The good news is that getting loyal customers is not that hard. In fact, 56% of customers are ready to spend more money on brands they are loyal to, even if there are cheaper alternatives. 

Thankfully, there is an easy solution to creating a loyal customer base. All you need to do is build an adequate loyalty program, and people will start following. Actually, this will not only build you a loyal customer base but will also help increase your reach and boost your sales. 71% of Gen Xers, 70% of Millennials, 63% of Baby Boomers, and around 62% of Gen Z customers say they would choose a brand with a loyalty system over one without such. 

So, needless to say, you need a Loyalty program. Now, let’s talk about what a Loyalty program is, what types there are, and how to build one that will secure all the benefits. 

What is a customer loyalty program?

As the name suggests, a loyalty program is a system that rewards your customers for their loyalty. In essence, you stimulate them to take different actions by giving them additional benefits like discounts, exclusive access to products or services, or others. 

Many coffee shops that value their customers offer a stamping card with the promise that every tenth cup of coffee will be free. This may sound like a waste of money to some business owners. But a cup of coffee every now and then will pledge you a customer’s loyalty, which is essential for a business in a highly competitive niche as operating a coffee shop. This way, you push your customer to disregard convenience and choose practicality. Thus, the coffee shop will retain a valuable customer, who will continue spending with them for at least another 9 coffees.

The rewards are usually based on a point system, where each point gets you closer to the desired prize. The program will increase your sales among your customers without fail, as buyers tend to spend more and do it more frequently. 

Of course, you are not creating a loyalty program out of the goodness of your heart. You are doing it because it’s highly beneficial to your business in more than one way. 

Why do you need a loyalty program?

A customer loyalty program is not just a whim. It’s a secure way to ensure your customers will remain engaged and will come back for more. From the outside, it may look like you are wasting money, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, you are investing in several benefits that will bring you exponentially more profits in the long run. 

Better customer retention

88% of customers who feel appreciated will stay loyal to a brand. Additionally, 83% of customers will spend more on a brand they are loyal to. This means that a loyalty program will not only increase your customer retention drastically but also increase the customer lifetime value (CLTV). Done right, a loyalty program can hook a customer for the long run, make them happier, and build your own unique relationship with the set customer. 

It’s highly cost-effective

Usually, businesses calculate the customer’s value by subtracting the CLTV from the Customer acquisition cost. Many companies, especially with low-price products, often spend more on acquiring a customer than they gain from a single purchase. Thus, retention is a must. A research has shown that acquiring a new customer is between 5-25 times more expensive than providing your customers with additional value.

Thus, loyalty programs are far more cost-effective than constantly producing ads or brand awareness campaigns. A single discount card will do wonders for customer retention, provided you satisfy the customer’s expectations in the first place. 

More reviews

Customer reviews, as you already know from our dedicated article, are essential to your business’s success. They boost your SEO, impact your sales, skyrocket your credibility, give your products invaluable social proof, and attract attention. So, a customer loyalty program that will incentivize writing reviews will bring a lot of value for what’s essentially a small gift. 

More customer referrals

A good loyalty program spreads like wildfire. Your customers will always brag about the great deals they land. Offering them a loyalty reward that will make them feel valued will certainly push them to tell their friends and family. Many novice business owners entirely disregard the power of word-of-mouth marketing. However, this type of advertising currently drives nearly 6 trillion dollars of customer spending per year. Not to mention, every person is about 90% more likely to trust a brand recommended by a friend or family member. 

What types of loyalty programs are there?

There are several types of loyalty programs, each one working best for different types of products and services. Naturally, the loyalty program type you choose depends heavily on your desired outcome. 

Point-based programs

By far, it is the most common type of loyalty program. Its cost-effectiveness is unparalleled, as customers receive points for every purchase. This means they get rewards based on how much they have already spent. After the loyal customer has acquired some points, they can exchange them for a reward. Typically, the rewards are freebies, discounts, or exclusive experiences and offers. 

Most often, these points have an expiration date. Naturally, this incentivizes customers to spend more in a predetermined period. For example, you can offer a 90% discount on Black Friday if a customer has 100 points. If they get 10 points on every 100 dollars spent, they will have to pay 1000 dollars to earn the 90% off reward. Of course, don’t take this example point blank. As you will see in a bit, building a successful loyalty program strategy needs more than copying a template.

Starbucks is an excellent example of a point-based program. Their customers get points (“stars”) for various reasons, such as purchasing food or drinks, installing their app, or other special activities. Once they get enough points, they can exchange them for a free drink, some food items, priority in mobile ordering, and even a free birthday drink.  

Tier-based programs

This type of program divides customers based on their purchasing habits. For example, if someone buys your product 3 times monthly, they get into the first tier. If they purchase it six times, they get into the second tier. For nine or more purchases – they go to tier three. Naturally, each tier offers exceedingly more lucrative benefits. For example, tier one may receive a 10% discount, while tier two receives 25%. Tier three, in this case, will receive 40%. This way, you incentivize your customers to spend more regularly on your products. 

Hotels and airlines most often use this strategy. They successfully managed to implement several tiers. Marriott Bonvoy, for example, offers six tiers of loyalty benefits. The first one is the basic benefits like free Wi-Fi and point earning. The second one offers Bonus points, room upgrades, and early check-in/late checkout. The highest sixth tier offers the first- and second-tier bonuses plus lounge access, a complimentary continental breakfast option, personalized welcome gifts, guaranteed Platinum upgrade, and bonus points on all eligible spending and all bonuses from previous tiers.

Cashback program

This program is often associated with credit cards and other banking and financial services. However, it can be implemented in various other niches. This loyalty program aims to push customers to reach a certain spending. For example, if you spend 200 dollars, you will get 10% back. This means that the customer will actually spend 180, but if the average spend before the loyalty program was 150 dollars, that’s a 30-dollar increase in your revenue. As you can see, this is a great way to boost your customer value. To top it all off, you can give back the cash in the form of a gift card, which will ultimately end up back to you. 

Rakuten’s loyalty program is a great example. The program offers cashback percentages on purchases made through their platform at thousands of partnered retailers. Users earn cashback simply by clicking through the Rakuten website or app before purchasing at selected stores. Essentially, they offer immediate value through tangible cash rewards, cater to the convenience of online shopping, and provide a seamless user experience. Most importantly, they offer a passive reward for customers using their platform by giving them back a percentage of the spending in PayPal or a gift card. 

Paid program

This program requires people to request to join and actively pay a subscription fee. As you can imagine, this program must give exceptional additional value to customers; otherwise, they will simply disregard it. Naturally, the benefits of such a loyalty program should be on par with the payment. 

Amazon Prime is a great example. The annual subscription is quite expensive, currently at about $140. However, it offers some pretty sweet benefits to the users. They offer free two-day shipping, free same-day delivery, free release-date delivery, free no-rush delivery, or choosing a weekly delivery day. Moreover, loyal customers get streaming services, free music, and games, along with the opportunity to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from a rotating selection of titles, unlimited photo storage, exclusive deals, and so much more. 

So, if you are going to use paid programs, you better make sure the deal is lucrative enough. 

Coalition programs

This program is ideal for those who operate in more than one niche. This way, you can offer points, which the customer may redeem at various locations. For example, if you provide boilers, furniture, carpets, woodwork, and other home decorations, a purchase in one of your businesses can translate into a discount at any other location. This will promote your other businesses and make sure a client won’t stray from your reach, regardless of their needs. 

This can also be done as a collaboration between various small businesses that aim to boost their customer base. 

Gamified programs

The gamified programs use game mechanics, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, to motivate customers to engage with the program. Casinos and retailers most commonly use those types of loyalty programs. You can add a simple game like spinning the wheel and receiving a reward based on what you get. It actually enhances the customer’s engagement and experience, which is a win-win. 

Though there are other types of loyalty programs out there, those are the basic five, which are most commonly used and have a proven record of bringing success. Regardless, creating a unique loyalty program is not out of the question. On the contrary, building a great loyalty program requires a healthy dose of innovation. But before you get there, you must still follow the 10 steps of creating a genuinely astounding loyalty program. 

How do you create a great loyalty program?

Creating a successful loyalty program is not an easy task. It requires time, tests, and, above all, a lot of data and analysis. So, let’s start from the very top. 

Be creative with the name

This may sound like a dumb place to start, but the name of your program is everything. If you think about it, every loyalty program has a great, brandable, and catchy name. It’s the flagship of your brand. It’s the place where your loyal customers will gather. So, take your time and try to think of a catchy name with a dose of humor representing your brand, style, and values. Also, try to add some powerful words, like exclusive, royal, and ambassador. Naming your loyalty program simply “Brand name loyalty program” shows a lack of imagination. Thus, even though your benefits may be great, you will miss the opportunity to get even more customers. 

Analyze your customer’s behavior

Well, the name might be the most important aspect, but a close second is whom you will be targeting with this loyalty program. You need to know your customers inside and out. You must understand what drives them to purchase, what makes them hesitate, what is most important to them in their customer journey, and how you can improve their experience with a loyalty program. For example, you need to know your average CLTV, how much a customer spends on a single purchase on average, at what stage of the customer journey they are ready to purchase, what their feedback is, and whether it was an impulsive purchase or whether it was a calculated one. Answering all these questions and more will give you invaluable insight into your customers’ behavior and how to manipulate their actions with your loyalty program. 

Define the program’s goals 

Next in line is defining the goals of the program. Just like with anything else, the point of loyalty programs is to enhance your business in some way. So, determining the goal is the cornerstone of creating a successful campaign, which will deliver success.

One of the most common goals of a loyalty program is to increase CLTV. However, there might be other aims as well. For example, you might want to boost your credibility by receiving more reviews. Or you might want to increase the average spending on single purchases. You can even aim to generate more money for charity. Defining your goal will allow you to make the correct decisions in the rest of the points on this list. 

Choose the loyalty program type that fits your business.

Once you have done your homework, it’s time to decide on your loyalty program type. Now, you can mix and match all sorts of types or come up with a unique way to engage your loyal customers. Still, make sure your loyalty program fits your business and your customer’s expectations. For example, a paid loyalty program on an e-commerce brand offering second-hand products is not customer-friendly. If someone is willing to buy a second-hand item, they clearly don’t have excess money to spend. So, instead, give them a cashback, which will be far more valuable to them. 

Personalize the loyalty program

As we’ve discussed multiple times in our 2024 trends series, personalization will be huge. So, naturally, the same goes for loyalty programs. For example, if a customer is interested in a particular sports equipment, like skiing, personalizing their loyalty program will lead to a much higher interest. You can even add a specific loyalty reward based on their hobby. For example, “Share a picture riding your [brand name] ski on your favorite slope, tag us, and get a 25% discount on your next purchase”. This will enhance the customer’s loyalty, boost your popularity, and drive your word-of-mouth marketing to new heights. 

Add a variety of rewards based on actions

Though your loyalty program has a primary goal, that doesn’t mean you can’t aim to cover other aspects of your business. So, make sure your loyalty program rewards your customers for more than just purchasing. For example, give a special reward for downloading your app. Give another reward for leaving a review or bringing a referral. 

Also, make sure you offer a variety of rewards. Earning just loyalty points can become boring over time. You don’t want that. You must keep your customer’s hype constant. So, it’s a good idea to add special occasions when loyal customers can earn an experience, a special offer, or anything else that will enhance their enthusiasm for participating in your loyalty program. 

Make loyalty points valuable

This should come without saying, but if you want your customers to enlist in your loyalty program, you must make it valuable. You can’t offer just a smile on the radio in exchange for their loyalty. Your customers must receive a noticeable reward. Only this will incentivize them to continue choosing you over your competitors. 

Naturally, using a cashback system is the most straightforward way to show the value of each purchase. But if you choose points as your currency, make sure to clearly state the value of each point. This way, your customers will know what they have and how much you are willing to give back. 

Go beyond monetary value

With Gen Z becoming the driving force behind the economy, the entire conversation with the customers will shift toward values. While previous generations were attracted by the best deal, the most cost-efficient choice, and all sorts of discounts, brand values are the driving force when it comes to Gen Z. This goes for loyalty programs as well. Today, around 66%  of customers are adamant that brands should have a social stand and join in the conversation of social and political topics. 

So, make sure to go beyond monetary value with your loyalty program. Add a cause that your customers can stand behind. Identify a social cause your customers feel strongly about and give them the opportunity to join your efforts in solving the problem. For example, you can create a program where a percentage of each loyalty program customer purchases goes to a particular charity. Or you can take the hands-on approach and invite your loyal customers to plant trees when they get to certain points. 

