Tips to Provide the Best Website Experience, Page 5 of 25

We realize that the COVID-19 outbreak has redefined "business as usual" for many of us and adapting to this new reality can be difficult. With that in mind, we would like you to know that we are still here and operating remotely to help in any way we can. As the pandemic has affected staffing levels we request that if you have a support question or issue, please email support@contensive.com and we will make sure the issue gets to the right person.

We also recognize that your staffing levels may have been compromised and as such we are implementing the following changes as of today, March 24th:

1. We are reducing our rate on content management services by 25% to $30.00 per hour. Please email over clear instructions and any associated files or graphics to info@contensive.com. We will attempt to complete all tasks within 24-hours.

2. We are offering a 20% reduction in development costs. If there is a need for a specific function that will help your business weather this storm, we want to make it as easy as possible to accommodate you. Please contact sales@contensive.com with your request details and we will respond within 24-hours.

3. Online Educational Webinars, will be held biweekly to help walk through any issue.

Our goal is to make sure our employees and customers stay safe, healthy and prepared to resume business as usual as soon as possible.

Lets Get Through This Together!

#LetsGetThroughThisTogether

Instagram has entered the territory of must rather than nice-to-have when it comes to social marketing for businesses. There are a few key reasons why every business should have an Instagram account, and why you're going to be pretty left out if you don't get on this social platform.

1. Skyrocket Your Engagement

The data shows that Instagram is the #1 platform for getting post engagement.

That means that if you want to establish a relationship with your client base (which you do), then you're going to need that post engagement that only Instagram can provide.

But let's back it up for a second. It's an interesting time to be involved in social media marketing. Facebook is facing major allegations, and as a result, people are doing crazy things like starting movements to delete their Facebook accounts. (For my sake, and the sake of your distant relatives, please do not delete your facebook). As much as internet trolls might have you think that it's the social media Armageddon, I assure you that life will go on.

It might be looking a little overcast in the internet landscape, but before we pack our bags , there's still some hope. Facebook's more charismatic and adopted little brother (Instagram) still has users entranced with its purity and boasts a pristine opportunity for brands who are ready to stir up the marketing pot.

Now, Instagram is the #1 platform for post engagement because its focus on visual content creates a very unique space for brands to interact with others, and if you're a skeptic, the numbers don't lie. According to a study conducted by Forrester, Facebook and Twitter organic post engagement levels are currently less than 0.1%. In comparison, the millennial-centric Instagram boasts regular engagement at 4% for brands. (That's 40x better btw).

2. Grow Your Following with Ease

80 percent of Instagram accounts already follow a business on Instagram, and 65% of top-performing posts feature products. The translation here is obvious, Instagrammers want to see branded content, and they want to connect with brands.

Add the engagement levels for brands (4%) that we just saw and we have the optimal landscape for growing your branded following on this platform.

3. Generate Leads

Instagram is a tool for lead generation.

We know that social media strongly influences purchase decisions, even if that is at the subconscious level of the consumer decision-making process.

It's 2018, and our favorite lead generation tool (Facebook) is making algorithm changes that are making it harder for brands to get heard. With engagement rates already resting around the 0.1% mark, it just might be the ideal time to expand your reach to include some Instagram marketing.

With Instagram, 60% of users have first heard of a product or service through the platform, and over 120 million Instagram users visited a website, got directions, or called/emailed/direct messaged a business as a result of their engagement with the platform ( sproutsocial). That means that 120 million Instagrammers have been lead to a business through the platform.

You can easily use Instagram to generate new business and sales with strategic content and links in your bio, as well as reach new targeted and engaged audiences through paid ad campaigns through the Facebook ad platform.

4. Stay On Top of Instagram Reviews

A little-known fact is that when an Instagram user posts something on Instagram and uses a location tag, this tag isn't owned or regulated by the business that owns the physical location. All location tags on Instagram, or Instagram Geotags are tied to a separate public account that Instagram will store posts under.

For businesses, this is a blessing and a curse.

Best Case Scenario:

Say you own a local restaurant and you have numerous dedicated and consistent customers who love to post at your restaurant and have nothing but glowing words to accompany beautiful pictures of your space. When others look at your location on Instagram, this is what they see, and they are that much more likely to convert and become loyal customers as well.

Worst Case Scenario:

You own the same local restaurant, but one dissatisfied customer took it upon themselves to post a picture of your front door exclaiming their disgust with the service that they received. This post has lingered on the web and likely dissuaded other customers from posting to the location, and has resulted in the loss of unknown amounts of revenue through prospects who steered away from your business as a result.

