#Google is constantly looking to create a better user experience. To do this, Google uses special algorithms that looks at a plethora of factors to determine your website’s #SEO ranking. In terms of being found, SEO is everything to your business. Consider this: Google owns 68% of the search engine market. With a market share like that, it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye out for potential changes in their SEO factors. On August 6, 2014, Google announced on its Webmaster Central Blog that #HTTPS was now being used as a ranking signal. It’s not all that surprising considering the ever increasing demand for internet security. HTTPS isn’t going to make or break your business now, since it is only considered a “lightweight signal” affecting less than 1% of global queries. But, we expect the demand for secure sites to increase over the next couple of years. But, what is HTTPS exactly and how is it any different than HTTP? HTTPS is the acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. That’s a lot of fancy words that boil down to the fact that HTTPS is simply a secure version of #HTTP. HTTPS is a secure way to make transactions on the web. Similarly, #SSL stands for Secure Sockets Locket, which is essentially a protocol that provides secure connections for transmitting files. You don’t use SSL to encrypt a file, you use it to encrypt the connection that files are sent over. So, listen up eCommerce sites. Without that fancy little S at the end, you could be putting all of your clients at risk. Not to mention, you are likely losing business from shoppers savvy enough to realize that entering any banking information including credit cards and debit card numbers into an unsecure sight is like screaming your social security number in the middle of a crowded mall for everyone to hear. We are in a day and age where it is so important to have a handle on your digital security. Searchmetrics had already considered HTTPS as a ranking factor for SEO in its 2014 Ranking Factors Study. But, upon closer inspection, SEO visibility between HTTP and HTTPS increased at the same rate. IT was concluded that there was no relationship to date between HTTPS and ranking. It is possible that Google hasn’t implemented the HTTPS signal just yet. So, even though having an HTTP site won’t tear your SEO down, it could have more and more of an impact in the future as Google starts to increase its importance and as internet users begin to realize how critical it is for their own digital safety to only interact with HTTPS sites when it comes to making purchases. Even more than that, supporting an HTTPS certificate on your site helps to give your business that one step up when it comes to looking professional. If you need help converting your site from HTTP to HTTPS, or if you see that your site needs a little SEO love, #DesignDivaCreations can help. For a price quote, contact Sandra Templeton at: http://bit.ly/connect-with-design-diva or call us at: (954) 237-1269. For more on the difference between HTTP and HTTPS, see: http://onforb.es/1Clfa64. ...read more

Newsletter ?#?EmailOptimization? is important if you are looking to build your list and boost your open and click through rates. If you are using a provider, make sure you check to see if they are ?#?email? optimized. Mobile email is quickly becoming the norm and has slightly edged out desktop email usage with 51% of users choosing to use mobile email instead. So, it’s important that your email newsletter provider is using a mobile responsive template, otherwise, you might be missing out on a little more than half of your readers. So, why aren’t more people opening your newsletters? It may be that your email doesn’t actually make it into your reader’s inbox. There are three variables that helps to determine if your ?#?newsletter? even makes it through. Each variable is weighted by a percentage of importance for each: 77% Sender Reputation 17% Links 6% Content It’s insane to spend all this time on amazing content when a low Sender Reputation might hold it up before it even gets to your reader’s inbox. So, make sure your Sender Reputation is top notch before you even start. You can verify your Sender Reputation by going to senderscore.org to obtain your Sender Reputation score. Once you’ve got your Sender Reputation squared away, check your newsletter and what it looks like on Mobile. It’s always ideal to check on as many different devices as you have access to. Pay particular attention to your title. Titles generally cut off at about 45-50 characters. Also note that the body of the email generally only shows the first 100 characters. With programs like MailChimp®, you can send out a test email before finalizing your newsletter. Keep the following 5 tips in mind for your next newsletter campaign: 1. The subject line is crucial, it should be what the newsletter is about and not be misleading. Don’t use words like free, act now, coupons, click now or open immediately. It could lower your sender score. 2. Use merge tags to personalize the To: field. 3. The content should be clean and free of code errors. It should be free of spammy words mentioned in #1. Also, never copy and paste content from Microsoft® Word to MailChimp®. Make sure to run it through a program such as notepad to strip the code before pasting into MailChimp®. 4. Some spam filters check your IP against the blacklisted IP ranges. So, unfortunately if someone in the range is spamming, your legitimate messages can be trapped in the filters too. 5. Make sure to use an email address using your company domain name. Ask your subscribers to add your email address to their address books so you emails will go through. Use this request in your subscription confirmation and welcome screens. ...read more