Don’t put strong barriers

Putting barriers in place for someone to join your loyalty club is not ideal. Still, if you want to claim that the club is exclusive, some sort of barrier is a must. However, even if you do put some barriers, make sure they are almost transparent. Loose barriers will retain the exclusivity notion but won’t deter customers from joining in. For example, if your customers spend on average 150 dollars, don’t make your cashback goal 500 bucks. The cashback scheme aims to push your clients to get 1 or 2 items on top, not to bleed them dry. So, make the target price 180 or 200 dollars. This way, you will convince more than a few customers to raise their spending on your website. 

Make it engaging

A loyalty program is only as good as it is engaging. After all, the main point of this system is to push users to be more engaged with your business, so it stands to reason to make the loyalty program dependent on their actions. For example, you can ask your customers to get every day in your app to gather more points. Or offer special discounts for visiting your website for 7 consecutive days. You can give bigger rewards to people who share your brand on social media. 

The only thing you need to follow is giving your customers something to do, preferably every day. The more they spend with you in their mind, the higher the chances they spend their money on your website. 

What else do you need?

Knowledge is indeed the cornerstone of creating a robust and successful loyalty program. But, of course, knowing how to build it is only the first pillar in this endeavor. A good loyalty program must have a fast, secure, and reliable infrastructure behind it. Otherwise, your efforts will simply fail. 

HostArmada is the perfect choice for anyone looking for the ideal infrastructure for their website and loyalty program. Our hosting services offer lightning-fast speed, robust and proven security features, and a 99% up-time guarantee policy. Check out our plans, and choose the one that best fits your needs. And don’t forget, a robust, secure, and fast hosting infrastructure is behind every successful online business. 

The post How to build a loyalty program? appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Thankfully, over the past decade or so, the competition in this sector has pushed service providers to improve their products, infrastructure, and offerings significantly. Needless to say, today’s hosting is more than adequate to what users consider acceptable. But more importantly, this progress is far from stagnant. On the contrary, the hosting market is alive and running at a formidable pace. This can be seen by the wonderful plans and products hosting companies offer for what’s essentially next to nothing. Just look at our magnificent offers. Indeed, HostArmada is not a random name in the hosting service community, as we are at the forefront of innovations in this industry. But even so, you can see the endless list of features we offer for what’s essentially an extremely affordable plan.

The best part is that the fast development pace in this industry is far from slowing down. You needn’t look any further than the trends of 2024 to see that hosting companies are beyond dedicated to bringing the best service possible to their clients.

So, what will be new in 2024? Let’s have a look.

1. Improved Website Security

Security has always been a cornerstone of a good hosting infrastructure. Often, it’s the feature that hosting companies take care of the most. Whether it’s development or updating existing software, hosting companies invest heavily in finding new and more robust methods of protecting their clients’ websites and data. And how could it be otherwise when malicious hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities and weak points?

Moreover, with cyber threats at an all-time high and with our lives and personal information digitized faster than ever, hosting companies will have to put website security at the center of their development efforts. Over 8.2 billion data breaches and cyber attacks were recorded in 2023 alone. This is enough to make you question whether the internet is a safe place. Of course, the answer is “it depends”. It depends on the security infrastructure of the websites you visit.

Well, hosting companies are already introducing various methods to battling this mind-blowing number of threats. All sorts of strategies could be implemented. But generally, the best practice is a mix of various protections, backups, and sophisticated firewalls.

We at HostArmada, for instance, offer over a dozen security features even for our most affordable plan. Among them, you will find a state-of-the-art Advanced Firewall with herd immunity powered by AI. Also, there are the Network and Web Application Firewalls, along with Proactive defenses, Next-gen IDS/IPS, and a hardened PHP. Those are just a few of our security measures, making us one of the most protected hosting providers.

Naturally, most other hosting services will follow suit, as cyber security is the theme of 2024. Whether bullet-proof encryptions, automated threat detection, or more sophisticated protection against DDoS attacks, web hosting companies will implement robust security practices to ensure their clients have nothing to worry about.

2. Multi-cloud hosting

With 92% of enterprises having a multi-cloud strategy ready to enact, it’s hard to argue that Multi-cloud hosting won’t be a thing in 2024. This trend will inevitably become dominant this year, driven predominantly by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive boom in the technology sector, and its countless advantages. With the past few years gone, organizations worldwide recognize the importance of resilience, collaboration, and effective data management. This epiphany is actually one of the few benefits of the lockdowns.

The impact of the pandemic is evident in the strategic decisions of technology executives. A significant 76% plan to increase their spending on multi-cloud and hybrid cloud technologies in the next 12 months.

The advantages of multi-cloud hosting lie in its ability to enhance various aspects of business operations. It improves security, interoperability, data access, and IT operations, offering a comprehensive solution beyond the limitations of a single cloud host. However, challenges such as compliance, access control, and security remain, with many companies identifying these issues as their primary concerns.

The multi-cloud approach is gaining traction due to its capacity to seamlessly integrate services from different platforms. It allows businesses to tailor their cloud systems to meet specific objectives. Additionally, it mitigates risk by providing redundancy – in case one cloud host fails, operations can seamlessly continue with others. This risk mitigation becomes crucial as organizations face new challenges and increased cloud usage due to disruptions. For example, what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The added data protection and robust risk mitigation capabilities make multi-cloud hosting a comprehensive and appealing choice. As you can imagine, this will inevitably lead to it becoming unavoidable for hosting companies in 2024.

3. Cloud VPS hosting

With the steady rise of online purchases and 2.64 billion online customers, many websites are updating their shared hosting plans for a better, yet still affordable, solution. One of the biggest problems with shared hosting is the shared resources. If, at any particular moment, a website you share a server with has a surge in traffic, your performance will suffer. It’s like being at an all-you-can-eat buffet. When everyone is taking a reasonable amount of food, everything is fine. Everyone has access to all sorts of dishes. However, if someone decides to take advantage of the system and takes over the meat buffet, emptying the trays, you will have to wait for him to move along before you can get a piece.

The same is true with your shared resources. If a website has a lot of traffic at some point, it will block your website from having the same. With cloud technology, that rarely happens. That’s why HostArmada offers 99.9% uptime, as we can divert resources immediately from other servers via the cloud network. Still, many companies who can’t afford to go down during rush hour prefer to take an extra step – Cloud VPS hosting. The VPS hosting allows you to have your own dedicated resources and utilize them as you please. Naturally, this enhances the website’s security, speed, and performance. In 2024, these benefits will be determining factors for decision-makers. Unsurprisingly, we expect the demand for these services to rise significantly.

4. Managed web hosting

Managed web hosting has been around for quite some time now but never really got into the spotlight. Mainly because most companies had IT departments that took care of everything regarding the hosting. The rest, used whatever resources and knowledge was available on the internet. Many hosting providers, such as HostArmada, have always been ready to help their customers with server problems. However, since the e-commerce boom after the COVID-19 pandemic, this has not been quite enough. Thus, the Managed web hosting service took the spotlight, and in 2024, it will truly become a rockstar.

Though expensive, this hosting service offers an all-inclusive solution to everyone with limited know-how in dealing with servers. This service offers to take care of your server and improve your website performance to the best of your server’s abilities. Moreover, they handle the server optimizations, updates, and security.

This service is particularly popular among small e-commerce operations and other businesses, who can afford the salty price and don’t want to hire an entire IT department. The rise in popularity is due to the fears of competition in the e-commerce sector, where any advantage over the competition is more than welcomed.

Furthermore, with the rise of cyber threats, managed web hosting services will give people with little to no IT knowledge the peace of mind that their data won’t be breached and their business won’t be ruined because of this.

5. HTTPS as the norm

HTTP is dead. Long live HTTPS. This change has been coming for quite some time. Mostly after Google started marking HTTP websites as “not secure” in 2018. As you can imagine, this changed the entire SEO strategy, and HTTPS became mandatory. Still, in 2024, we expect every active website that’s not a fraud, of course, to become an HTTPS website.

The S in this protocol stands for “secured.” It’s actually a sign that the website has an SSL certificate, encrypting the communication between the browser and the server. It’s the most basic security protocol out there, and not having one in 2024 is equal to chasing users away.

The benefits of an HTTPS protocol are countless. It builds trust with the users, protects sensitive data, and, most importantly, pushes your website higher in Google SERP.

In 2024, hosting providers who refrain from offering a complimentary SSL certificate to their customers will simply fall behind. As we already stated, that’s the basic security protocol, and having a website without one is absolutely pointless.

For example, HostArmada has long since offered four complimentary SSL certificates – a free SSL from Sectigo, a cPanel Auto SSL, a CloudFlare Free SSL, and a free SNI.

Naturally, in 2024, every hosting provider who wants to stay on the market will have to offer at least half of what we already provide.

6. DIY website builders

Website builders are on the rise and won’t stop for the foreseeable future. In fact, economists predict that the website builder market will skyrocket by the end of the decade, reaching 14.4 billion dollars. That’s hardly surprising, considering that more than 18 million websites worldwide were built thanks to a website builder.

The rapid pace of this trend is underlined by WordPress’s shift toward drag-and-drop website building infrastructure. The CMS will provide a significant relief for most hosting companies, who offer seamless integration with the most preferred website builder in the world. Still, some hosting companies prefer to have their own drag-and-drop builders, which can be a benefit if you are able to create your own CMS and all you need is help with the front end. In most cases, however, this is not the case.

So, while we truly believe that DIY website builders are the future, in 2024, hosting providers offering seamless integration with WordPress will still be preferred.

7. Offering additional services

Adding some basic complimentary services to the hosting packages is not something new for hosting companies. For example, an SSL certificate and email account support have been the bare minimum for quite some time now. But with the rise of demand and competition, we expect hosting companies to start offering all sorts of additional features and services for free.

For example, at HostArmada, we are providing our customers with not only unlimited email accounts but also a variety of features regarding email. Autoresponders, filters, outbound email filtering, and email virus scanners are typically additional services for which many hosting companies would ask a pretty penny. We offer them for free with every plan, as we understand that email communication with customers is crucial for any business.

Moreover, we offer website consultations, restoration of hacked websites, and a free website transfer.

So, in 2024, we expect those who want to retain their position in the market or grow to start offering additional services as part of their plans. Added value will always play a crucial role in customer decision-making. So naturally, staying behind your competition in this regard is a recipe for disaster.

8. Serverless Hosting

In 2024, Serverless Hosting is set to dominate the hosting landscape, driven by many advantages that cater to the evolving needs of businesses. The serverless architecture offers unparalleled benefits such as instant scalability, faster deployment, cost-effectiveness, and lower latency. Developers experience heightened efficiency and productivity as serverless hosting optimally allocates resources, allowing them to focus solely on coding without the burden of managing servers.

A key advantage of serverless computing lies in its ‘pay-as-you-go’ model, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Users are charged based on actual computation usage, eliminating the need to reserve and pay for fixed bandwidth or server quantities. Despite the term “serverless,” physical servers are still utilized, but the intricacies of infrastructure management are abstracted away, allowing developers to focus solely on their code.

This pay-as-you-go model will become a hit in 2024, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if many more hosting companies implement it in their portfolios.

9. AI at the forefront

Just like with every other aspect of business and life in general, AI will play a significant role. First and foremost, it will be a great allay in customer support. However, infused with different features, it will make the customer’s website faster, more resilient, and much more secure.

AI will be behind personalized server optimization, which will help users utilize the resources they buy optimally.

Moreover, artificial intelligence will find implementations in security features. For example, at HostArmada, we use AI to enhance our customers’ security by implementing it in an Advanced firewall with herd immunity. There, artificial intelligence can detect new forms of attacks based on analytics and data. Naturally, this protects the websites not only from known threats but also from the unknown.

AI’s applications are truly endless. Thus, in 2024, we expect to see many new hosting features utilizing this security and functionality goldmine.

10. Going green

Finally, we have the one thing that will be a trend in almost any industry – sustainability. Regardless of whether you agree with sustainability practices or not, as long as customers find eco-friendly practices important, the industry will follow. Currently, green living is on everyone’s agenda.

So, in 2024, hosting will be going green and sustainable. With 3.7% of all global carbon footprint coming from internet use and supporting systems, this trend is a bit late indeed. Still, it’s better late than never.

This year, an increasing number of hosting companies will participate in eco-friendly initiatives and will try to gain a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or a Carbon Offset Certificate (VER). With customers becoming ever more environmentally aware, hosting companies have no choice but to follow the sustainability trend. So yes, REC and VER will be a must in 2024 if hosting companies have growth in their plans.

Some final words

As a business owner, it’s important to know the trends so you can find a hosting company that’s at the forefront of the industry changes. Usually, a plan ties you up for at least 2 years. This means researching how forward-thinking the hosting provider is will help you significantly in the long run.

HostArmada is an excellent choice. We implement the latest technologies and make sure to equip our clients with the latest software that could help their websites be the fastest, most reliable, and secure platforms on the internet. Check out our plans, and don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the vast array of additional features and services we are offering for free. Don’t forget that a great website (that’s you) starts with the choice of a great hosting provider (that’s us).

