out.

Write a blog: When I ask people who have a hobby if they have ever thought of starting a blog, they always look surprised. I am not saying that everybody who has a hobby should have a blog. But if you need extra money and you are exceptionally good at something why not share your passion with others? There are different ways to monetize your blog, but the most common ways are ads and affiliate products where you get a percentage of each sale. If you have a niche hobby, the prospects are actually quite good to create something where you can set up a follower base relatively quickly. The question would be how big this follower base is.

Freelancing: You might have talent as a writer or graphic designer. Whatever you are good at, there are so many gigs out there where you can use your skills. You don’t have to worry about finding clients, there are platforms like Upwork, Bark, Fiverr, PeopleperHours where you can create an account and start working relatively quickly. However, beware that the competition is extremely high. The most challenging is to get your first gig.

Dropshipping: It is very popular and yet not so many people know so much about this business model. Dropshipping allows you to have an online shop without stocking any products at home or elsewhere. The suppliers directly send the products to your customers who have made the purchase from your website. If you want to build an e-commerce site, Give me a shout via email at contact@drewellodigital.com and I’ll be happy to help.

Start a Youtube Channel: Most of you have heard about this. There are amazing stories of people creating a community as influencers and earning a lot of money. If you are comfortable presenting yourself, this could be your option. However, many of you have also heard that Youtube is saturated. Do you know that in 2019, according to Statista, more than 500 hours of video were uploaded to YouTube every minute? And the report continues saying the platform had 2 billion logged-in monthly viewers. As you can see, there is enough market share for everyone. Similar to blogs, if you have a good niche and you are willing to invest a bit of your time to grow your channel, there’s a prospect of success. There are more and more people who make a substantial living from their Youtube channel.

Finally, even though there’s hope that the pandemic will be under control next year, the economic consequences will be felt long thereafter. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to look into starting a side career in the gig economy to earn extra money – and who knows, you might even be the one who decides to quit your job to move on.

If you need help to build a website to sell your services or products, don’t hesitate to contact me via email at contact@drewellodigital.com or by filling the contact form.

5 Internet Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

October 4, 2023March 10, 2020 by Nathalie

As a small business owner whose potential clients aren’t necessarily people passing by the shop, you cannot ignore internet marketing in today’s economy.

If you want to stay competitive in your market, you know (hopefully) that marketing and more precisely Internet marketing is the way to go.

Although you are aware of the importance of marketing, you still wonder what to do or even where to start especially if you’ve little knowledge about the subject.

You might think online marketing is such a vast topic that you can easily feel lost between market research, branding, social media marketing, etc and promoting your business overall.

I hear from you!

Here are 5 important tips to start with your Internet marketing if you’re a small business:

# 1 Tip: It starts with your website!

It might seem obvious to you that having a website is crucial for your business. But, believe it or not, I still meet business owners who don’t have any and who don’t even think that they need one.

You should ask yourself the following questions:

How do my customers find me?
Where do I sell my services or product?
How can my clients trust me if I have no website where they can check things out?

Or, if entrepreneurs have an online site, sometimes it doesn’t look professional, not up-to-date or not even mobile-friendly.

Again, ask yourself: Does my website look professional?

If not, will my customers trust what I have to offer on my website?

Try to put yourself in your client’s shoes, would you buy on a website that looks poorly designed?

I guess, no.

So, why would you do it for your own business?

Nowadays they are so many platforms out there that help you build your own website. So, you have no excuse not to have a website. However, if you have limited time or you don’t think you’re so technical, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. It doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.

Your website is the first ‘point of contact’ between you and your clients. It helps create trust and credibility. Think about it, on your website you showcase your products or services, provide customer care, offer valuable information to your customers and much more.

#2 Tip: Think Local

Get the basics done. If you have a local business, think about adding your business on a free listing such as Google my Business and Yell. Google my Business particularly is a powerful marketing tool that has features that other directories don’t have. For instance, you can post content, create events and list your products and services with their price tags.

Another awesome local marketing idea would be to write in your local newspaper about your products or services. In your article, you demonstrate how your services/products can add value to the community.

These tips described above are just to name a few but much more can be done for local businesses.

#3 Tip: List Building and Email marketing

You should definitely think of building a mailing list as it the backbone of your business.

Emails are collected via a webform that you placed on your website. And, you can decide to embed a form from a marketing service platform such as Mailchimp or Mailerlite. Or, you can create a form on your website and then connect to a marketing service provider via API integration.

It’s very easy to set up, but, if you have limited time, don’t hesitate to ask some support from a professional.

It might take time to build up a consequent list of potential customers but it worth the effort.

Email marketing is a powerful strategy that helps to create a relationship with your existing and future customers. Avoid being a hard seller; you should rather think in terms of adding value to their life. Once the trust is there, customers are more likely to buy from you than from your competitors.