Like Facebook, #Google is continuously implementing new changes that are intended to benefit the user. With Google’s new algorithm update, Pigeon, Google is looking to provide more accurate local search results. This in theory is a good thing for an increasingly mobile-based audience. Instead, #Pigeon makes it even harder for small businesses to be found. That’s interesting considering that Google claims to be looking out for the interests of small business owners. Search results used to be ranked by locations closest to the user’s physical location. However, with the new #algorithm update, Google determines rankings by more than just location. Google now takes into account several additional variables including: a business’ website SEO rankings. In theory, this is great. But, that also means big brands like Yelp, Angies’s List, and TripAdvisor comes out on top. Why? Because these companies have the money to throw at advertising, marketing, and list building, and SEO. These companies are able to essentially buy traffic. Before Pigeon, small businesses could compete with these brands through a simple factor: prime location. This leaves small businesses with decreased organic traffic and the user with limited selections. For five tips to regain your lost local search traffic, see: http://dmreg.co/Z9Pyua Just another pesky feature to be aware of in the ever changing digital landscape. But, don’t let it get you down just yet. It is a relatively new algorithm that Google will continue to hone. The point is, the digital universe is a complex and ever-changing realm. If you are not staying on top of the trends and how things are evolving, your business will feel it. Never fear fellow #divadolls, we are always on the lookout for the changes on the horizon and are constantly evolving our strategies to ensure we are able to provide you with the highest quality product and to better serve your needs to keep your site running in tip-top shape. To sign up for a website strategy consult with Design Diva Creations, see: http://bit.ly/1wL2OjN. ...read more

If you plan on keeping up with your competition, it is critical that you keep up with the latest #trends in #technology. It’s not just about knowing what the trends are though, it’s about seeing beyond the current or proposed use and seeing ways you might be able to apply that technology to your business. This is absolutely critical to stay ahead of the curve. #Epicurious is just the latest company to jump on-board with the use of #MobileTrackingBeacons, which connect shoppers to content and discounts in the particular store they are frequenting. This is a technology becoming more and more prevalent and is an excellent outlet for targeted, timely advertising. For more on mobile tracking beacons and how companies like Epicurious are putting them to use see: http://bit.ly/P2R3UM. To keep an eye on up and coming technology and how it might soon apply to your business, sign up for #TheDivaDollGazette at: http://bit.ly/1iVRMk1 and keep an eye out for our Tech Update section. The next issue is set for release tomorrow! ...read more

Building a website takes more than just technical knowledge and design ability. Every web designer needs to understand how to build an effective road map to direct traffic. And, we aren’t talking cars, we’re talking about effective use of those nifty little navigation bars we all take for granted on every website. Those #NavigationMenus can help to provide what we in Miami call that “mi casa es su casa” feel. (Translation: my house is your house.) You have to know your audience before you decide on the best way to conduct your navigation menus. Just because there are impressively creative and different ways to go about your navigation menus doesn’t always mean you should – unless it makes sense of course. Take a methodical and intentional approach to these sort of decisions. Don’t just do something because you think it looks cool. If you have an older, less technologically inclined demographic, you would likely tend toward more traditional and straight forward navigation menus. That basically means the standard top-level horizontal bar with drop-down menus that read in plain text. Sure, maybe it is a little boring, but you are ensuring your audience can find what they need quickly and with ease. If you make things too different, you risk loosing their interest very quickly. But, say your audience IS technologically inclined. Let’s assume they may even be what we call #TrendSetters. You might go a little wild and make your drop-downs visual with pictures like #Dove does. Or, make your whole page a segmented menu like #Diesel. Just remember, with a solid purpose you can theoretically go as wild as you want. For more on the examples provided and others, see: http://bit.ly/POFgKX. Most demographics fall somewhere in between the sliding scale of traditional and extreme. So, make sure that purpose still fits in the mold of your target demographic’s way of thinking. After all, if they can’t navigate your site with speed and ease, there really is no point, you might as well lock your virtual door up and throw away the key. Happy navigating fellow #divadolls! ...read more

