Tech

Take a Closer Look at Your SEO and Avoid These Optimisation Misconceptions

Posted on | by moocow

At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the latest web news, tips and trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to develop your business.

Myths in SEO are often formed when people are not up to date with their SEO knowledge, or when businesses create SEO ‘tips’ that are a con to get you to pay out big money for techniques that don’t really matter all that much.

Since the turn of 2018, we have seen rapid changes to the way SEO works across many web design platforms. Below we’ve cleared up a few fibs you might have been told previously in regards to your website’s SEO.

 

Keywords do not matter as much as they used to – TRUE

There is a great deal of focus put on keywords, however they may not be as important as many think. They are useful too have but do not necessarily need to be your primary focus. It’s a case of still having them but not making them the full focus. It’s still important to use keywords in meta descriptions tag lines and titles on your web pages, however there are a ton of other important ways that can get you discovered quicker.

 

You can reach the number one spot for a certain keyword – FALSE, you can’t anymore

It is no longer possible to reach the number one spot for a certain keyword due to the way Google has recently changed the way their rankings work. Unless you’re a big corporation like Apple or Coca-Cola where your search results would automatically lead you to a top spot, you can no longer predict what will be at number one for a particular keyword search. You could type in ‘mobile’ into Google search one day and it come up with a bunch of info on mobile first, but the next day it could just as likely come up with a page on baby toys.

 

Link building is dead – FALSE, it’s more alive than ever

It’s a common misconception that link building is “dead” however this just isn’t so, and has been largely discussed by companies such as Moz and Forbes. If anything, it’s link farms that are dead. According to Moz, using anchor text and links to “topic-specific”sites will still help to attract traffic to your site. The more attention your site receives, the easier it will be for Google to rank it higher in search engine results. Working alongside other companies through social sharing can benefit your company awareness greatly also.

 

SEO companies can guarantee to get you #1 ranking – FALSE, no one can

Despite what many companies would like to brag, no one can guarantee this. And this is the sort of con to watch out for when looking for a company to help with your SEO. A reliable SEO company will be able to work with you to make your site consistently popular on Google and improve its rankings. This will not necessarily mean being able to achieve that number one spot. When it comes to getting help with your SEO, look for honesty over false prophecies. You don’t want to be left out of pocket and without the results you wanted to achieve in the first place.

 

Different pages should have different keywords – FALSE

This really isn’t necessary, as although the importance of keywords are still relevant, it’s still only a minor part of what helps rank your website. It makes sense to have your primary keyword featured across your whole site, as that’s what Google picks up and makes searches relevant to your business. You don’t need to bother creating a ton of background pages each with different keywords, as it’s likely to make your rankings more confusing.

 

 

Google Hints on Gmail Update and Improvements

Posted on | by moocow

At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web news. With technology and techniques developing daily, we’ll make sure you’re getting the latest info on what’s happening in the world of web.

Google has recently revealed that it will be making new updates and changes to its Gmail service. Although an official date has not been set for the release, sources have hinted that an unveiling may happen during Google’s yearly developers conference, which will be hosted this year on May 8th. The company has previously revealed upcoming developments at similar events.

Remaining fairly ambiguous with their announcement, Google are yet to clearly define exactly what changes and improvements we can expect to see. However, in a recent report from Android Authority, they have indicated towards ‘draft phase’ changes that we might be able to expect, including a feature for “snoozing” emails, “smart reply” options and other additional features that can already be found in the Gmail mobile app. The makeover seems to include a shift in making the browser version match up with its little brother app.

Although seemingly in its early stages, a launch of Gmail’s new updates are no doubt clearly in sight, and we can hopefully look forward to some handy web browser improvements headed our way in the near future.

 

 

Fancy Being a Dog For a Day? Google Japan Will Show You How

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At Moocow we make sure we’re always ahead of the game when it comes to the latest tech and web design trends. And this week we just loved finding out about Google Japan’s cute new edition to Google Street View.

Launching just over a decade ago, Google’s Street View has become a well known feature of both Google Maps and Google Earth. After its arrival in the USA in 2007, it soon spread worldwide, presenting panoramic views of streets, cities and rural landscapes from countries worldwide.

We’ve all become engrossed in the world of Google Earth at one point or another, whether it’s getting a glimpse of what it’s like to roam the paths of countries we’re yet to visit, or even just seeing what other homes and towns are like in nearby areas when planning to move (you can now even tour Disneyland from the comfort of your sofa) So it’s fair to say a reasonable amount of fun can be had with the feature.