The post 10 Web Hosting Trends to look for in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Thanks to this, a new trend has recently taken over web design: video hero sections. Now, when you work with websites, you know far too well that a website is only as good as its hero. This is most often the beginning of the customer journey, and if it’s not convincing enough, the customer will simply leave. With an average time spent on your website of 53 seconds, a captivating hero is a must if you want to keep the readers on and reduce your bounce rate significantly. Still, that can be achieved just as well with a great picture. However, in some cases, video heroes work better. So, let’s have a look at the ins and outs of video heroes, the benefits, the downsides, and the best practices. Most importantly, let’s see if they will fit your unique needs. But before we get there, let’s start from the top. 

What Is The Hero Section?

A hero section is the first thing your audience will see on your website. It’s front and center, right beneath your header (most often occupied by your logo and menu). Typically, it’s a large, prominent area that is used to capture the user’s attention and drive them to take action, either by continuing scrolling or using a CTA.

Now you know why the hero section is the one that will determine whether your website works or not. It’s front and center, and it must tell the user precisely where they are, what they are looking for, and how they can get it. It’s much like an information desk or, better yet, a concierge who greets all visitors and directs them to where they need to go. Naturally, the greeting has much to do with whether the visitor will stay or leave immediately. In other words, your hero’s content must be impeccable – clear, to the point, and informative. It must portray your brand persona, as well as your brand voice, as it’s usually the first point of touch between users and your brand.

Most often, hero sections are dominated by the brand colors and a high-definition image, leaving no place to interpret your brand’s product or service. For example, take a look at our hero section.

We leave nothing to the imagination. We tell our potential customers precisely what we offer and how they will benefit. Moreover, we complement our copy with a stylish visual representing exactly what we do.

However, some brands prefer a video hero to communicate with their audience. Now, whether this is a good or bad decision depends on several factors. But before we get there, let’s discuss what the video heroes’ goals are and how they differ from the image heroes’ ones. 

What Are The Goals Of the Video Hero Section?

A video in your hero section changes the dynamic of your entire page. While the primary goal of your hero section when using images is to forward your customers to the next step on their journey, a video in the hero section aims to retain their attention. But why would you want to keep the user’s attention at the first step? Well, there are many reasons. Most often, its aim is to expand your authority. 

Moreover, if your website’s aim is to redirect users offline, a long customer journey through various pages may prove highly frustrating for the user. So, a video hero can summarize the most important parts of your presentation before you invite them with a CTA to get to your location. In this case, the hero section plays the role of a brand awareness instrument rather than a sales one. It establishes the brand’s goals, values, and voice. 

Some industry niches also benefit highly from video heroes. The music industry is definitely among the frontrunners. If you are a musician, adding a video of your concert will act as social proof of your capabilities. The same goes for DJs and other artists related to the music industry.

The sports industry is another great example. In this case, the video in the hero section plays a seduction role. Sport is always accompanied by passion. Thus, seeing someone running with a particular brand of shoes will instantly increase customer’s desire to get a pair. 

All of these extra goals can be achieved by a picture as well. However, using an image won’t be nearly as effective as using a video. And, of course, the video has some other benefits to sweeten the deal. 

What Are The Benefits?

If you manage to make your video up to your audience’s standards, you are bound to reap a vast array of benefits. Let’s go through some of the most important:

Grabs attention

The most significant benefit of using a video in your hero section is the engagement you will achieve. It’s unparalleled. Moving images grab human attention far more easily. That’s encrypted in our psychology as we subconsciously react to movements. There’s no wonder why toddlers are always captivated by any screen, and breaking their attention from a video is almost impossible. Videos inspire interest, and thus, you will captivate your audience and represent your brand without the fear of losing their attention to something else moving around them. 

Creates emotional response

True, an image can also produce a strong emotional response, but it’s far more unlikely than a video. If you are selling emotions or feelings, your best bet is using a video hero. That’s what videos are best at. This is why a song may convey different emotions when you are only listening to it, in contrast to when you are watching the music video. 

Conveys messages much easier

People tend to prefer watching and listening over reading. Actually, 59% of people prefer to receive information through videos. That’s hardly a surprise, as videos tend to take less time than actually reading something. Still, that’s only valid for simple information. If you need to concentrate on understanding something, reading is the way to go.

Still, on your website, you won’t give lectures on how your product was conceived and its technical aspects. You will simply list its benefits and how it can help your customers with the specific problem that brought them to your website. This is a simple enough message. 

Creates a specific mood

Using a video in your hero section will help you to create a mood. This is essential if you are trying to push your customers to buy. Naturally, the mood should reflect your website’s goals. 

Creates a sense of authority

Finally, a good video can build up your authority like nothing else. Showcasing your strengths and knowledge, as well as adding some numbers, will increase your authority as a factor in your industry. 

What Are The Downsides?

Naturally, hero section videos have their fair share of downsides

Too expensive

As you can imagine, only high-quality videos can ensure you will get the benefits from a video in your hero section. This, however, is neither easy to produce nor cheap. A hero-section video is simply out of the question if you are on a tight budget. 

Little room for A/B testing

While you can try and test over a hundred images to see which one works best, this is impossible with videos. The production, as already stated, is far too expensive to create more than 1 video. So, as you can imagine, you have no room for errors. Thus, you need to nail it on the very first try. Naturally, that’s extremely hard, especially if you don’t have enough data on your customers and their drivers and behavior.

It will make your website too heavy

Regardless of all the technical improvements of the past few years, a video is a video. It’s heavy, and you can’t do much about it. Having a video on your hero means your website will load a bit slower. And since the hero section is the first thing people see on your website, they might lose interest if your video is delayed. So, if you are going to use a video in your hero section, make sure every other aspect of your website is highly optimized. 

So, as you can see, though a video in your hero section can bring a lot of benefits, it’s a risky maneuver that demands a bit more consideration. Don’t just rush in to make any video. This way, you will only acquire all the negatives without any of the benefits. 

Video Hero Best Practices

If you’ve decided to go for a video in your hero section, this part is essential. You can’t just put any old video there. Nor is it a good idea to place a stock video, just so you can show off with a video hero section. If you are going to go down that road, you might as well do it right.  

High-quality videos only

This must come without saying, but a high-quality video is a must. So, keep the resolution to at least 1000p, and ensure the content is high-quality. You can’t put some half-baked stream of you commenting on your product’s success with no cuts or intention. You need to provide your audience with something that they won’t just enjoy but will also find useful. Whether it’s an emotional booster or a quick guide to the product’s use, your video should aim to please. 

Keep it short

Indeed, the video should be short, not only because a longer video demands far too many resources but also because your audience’s attention span is limited. Keep in mind that each user, looking for a solution to their problem, has at least ten other tabs opened at the same time. Thus, you must impress them as fast as you can. So get straight to the point and convey your message in under 10 seconds. 

Make it specifically for this task

One of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen when creating a video hero section is using an old video for the task. You might have to shoot an advert for your products or an explanation video for your YouTube channel. You might have created a short on your Instagram Real or TikTok. Unfortunately, though, using these videos will never work. You need to create a video that’s specifically for your website. Each communication channel has a unique role, and you can’t mix and mingle your messages as if they are all the same. They are not. 

Darker videos work better

An excellent pro tip is to darken your video by about 35%. This way, your video will still attract attention but won’t overwhelm and push away audiences. Imagine looking at the screen at night, looking for a product or a service, and at some point, a giant wave of lights crashes on your screen. This will trigger the fight or flight response, and none of them is good for your business. So, keep your video darker.

No Sound

On the same note, keep the sound off. Even if your video has some majestic sound effects, give the user the opportunity to hear them at their own will. Don’t force it on them. Keep your video’s sound off as default and put a visible button to allow your users to unmute. 

Make it a loop

Finally, make sure to keep the video ongoing. The best solution is to make the beginning and the end the same so it will seamlessly blend. However, if your vision demands a strict beginning and an end, you do you. Regardless, make sure to put your video on look since users might miss it. As we already stated, people often have multiple tabs open when looking for a product or service, so you might not be their first tab. It would be a shame if your video ends before they even get to your website.  

Is a Video Hero Section a Good Fit For You

So, the big question. Is putting a video in your hero section a good fit for you? Well, if you have enough budget to produce an entire video just for your website, you can ensure it is high quality, you have enough data on your audience and know what they like, and you want to convey an emotion, then yes. A video is the perfect solution for your hero section. 

However, if you are on a tight budget, your product is practical and does not need emotions to be considered, and if your home page is just the beginning of your customer’s journey, then an image is a much better idea. 

Now you know. But beware. If you go for the video solution, you will need powerful hosting to help reduce the strain on your website’s speed the video will inevitably cause. Luckily, we have just the thing.

HostArmada is a powerful cloud-based hosting solution that offers a robust hosting infrastructure. Our lightning-fast speed, high-end security, and unmatched uptime will guarantee that your video hero section will have all the resources it needs to provide your users with the best experience possible. 

The post Is Video Hero Section a Good Fit For Your Website? appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

The benefits of going for a WordPress website are countless, and the downsides are relatively small. However, that doesn’t mean that there are no hiccups along the way. Even WordPress users may find themselves in a troublesome situation, as the platform is not immune to errors. This being said, it’s essential to know what the errors mean, why they appear, and, most importantly, how to fix them. Thus, as usual, we are here to help. We’ve prepared a handy crash course on the eight most common WordPress Errors you may encounter.

White Screen of Death

This is one error no one wants to see. It’s hands down the most disturbing issue you may encounter. The White screen of death (WSoD) basically replaces your entire website with a blank page – a vast nothingness. There are no error messages, no notifications, nothing. Just a white screen telling you you are screwed.

Most often, WSoD means your website memory limit is exhausted by a script. Thus, your hosting provider either times out the script or, as a more radical solution, kills it altogether. That’s why you don’t get any message whatsoever. Sometimes, the problem might come from a poorly performing plugin. In rare cases, this may even be caused by a coding error in the theme itself.

The toughest thing about the WSoD error is that a number of reasons can cause it, so the solutions are not as simple and straightforward as some other errors on our list will have. So, if you stumble upon this traitorous error, don’t despair. The fixes are quite easy. The hard part is determining what the problem is.

Solution

1. Firstly, if you can access your dashboard, try deactivating all your plugins. If your website appears after this, it will look rather dull. Still, it would show you that the problem is within a malfunctioning plugin. Start activating the plugins one by one until you find the one causing the problem. Once you find it, you can replace it with an alternative, delete it altogether, or look into a solution within the WordPress society.

2. If you can’t even reach the dashboard, it’s a good idea to try if other websites using the same hosting account are operational. If not, then contact your hosting provider to find a solution. This may be a temporary problem, but nonetheless, informing the hosting provider they have it is a great way to make sure the problem is with them.

3. Sometimes, the problem is because you’ve reached your memory limit. Well, the obvious solution is to increase your PHP memory availability. This will allow the heavy script to get more memory and finish the job.

4. If you suspect the problem is within your theme, simply activate the WP Default Theme. Before you start changing anything, though, creating a backup is a good idea, just in case the problem is elsewhere. Connect to your website via FTP client and go to “wp-content/themes/ folder. There, you will find all installed themes on your website. Select your current WordPress theme with a right-click and download it to your computer. Only after that can you delete it from your website. This way, WordPress will revert back to the default theme.

5. Sometimes, the solution to the WSoD is as easy as clearing the cache.

Locked out of wp-admin

WordPress dashboard is, without a doubt, the single most important asset of your website. This is the main panel where you can change, add, or delete content, functionalities, or copy from your website. Needless to say, having constant access to the dashboard is instrumental in having an operational WordPress website.

However, there are some issues that may lead to getting locked out of your WordPress admin dashboard. Now, don’t panic. This is troublesome indeed, but as usual, there is a solution.

But why would WordPress lock you out of your own website? Well, there are various reasons. You may have unintentionally messed something up if you have touched the website’s code recently. Some plugins may also be behind this issue, as well as a theme update. If the problem occurred after a recent change, you would have a pretty good idea of where to start looking.

Solutions

1. The most common reason for being locked out of your dashboard is a forgotten password. The simplest solution is to simply follow the “Lost your password” and gain access that way.

2. Another reason to be locked out is when you reach your login limit. By default, you have countless tries to enter the correct password. However, any IT specialist will tell you this is an invitation to hackers to simply try hundreds of thousands of combinations until they crack your website open. Thus, having a limited number of attempts is a good idea.The problem is when you reach this limit. Still, that’s not the end of the world. The easiest way to gain your access back is by using an FTP client. Access your website’s data via the FTP client and go to /wp-content/plugins/folder/. There, you simply must delete the limit-login attempts plugin, and you are ready to go. Just remember to reinstall it once you’ve gained access.

