Web Design

Innovate UK Offers Share of £20 Million for New Projects or Tech Based Ideas Offering Support During COVID-19

Posted on | by moocow

With COVID-19 affecting many businesses across the UK, there has been a major call out for designers and tech-experts to come together and put forward innovative new ideas to help offer support to general public services and protect our most vulnerable communities.

One such initiative has been set up by Innovate UK alongside the government, in which UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million to help assist and supply design and project ideas for Innovate UK that can help benefit public services, health services, our economy and those most vulnerable during the pandemic.

Innovate UK have stated that:

“The aim of this competition is to support UK businesses to focus on emerging or increasing needs of society and industries during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your application must demonstrate both realistic and significant benefits for society (including communities, families and individuals) or an industry that has been severely impacted and/or permanently disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your proposal must focus on a clear need and the proposed innovation to address it. You must have the ability to deliver the project during the working restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic.

You can claim 100% of your project costs up to the maximum of £50,000. These will be paid in advance of the project start date.

We intend to monitor and review projects during implementation with a view to providing follow-on funding and support for those with the most potential for impact.”

Innovate UK and Gov UK have stated that they are keen to see answers and methods to assist in battling current or newly apparent societal or industry occurring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not exclusively:

  • community support services
  • couriers and delivery (rural and/or city based)
  • education and culture
  • entertainment (live entertainment, music, etc.)
  • financial services
  • food manufacture and processing
  • healthcare
  • hospitality
  • personal protection equipment
  • remote working
  • retail
  • social care
  • sport and recreation
  • transport
  • well-being

Competition closes: Friday 17 April 2020 12:00pm

For more information please visit the Gov link here.

If you’re a business, design or tech expert that feels they have an original idea that can be accurately implemented over the next period, then be sure to check out the funding and application for this fantastic project. At a time which has been hard for many, it’s a great thing to be able to give back to others whilst supporting our work forces and teams in the design industry too!

 

5 Simple, Easy-to-Use Design Tools

Posted on | by moocow

Keep your business and work up to date, despite the Lockdown, with our top listed design tools to keep you busy working from home. Our team remains committed to providing you the best online advice, keeping you up to date on all the latest tech news, with recommendations for resources and tools that can be implemented working away from the office.

Calcolor

Calcolor is a handy, and easy to use tool that offers an insight into colour range, and exploring your colour palette. It’s great if you want to try out various colour schemes and styles for your brand, logo or website. It also teaches you more about colour HEX codes, that funny format that you’ll come across resembling numbers and a hashtag.

Snack This

Snack This is a nifty tool that allows you to create text GIFs quickly, which is great for putting together social media posts or drawing attention to a new product online. There are a range of styles, fonts and backgrounds to choose from and is a speedy way of getting colourful, animated text for an online post.

Motion

Motion is a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) editor that’s easy to grasp and can be handily downloaded onto either Mac or Windows. There’s plenty of pre-made icons that can be altered and adjusted to suit the aim of your project.

Pixlr

An online photo editor that’s free to use and doesn’t involve a download. You can use this site anytime you pop online for quick image editing and touch ups. It’s equipped with all your general editing tools, and has options for creating fonts, logos, borders and backgrounds. A brilliant and cost effective alternative that will get the job done quickly too. You can download any images you create in various formats or upload online too.

LogoMaker

Grants you access to a variety of backgrounds, stickers and shapes with professional photo editing features including colour, hue, curve, image resizing and 3D rotation. Allows you to create designs not just for logos, but for posters, newsletters and brochures or even social media ads.

Our Best Web Design Blogs & Free Tech Courses to Tide You Over

Posted on | by moocow

Companies across the UK are set to face dramatic changes in the way day-to-day business operates during the Coronavirus outbreak, our own team at Moocow included. During this time, we remain committed to providing you the best online advice, keeping you up to date on all the latest tech news, with recommendations for resources and tools that can be implemented from home.