However, in recent news, Google Japan have managed to trump all of its attributes to date – by adding a version from the viewpoint of a dog. That’s right – an adorable trio of Akita pups named Asuko, Ako and Pu. Now traditionally, Google’s Street View has been filmed using specialist cameras designed in house with images captured by car, however now it’s time for our favourite four-legged friends to take the lead.

Google’s tech team have developed a device suitable for the pups whilst out exploring, a small camera that comes attached to a soft harness the dogs can wear. A video released earlier on Google Japan’s YouTube Channel shows a guided tour led by the dogs themselves starting off in Odate City, the place of origin for the Akita dog breed.

Mapping out the city with a few of the dog’s favourite hotspots, the video takes you on a first hand doggy guide to Odate, including a stop off point to the Akita dog museum and a view of the city’s famous statue of Hachiko. You can take a look at the footage from Google Japan here!

 

7 Reasons Why You Should Choose WordPress to Host Your Website

Posted on | by moocow

At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the latest web developments and web design trends. Our job is to seek out the best in high quality web hosting, security and SEO awareness. When it comes to choosing a platform for your hosting, WordPress ranks higher than any other hosting service. Below are our 7 reasons why WordPress is top of the leaderboard.

Deciding on a platform to host your website is one of the first points to consider when getting started in creating a new or updated site. The platform we think ranks above all the rest is WordPress. This open-source CMS works as an ideal model for creating a wide variety of sites for both small and large businesses, ranging from e-commerce to blog based designs. Still not convinced? Well here’s our reasons why…

It’s popular

WordPress sites account for over 25% of sites on the web, with 1.1 million new domains being created every 6 months. The incredibly popular platform is even available in 62 different languages, making it accessible to businesses worldwide.

It’s beginner friendly

WordPress is easy to use, even if you haven’t had much experience. It allows you to add pages, blog posts, text and widgets at the click of a button. Even if your site is being professionally designed, it will be easy for you to make additional changes or touch ups yourself.

You’ve got access to tons of Themes and Plug-ins

WordPress guarantees access to a huge variety of themes and plug-ins compared to other sites. No matter what your business or blog, they have themes to suit all. From Jetpack, Yoast, Revslider to Woocommerce and Mailchimp, there are so many options to help improve your site.

It’s highly secure

WordPress core software is highly protected and comes with access to great plug-ins such as Wordfence to give you extra defences alongside firewall and malware scans. WordPress also offer plenty of guides and tips to keep you secure savvy.

It will improves your rankings

WordPress genuinely has the ability to help you rank higher in search engines. “WordPress” is searched 2,740,000 times every month, making it one of the highest searched keywords on Google. And WordPress has plenty of great SEO plug-ins and built-in features to optimize each page on your website.

It’s known for its great support

Need help? WordPress has a great technical support team on hand to help with any customer queries you may have. Their engineers offer first rate customer support and quick fixes to any technical issues, and you can access their support services easily online.

No.1 for media

If you’re wanting a website that can handle a multitude of different media content, WordPress handles images, audio, video and plenty more with ease, making it simple to upload and insert content when writing a post or a page.

SEO Tips and Trends for 2018

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At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web design news. With 2017 over, it’s time to take stock on what we’ve learnt over the past year and get ready for what the new year has in store for the world of SEO. Take a look at our advice below and get ahead of the game with essential SEO tips and trends for 2018.

Voice Search

Voice search is becoming increasingly popular with a surge in voice search and smart speaker sales. Both Amazon Echo and Google Home have become household favourites. Marketers feel voice search has a higher ability to analyse what shoppers are looking for specifically when compared with traditional search options.

Keyword Planning

When it comes to keyword planning it can be hard to get accurate advice without paying for help such as through Google Analytics Keyword Planner. Up your game when choosing good keywords by using free tools such as Moz’s Keyword Explorer tool. This can help you to get accurate information that can rank the best keywords to target relevant to your business.

Optimising Titles and Meta Descriptions

You can optimise Titles and Meta Descriptions on your web pages by ensuring things such as correct word length, correct keyword usage and making sure your keywords are featured in your tags and URL. This way they are more likely to rank higher in search engine results.