3. The worst reason for being locked out of your dashboard is if your website is hacked. Then, the hacker might have deleted your admin privileges. Don’t worry, though. There is still a way to recover your website. However, this is definitely not something you should do alone, as it needs vast knowledge. So, finding a professional to do it for you is best.

Trouble with Database Connection

As you can imagine, your website is nothing more than a sequence of files stored in a database. So, to be able to access your website, you must have a connection with the database at all times. Naturally, sometimes your website loses that connection, and it’s most often due to a single file on your website – wp-config.php. This is the file that contains all the information about the website’s database. Thus, if there is a problem with the database connection, this file is most likely the perpetrator.

Solution:

As you can imagine, the solution to this problem lies in precisely this file. First, you must find it within your website’s files. The wp-config.php file usually lies in the root folder. When you find it, right-click on it and select View/Edit. Now, you would want to check if all credentials are in order. This includes the database name, the My SQL database username, the password, and the hostname. These are the lines you should be looking after.

/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define('DB_NAME', 'database_name_here');

/** MySQL hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

If the credentials are not correct, fixing them should solve the problem.

However, if the problem is still at large, you will need to add an additional line to your wp-config.php file:

define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true).

Make sure to place it separately within the file and to designate it properly. Once you’ve added the line, go to http://www.yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php. There, you will be able to repair your database. Note that any user will be able to get to this link, so once you’ve finished fixing the problem, don’t forget to delete the added line (1 define(‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true))

Failed Auto-Update

Now, this is one problem that’s definitely not a huge deal, but it does cause inconvenience. You must keep your WordPress up to date, and if your Auto-update is not working, you will have to do it manually. This is tedious, to say the least, and may pose some serious security issues as well. You can check if there is such an error in the update menu on your dashboard right under Current Version.

Various reasons may stay behind this problem. Losing an internet connection during the update is the most common one. Still, the problem may occur due to losing connection to the WP main files or having some incorrect permissions.

Solutions:

If this is a one-time occurrence, you can simply do it manually. Download the WordPress zip file, extract the downloaded files, and prepare for installation. This includes deactivating all plugins, as they may cause an issue during the installation process. Also, you may want to delete old wp-admin directories from your web host and the wp-includes. The new upload will replace them.

Then simply transfer the new files into your wp-content folder and overwrite the old ones. It’s important not to delete any files in that folder or the folder itself.

Finally, upload all loose files from the root directory of the updated version to your old root directory. Do not delete anything from the root directory, and avoid overwriting any customization files or plugins if that’s not crucial.

Then, delete the .maintenance file from your WordPress directory by using FTP.

Next, you must update your installation. You simply must visit your admin page and log in. WordPress will provide a link to the upgrade.php if the update is required. All you need to do is follow the instructions.

After all of this is done, reactivate your plugins and clear the cache.

Syntax Error

Syntax errors typically happen after you’ve made some changes to your website. For example, you may have added some custom code to your website, or you may have installed a new plugin or theme. The problem occurs when a syntax error is introduced to the website’s code.

The syntax error is courteous enough to show you precisely where the error is, or at least show you the line that’s causing the issue. Naturally, the solution is quite simple.

Solution:

To fix the problem, all you need to do is to fix the error in the shown line. If someone else did the changes and you’re uncomfortable messing around with your website’s code, reverting to a backup is the easiest solution.

If a plugin or a theme causes the problem, deleting them will resolve it immediately. Or you can use an SFTP to find the problematic line and fix it yourself. It’s up to you.

HTTP Image Upload Errors

This is one problem that can really be nerve-wracking. You’re just about to post your new blog post and can’t upload your image. Now, the size would hardly be a problem if you are uploading an image. WordPress allows you to upload files with a maximum size of 512 MB. The most common issues are incorrect file permissions or plugin interference.

Solutions:

1. Before you jump in your FTP of choice and start giving out permissions, you might just want to clear your browser cache and see if that wasn’t the problem in the first place. Sometimes, the browser cache interferes with the uploading process, and the solution is as easy as clearing it.

2. Try renaming the file. If the file name contains any special characters, this will render the uploading process impossible. So, take out all punctuations and special symbols from the file name.

3. Try uploading from a different browser. This way, you will see if the problem is with your browser or website.

4. Deactivating plugins. Yes, unfortunately, plugins, as third-party software, often lead to problems with your website. Still, a simple deactivation of recently installed or updated plugins may be the solution. If this solves the issue, inform the developer of the problem so they can fix it.

5. Check if the memory limit is not exhausted. If this is the problem, you might want to increase your memory limit.

6. Finally, check if the file permissions are correct. Go to your /wp-content/folder/ using your FTP client of choice and find the uploads folder. Right-click on it and select “File Permissions”. Next, go to the Numeric value box and enter 744 or 755. If both don’t work, try with 644. Then, check the “recurse into subdirectories box and select “Apply to directories only. ” Finally, press OK, and this should solve your problem.

Fixing WordPress Keeps Logging Out Problem

This is definitely the most frustrating issue you can stumble upon, especially when you haven’t saved your work, and you are in the middle of configuring vital settings. The worst part is that this issue is caused due to negligence and oversight by the person configuring the website.

The issue is often caused by placing a different URL in the site address and the WordPress address boxes in your website’s settings. Every time you log in to your website, WordPress will set a cookie to your browser that will authenticate your login session. The cookie is set for the WordPress address stored in your settings menu. So, if there is a difference between the site address and the WordPress address, the login session can’t be authenticated.

The worst part is that in 99% of cases, the problem is that you added www in one of the boxes. For example:

WordPress Address (URL) : https://yourwebsite.com

Site Address (URL) : https://www.yourwebsite.com

Frustrating indeed, but easily solvable.

Solution:

The solution is as simple as going to your dashboard –> settings–> general and making the WordPress address and the Site address the same. Don’t forget to hit “save changes” at the end.

Connection Timed Out

Finally, we have the connection timed-out error. Usually, this issue appears when the server gives up trying to recover your website’s data. Naturally, this happens for a variety of reasons. The most common is within your server. It simply lacks the resources to load your website. This can be caused because you reached your bandwidth limit, because too many users are trying to enter simultaneously, or you reached your visitors limit, set by some hosting companies. Moreover, if you are using shared hosting, another website could be hogging all the server’s resources.

Solution:

1. One solution is to downsize your website. Get back to the default theme, reduce the number of plugins, and optimize your image and video use. This will reduce your resource needs.
2. Upgrade your hosting plan. If shared hosting is not enough anymore, obviously, you must go a step further. Unfortunately, though, dedicated server hosting plans can cost significantly more than what you are used to. Still, if the website earns money, each minute down is a huge loss.
3. Finally, you can simply join HostArmada and enjoy our cloud-based hosting infrastructure. This allows us to redirect occasional influxes and maintain all our customers online all the time. We even have a 99.9% uptime guarantee policy, affecting shared hosting customers.

So, if you want an easy and cost-efficient solution to the connection time problem, all you need to do is check our plans and choose the best fit for your needs. On top of that, you will receive a lightning-fast loading time and top-notch security.

Conclusion

Knowing how to deal with these issues will help you mitigate sudden problems with your WordPress website without the need for a professional. Still, if the issues prove to be more severe, we highly recommend seeking the help of someone with experience dealing with WordPress. Those issues may be easily solvable, but touching the database of your website is not a joke and it may easily destroy your entire work if not done with precision. So, if you think you are not ready to solve those issues on your own, there is no shame in simply asking a professional for help. It will certainly save you a lot of time and trouble.

The post Top 8 Common WordPress Errors and how to fix them appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

But does it really matter which browser you will use? The short answer is a resounding yes. The long one is a bit… well, longer. So, if you want to learn why it matters, what the differences between the browsers are, what other people are using, and what you should use, buckle up, and let’s find out.

What do web browsers do?

If you are reading this, you are on a web browser. Whether it is Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, or something else, you are utilizing a browser to be on our website. Thank you for being here, by the way. In fact, each website you’ve ever visited uses a web browser. We are strictly talking about websites, though, as you can listen to music via Spotify and watch movies via Netflix by using their platforms. This means you are still using the internet, but you are not entering a website but instead using an app.

Of course, the primary function of each web browser is to fetch the website from the hosting server and display it on your monitor. You can check how that happens in our dedicated article on DNS and the eight steps of opening a website. In a nutshell, the browser communicates with the Recursive Nameserver to locate the IP address of the domain you requested. Thus, you don’t have to memorize complicated number sequences, but easily memorable names, like HostArmada.com, for example. The translation of the address is actually done by the DNS, however, not the browser. The browser only sends the domain name to the DNS.

Then there is opening the website

Still, retrieving the website is only part of what the browser does. Don’t imagine the website being received as you see it on the browser. What the browser gets is a package of different files, among which are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. So, the browser has to interpret the HTML code and lay out the structure of the page on your screen. Then, it implements the CSS code. This will add the different elements’ styles, fonts, and colors. Finally, the browser will read the JavaScript. This will add the interactive elements and dynamics of the content. Imagine a carousel rotating with different images.

All of this should be a sign that the shorter, cleaner, and better arranged your website code is, the faster the browser will load it. So, make sure to keep your code as clean as possible so that no matter what browser your audience is using, they won’t have any problem loading it as fast as your hosting provider allows it.

Other functions

In addition to those core functions, web browsers have a plethora of other useful functions that aim to improve your experience. Saving websites as bookmarks, using multiple tabs, and adding various extensions with all sorts of functionalities, and, of course, security features are the bare minimum today. However, there are some differences in the usability of these functions.

Are there differences in how web browsers operate?

Yes. Though the primary and secondary functions are predominantly the same, they differ in how they operate. This is predominantly due to the different rendering engines they use. For example, Chrome, Edge, and Opera use Blink, while Firefox utilizes Gecko. Apple, who is trying to keep its environment clean from third-party software developers, as this often leads to security issues, developed WebKit. Naturally, Safari uses it.

A rendering engine is a web browser’s core component responsible for interpreting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code and displaying web pages on the screen. In essence, this is the heart and soul of the browser.

Each of these rendering engines has its pros and cons. For example, Gecko is an open-source product of Mozilla, and thus, it has some incredible compatibility features. It’s often at the forefront of user experience development, and the support is predominantly outstanding. However, due to its open-source nature, security is lagging behind its competitors.

WebKit is, without a doubt, the big dog in this group regarding security. Just like every other Apple product, WebKit is like Fort Knox. However, due to Apple’s insistence on having a close environment, its compatibility is lagging behind, as is its stability with some websites.

Blink, on the other hand, has astonishing speed, especially since Google developed it. The compatibility, stability, and other measurables are off the charts. However, Blink needs a moderately powerful machine to operate, using more CPU, memory, and disk space to render web pages. This makes it particularly heavy for older machines, and thus, in some cases, when you open too many tabs simultaneously, your browser may freeze.

So, choosing your browser depends entirely on what you are ready to sacrifice.

What do other people use?

While you are wondering what your priorities are, let’s have a look at what other people decide for themselves. Well, just like with their choice of search engine, people worldwide prefer Google’s product. About 65% of all internet users have Chrome as their web browser of choice. Unsurprisingly, next is Safari, with 18.5%, which roughly corresponds with MAC and IOS users. Edge takes the third position, just short of 5% of users, followed by Firefox and Opera with 3.4 and 2.9%.

Credit: statcounter.com

However, the results are a bit more balanced in the United States alone. Still, Chrome takes the lion’s share of the market, as about 49.8% of users prefer this browser. Safari is once again second, and it attracts 31.15% of internet users; Edge almost doubles its share with 8.35% of the market, as does Firefox with 4.78. Opera loses the US internet user’s confidence and attracts only 2.8% of all users.

It’s evident that Google’s product is dominating all over the world. There isn’t a single country where Chrome is not the most preferred browser. But why do people prefer it over the more secure Safari or the more lightweight Firefox? Why isn’t Microsoft’s default Edge disregarded in favor of Chrome? Let’s have a more in-depth look at the best browsers one by one.

Chrome

Chrome is by far the most widely used browser in the world. Owning roughly two-thirds of the entire market is formidable indeed. But Chrome is not the most preferred simply because Google recommends it. True, that has its weight, but the fact is that Chrome has an exceptional design that focuses on user experience. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Pros

1. High-speed browser – As we’ve often discussed, today’s internet user doesn’t have 30 minutes to open a single picture as we did in the 1990s. No, today, speed is everything. And when it comes to speed, no one is better than Chrome. This is essential when streaming or watching videos. Google’s browser reduces lag and loads websites faster due to its programming.
2. Gorgeous design – Yes, having a good-looking design is not everything, but come on. No one wants to surf in something that’s a flash from the dawn of the internet. Chrome’s design is predominantly driven by user experience. Most users find it quite effortless to navigate. All menu tabs are tucked away in the settings, which unobtrusively lay at the top right corner. And best of all, there is only one search bar, which doubles as an address bar and a search bar. This helps immensely if you make a mistake in typing the address, as Chrome won’t show you the dreaded 404 page or something of the sort but will redirect you to Google, where you will find precisely what you are looking for.
3. Safety – Chrome has an array of safety features that ensure your browsing won’t lead to unnecessary risks for your computer. The browser will show you if the website has an SSL certificate. Furthermore, it will protect you from downloading malware on your computer or cleaning up suspected malicious files.
4. Sync across devices – If you work on multiple devices, you can sync up your Chrome and work from every device you want without interruptions or need to open the same bulk of tabs.
5. Extensions – The extensions are probably the best part of Chrome. This browser has an entire library of cool features you can add if you want to. Blocking ads, checking grammar, anything really. The library has hundreds, if not thousands, of extensions at your disposal to make your user experience even greater.