First up, we’ve compiled a top ten list of what we believe are some of the best web design blogs on the internet, packed full of helpful tips, tutorials and freebies to get you going in all areas of design.

The Moz Blog

Founded originally by Rand Fishkin, The Moz Blog is one of the most popular blogs in the world of web design. The site offers leading advice on improving your website and design, up to date knowledge on the latest SEO advice, and insights into producing outstanding content using successful web marketing. The Moz team have also announced that during the COVID-19, their Moz academy will be free for all, offering access to over a dozen essential courses and training.

https://moz.com/blog/moz-academy-free

Design Bombs

An online magazine packed full with in-depth articles on coding, design and general web news. The site also offers design freebies, including icons and WordPress Plugins and Themes, helping you to get the most out of your website. Subscribe to their site and you’ll have access to a bunch of handy online tools.

Backlinko

Named by Forbes magazine as one of the best places for “next-level SEO training”and advice, the Backlinko blog offers you articles and tips on SEO and achieving higher rankings and traffic to your site. Formed by SEO expert Brian Dean, this blog is the go to place for SEO tips.

Vandelay Design

A blog dedicated to providing tips and tutorials for all your design needs. From coding and UX, to business marketing, blog design or photoshop skills, the site is filled with detailed insights on all design processes, offering extra tools, services and WordPress themes too.

WPKube

A blog dedicated to all your WordPress needs! WPKube is the best site for all your WordPress queries, the blog comes with how-to guides, tips and extras including WP themes, modifications and plugins as well as all the latest news keeping you up to date with what WordPress has to offer.

CSS Tricks

Created to offer advice for both amateur and professional designers and developers, this blog includes helpful hints and technique tips for using CSS, including code snippets and tutorials. As well as this, there’s a forum you can join to ask the coding community for extra help.

SitePoint

A great tech blog for anyone wanting to get hands on knowledge and experience with learning to code, using HTML5/CSS, JavaScript, or PHP. With courses and guides ranging from mobile app development to responsive design, it’s a great site with easy, learn-able advice and access to a wide community of coders.

Tuts Plus

The Envatotuts+ blog filled with courses and in-depth guides on coding, web design, photography, video, business, 3d graphics and game development. Includes access to lots of freebies, a forum you can access through the blog and really useful activities getting you equipped in all areas of design.

Hongkiat

A great design blog for designers and bloggers of all kinds, offering web design and photographic inspiration, useful tools and tips to get your knowledge up to date, including guides on using social media to market your business and getting jobs within the tech industry.

1st Web Designer

A leading UK blog focusing on UX design, typography, WordPress, JavaScript, and CSS. Great for seeing what’s trending in web design and getting you the low down on all the latest tools and design inspiration.

 

International Women’s Day and the Importance of Diversity in Tech

Posted on | by moocow

In honour of International Women’s Day, we wanted to highlight the importance of women working within technology, and the lack of diversity and inclusivity seen in many tech and design companies.

More than 2.1 million people in the UK are currently working in the tech industry, and despite such large figures, only 16% are women, according to a report from the Inclusive Tech Alliance. They stated that “over a million more female employees would need to be hired to reach gender parity.” Additionally, a mere 15% of the digital tech workforce in the UK are from BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) backgrounds, with senior/board member positions being at only 8.5% according to another recent report from search agency Inclusive Boards.

Many companies will have no female representation whatsoever, or representation from BAME or other diverse communities. It’s hugely important to create awareness and have greater opportunities created to make the tech industry a more equal and inclusive career path, and what better way to celebrate this than with International Women’s Day in mind. At Moocow, we’re proud to have a team of fantastic designers, developers, writers and technical staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, with representation from female tech experts, those from the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities. With an office at the heart of Brighton, we’re proud to have a workforce that’s inclusive and socially aware, as well as great in their field.

Secondarily, we wanted to offer some tips and advice to any women, young or old, looking to pursue a career path in the tech and web design industry…

Don’t be put off choosing scientific subjects to study!