#4 Tip: Social Media

There was a time social media was just that; social media and nothing else. Today, we are talking about social media marketing, just as you’ve realized, things have changed a lot for the past few years.

If you don’t like social media platforms or can’t see how they can serve your business, you better think twice. You can’t help it if your customers are for instance on Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. You are missing out a lot by not showing up there. Besides, nobody asks you to hang out with no purpose. These platforms are great to connect with your audience, build your brand, drive website traffic and increase sales.

By the way, you don’t have to be on all the social media platforms, you should only focus on those which are relevant to your business.

#5 Testimonials

Another great tip for online marketing for small businesses is a testimonial.

Have you ever bought something online without checking for reviews? We’re all doing it.

And, I would assume you do the same.

Your customers will check what other people think about your services/products. So, make sure that positive testimonials are showing up on your website, or on other platforms where your customers can see them. Testimonials are always helpful as they represent a sign of trust.

Finally, even though you have little knowledge of Internet marketing these simple 5 tips will help you get started. As you can imagine, there are many more ideas to implement in digital marketing.

However, you can focus on a few marketing strategies as long as they show great results.

Feel free to contact me if you need some assistance with building your website and for your marketing.

Why Is It So Important To Update And Optimize Your Website Regularly?

June 28, 2019June 25, 2019 by Nathalie

laptop and notebook for wordpress website update

You finally made your way to the online world by having a website and that’s great. But, just don’t stop there. Do you know that your website needs to be updated and optimized regularly?

Let’s explore why is it so important to do so.

Show you care and are passionate about your business

I am baffled to see that some websites have not updated their content for over a year.

It is to wonder if the company is still in operation. Or, the next question that might come to your mind would be: “Do they care about their own business? How passionate are they about what they do? “

If you don’t show any interest in your own business by not updating your website, why customers should be bothered about your services?

By updating your website, you demonstrate to your customers that you do care and are passionate about what you do. This generally make clients want to know more about what you have to offer and eventually buy from you.

By the way, the change doesn’t have to be paramount. For instance, changing pictures or adding some more could bring some freshness into the look of the website.

Breaking down a big chunk of text into small paragraph and adding subtitle make already another difference in the design. Content will always look more engaging and easier to read.

Another simple example and yet that business owners (specially brick-and-mortar store) fail to achieve is to update their price list. The other day, I searched online for a beauty salon in Ilford and found one with more reasonable price than the one I used to go. So, I called them to book an appointment and after giving me a time slot, the manager mentioned that the price on the website was not accurate. Really? They don’t realise how upsetting it is. Sorry but this come across like they try to defeat me. According to her, the prices have changed since January this year and I called in May.

What is the point to have a website if you are not able to give accurate information about your services?

Do they ever think about the user experience?

Better User-Experience

In this ever-evolving world where information is everywhere, customers become more and more demanding. They don’t even have the patience to wait for a page to load more than 2 seconds, so imagine not displaying accurate information such as the price. At this stage, customers are gone. That doesn’t make it easy for business owners, does it?

Making a few changing on your website shouldn’t take too long to achieve. If you can make the change yourself, it is great otherwise ask help from a professional web designer.

If you optimize your website to provide a better user experience, your customers will enjoy the visit. And chances are they will certainly return.

Again, changes don’t have to be massive to be effective. Let’s take the example of Sainsbury online grocery. They have made some changes to their interface months back. They put orange button for each item. This small change jump into my eyes as soon as I logged in. Then, they made another change on the trolley icon, the total of products bought can be seen.

The difference was obvious. And, I could say that the shopping experience is pleasant.

User experience is so vital nowadays that you cannot ignore it. Customers are more educated and expect more from your website.

Getting More Traffic

Google is dominating the search market, either we like it or not. They often make changes in their algorithm that affect a website ranking. Therefore, Business owners must be aware of what the search engine is looking after.

Currently, it seems that Google is interested in content relevancy. So, if you have a blog, this is the perfect platform to write good quality and relevant content to your niche.

Optimising your website regularly for SEO is crucial to attract more traffic to your website.

How Often Should a website be updated and optimised?

In the title of this article, I have already given a clue regarding the frequency.

Obviously changing the main content regularly wouldn’t make sense. However, it is advised to update the About page content every 6 months. So basically, twice a year you can tweak a bit the text or add more information if you wish.

Regarding blog post, ideally it should be written every week. The number is up to you. If you can commit to write every day or post a few times a week, you should do it.

And, you will start getting more traffic as long as you continue delivering relevant and quality content.

Hopefully, you have understood now that updating and optimizing your website regularly is crucial if you want to stay at the top of the search. And finally, retaining or attracting more customers.

Navigate the Web Hosting Maze: How to Choose the Perfect Web Hosting Plan for Your Business?

Understanding Different Types of Web Hosting

Key Features to Consider in Hosting Packages

Assessing Downtime and Reliability