Of course, despite Chrome’s superiority in many fields, it still has some work to do regarding some aspects.

Cons

1. Questionable user privacy – This is the big one that deters many from joining the rest of the world in using Chrome. Actually, Google has been sanctioned multiple times in Europe for collecting and using user’s data without their consent. How else do you think Google gathers enough information on what people like or dislike, how long they stay on your website, or what pathways they take to get there? Yes, if you value your privacy above all, Chrome is probably not the best choice.
2. Heavy resource user – The other downside is that Chrome is an extremely heavy user of CPU and RAM. This matters little if you only use Chrome. But if multiple applications are opened, and your machine is not that powerful, Chrome will occupy the entire memory, and all your other applications will either lag or freeze.

Safari

Next on everyone’s list, including ours, is Safari. Safari is a great browser if you are an Apple lover, and not so much if you have any other device that you want to use. Still, this browser confidently takes about a fifth of all internet users, so let’s have a look at why.

Pros

1. Extremely efficient – This is hands down the most efficient web browser out there, with lower resource consumption than any other on our list. The developers at Apple have created this browser with their hardware in mind, so it operates as part of the ever-growing Apple digital ecosystem.
2. Top-level security – Being part of the Apple digital environment, it’s safe to say that this browser’s security is unmatched. Apple prides itself on personal data protection and its tough security. No wonder even the US president uses their products. Now, whether he uses Safari per se is hard to tell, but it’s clear that Apple products and security go hand in hand.
3. Secured privacy when browsing – When it comes to security, that includes the privacy protection of each user. Safari uses a built-in privacy tool that prevents web trackers. Moreover, the browser utilizes a Privacy Report tool, which prevents cross-website tracking without influencing the website’s functionalities. This allows you to surf without wondering who’s watching your every move.
4. Supreme usability – As part of the Apple universe, Safari is seamless to use if you are used to Apple’s OSs. It is familiar, easily navigable, and beautifully minimalistic.

Let’s not forget, however, that Apple products don’t play particularly well with others.

Cons

1. Not working with other OSs – As usual, integration with other OS was not at the top of Apple’s mind when they created Safari. Thus, Android or Windows users can’t use the browser, which is a shame.
2. Limited extension availability – That’s the other thing. As Apple rarely trusts third-party developers, Safari’s extension library is more like a small bookcase. In this regard, it can’t compare with the rest of our entries.

Edge

Edge is the default web browser for all Microsoft OS users, which are most of them. Still, Edge is mainly used as a tool to download Chrome and be done with it. However, especially in the US, there is a massive number of users who actually prefer Edge over any other browser. That’s not surprising, seeing how long this browser has come since its inception.

Pros

1. Highly customizable – Edge is probably the most customizable browser of them all, as it offers a lot of options to make the browser your own. The home page allows you to receive news, get quick access to products, or see the current stock market or weather. It also gives you quick access to games, music, video, traffic information, and anything in between.
2. Tracking prevention – Edge lets you decide how much you’d want to be followed online. It offers you three levels of tracking prevention, each restricting a different group of trackers that follow your every move.
3. Massive library of extensions – As Edge uses Chromium as a base, it can implement all Chromium-based extensions, making its library just as big as Chrome’s. However, Microsoft has developed some additional add-ons that can be used only with Edge. These include some great software like 360 View, OneNote, Web Clipper, and others.
4. Extremely lightweight – Though Edge requires at least 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows and 2 GB for 64-bit Windows, its usage is significantly lower. In fact, Edge is the best performer in this regard.

Cons

1. Speed is not its thing – Unfortunately, the lower consumption translates into much lower speed. Chrome, Firefox, and Safari have much better performance, which probably pushes most users to disregard this otherwise great browser.
2. Extremely poor reputation (for now) – The other big problem is Edge’s reputation. As the successor of Internet Explorer, it bears a lot of negatives in the eyes of the users. And although Microsoft is investing heavily in changing this reputation, there is a long way to go until people stop making fun of Edge.

Firefox

Firefox is often the choice of those who refuse to bow down to Google and regard their privacy extremely high. Plus, Firefox does have some pretty sweet advantages over its competitors.

Pros

1. Privacy on a new level – Privacy is Mozilla’s unique sales proposition. While other browsers would want you to confirm that you don’t want your data stolen, Firefox takes privacy to a new level. The browser will block any spyware or malware that tries to download in the background while searching at an unsafe website. Furthermore, it will automatically limit third-party tracking abilities.
2. Outstanding speed – When it comes to speed, Firefox is on par with Chrome. It is considered even better when it comes to download speed.
3. Great extension library – Firefox is the master of extensions. Arguably, it has the most extensive library of extensions among all the browsers. Thus, you can literally find anything you need in their library. Naturally, user experience and customization are also top-notch.
4. Minimalistic interface – The design is beautiful, especially with the stylish logo front and center. The homepage is extremely minimalistic, which allows you to concentrate on where you’re going rather than the browser itself.

Naturally, there are some downsides to Mozilla Firefox. Otherwise, why would it be the fourth most preferred browser?

Cons

1. Compatibility issues – That’s actually the biggest problem with Firefox. Some web developers disregard Firefox’s unique needs, and some websites do not show as intended on this browser. This leads to loss of functionality and overall user dissatisfaction. Some website owners even suggest to their users to use a different browser so they can experience the website as intended. This is a hard blow against Firefox, indeed.
2. Huge RAM consumer – Just like Chrome, Mozilla is a heavy RAM user, and you need a sturdy machine if you want to use the limitless tab options that Firefox offers.

Opera

Opera is the most popular alternative to the mainstream browsers. Furthermore, it is one of the oldest, as the first version of Opera dates back to 1994. Though it has used the Chromium codebase since 2013, Opera is still a unique choice when it comes to internet browsing.

Pros

1. Usability on a new level – Opera is truly unique regarding usability. While most browsers try their best to be as minimalist as possible, Opera stands as a beacon of an all-in-one usability paradise. For example, they offer a built-in messenger application, which allows you to receive messages from FB, IG, WhatsApp, Telegram, and VKontakte directly on the sidebar.
2. Turbo and Battery saver mode – Opera offers two unique modes to improve the user’s experience. Turbo Mode allows users with slower internet to have their connection speed increased. Unfortunately, they don’t work with encrypted websites, which makes it a bit useless nowadays. On the other hand, the Battery saver mode is a goldmine for those who have time to spare and want to keep their battery alive longer.
3. Build-in privacy feature – Opera is a great choice for those users who prefer to stay anonymous. The browser offers an array of built-in privacy features like tracker blocker, ad blocker, cookies blocker, and others.
4. Integrated VPN – To top it all off, Opera offers a free built-in VPN, which offers additional privacy protection to its users. See why PrivacyJournal recommends these best VPN services.

Cons:

1. Slower than its main competitors – The biggest problem with Opera is its speed. It simply can’t compare to other browsers on this list. Still, that doesn’t mean a website takes ages to load, but the time difference is notable.
2. Bugs and breakdowns – Furthermore, users often experience bugs and breakdowns, which can be pretty frustrating. Despite the excellent support, this problem is a considerable drawback.
3. Not a high priority among web developers – Another significant downside is that developers often forget to test their websites on Opera. Thus, some websites appear broken when opened on this browser.

Which one should you use?

So, now that you have the pros and cons of the most popular web browsers, you can choose your priorities. Chrome is, without a doubt, the best choice if you have various devices, not all of which use IOS or Mac. However, with Chrome, you compromise on your privacy. On the other hand, if you are an Apple fan, Safari is the safest bet, as it is built precisely for you.

Firefox is an excellent choice for those who seek the Chrome experience, yet with far fewer privacy intrusions. At the same time, Edge is for those who prefer a highly customized home page where they can access the most important information without ever clicking.

Finally, Opera is the odd choice for those who want to be outside the mainstream and experience a new kind of user experience.

What you will choose when browsing the internet depends entirely on you.

On the other hand, as a website owner, you must optimize your website for every browser. Even though Opera has only 2.9% of the market, they still represent several million people who may be interested in your products. So make sure to accommodate all of them. And yes, these browsers may be a bit sluggish, but if you have top-of-the-line hosting with lightning-fast loading speed guaranteed, having the micro delays on Opera and Edge will not hinder your success.

HostArmada offers precisely this – fast, secure, and reliable hosting for your website. On top of the lightning-fast speed, we have robust security features and offer 99.9% guaranteed uptime.

So, if you are a web developer, check out our offers and make your business twice as reliable.

The post Does it matter which web browser you use? appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Personalization will be the theme of 2024

The era of a one-size-fits-all approach in eCommerce is drawing its last breath. Soon, a new era will dawn. An era of personalization. Each customer is special, and they expect a personal approach. AI will catalyze this process as first-party and zero-party data start flowing in. With the help of artificial intelligence, you can personalize each experience based on the user’s behavior.

For example, depending on the entry point, you can provide the potential customer with a specific customer journey that will accommodate their needs and interests. For instance, if a customer comes to your website through your blog, it means they are trying to satisfy a query. Naturally, they need a bigger push, as they are still unsure whether your products will fulfill their needs. Thus, providing them with benefits, added value, testimonials, pros and cons, and a FAQ section will increase your chances of finishing the sale. On the other hand, if the entry point is directly on the product page, the user is ready to buy. They are past the research point, so you must provide them with a comprehensive and lucrative deal, convince them your website is secure, and allow them to use their preferred payment method. 

Once the purchase has been completed, you can work on retainment by personalizing your messaging even more. Still, personalization won’t be enough to beat the competition in 2024. It is, however, the bare minimum. To increase your chances and be better than average, you need an additional push. One that will help you not only bring in new customers but also make sure old ones return for more. 

Loyalty programs are a must

Loyalty programs are not something new, especially when it comes to big brands. However, in 2024, there will be no business small enough that won’t offer at least some rewards to loyal customers. We live in an age where bargains can be found with a click of a button. Some apps and extensions even show you where the best deals are and even offer coupons. So, the question is no longer if you should have a loyalty problem but how to structure it. 

No surprises here, as a recent study shows that the prospect of earning rewards influences the customer’s spending behavior. Moreover, 64% of loyalty program members spend more money to maximize the points they will make. This comes to show that a loyalty program can increase your profits, of course, depending on your rewards. Keep in mind that, on average, each American customer is part of 16.7 customer loyalty programs, so your incentives must be better than those of your competitors. 

So, in 2024, you must add a loyalty program to your website if you want customers to return. There can be all sorts of rewards. Giving free products in exchange for gathered points is the fastest and most common practice. However, that does tend to qualify in the one-size-fits-all stigma, so we’d suggest going a step further and just offering a gift card or a coupon worth some money in exchange for the points. This way, each customer can get the product they like with a significant discount. 

If you want to go even further, you can utilize AI, analyze the user’s behavior, and offer them a specific product they will be interested in at a massive discount. 

Use your imagination and build your loyalty program based on what fits your business model. 

Gen Z on the focus

Catering to Gen Z will be at the forefront of eCommerce in 2024. This young generation is joining the economically active and will sculpt the retail business in the foreseeable future. This goes double for eCommerce stores targeting more youthful people with tighter budgets. Luxurious items are still in the domain of Millenials and Gen X, though. So, be mindful of what you’re selling.

In 2024, this new player on the market will have a huge impact on the retailer’s behavior. One thing is sure – you will have to implement some additional value to your products. The retailer’s values greatly affect the newest generation, which will only grow as the dominant customer demographic. They emphasize the need to purchase from sustainable, eco-friendly, diverse, and ethical retailers. 

Thus, to be successful in 2024, an eCommerce business must be transparent, open to innovations, sustainable, and know how to communicate with the Gen Z crowd. So, try to build your messaging based on what this new dominant demographic wants to know. Don’t focus on superficial exaggerations on how your product will improve their lives. Just be straightforward and give them all the information. This will make you a trustworthy partner in solving their problem. Otherwise, Gen Z is the most tech-savvy and well-versed generation when it comes to advertising. This means they can spot an exaggerated and dishonest ad from a mile away. Once deemed untrustworthy, your business is as good as gone. 