Although you have no control over the things that users might be saying about your brand (much like standard reviews), you can still help mitigate some possible damages by having a branded Instagram account and monitoring the posts on your location. Much like negative reviews left on other review platforms, by responding to negative Instagram posts, you are much more likely to prevent harm to your reputation.

5. Don't Get Left Behind

As of 2017, nearly 71% of businesses in the United States were already using Instagram. The release of Instagram business profiles and the ability to to run ads/analytics with ease have been large factors in driving the Instagram growth movement.

Source: eMarketer

You may notice that this looks like an exponential growth graph, and that's probably because it is. Fortunately for you, just because 71% of these businesses are using Instagram doesn't mean that these businesses are using it to its full potential.

We can make a pretty good estimate as to where this usage rate is going to reside by the end of 2018, so don't get left behind.

Don't wait, get started on your Instagram strategy today to generate new leads, amplify your brand, and build new business!

An Essential Element for your Website

With a record number of Americans accessing the internet via a mobile device, it is crucial for any business to develop a website that is responsive, or in other words, mobile-friendly. According to Think with Google, "When a question or need arises, our phones are far and away our most trusted resource, with 96% of people using a smartphone to get things done."

Designing a site with a responsive web design intact is essential for optimizing a viewer's mobile experience, which over time, increases conversion rates. A responsive website allows webpages to adjust in response to the size of the device the viewer is using. Navigation becomes simplified, the webpage maintains a consistent flow, and webpages load faster. This ultimately leaves the viewer less frustrated. In fact, Google found that

"When your site or app is clumsy or slow, 29% of smartphone users will immediately switch to another site or app if it doesn't satisfy their needs (that is, they can't find information or it's too slow). Of those who switch, 70% do so because of lagging load times. And 67% will switch if takes too many steps to purchase or get desired information."
By keeping it simple and leaving viewers with a positive experience, they are more likely to return.

Sites that are responsive are ideal for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). When a website is search engine friendly, it ensures that viewers will be able to find it. Additionally, Google prefers responsive design and uses mobile friendliness as a ranking criteria. If a website is not responsive, it will have negative SEO and decreased search engine rankings.
And lastly, since new devices for web browsing get released continuously, a responsive web design will always adjust to the proper screen size, making certain a site looks flawless and operates seamlessly.

If you're ready to make your website responsive, contact us and let our talented team of engineers, analysts and designers help you.

Software as a service is taking the web by storm, and no one can blame you for considering whether or not you should take your business in that direction. However, before one line of code is written, there are some things you should consider carefully.

Your Business Direction Is Going To Change Drastically

In a traditional model, you are focused on getting that first purchase. Repeat purchases are valuable, but getting people to buy is your major focus. SaaS businesses are also focused on getting to people to buy, but the lower up-front cost makes onboarding new customers a bit easier. Instead, you need to dedicate more of your website towards retaining existing customers. A single month of service isn't going to generate the same amount of revenue that an up-front purchase does, so you need to keep people engaged and happy month after month.

Sometimes You Have To Say No

A Software as a Service product is most successful when it does one core thing really well. Additional features can be a selling point, but without that core, it will hard to keep people subscribed. Developing features while maintaining that high quality of service takes time and money, and not every customer will get the features they want. This can be mitigated by creating connections to complimentary services, or allowing customers to customize their experience through an API, but there will be times where you have to tell a customer that you won't be able to accommodate their request.

Is A SaaS Model Right For Your Product?

SaaS products are by their very nature standardized. If you put in the time during development, you can allow some level of customization, but it is far from the amount offered in a custom product. Many online services can be converted to this model, but not all. If your product needs heavy customization to be effective, a SaaS model is going to be difficult to execute. Before making the switch you need to think carefully about whether the switch makes sense for your product.

Software as a service is a solid business model for many online businesses, either as their primary or secondary source of revenue. If you think that this might be the next step for your business, contact us and rest assured it will get done right.

It's simple--Agile is a better method because of its flexibility in the design process.

Unlike the Waterfall model with its standard linear workflow, Agile allows developers and designers to address issues that typically crop up in the development process. Users can do this at any point in the design process without having to go back to the drawing board so to speak, which makes the Agile model immediately more efficient than its counterpart.

Agile is a relatively new model in the field of software design, and is considered more of a free-form software design model. Its adaptive design is perfect for developers whose end goal is still a little fuzzy. Its also amazing for folks who have to adapt to rapidly changing requirements for their developments quickly and effectively.