Keep Up To Date

Be sure to keep social media channels up to date and produce and publish new content weekly. Make sure content is of your best quality, is descriptive but gets the point across easily, and is enjoyable for your audience to read. Be sure to use relevant keywords and use both external and internal links to relevant content.

Link Building

Link building, when used correctly and adheres to a specific budget, can be extremely beneficial to SEO. Networking with other companies can be extremely beneficial to landing you “guest spots” or social media takeovers on as many public and published sites as possible.

Web Design Trends for 2018

Posted on | by moocow

At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web design news. With 2017 over, it’s time to take stock on what we’ve learnt over the past year and get ready for what the new year has in store for the world of web design. Take a look at our advice below and get ahead of the game with essential design tips and trends for 2018.

 

Mobile First

Over the last year we’ve focused a lot on the importance of making sure your website is mobile first. And with m-commerce transforming and developing daily, making sure your site is mobile first is vital for the successful functioning of your business and web page. Mobile transactions are set to rocket in 2018, with a vast majority of orders already being made from mobile devices accessing your website. So if you’re still yet to update your site to mobile first, make this your new year’s resolution. Making sure your mobile site is responsive and easy to use is a top priority, otherwise you risk putting off customers from purchasing online.

 

Bold Colour Palettes

Each new year companies will always find a way to market a product as bigger, better and brighter – and it’s no different for web design. When it comes to planning your website, dare to be different, aim to create a site that’s vibrant, bold and colourful. Be creative but clever, customers don’t want to be left with a headache when shopping from your site. Make it fun and quirky, carefully selecting a colour palette that works with your business and brand. Less is more when it comes to sleek and sophisticated, so stand-out with large typography, geometric fonts and minimalist layouts.

 

Motion Animation & Video Marketing

Video marketing is booming, and incorporating animation or video into your web site design is becoming increasingly popular. People want to look at things they find visually exciting or pleasing and using imagery makes it easier to access information about your company. Whether it’s short video clips, gifs or cinemagraphs, adding animation to your site will no doubt create a surge in audience interaction. Many best-selling websites are adding videos or slideshows to their homepage, a more and more favoured tactic for creating customer interest. Text based gifs make written information more eye catching, promoting brand awareness whilst showing you have a fun side.

 

Voice Search

The concept of voice search is a simple one. It allows users to talk straight to their desktop or mobile device and command search options, the same as typing a request into a search engine, except it’s powered by speech. Voice search is starting to compete with traditional search engines. ‘Virtual assistants’ like Cortana, Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa all use direct speech to access search information.. Although met with mixed responses by some, the popularity of using voice searches is rapidly growing, so it would be foolish to not take certain steps and considerations into whether this could be a beneficial change to the way your website is run. It’s still worth a read up even if it’s perhaps a bit too futuristic for your liking.

 

Personalised Content

Make sure your content represents the mission of your company and targets your audience, not your personal preferences. Write content that your audience can relate to and feels comfortable with and is easy to understand. Reviews and testimonials from clients are a great thing to feature on your website, and is becoming increasingly popular. This helps new customers see that you are a service that is trusted and relied upon. If you’re using images or videos on your site, it can be a good idea to create your own – whether that’s product shots, background images or a look into how your business is run. Not everyone has the skills of a professional photographer and hiring one can be pricey so it’s not the end of the world if you can’t. But try not to make your images too generic and stock like if you want your website to stand out.

Web News: WooCommerce 3.2 Updates

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At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web trends, software and programs. With technology and techniques developing daily, we’ll make sure you’re getting the latest info on what’s happening in the world of web.

 

Many of our clients manage their online business through platforms such as WooCommerce. WooCommerce is an e-commerce plugin, its intentional use is for either small or large businesses to create an online selling platform using WordPress. This Autumn, WooCommerce have been updating their latest version, offering a bunch of improved applications and extensions. Below is a list of current optimisations that have been finalised:

 

  • Improvements for coupon options and management of extensions

  • You can now apply discounts to coupon orders without having to do it manually

  • Alerts are sent for new updates on WooCommerce and other extensions giving you the option to download immediately if using outdated versions

  • An easier “unified shortcode” when itemising various products on your webpages

  • A new filter enabling you to simply browse your extensions and identify which are ‘Active’ on the webpage

 

Although the changes may appear small, they offer some nifty adjustments to help run the platform simply, creating smoother running for both developers and clients.

 

Web News: Twitter Increases Character Limit For Tweets

Posted on | by moocow

At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web news. With technology and techniques developing daily, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to develop your business.