Video over image

With the rise of Gen Z as the dominant customer, retailers will start catering to their needs. The good news is that this demographic is way more responsive to ads. Actually, 56% can recall an ad they watched for just 2 seconds. That’s the main thing, though: Gen Z prefers videos over images. They predominantly consume information through short videos. We can blame TikTok and Instagram for this. 

Another thing to consider is their attention span. Though, on average, their attention span is about 2.7 minutes, if you don’t grab their attention in the first 8 seconds, consider your ad skipped. Thus, you need a skillfully made, entertaining, short video to capture this audience’s attention. 

Aggressive advertising is a bad idea. It’s far better to be truthful to what you offer but make it enjoyable and colorful. Start with a hook. Remember, you have 8 seconds before they scroll down. Also, make sure to emphasize your brand’s mission, especially if it’s related to sustainability. Seriously, sustainability will sell in 2024, so if you want to succeed, just start thinking of Mother Earth. 

This will be a great starting point, but you should also consider enlisting micro-influencers to discuss your business and endorse your retailing practices. Just be sure to do your research so you don’t waste your money on someone who doesn’t engage your target audience. 

AR and VR are trending as well

Influencers are not the only thing up the successful eCommerce website’s sleeve. Utilizing the power of AR and VR will also make a huge difference in 2024. Though they are still predominantly used by big brands, smaller retailers who manage to implement AR or VR tools in their platforms will be front and center in 2024. 

An excellent example of a brilliant AR is Saatchi Art’s app. It allows you to place any painting, photo, or print in their collection on your wall and see what it would look like. So, if you offer home decoration, you can take a page out of their book and create an application to let your customers place your products on their furniture and see how they will lighten up the place. 

On the other hand, we have Virtual Reality. Now, VR is a bit more complicated and a lot more expensive to produce. Still, if you can afford it, you might want to be one step ahead of your competitors. VR is becoming more popular and still predominantly untapped in eCommerce, so being a pioneer will significantly boost your growth. 

Livestream Shopping

If the financial burden of creating a VR world is too much for you, just go with the much less complicated Livestream Shopping. We predict that 2024 this trend, started by Amazon in 2019, will start gaining traction. TikTok has already begun testing live shopping functionalities in the US. YouTube and Shopify are also preparing their own versions, giving retailers and micro-influencers one more channel to interact and introduce their products.

In a nutshell, livestream shopping is a form of e-commerce that combines live video streaming with online shopping. It involves a live broadcast, usually hosted by a presenter or influencer, showcasing products or services in real time to an audience of online viewers. Viewers can interact with the host, ask questions about the featured items, and make purchases directly within the livestream.

Often, livestream shopping includes limited-time offers so they can engage the FOMO in the customers. 

Best of all, livestream shopping can build social proof by showing viewers that other people are interested in the product and that it is of good value. This can be a powerful motivator for purchasing, especially for products that are unfamiliar to the viewer.

The best part is that you don’t have to be Amazon to make your own livestream shopping show. You can do it on your YouTube channel or your Social Media page. 

Still, before you get in front of the camera, ensure you have at least some experience in lifestreaming. You must be able to entertain your customers and viewers for the entire duration of the lifestream, regardless of whether they ask questions. So, make sure to prepare a scenario and practice talking for as long as it’s needed. 

Direct communication will be more important than ever

The best part of livestream shopping is the direct communication with your customers. Direct communication will be vital for any retailer in 2024. With 68% of customers ready to pay more for better customer service, it’s no wonder why so many retailers are implementing direct communication channels. Whether it’s by phone, direct messages, or a customer service platform, it’s important for the customer to receive answers when they need them. So, if you can make your customer service 24/7, this will greatly boost your success.

Actually, in 86% of cases, a customer satisfied with the direct interaction with the brand will become a long-term brand champion. Furthermore, 89% of customers will make a second purchase after a positive interaction with a brand representative.

Naturally, not everyone can build a 24/7 customer service center. Still, it’s a good idea to implement AI as the first touchpoint for your customer support. Most times, customers want to ask questions that you’ve already answered in an FAQ or elsewhere. So, having a robot answering the easy questions will allow you to reduce the cost and time needed to interact with all your customers. Still, you must be ready to answer all previously non-specified questions. And if you can’t afford to make it 24/7, be sure to be available when your target audience is most active. For example, if you are operating overseas, make sure to be online when they are most likely to seek your help. 

A good direct communication ethics can lead to incredible results. A positive interaction with a brand representative can lead to up to 1400% higher ROI in the long run. So, investing in better direct communication with your customers is definitely worth it. 

Faster delivery, better results

Nearly half of US citizens expect their delivery in two to three days. So, if you are within that norm, you will most probably be OK in 2024. However, with Amazon Prime and the next-day delivery options many retailers offer, these expectations will inevitably go down. With the rise of services that offer extremely fast deliveries and loyalty programs that provide them for free, staying relevant in the eCommerce market is a challenge. So, if you have the budget for it, we’d suggest putting some groundwork into shortening your delivery time. 

The first step is finding a partner who can process your packages faster and even over the weekend. Naturally, this will cost you a bit extra, but it will be worth it long term. Or, if you have your own fulfillment center, make sure to double down on faster deliveries by motivating your employees, hiring new teams, and even opening new fulfillment centers closer to your customers. While in 2024, one-day deliveries are still only a recommendation, we won’t be surprised if, a year from now, this becomes mandatory. 

Social commerce

Social media is still the most visited platform on the internet. This is where people spend their time, which won’t change in the foreseeable future. At least not until something better comes along. Regardless of how you feel about Social media marketing and sharing your profits with the likes of Meta, X, or Linked In, with more than 4.9 billion users, Social Media is a must if you are a retailer. 

By now, you should already have a robust social media presence. This includes a brand page where people can engage and interact with you. However, 2024 will demand even more. If you already haven’t, using the social media marketplace is now a must. In 2023 alone, the various social commerce marketplaces generated close to 1.3 trillion dollars in revenue. This number will rapidly grow and is expected to reach 3 trillion as early as 2026. With users spending 2+ hours daily on average browsing social media, that’s hardly a surprise.

Focusing on the US in 2022, 36% of US internet users bought at least one product directly from a social media platform. Today, nearly half (47%) of social media users would buy directly from a social media platform, as 42% would trust them with their primary payment method (debit or credit card)

So, there is no need to attract customers to your landing pages anymore. Just make your social media presence about selling products and utilize the power of social commerce. This will inevitably boost your profits and ultimately lower overall costs even if you pay a small fraction of the winnings to the social media channel. 

Headless websites on the rise

Finally, we have a trend that will make your web designers extremely furious. Headless website architecture has been getting significant attention in the last several months, and in 2024, we predict it will become the norm. In a nutshell, a headless website is a website that separates its presentation layer (frontend) from its content management system (CMS) or data storage (backend). This decoupling allows for greater flexibility and scalability, as developers can choose the best technology for each website layer.

There are a lot of benefits if you go for a headless website. For one, they are much better at creating consistent branding across channels. Because the presentation layer and backend are decoupled, headless websites can load faster and be more responsive. This is because the backend can focus on serving content. In contrast, the presentation layer can focus on rendering the content in a way that is optimized for the specific device or platform. Naturally, this makes the architecture much more inclusive to different devices. 

Furthermore, headless websites are easier to scale than traditional websites, as changes can be made to the backend without affecting the presentation layer. This is because the presentation layer is independent of the data it displays.

In other words, headless architecture is perfect for eCommerce, especially during personalization. Having your front end detached from the back end will give you the agility to offer your customers the experience they expect. Naturally, this will enhance your overall stats and give you the boost you need. 

2024 will be even better for eCommerce 

In 2024, more than a fifth (21.2%) of all retail deals will happen online. This will lead to a 2 trillion dollar increase in 2024 alone, leading to a total of 8.1 trillion dollars. This is a trend that will only grow. So, if you want to get the lion’s share in this highly competitive industry, all you need to do is stay one step ahead of your competitors. Knowing the trends of the online retail business is the first step. The main pillars behind your success are implementing a robust strategy and ensuring your website is always at its best performance.

The strategy is entirely up to you, though we do have some pretty good advice in our blog. However, we can help you with building one lightning-fast, reliable, and secure website. HostArmada offers top-shelf hosting services, allowing you to create a reliable online store without fearing security breaches and downtime. Check out our plans and choose the one that fits your needs perfectly. After all, every successful eCommerce operation starts with a reliable hosting provider.

The post 10 eCommerce Trends To Look For in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Naturally, the heads at Google have committed to nurturing their healthy relationship with the users. Thus, in 2024, we expect them to implement significant changes reflecting the ever-changing user behavior. As you can imagine, to stay on top of the SERP, you must meet these changes and make your website a much more welcoming place. 

So, what will be the trends in 2024, and how should you tweak your SEO to accommodate them? Let’s find out. 

AI at the forefront

The rise of AI is simply remarkable. Since its inception, AI has grown by 20% each year. Moreover, experts suggest that its influence will only grow, expecting the industry to reach 15.7 trillion dollars by the end of the decade. Also, with 97% of smart device users interacting with AI on a daily basis, it’s no wonder that AI will take the spotlight in almost every aspect of online communication.

Google itself is increasingly relying on AI to understand and utilize users’ intent and create an algorithm that will sort the results based on genuine first-hand data. 

Bard and Gemini are the first steps toward building an AI empire and tapping into that market as well, showing their dedication to this industry. 

So, to stay ahead of the competition, you might want to enhance your website UX by implementing AI tools. You can also help yourself by utilizing AI SEO tools such as keyword research tools and link-building assistants. 

When it comes to content, AI can be of great help. Still, despite the significant advancement in all AI generators, one thing they can’t fake is personal experience. For Google, personal experience has always been a cornerstone of high-quality content, as it gives value to the user. 

So, next year, AI will be a hot topic. Thus, getting some AI tools ASAP would be wise and help you stay ahead of the competition.

SGE will be the new standard

Speaking of AI, Bard and Gemini are not even the best AI products that Google will introduce in 2024. Google’s Search Generative Experience is, without a doubt, the revolution in search engines we’ve been looking for. This cutting-edge technology uses AI to provide more natural, conversational, and personalized search results. So, instead of listing some links, SGE will try to understand the user’s query and provide a more comprehensive and interactive response.

Unfortunately, not everyone had access to the beta version, so we can’t talk from first-hand experience here. Still, if SGE is half of what it’s advertised as, this will be an entirely new chapter in Search engines and SEO as a whole. 

Unfortunately, this means new SEO guidelines for all website owners and SEO experts. First and foremost, we might be looking at the twilight of keywords. Website owners must shift to understanding the intent behind the user’s query. For example, if someone asks how much baking soda you need for a loaf of bread, advertising bakeries will be pointless, as, obviously, this user will make their own bread. On the other hand, retailers selling various cutleries, utensils, and electric appliances needed to bake the perfect bread can easily target them. 

Furthermore, SGE will focus on informational searches rather than transactional ones. This means Google will push back landing pages that aim for direct sales in favor of informative blog posts and other useful content that answers queries, not offer a product or service. True, this will make the sales department’s work much harder, but it will underline the need for high-quality infotainment.

Finally, SGE will focus on prioritizing user experience, so websites will have to be easily navigable, mobile-friendly, voice and image search optimized (more on that later), and, of course, have high-quality content. 

High quality is now a must

Yes, quality content will remain king. In February of 2023, Google made it clear that they won’t care if the content is AI-generated as long as it abides by their quality standards. Unfortunately, AI is not quite able to cover those entirely, as this includes personal experiences and added value that Chat GPT and other AI generators can’t produce. So, content writers can sleep soundly for now. AI is not taking your job anytime soon.

So, while an AI generator can create mediocre content by the ton, it can’t compete with genuine human-written texts, at least for now. However, what AI did was drive the quality standards higher than ever. Only ten years ago, keywords were enough to skyrocket you to the top of SERP. Today, you need to add high-quality images and videos, have perfect readability, and, of course, understand the material you are introducing.

So, how do you make sure you will retain your rankings in Google? Well, all you need to do is produce some genuinely high-quality content. To do that, you will have to either spend at least half a day writing your own blog or hire an SEO content writer to do it for you. Either way, you will have to make some new investments if you already haven’t. You will either spend money or time. The choice is yours. 

Expertise, Trust, and Authority are no longer enough 

Speaking of high-quality content, Google is no longer satisfied with showing your experience, trust, and authority on the topic at hand. The search engine is now fixated on experience as well. This means you need to showcase your personal expertise in solving the issues and queries of the users. In other words, the authority factor has transferred from industry to a specific topic. This push will become even more noticeable in 2024 as the focus shifts towards personalization.

