Step Internet Newsletter #4

Step Internet Goes Fourth*

* That's not a typo - it's our fourth newsletter

Dear ,

"Wake me up when September ends", said Green Day in their 2005 single of the same name. Had the Californian rockers written the song today, they would have added the caveat: "…unless Step Internet have released their monthly newsletter." Today, we've done exactly that. In what has been unofficially the most depressing year in human history, it's a good job that on September 1st we can distract ourselves with questions like 'what is responsive design?' and 'will Arsenal ever sign a striker?' By the time you've read this newsletter, you should know the answer to both those questions. Until next time, have a very fruitful month for your business.

What is responsive web design?

Web design is an ever-evolving beast - what worked in 2004 isn't any cop in 2014, and no doubt by 2024 we'll all be accessing the internet on Google-encrusted contact lenses. For now at least, we can safely say that responsive web design is the talk of the (digital) town. But what exactly does it mean?

A website designed for every device

In case you hadn't noticed, desktop computers aren't the only way we access the internet these days. According to Mediacells, there are now 39.4 million smartphone users in the UK, with 750,000 people upgrading to a smartphone every month. As such, there is an increasing demand for websites to adapt to all screen sizes - whether you're surfing on a smartphone, tablet, video games console or any other device. Specifically, if you're browsing on a smartphone you might find the content displays in a single column list, whereas a tablet may present the information in two columns. Ultimately your website should be a flexible piece of putty, not a solid immovable rock.

Just recently, the BBC launched a new responsive website in light of the fact that 43% of its unique users now come from mobile devices. Whilst your business might not be expected to compete with Auntie Beeb, it's worth investing in a responsive website in order to future-proof your online presence and keep ahead of the pack. After all, a lot of small firms don't even have a website, so why not steal a march on your competitors and go the whole hog?

Give us a whirl

Step Internet offers high-quality responsive web design to suit all browsers and devices. Contact us today on 020 8228 1112 to learn more about our cost-effective responsive websites.

Quarterly reports coming soon

Just like the Bank of England, Step Internet will soon publish quarterly reports - but instead of rambling on about inflation we'll be shedding light on your website's performance. Using analytics data, we'll give you an insight into your website's traffic and overall performance. That way, you can give us a pat on the back or an angry shake of the fist - the choice is yours!

Greggs averts online PR disaster

The ubiquitous budget bakery was nearly left with Gregg-on-its-face just recently. A rogue hacker managed to replace Greggs' official logo with a highly offensive (and fake) alternative slogan displayed on the company's Google knowledge graph listing. What could have been a severe embarrassment became an unlikely PR opportunity, as a quick-thinking Greggs employee drew attention to the problem in an amusing Twitter exchange with Google UK. For any online brand, the two lessons to be learned are 1). It pays to have a tech-savvy member of staff who can respond effectively to such crises and 2). It's essential to monitor all online listings for your company; even a huge company like Google can inadvertently let mistruths slip through the net.

'I just called to say I love you (and your website)'

Just in case you don't feel bombarded with enough information about your website, it's now possible - courtesy of a Google AdWords update - to monitor website call conversions that occur after a user arrives on your website following an ad click. You what? Basically, the boffins at Google have created a code that can track which keywords and pages are triggering calls from customers. Clever, huh? Clever, and headache inducing.

Web jargon of the month: link building

Last month we told you about link bait, and today's web jargon of the month concerns link building - a slippery concept if ever there was one. What is it, you say? First of all, a little context - you may or may not know that search engines crawl the internet in order to index websites in order of relevance. After all, if you want to search online for a barbershop in Bexley, you don't want to be referred to bricklayers in Basingstoke. With this in mind, search engines screen the web looking for clues to determine how well a website should rank in its results. One of the big factors taken into consideration are links - put simply, if other websites are pointing links to yours, you'll be given brownie points by the search engines and your website will steadily gain in visibility.

How can I build links?

A good question. We will return to this subject in the future - it's something of a jungle – but in the meantime it's certainly worth building relationships with other businesses, suppliers and end-users in your field. Say you're a building company and you renovate student houses - would it be worth contacting universities and getting your website linked on theirs? Most probably. The more people you can convince to share your website - social media helps - the better chance you have when it comes to establishing a strong online presence. And of course, if you're still scratching your head about all this, just get in touch with Step Internet!

Free stock images

The best things in life are free - finding true love; and finding stock images. Contrary to popular opinion, it's not possible to scrape images from Google and publish them on your website - sadly, it's a breach of copyright. But have no fear! There are many free stock image websites that offer good quality - and legal - stock images for you to publish on your website, social media or blog. Here are just some of those websites - have a gander and see what you think.

250 words-per-page

Everyone loves a magic number - except if it's the band, The Magic Numbers – and in the world of web content, 250 really is the holy grail. That's because the recommended amount of words for every significant page on a website is exactly that. Why? A content-rich homepage or services page is not only good for readers, it encourages search engines to index your website with a positive score. A rushed, sparsely written website is hardly going to impress anyone. At Step Internet, we recognise that content is king - we write direct, to-the-point copy that reflects the essence of your business without skimping on word length.

Google Plus reviews

On the digital grapevine, Google Plus reviews are increasingly being viewed as a big deal for businesses looking to protect and grow their online reputation. Whilst you can't strong-arm customers into writing positive reviews for your business, it's worth making a polite request to anyone with whom you have a good relationship. And of course, we recommend monitoring all feedback and being responsive if and when you're required to douse the flames of an unhappy customer (hopefully a rare event). All in all, Google Plus offers a fantastic platform for showing off your business and establishing a solid presence in search engine results

Step Internet
South Tower, 26 Elmfield Road, Bromley. BR1 1LR

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