Waterfall is an older method that simply doesn't allow for quick changes to occur, which can disrupt the flow and cause inefficiency in a world that moves to fast for it. Agile resolves all of these issues by providing the flexibility necessary to keep up in modern times. This is basically the difference between a small, steady creek and a rushing river. One flow (or in this case, workflow) is much stronger than the other.

In an age where efficiency is key to a business' survival, Agile is worth the consideration. Developers everywhere attest to its handy flexibility, and use it more so than the Waterfall method. Do you prefer flexibility in the development process? Contact us today to find out more about how Agile can help you in your business!

Let's say you have an excellent idea for a mobile application that would greatly benefit your consumer base. Let's also say that the daily operations of your business doesn't allow much time to create said app in-house. What's a person to do? Never fear! Here are some guidelines to consider when choosing a mobile application development firm.

The first guideline any company should consider is how easy the firm is to work with. Whether you know exactly what you want or have only a vague idea, a good quality mobile application firm should be willing to work with you to get your idea out there. This is true in everything from initial concept stages to final publication and update management.

The next guideline is to determine what the timeline is to get your idea out there. Make certain that your app will get developed in areasonabletimeframe and not shelved. Otherwise, what is the point in working with them?

The third guideline to remember is what sort of pricing that your company can afford. Building an app is not cheap, and takes a bit of time to produce from start to finish. Pricing also varies as per company, so this will take a bit of research on and offline to determine the best option. There are many companies out there with great reviews that can range from as low as $50.00 per hour to as high as $199.00 per hour.

The fourth and final guideline is to take note of what consumers are saying about these companies. Reviews help provide a clear picture of whether or not a company is a good and trustworthy option. Do your research to find out what people are saying about different firms first, and save yourself some heartache in the long run.

Knowing what to look for in a quality mobile application development firm can make or break your grand idea for a cool mobile application. This requires careful research, but it's well worth the effort in the end. Take a look at what Contensive can do for you today.

You don't need to employ a team of olympic athletes for your organization to excel in an agile business environment, but it does help if you have some very capable corporate sprinters to succeed in an agile development strategy.

What is a sprint in agile product development, you may ask? A sprint is a timeframe where specific work or a project must be finished, submitted, and ready for review. Here is a breakdown of a typical product development sprint:

• The Starting Line – A planning meeting kicks off the sprint. It's symbolic of a starting gun going off to begin a race. This is where terms are agreed upon between the person requesting the work (a project lead) and the team that is to perform the requested actions. Usually, the team has the final say as to what is a reasonable expectation for time considering all the work variables. Consequently, the person requesting the work usually has the final say in what the criteria will be to determine successful completion.
• The Action – The product development team holds daily meetings as check-ins where progress is evaluated and solutions are collectively troubleshot to complex problems and obstacles that stand in the way of what is believed to be successful project completion. The person requesting the work is usually encouraged to stay out of the way here and let the team go to work. He or she can attend daily meetings, but should remain silent for the most part.
• The Finish Line – After an exhausting and challenging sprint, the team presents their finished product to the project lead. The work is then evaluated by this person based on the previously agreed upon criteria, and it is either accepted or rejected accordingly.

Product development sprints can be very useful in software development at breaking down large projects in smaller and more manageable tasks. They encourage teamwork and usually generate a lot of creative process improvements and innovative ideas.

"Contensive" is a team of skilled professionals in website app development, mobile app development, online integration, and responsive design. Please contact us today for more information on how we can develop creative solutions to your business's complex problems.

Using our website development process services is an important step for helping your business. Our SEO and web design services help business owners all over the country with lead generation and web marketing that improves their visibility, reach, and bottom line sales. If you've never worked with a quality professional web marketing company, you may be wondering what to expect. Here's an idea of what will happen when you contact us:

A Free Consultation and Analysis

We'll start out doing a full analysis and audit of your current web and social media presence. Our analysis uses sophisticated, data-driven analytics developed by our talented engineers to determine how well your current website is performing, and what areas need improvement.

Develop a Company Profile

Our web development professionals will work with you to clarify and define your target audience. We'll use this information to determine where to focus your online marketing. Depending on the target audience, we'll go through an organic process to determine what website design will fit with your company culture and sell to your customers. We'll work with you to create a beautiful and effective website.

Start an Inbound Marketing Plan

After we finish your website, we'll stay your partner in constantly improving it. Our inbound marketing services are effective and easy to use. In one simple platform, our designers will continuously analyze the data and see how your website is performing with your targeted audience. We'll adapt based on results from our research and algorithm and constantly be working with you to improve your business' lead generation.

If this sounds like a good fit for your business needs, we'd love for you to get in touch so we can help your business grow with our sophisticated website design services. We look forward to getting started!