Thus, to remain relevant, you need to follow the hub and spoke strategy. This strategy dictates creating dozens, if not hundreds, of smaller blog pieces, explaining specific aspects of a broader topic. Then, write a general topic and link all these smaller pieces inside to create a circle of knowledge. For example, writing on “Creating a digital marketing strategy” can be considered the hub. In this case, the spokes will be “how to build a winning landing page,” “how to create a compelling CTA,” and others.

Creating such cluster topics will be extremely time-consuming, but it will build an internal content ecosystem to keep users on your website longer, resulting in better ranking scores. 

Most importantly, however, learn how to write authoritatively, use proper data, and don’t mislead your audience. For example, citing unexisting research or quoting out of context to serve your own needs will be punished harshly by Google.

Finally, take your time to create your author’s bios. This will automatically give you some extra points and enhance your credibility in the community. 

Voice and image searches will be the focus

We’ve already mentioned it several times, but when it comes to SEO, it bears repeating. Voice and image searches are on the rise and soon will become the norm. Well, not in 2024, but still, there is a significant influx of people using those two methods to satisfy their queries.

 In 2024, voice searches are expected to reach 8 billion monthly. Another 12 billion will utilize Google Lens and image search as well. This trend is even more noticeable in the US, as about 85.4 million users utilize voice search on Google Assistant. 81.1 billion use Siri and about 73.7 billion use Alexa. 

Naturally, you must tweak your metadata to facilitate these changes in user behavior. People often speak differently than they type, so you need to account for that during SEO optimization and keyword research. 

Moreover, users most often use the voice-activated search mode to make a rapid search for a product or service.

The same goes for image searches. Google Lens is most often used to recognize a brand or an item and find out where the user can buy it. Naturally, high-quality pictures with properly optimized file names, tags, and alt tags are no longer recommended. It’s a must if you want to keep your top spot on Google and make sure that image searches will land precisely on your page. 

Still, when it comes to voice searches, people will use them to find a local solution to their problem.

Local SEO will become even more important

Local SEO efforts have been on such lists ever since 2018. Still, after the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive restrictions on traveling and moving freely, people finally realized how important it is to know your local market. So, today, around 46% of all Google searches have local intent. This means that half of all your organic traffic comes from people looking for a local solution to their problem. Furthermore, as already explained, most voice searches also seek a local solution.

Thus, in 2024, it’s a good idea to improve your local SEO so you can enjoy an influx of new customers. This includes optimizing your Google My Business profile. If you already haven’t, give as much information about your business as possible. Add a FAQ section and list your biggest benefits. In 2024, Google My Business should be on focus, and you must add posts regularly if you want to remain relevant.

Zero-click searches should be in the mix

2024 will be the year when zero-click searches will finally reach their potential. The zero-click search is practically a straight-away answer to a query that doesn’t need the user to click to receive. This information is above all results and often is the only thing that users will ever see. Unfortunately, zero-click searches, as the name suggests, won’t lead to traffic. 

However, it will do wonders for your branding. Users will see your brand as an authoritative website, leading to better credibility. Naturally, this will lead to increased sales in the long run, which is far more effective than just “cheating” the user to get on your website. 

Naturally, you need to answer Google’s call and make sure you can accommodate the user’s interest. As yourself, what’s the first question anyone would ask about your product? Give a straight answer within a blog post, preferably in the intro, and go for the lengthy explanations afterward. Naturally, some topics can’t be explained in 2-3 sentences. Still, if the question is which is the best hosting company, the answer HostArmada should be front and center, while the explanation of why can come later. And if the user is interested in your reasoning, they can go in and check it out.

Naturally, to qualify, you need nothing short of exceptional content. Research, quotes, and references are a must. But there’s more. You will have to make your content entertaining and easily scannable. This way, Google will be able to take snippets much easier, giving your website a better chance to be featured at the zeroed position.

Being fast will be more important than ever 

Finally, we have website speed. Now, website speed has always been an integral part of your SEO. Still, today, users are far more impatient, and even a one-second delay will tarnish your results significantly. It has been well-documented that site speed has a direct correlation with conversion rates, so naturally, the faster your website, the better your results will be.

The core web vitals you should always be on top of are the Largest Content Paint (LCP), the First Input Delay (FID), and the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). LCP is the time it takes for the main content to appear on the screen. This can be an image, a text, or a video. FID refers to the time it takes for your website to respond to a user’s first Interaction. Finally, CLS are the unexpected movements on your page, which often leave the user frustrated and unable to complete an action. 

In 2024, the FID will be replaced by Interaction to Next Paint (INP). It measures the speed with which your website reacts to users’ actions. The faster your website responds, the better your ranking will be. 

So, you need to analyze these core vitals and tweak your website to meet and exceed the current standards. 

However, if nothing works, the problem might be in your hosting. In this case, all you can do is switch to HostArmada. Our cloud-based hosting offers lightning-fast website speed, robust security features, and 99.9% guaranteed uptime. This will significantly boost your SEO efforts, as speed, security, and reliability are among the cornerstones of user satisfaction. So, check out our plans and choose the one that suits your needs perfectly. Don’t waste time in taking this first and crucial step in upgrading your SEO in 2024.

The post 8 SEO Trends that will boost your Website Ranking in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Building a marketing strategy is not an easy task, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the digitalization of everyday shopping has skyrocketed, and naturally, new trends in digital marketing appear every single month. Some of them work, others fall into oblivion. So, today, we are here to make sure you implement the right trends in your 2024 digital marketing strategy. We’ve followed the market and pinpointed at least 8 highly promising trends that will dictate user behavior and your digital marketing efforts throughout the following year.

Sustainability Reigns Supreme 

With the extreme weather in the past decade, it’s becoming harder to ignore climate change and the need to take some action as a society. Even if you disagree with this statement, the majority of users would agree, and when it comes to marketing, that’s all that matters. Becoming sustainable has become more than just a trend in Western societies. It’s become a way of life. Actually, about 78% of consumers in America declare that sustainability is essential to them. So, each brand that wants to appeal to this colossal majority must identify with their understanding.

Furthermore, most leading brands have already hopped on the bandwagon and, following Google’s lead, created their own versions of net-zero goals. While the idea of advertising your brand as sustainable is not something new, in 2024, users will expect some results. Brands will no longer be able to just put a sticker on or talk the talk. In 2024, brands will have to walk the walk. This will be even enforced for those of you who do business in the EU. The European governing body has issued The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive mandating new reporting standards for European businesses, which will catalyze the sustainability commitment on the continent and amplify the significance of sustainability in marketing practices.  

The modern consumer, increasingly conscientious and discerning, seeks more than just products and services. Environmental and social responsibility have become paramount considerations, urging brands to align their values with those of their audience. 

So, to tackle this trend, you need to focus your messaging on your sustainability goals and the results of your efforts so far. Showcase your new eco-friendly pack, highlight your environmentally cautious delivery methods, and underline your preservationist initiatives, like planting trees, using local materials, etc. 

Value is no longer what it was

As you can see, there is more to price and quality when it comes to successfully advertising your product. With younger generations becoming economically active, changes are bound to happen. In 2024, the value will become less and less about the actual product and more about what it represents. Millennials are now in the prime of their economic life, so even luxury brands were bound to change their stagnant and conservative marketing practices. Thus, you can now see car brands like BMW, Rolls Royce, and Bentley producing highly-expensive and luxurious electric cars. Such a notion was entirely impossible if the market was left to Gen X or the Boomers. So, as Millennials become richer and Gen Z starts entering into the workforce and start taking their first steps on the market, marketing trends will inevitably change.

Actually, they have already changed, and in 2024, you need to be aware that about 82% of consumers are adamant that the brand’s values should align with theirs. What’s more, if there is a value mismatch in their values, 39% of shoppers will boycott their favorite brand regardless of product satisfaction. Some call this “cancel culture,” but it’s nothing more than basic marketing. If you want to sell something to someone, you must persuade them you are the same. 

So, be creative and give your products and services additional value. Quality and price are no longer enough to grow your brand. You need to add value. 

Twilight of the search box

The search box has been your trusted friend for almost 25 years now. With Google celebrating its quarter-century on the market, one thing is clear: Search engines are here to stay, at least for now. Moreover, they will retain the basis of your organic traffic. What is currently changing, though, is the way people search. In 2024, we will enter the Twilight of the search box era. Still, don’t be too hasty to change your entire direction. The search boxes will be here to stay for at least another five years. However, their use is rapidly declining. Today, more than half of approximately 26 billion monthly searches on Google are done with alternative methods. More than 20% of searches in the Google app are done using voice search. Experts predict that users will make at least 8 billion monthly voice searches in 2024.

Moreover, Google Lens is rapidly growing in popularity, and in 2024, predictions suggest that nearly 12 billion people will use this handy functionality. 

So, where is the problem if everyone is still using Google? Well, mostly in the keywords and how you optimize your SEO. Generally, people speak a bit differently than they write. For example, when searching for car tires, you will write a much more direct question with specifics in the search box. For instance, “Winter tires, 195/65 R15” is much easier to type than to pronounce. So, the same search will sound more like “Winter Tires for Toyota Auris 2012” in voice search. Thus, you must optimize your SEO for both if you offer winter tires. 

Furthermore, adding your items as visuals so Google Lens can recognize them will open the door for another 12 billion potential searches. 

The Rise of the Machines is now

The rise of AI is inevitable. Chat GPT was a game changer, and despite its many flaws, it became a new beacon in digital marketing. It also sparked the AI revolution, and countless other AI generators, like Google’s Bard, Dall-E, Alli Al, Paradox, and others, appeared shortly after. Google Gemini is now also on the market, but it’s expected to boom in spring after the program has been perfected. This shows that the biggest IT brands are working tirelessly on developing AI tools to improve user experience. 

Moreover, the AI market has grown by 20% each year since its inception. Furthermore, projections show that by 2030, this relatively young industry will be worth 15.7 trillion dollars. But perhaps the most important factor you must consider is the usage. About 97% of smartphone users interact with an AI on a daily basis. It’s evident that AI is the future, and if you haven’t utilized it in your marketing strategy in 2024, it will be a must.

The good news is that AI will make your work much easier. For starters, utilized the right way, AI will streamline your work and increase your productivity exponentially. It can help you with every aspect of your marketing campaign. However, it’s way too early to trust machines completely. Make sure you check their work and implement a personal touch. For example, if you want ChatGPT to create a blog post, you must revise and include some personal experiences and examples. Otherwise, Google will sanction your content and drop you from the search results front page. 

Optimizing your SMM campaigns is still not a grand idea either. Though users predominantly use AI daily, they still feel conflicted and doubtful when faced with an AI-generated or enhanced ad. So, using AI is a must, but be cautious. 

Conversation becomes key

With AI and the new generations of consumers flooding the market, we will witness a rise in conversational marketing success. Conversational marketing is a dialogue-driven, customer-centric marketing strategy. Its main goal is to drive up customer engagement and enhance customer experiences. Usually, conversational marketing is based on one-on-one interaction with customers in real-time. It’s much like a consultant in a techno store, but online. In the past, customer support or sales took over this job, where an army of employees was ready to answer every question. This strategy had tremendous success, as customers could communicate all their concerns with the brand. This builds trust and gives them peace of mind that they are getting the right product for their needs. 

Unfortunately, this marketing practice was reserved only for big brands that could afford it. Small and micro businesses rarely were able to afford 24/7 communication with customers. Even so, communication delays were common, building frustration and hindering the trust-building process.

Today, with AI, small and micro businesses are no longer bound by these limitations. A well-trained AI can answer all FAQs flawlessly and at a moment’s notice. This way, the majority of clients will satisfy their queries directly from the robot, while the rest could be redirected to a live customer support agent. Naturally, this makes conversational marketing much more affordable, opening the door to this highly successful strategy even for freelancers. 

So, in 2024, we expect conversational marketing to hit an all-time high, and if you want to be competitive in the market, we suggest you join in the trend.  

Hyper-personalization will make you big

AI will open other doors as well. The one that will boost your growth significantly, however, is the opportunity to tailor personal experiences to all your customers. Hyper-personalization is a relatively new concept, previously used exclusively by luxurious brands. With mass products, it was entirely impossible to create a personalized journey for every one of your users. However, with the help of AI and the vast collection of tools that gather your user’s data, you can now tailor your audience’s experience precisely as they will like it. 

This corresponds with the current trend of luxury becoming more mainstream. While luxuries were reserved for the wealthiest in the world in the past, with the rise of social media, people got a taste of the ultra-luxurious life. Thus, today, everyone prefers to spend more but receive special treatment.

A great example of a mass hyper-personalization strategy is Amazon’s dynamic product recommendations. In a nutshell, Amazon would suggest products based on what you searched for, what you bought, and what can complement your purchase. 

Another great example is using location-based marketing. This way, whenever you enter a particular area, you can receive a push notification about a product or service you previously searched. Restaurants and local shops often use this hyper-personalized strategy.