No matter what tech job you’re dreaming of, don’t let anyone stop you from studying exactly what you want to do. Gender should not limit your choice of career path. If you studied in a different subject previously and are wanting to enter into a new choice of career, it’s never too late. And when certain education routes get a bit pricey, there are many different ways to gain qualifications, including ones that don’t come with a price tag. As well as bursaries, scholarships and Arts Council Funding, many companies will actually offer to train people for free. On top of this there are boot camps and hundreds of online training programs and resources that can help you transition into a tech role if you don’t have the qualifications needed for a specific job. And if you’re looking to learn code, there are thousands of sites that can help you, Codecademy, HackerRank & edX are to name a few.

Stand your ground when it comes to your career path

Confidence is key. Have a good perception of your own skills, the abilities you have and what you can achieve. If you don’t feel confident in your own abilities, it can be hard for others to feel the same. In interviews, prove you are the right person for the role, use active language that shows off your talents instead of being passive, state direct plans you have and show just how much you can benefit their company. Be bold and never feel intimidated, no matter how terrifying the interviewer may appear! (Although we hope they’re as nice as us)

Have a plan and find mentorship

Always take time to refine your skills, practice really does make perfect. Finding mentorship within a working role can also be really beneficial, so be sure to place yourself in an environment where you can be surrounded by professionals in your chosen field who are as passionate about your goals as you are. Most importantly, never give up on what it is you want to achieve. It can be hard seeing friends or colleagues achieving their goals faster than you or at different rates, but the job you’ve been waiting for could be just around the corner. Hard work always pays off, and whether it takes you 1 year, 5 years or even 10 years to reach the job you’ve always wanted, it’s always worth the wait.

#HappyIWD2020

How to Create Great Video Marketing Content on a Budget

Posted on | by moocow

Video marketing is a key part of any successful ad campaign. When you’re scrolling through content online, the competition is tough, and what sets businesses and brands apart from one another is their ability to stand out visually. Our team at Moocow constantly strive to be at the top of the ladder when it comes to web design, branding and how to successfully market your business.

Video is the king of content, with visual marketing being one of the single best ways to generate a greater audience to your site or brand. More than 80% of all internet traffic is video, with both national and small independent businesses opting to target their audience through video content on their websites and social media.

For many however, the idea of creating striking video imagery or cleverly put-together filmmaking is either not their strong suit, or perhaps do not feel they have the budget to expand. This is where a great new video editing platform can help.

Veed offers amazing features and tools to allow you to design fresh and unique video content, marketable to your own brand and style. Signing up allows you access to tutorials and support to help grow site conversions and followers, a creative space to store all your files, images and other online content, and offers simple and easy to use interfaces and editing tools to get your videos just how you want them. Packages vary in price, but include low cost and free options also!

If Veed’s not for you, there are several other online editing platforms available, so why not browse and take your pick? The take home here is that, whatever option you choose, be sure to make video content a centre part of your marketing strategy, and there are options out there to suit any business size or budget.

 

Moocow Media Oasis Project

Why Choosing Smaller Businesses and Going Local Can Get You the Best Results

Posted on | by moocow

We love working and supporting local companies in Brighton, Hove and Sussex. Since opening our doors in 2006, we have been working hard growing and developing our client base & expertise, offering a dynamic blend of creative thinking, experience and technical know-how. We are proud to be able to represent so many of the fantastic businesses local to Brighton and we’re firm believers that going local gets you the best results.

When it comes to picking a company to work alongside to help build and grow your business, whether it’s help with web design, branding or SEO, – why waste money working with a big corporation that creates work that’s impersonal and sees you as just another client on the list? There are several reasons why we believe you should go local when thinking of a company to work with.

To start with, communication is a crucial factor for developing work that’s exactly what you want. We work closely with our clients, ensuring that their interests are heard. Any queries or issues are dealt with promptly and our designers are on hand to speak with you immediately instead of greeting you with a voicemail. Building a relationship between yourself and the designer helps establish what you are looking for and achieves more accurate results.