It wasn’t long ago that we were raving about the Tweetstorm feature in one of our recent web news blogs. Despite Twitter leading the way as the most successful social media platform for businesses, we debated it’s one major downfall – the length of posts you are allowed to Tweet. For some users, this has helped simplify things when creating a post – allowing them to Tweet info that is direct and uncomplicated. However for many – the 140 character limit can be particularly frustrating, especially when you feel you’ve got a lot more to say. Jogging your memory at all? Well, Twitter has just released today that you can now send tweets that are 280 characters long, doubling the limit from before.

This feature will be available to almost everyone on Twitter, however tweets in Korean, Chinese or Japanese would not be included as the developers felt the structure of these languages already enabled them to put much more information in one tweet. The Twitter team has already experienced a huge surge in users rushing to take advantage of the new feature this morning with everyone getting excited. Their analytics team have stated that those with tweets posted with a larger number of characters were receiving much higher interest, likes and engagements.

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

10 Of The Best Tech and Web Design Email Newsletters To Subscribe To

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At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web news. With our latest research, we’ve compiled a top ten list of what we believe are some of the best web design email newsletters to subscribe to, packed full of helpful tips, tutorials and freebies to get you going in all areas of design.

If you’re looking to get your hands on the hottest web development, coding and design news, subscribing to these email newsletters will leave your inbox filled with the best info, resources and design inspiration from masters in the world of tech.

The Download – A newsletter that appears daily in your inbox curated by MIT’s Technology Review. It’s one of several of MIT’s technology review and aims to offer a complete low down on what’s going on in the tech world.

Recode Daily – A round-up of the best news and trends relating to both tech and business. Signing up grants you access to articles and podcasts on what’s trending in areas including Commerce, Social media, Enterprise and Mobile and info on any upcoming events.

The Webdesigner Newsletter – Created specifically for developers and designers, the Webdesigner targets those wanting access to handy resources and plenty of free stuff. Top subjects include UI, HTML, Typography and help with design inspiration.

Hacking UI – An extremely useful product design and front-end development newsletter, dishing out articles, podcasts & master classes. Covering everything from VR, UX Photoshop and general web design.

Web Tools Weekly – If you’re searching for the latest info on tools for front-end developers, the Web Tools newsletter will be just the thing for you. This weekly newsletter offers tips and tutorials, and an inside guide to the latest apps, scripts and plug-ins.

Sidebar – Designer, developer and entrepreneur Sacha Greif’s daily newsletter showcasing her 5 favourite design articles, interviews and resources of the day. Helpful info on UX design, image freebies, CSS help, design program guides and general news in the world of web.

wpMail – A free, weekly WordPress Newsletter for general WordPress users with a handful of WordPress news and articles featuring SEO tips, themes and plug-ins.

MasterWP – Another weekly newsletter from WordPress, this time aimed at professionals who are proficient in all things WP. Every Wednesday get your hands on a variety of artciles, apps, tools and extras that will make life easier for WordPress pros.

DevTips – A collection of weekly developer tips from front-end developer and expert Umar Hansa. Those who sign up will get a developer tutorial or tip sent to you as a gif. Great for info on CSS, JavaScript, network issues and UI.

Frontend Focus – A once a week bundle of the best front-end news stories, tips and tutorials. From HTML, CSS, WebGL, Canvas, browser tech and more, the newsletter also includes the latest job vacancies in the tech industry if you’re currently looking for a career or new job as a developer.

 

Web Trends: Using Photographic Special Effects

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At MooCow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, take a look at what 2018 has in store for the world of web design.

GIFS – annoying or great fun? Most of us are divided on this opinion. However, when used correctly GIFS and other animated photographic techniques can be the perfect way to give your website that wow factor. Cinemagraphs work by combining Hi-Res images with a video that loops a selected part of the image, making it animated. This makes an already eye-popping image even more magical, allowing viewers to see photographs come to life before their very eyes. These short snippets of animation are becoming increasingly popular, with many social media sites adding tools to create your own online, an example being Instagram’s Boomerang which allows you to upload and create a short repeated video clip. Marketing trends for 2018 are set to become more and more visual, with businesses wanting to create backdrops to their sites that entice and excite their audiences. Working hand in hand with the use of parallaxes and animated backgrounds, using cinemagraphs with your website could be just the thing to get your new website of the ground.

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