AI can help you go beyond these examples. It can enhance your efforts and help you target your audience based on dozens of their preferences. For example, if users spend significant time on a traveling YouTube channel, you send them an email showcasing how your product will complement their passion. 

In 2024, this will become the norm. So, to remain relevant, it’s best to start adopting. 

Short Videos for the win

With Gen Z entering the market with full force, it’s time to start tending to their specific tastes. One thing that’s vastly different from all previous generations is the attention span. Thanks to TikTok, Instagram stories, and YouTube Shorts, the attention span of Gen Z users is 8 seconds on average. Moreover, unlike its predecessors, this generation prefers to consume information in short, entertaining videos rather than reading. 

So, in 2024, you must allocate a sufficient budget to create high-quality short-form videos. Furthermore, if you haven’t already, you must start TikTok and YouTube channels and produce regular content. This way, you will guarantee that your messaging will bombard the Gen Z user.

Another specific of this generation is the focus on What rather than How. In other words, Gen Z users expect direct and quick answers without too much digging into the How and Why. So, your 5-8-second video should be straightforward, without explanation and additional fluff. Still, it must capture attention and act on the user’s emotions. The only way to do that is through the visuals. Using high-quality, strategically gathered visuals can help you relay the additional value we already discussed in a previous point. 

So, in 2024, if you want to tap into this new generation that’s becoming increasingly active consumers, you must invest in short-form, high-quality videos, and profiles on popular platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and others. 

First-Party Data Is the New Standard

The diminishing reliance on third-party cookies, attributed to the phase-out by major web browsers and the global implementation of stricter privacy regulations, has paved the way for marketers to turn their attention to first-party and zero-party data. This shift is not merely dictated by compliance with consumer privacy regulations but is driven by a commitment to more reliable and ethical sources of customer insights.

In a nutshell, first-party data is the information you gather directly from your customers and audience. Thus, most brands have already switched to using it in building their marketing strategies, as it’s the most reliable. Still, that’s not the only reason why first-party cookies will become the new standard in 2024. Privacy regulations worldwide and the push for more ethical use of personal data will be at the forefront of this major change in digital marketing next year.

As privacy regulations multiply, the marketing landscape will witness a cascade of enforcement actions. Governments, led by the European Union, are expanding their focus on consumer privacy, with more states in the U.S. adopting legislation akin to the California Consumer Privacy Act. 2024 is likely to see an escalation of fines and an increased investment by companies in privacy compliance tools, adding complexity to marketing measurement and reinforcing the significance of first-party data.

So, to address this changing dynamic, we’d advise you not to build your marketing campaign around third-party cookies, as they will most probably disappear entirely within several months. 

Time to build your strategy

Now you know what to expect from the digital marketing landscape in 2024. It’s time to build your strategy around the ever changing customer behavior and the brand-new players who only recently joined the consumer audience. With the growing economic input by Gen Z, digital marketing is bound to follow their behavior closely. Still, as they are still young, their behavior is not yet cemented, as they will evolve both in preferences and taste. 

Regardless, as fluid as digital marketing is, talking about predictions for more than 12 months at a time is pointless. So, for now, stick to these eight trends, and you are bound to grow your business. 

Naturally, regardless of how good your digital marketing strategy is, if your website’s infrastructure is poor, nothing can help you. Imagine having the perfect campaign that attracts hundreds of thousands of potential customers only to lose about 70% because your website takes ages to load. Then, you lose another 10-15% due to a server breakdown and another 10% because you lack the proper security. Speed, reliability, and security are the three pillars of your website that can make or break your success. 

HostArmada offers you a cost-efficient solution for all three main pillars. Each one of our plans offers lightning-fast website load speed, top-of-the-line security features, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Remember, your digital marketing strategy is only as good as your hosting company allows it to be. So, check out our plans and choose the one that will fit your needs perfectly.

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While this doesn’t seem like a big deal at first glance, in fact, Christmas decoration has a huge impact on customers’ behavior. In other words, these God-awful Mariah Carey songs actually boost profits. Now you might be thinking, why not add these ear tortures to your website as well if it’s so profitable? Well, consider how intrusive they are while you are in a store, and then think of how your audience will react if their speakers suddenly start blasting, “All I want for Christmas is you.” Yes, not the best idea. 

Still, some Christmas decoration on your website is not only recommended, but a must if you want to capture at least part of the massive Christmas spending. So, today, at the start of December, we’ve gathered the best Christmas plugins that will bring holiday cheer to your website and boost your sales and profits as a result. 

How does that work?

The Christmas spirit is not just a myth. Several research studies over the years have proven that people react positively to Christmas decorations, resulting in approximately $1000 on average spending on Christmas shopping alone. About 64.9% of this spending is dedicated to gifts for family, friends, and coworkers. It stands to reason that you will buy Christmas gifts from a decorated place, which gives special attention to the holiday. Not that you are keen on listening to Wham, but rather because your brain follows the path of least resistance. Shopping during the Christmas holidays is stressful, and your brain instinctively pushes you to finish it as fast as you can. So, naturally, you are attracted to the places where it’s most likely to find some Christmas presents.

You might be skeptical of this method, but US holiday sales have grown each year for more than a decade. Moreover, with 96% of Americans buying gifts for their families, this trend is not about to change anytime soon. 

What about online stores?

But why would you care about what offline stores do? You are running an online store. True, but about 63% of Americans purchase their holiday gifts online. So, yeah, you need them. Moreover, there are several other factors that can persuade your audience to spend more than a few dollars on your website. For starters, the Christmas decoration on your website works on two fronts.

On the one hand, it reminds customers that they are in the season of generosity, so buying one more gift or a more expensive item is a sign of benevolence. On the other hand, they feel pressured that Christmas is around the corner, reminding them that everyone is buying gifts, so their child’s new bike may go out of stock at any moment. The famous FOMO (fear of missing out) affects rational thinking and pushes customers to buy. 

The biggest advantage of the Christmas decoration on your online store, however, is the over-stimulation your customers will experience. This results in the so-called ego depletion, which unfortunately doesn’t mean your customers become humbler. This phenomenon actually affects people’s ability to make rational decisions. So, when they see your flashy, new, colorful website look, themed after one of the most beloved holidays out there, your audience’s rational decision-making is hindered, and they are pushed to finish a purchase without feeling buyer’s remorse.

As it seems, having some decoration on your website will definitely benefit you. As a WordPress user, you’re in luck. There are a ton of plugins that will make your website as bright as a Christmas tree. So, let’s have a look at the most useful ones in WordPress’s vast library.

8 WordPress Plugins that will make your website a Christmas fairytale

WordPress, as usual, has hundreds of plugins dedicated to making your website more festive. Many of them work fine. However, only a few can help you achieve the main goal of giving your website a Christmas makeover. We gathered our favorite 8, which are stunning and will help you achieve the already-explained customer response. 

Snow Storm

Let’s start with the basics. If the name is not revealing enough, this plugin will add a romantic snowfall to your website. This way, you can sing to your customers, “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but our prices are so delightful,” or “Baby, it’s cold outside.” Jokes aside, this small touch will add a nice feeling to your website and make it season-appropriate. 

The plugin itself is highly customizable. You can adjust the color of the snowflakes, how intensive the snowfall is, and the animation interval. You can also enable some additional effects like Melt and Twinkle. Finally, you can even make the snow start gathering at the bottom of the window, which is an excellent touch. 

This is truly an essential plugin, so you can use it on pretty much all sorts of websites, regardless of whether you are monetizing by e-commerce or otherwise. 

Rocket Fireworks

This one is for those focusing on the New Year’s event. For example, if your primary audience is non-Christian, it stands to reason you’d want to showcase the New Year Celebration.  

This relatively lightweight plugin adds a fairly basic but highly effective fireworks animation. As discussed, this will overwhelm the customer’s senses and throw them into ego depletion. The best part of this lightweight plugin is that it’s straightforward to set up, and even if you are new to WordPress, you can add it without any hassle.

Once installed, it will blast multicolor fireworks directly on your website, making it festive and extremely attractive. 

Christmas Greetings

This is perhaps the best plugin to enhance your relationship with your customers. Essentially, this plugin will display greetings and messages to your audience. There are only a few customizations available, but they are quite enough to spread cheer and make your customers feel warm and fuzzy. But what’s a Christmas wish without a Christmas present? That’s why Christmas Greetings allows you to stick promotions to store products or coupons with Woo-commerce. Now that’s a genuine early Christmas gift. Naturally, you can personalize the messages, depending on what data you gather from your customers. 

This plugin is designed for e-commerce users who want to enhance their communication with their customers and offer some promotions with an unmistakable Christmas vibe. 

MMX – Make me Christmas

When it comes to making your website Christmasy, MMX is the full package. It’s an all-in-one Christmas plugin that offers header, body, and footer options. You will be able to cheer your audience with snowmen, snowfall, various types of garlands, Christmas trees, stockings, and presents. There are ten types of Christmas hangings. 

The best part is how easy it is to set up, and it comes with great features. The bad thing is that if you want access to the best, you will have to pay a small amount. Still, it’s not a huge price for spreading some cheer. 

Xmas Lights

This is another low-key Christmas decoration for your website. Essentially, you can add a string of holiday lights to welcome your visitors over the holidays. This neutral celebratory plugin will be effective for business owners with a culturally mixed audience. It does remind you of Christmas, but it doesn’t shove it in your face. 

The plugin is seamless to set up, as all you need to do is install the plugin. There are no additional settings or any other complications. The best part is that these Christmas lights are a great attention grabber without insisting on your attention per se. 

Random Christmas Fact Widget

This is among the more interesting and cultivated holiday plugins. It attracts attention not only with vision but also with exciting content. Essentially, the plugin displays one of 40 random Christmas facts in your sidebar. Each time a user refreshes the website, they will get a new fact. 

When installed, the widget will appear without any CSS formatting so that it can blend perfectly with your website’s style. 

This is an excellent way to grab attention and push your customers to interact with your website. Still, you will have to use a theme with a sidebar to use this plugin. Still, it’s perfect for all sorts of websites, regardless of their functionalities and aims. 

Christmasify

If you want to give your visitors the Christmas market experience, then Christmas is definitely the plugin for you. You can add snow, music, flying Santas, Christmas decorations for your images, and Christmas hangings. You can do this only on your home page or all across your website. The only thing missing will be the sweet aroma of eggnog, but you can always add one as a present in each order. 

The best part is that the plugin is compatible with CSS3 animation, and you can use it through a JavaScript snippet. On top of that, it’s lightweight, easy to use and free. What more can you need? 

Santa Press

Finally, we have what’s, in our opinion, the creme de la creme of Christmas plugins – SantaPress. This plugin offers individual advent calendars on your website. This way, you can give small but meaningful gifts to your customers each day. Naturally, this will stimulate customers to come back every day until Christmas just to get their small presents. In terms of this, it will build brand loyalty, and as usual, the longer someone stays on your website, the higher the chances of them buying something. 

The plugin is masterfully designed and offers eight distinct and stunning layouts. To top it all off, Santa Press also includes various features like Snowfall, WooCommerce integration, hidden mode, external links, and others. If you want to add to the fun, you can even introduce a quiz, which your audience will have to fill out if they’re going to get the price of the day. Santa Press truly gives your website a holiday spirit. 

So, think of 23 small prices that are relevant to your business. They might be small discounts, a special offer, 2 for one coupon, or anything in between. It all depends on your business and what you are ready to give. The rest is up to Santa Press.  

The only downside is that this outstanding plugin is paid, and you will have to prepare around $40 to get it. Still, it’s well worth the price.  

What to avoid

As you can see, you can make your website a genuinely stunning place. Still, there are some things you might want to avoid. For starters, don’t overdo it. Making your website practically a user’s nightmare just because you want to be more flashy, will be counterproductive. So, avoid rapidly flashing lights, as they may cause physical harm to some groups.

Moreover, don’t overuse religious symbols, especially if you are targeting not-so-religious communities. Yes, Christmas is celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. Still, it’s also a family holiday, celebrated by people who don’t go to church every Sunday but instead are only brought up in the Christmas traditions. 

Next, be sure to know your audience. For example, if you are advertising to Muslim or Jewish communities, Christian religious symbols won’t do you much good. Instead, opt for celebrating the new year, as this tradition is universal across the entire world (well, maybe not China, which has its own thing going on). 

Finally, don’t destroy your user experience by adding heavy plugins that will compromise your loading speed. After all, nothing is more important than your website’s load time, as a 1-second delay will cost you significantly. 

So, if you want to make your website into a Christmas fairytale, you need a robust, fast, and secure hosting service. 

HostArmada is just that. We offer lightning-fast load speed, robust security, and 99.9% uptime, making your website the best place to shop this Christmas. Check out our plans and give yourself, your website, and your customers the gift you undoubtedly deserve.

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