It also makes exploring previous work and portfolios simpler, when other local businesses have worked side by side. Networking locally can be extremely beneficial to your business, and affiliate marketing can help both businesses with recommendations and creating a platform for small businesses to collaborate and make a name for themselves.

Price wise, going local is far more economical, as prices are usually much for cost effective and you end up getting far more for your money with a smaller business. All in all, we believe there are plenty of upsides to staying local, and if you’re still not convinced – let us help prove it to you. If you have a project you’re looking to get started on, get in touch and we’ll see how we can help your business grow.

Our Top 5 Web Design and Marketing Podcasts

Posted on | by moocow

We’ve researched the very best in web design and marketing podcasts to help you expand and develop your knowledge on all things relating to business, branding and design. And what better way to stay up to date on new developments and latest trends than easy to listen to podcasts that you can catch up on whilst travelling from work or from the comfort of your own home.

 

Shop Talk Show

Presented by Web Developers Dave Rupert and Chris Coyier, the Shop Talk podcast deliberates over various aspects of web editing and design, with handy tools and tips and advice on accessibility. Their live recordings have amassed followers of over 12K and are a great guide for those whose knowledge ranges from beginner to those already proficient.

Overtime

Overtime is Dribble’s own creative design podcast with interchanging hosts and topics focusing on branding, design and illustration. You’ll be treated to interviews with leading design directors and entrepreneurs, exploring themes in a fun, relaxed but informative way. Whether it’s general news and trends or more direct, specialist advice, the podcast makes for a great listen.

Let’s Talk Branding

The title here kind of gives this podcast away. Hosted by brand designer and strategist Stef Hamerlinck, the podcast takes an in-depth look at all aspects of branding, with interviews from industry leaders discussing the fundamentals of design strategies and branding for business. The site offers a large archive of expert advice that’s a must have for any business.

Edge of the Web

Aptly named “an SEO podcast for today’s digital marketer”, Edge of the Web is a brilliant podcast debating the ins and outs of digital marketing, SEO, and social media. SEO is often a tricky area for businesses surrounded by plenty of myths in regards to how it actually all works, so it’s at the top of our list for important podcasts to follow.

The Businessology Show

A focused business podcast covering marketing, development and design. Hosted by Jason M. Blumer, the CEO of Thriveal CPA Network, you can get up to scratch on great ideas for project management, business strategies, and advice for working within different markets and adapting to your work to different environments.

 

Improving Website Click Through Rates and Conversions with CTAs

Posted on | by moocow

It’s the start of a brand new decade, and although New Year’s resolutions are often an unwelcome concern for all, perhaps this year we can focus on resolutions to help improve our businesses, instead of being critical of ourselves! New year, new website? And if you’re not looking to break the budget and are simply after some simple tips and techniques to help get your website up to scratch, then we can offer some leading advice.

For businesses of all industries and sizes, click through rates and site conversions are vital aspects to ensure the success of a sales product online or directing new customers to your company, website or social media page. CTAs (call to action) are a steadfast way of boosting both, and can be established through straightforward changes to your website copy and design.

The style and structure of your CTA’s can have a huge impact on how well they do. From our own analytical research from previous client websites, we can say that button-based CTAs improved click through rates by 40% at its lowest rate, and up to 90% with a combination of strategic copy and placement relevant to their branding.

A Call To Action is pretty much exactly what it says it is, it’s a call to your customers to take an action on your web page and send them in the direction of a particular product, page or area of information. CTA’s need to stand out, and they should be clearly placed on primary pages on your website, avoiding out of site areas such as footers. Make CTAs bold in colour, with colour schemes that match or compliment your own marketing style, brand or logo.

Just because they need to be kept simple and short doesn’t mean they can’t be creative. Use text that’s clever, funny or personal to your business style and remember to use a variety of “action words”. You want to make your audience do the task you want them to, but you don’t have to use the same basic words over and over, mix it up! CTAs also work even better when there’s an incentive or offer involved so be sure to include this as and when you can. It may not seem much, but with our help and a few simple tips, you can look forward to that long awaited boost in customers to your site and a surge in clicks and sales.