Building a website takes more than just technical knowledge and design ability. Every web designer needs to understand how to build an effective road map to direct traffic. And, we aren’t talking cars, we’re talking about effective use of those nifty little navigation bars we all take for granted on every website. Those #NavigationMenus can help to provide what we in Miami call that “mi casa es su casa” feel. (Translation: my house is your house.) You have to know your audience before you decide on the best way to conduct your navigation menus. Just because there are impressively creative and different ways to go about your navigation menus doesn’t always mean you should – unless it makes sense of course. Take a methodical and intentional approach to these sort of decisions. Don’t just do something because you think it looks cool. If you have an older, less technologically inclined demographic, you would likely tend toward more traditional and straight forward navigation menus. That basically means the standard top-level horizontal bar with drop-down menus that read in plain text. Sure, maybe it is a little boring, but you are ensuring your audience can find what they need quickly and with ease. If you make things too different, you risk loosing their interest very quickly. But, say your audience IS technologically inclined. Let’s assume they may even be what we call #TrendSetters. You might go a little wild and make your drop-downs visual with pictures like #Dove does. Or, make your whole page a segmented menu like #Diesel. Just remember, with a solid purpose you can theoretically go as wild as you want. For more on the examples provided and others, see: http://bit.ly/POFgKX. Most demographics fall somewhere in between the sliding scale of traditional and extreme. So, make sure that purpose still fits in the mold of your target demographic’s way of thinking. After all, if they can’t navigate your site with speed and ease, there really is no point, you might as well lock your virtual door up and throw away the key. Happy navigating fellow #divadolls! ...read more

Are you a #businessowner? Are you struggling with your online #webpresence? Let Design Diva Creations show you the way. Our Founder and CEO, Sandra Templeton will walk you through all the ins-and-outs of what you need to know, how to effectively #brand, build your list and she'll answers any questions you may have. Sessions fill up fast, so sign up now at http://bit.ly/1fRFN3x. ...read more

3D printing is sure to become the next great technology we can’t live without. We suspect that 3D printing will become much like the internet, cars, televisions, and coffee machines – indispensable. And, just like the internet, the 3D printer will surely change the landscape of business once the prices begin to level out and this technology becomes more and more accessible to the everyday consumer. Think about it: access to your own personal 3D printer could theoretically open up the door to an unending realm of possibilities like affordable healthcare. Imagine a world where there are no wait lists for organs and you download and print your own heart or lung replacement. For more on this already very real concept see: http://bit.ly/1csHtG6. But, it doesn’t stop there! Imagine you need a new spark plug for your car, the latest iPhone design, or dare I say…a sandwich (Star Trek called that one long ago)! Imagine being able to print all of that and more. The concept is simple: you download a design (presumably for a fee) or create your own design and you can now mass produce your own promotional coffee mugs, key chains, clothing, etc… The 3D printer will forever change the outlook of the modern consumer. The basic economics of supply and demand might be rattled. Are you ready for this brave new world of business? Leap Frog is already producing personal 3D printers at a fairly reasonable cost to the average consumer. And, these prices are sure to continue to drop making this technology more and more accessible. Lookout world, here we come! ...read more