 

Using WordPress as a Platform to Generate Leads and Sales

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 in the new decade ahead, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to develop your business.

We believe WordPress ranks above all the rest as a hosting platform. The open-source CMS platform works as an ideal model for creating a wide variety of sites for both small and large businesses, and is ideal for generating new leads and boosting sales. Below are a few ways WordPress can help you network better, get your site up to scratch and allow you to create new business opportunities.

Contact

Make sure your contact information is up to date, you can display your details and a map to your location using the contact form and map widgets. This makes it much easier for potential clients to be able to get in touch with you and see if your location is within reach if travelling.

SEO

WordPress offers a good deal of SEO support, in the form of tools, plug-ins and guides. These can help you optimise your site personally for search engines. Yoast SEO is a particular favourite amongst users, providing excellent content and SEO analysis and helping you track your performance.

Social Icons

Making sure your website uses icons that easily connect to your social media is also a must. Social media is one of the most highly used search tools when discovering a business or service. Social media widgets help create options to directly link you to your Facebook, Twitter and other social network sites.

CTA Buttons (Call To Action)

A ‘call to action’ button is always helpful in giving your clients an extra push to view certain areas of your site, particularly if you want to draw attention to a particular page or sale within your business. These buttons are also useful for adding “Buy Now” or “Search Now” buttons allowing customers to browse and purchase from your site with ease.

Testimonials

Having a testimonials feature on your site is a great way for potential clients to see reviews of your business. WordPress has excellent widget features that can create visually creative ways to present customer reviews instead of having an endless page of lengthy, written testimonials.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an eCommerce platform specifically designed for WordPress used by entrepreneurs worldwide. The entirely customisable platform is an extremely popular tool for businesses both large and small, making selling online a breeze and allowing you to create online checkout systems for all experience levels.

All I want for Christmas is the 2019 End of Year Designer’s Toolkit

Posted on | by moocow

What better Christmas present can we offer you at Moocow than tips and tools to get your company up to scratch with the latest design software and technology know-how.

We’ve made it through 2019 and are soon to see in the New Year, but not before UX Tool’s end of the year Designer Toolkit Survey, comprising a breakdown of the greatest design tools and programs over the past year that designers have used worldwide. From the best in brainstorming, userflow, sitemapping and UI design, we’ll be sharing the top 7 platforms for seeing through your project from start to finish.

Sketch has been coming up top in everything, and is the highest ranked tool on this year’s survey for brainstorming, userflow and sitemapping, wireframing and UI design. It really is an all-rounder, and is a really clever tool to implement across all areas of a project.

Figma was another top choice, with its powerful design features it was another most used product for brainstorming, wireframing and implementing top quality UI design.

Whimsical was program of choice for userflow and sitemap tools, offering a range of practical and helpful collaborative flowcharts, mind maps, wireframes and sticky notes to assist in the demonstration and presentation of your project or business.

Adobe XD was another favourite for UI design. A powerful tool that can support in the production and planning of user friendly designs for websites, mobile apps, voice interfaces and more.

InVision Studio has been another strong contender for this year’s top spots. Self-proclaimed as “The World’s Most Powerful Screen Design Tool”, the clever collaborative design platform has in-depth prototyping and vector-based drawing capacities.

Draw.io has been listed as another of the highest ranked platforms for userflow and sitemapping. Although it may seem a bit on the basic side, it’s actually a very nifty and free online diagram software for creating flowcharts, process diagrams and network diagrams amongst many more.

Last but not least is Zeplin, for all your hand-off design needs. Zeplin acts as the perfect addition to help hand-off your designs and style guides with accurate specs, code snippets and assets.

We hope this acts as a perfect stocking filler for all the design geeks out there this festive season. Season’s Greetings and a very Happy Christmas from all of the team at Moocow Media!