In the grand scheme of things you need to eventually come to the realization that you can’t be like your competitor. No. Instead,#DareToBeDifferent! Don’t just be great, be fantastic and fascinating. This is where it is important that your business has a niche or an area that you specialize in and do exceptionally well in. You want this area to define your business and to use it as leverage in your#brandingand#marketingefforts. You want your niche to be what sets you apart from your competition. Daring to be different will make your message more exciting. Think about every newsletter you have seen. For the most part everyone seems to follow a template. Boring! That’s great to get you started, but at some point you need to break the mold in order to intrigue your audience. Change up the titles, offer content that breaks the mold of your competition, and brand, brand, brand to make it you. We took that into account when designing#TheDivaDollsGazette, our first newsletter for Design Diva Creations. Sign up today to see what we mean athttp://bit.ly/1bYkodXOur first newsletter is set to release March 5th. ...read more

Our hearts go out to the Parker family. The “godfather” of the Helvetica font died Sunday at the age of 84. Though many people overlook the complexities of font design, a lot of consideration goes into the emotional responses each font style elicits. But, Helvetica is the cornerstone of font design – almost impossible to ignore. In fact, so impossible to ignore that a movie was made about it in 2007: A documentary called “Helvetica”. Think about it: BMW, Target, American Apparel, and Mattel are all very different companies with one thing in common: They use the Helvetica font in their logos. You see Helvetica everywhere from subway stops in New York, house numbers, and tax forms. Although Mike Parker wasn’t the actual designer of the font, he played an important role in what he called the “firm” quality of the font and how the spaces between the characters “just hold the letters”. Mike Parker served as the director of the typographic development of Mergenthaler Linotype Companyy. He oversaw the development of the font. During his time with the company, more than 1,000 typefaces, including Helvetica, were added to the companies library which became an industry standard. For more information on Mike Parker, see http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/27/tech/web/Helvetica-typographer-dies/. Rest in Peace Mike Parker (1929-2014) ...read more

Our hearts go out to the Parker family. The “godfather” of the Helvetica font died Sunday at the age of 84. Though many people overlook the complexities of font design, a lot of consideration goes into the emotional responses each font style elicits. But, Helvetica is the cornerstone of font design – almost impossible to ignore. In fact, so impossible to ignore that a movie was made about it in 2007: A documentary called “Helvetica”. Think about it: BMW, Target, American Apparel, and Mattel are all very different companies with one thing in common: They use the Helvetica font in their logos. You see Helvetica everywhere from subway stops in New York, house numbers, and tax forms. Although Mike Parker wasn’t the actual designer of the font, he played an important role in what he called the “firm” quality of the font and how the spaces between the characters “just hold the letters”. Mike Parker served as the director of the typographic development of Mergenthaler Linotype Companyy. He oversaw the development of the font. During his time with the company, more than 1,000 typefaces, including Helvetica, were added to the companies library which became an industry standard. For more information on Mike Parker, see http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/27/tech/web/Helvetica-typographer-dies/. Rest in Peace Mike Parker (1929-2014) ...read more

#Pantone recently announced their color of the year: Radiant Orchid.  So, expect to see this soft#purpleand other similar variations pop up in fashion, weddings, interior design, and who knows maybe even web design this year.#ColorOfTheYear ...read more

Do you know your shopping cart ABCs? You go through a lot of effort to get your site in tip top shape; it should be no different for the#checkoutexperience on your site. A – ALWAYS#proofreadyour shopping cart entries. This means more than just checking spelling – no doubt still extremely important. In this case, we mean making sure that the pictures matches the description and the pricing is up to date. We have seen a few hilarious mishaps in our online shopping experiences. One particularly bad instance was an entry with a picture of a juicer and the description for a DVD player. Although this gave us a good laugh, our confidence in our potential purchase was long gone at that point. Needless to say neither a juicer OR a DVD player was bought. B – BEWARE of site inconsistencies. If you put a lot of effort into branding your site a pristine boutique, then your shopping cart experience should match. Make the transition absolutely seamless. If it is one message we hope to spread to all of our fellow#DivaDollsit’s that#consistencyin design and branding is absolutely critical. You want your customers to know without a doubt that they are paroozing through your brand. Payment processes that give the customer the feeling of a#redirect(or that they have shopped at your site but are paying through another) often causes loss of potential revenue. That also means making the purchase transition clear and seamless. Your site must play the role of the sales associate and walk customers through the transaction. Keep the shopping cart icon in the same place on every screen (your customers will be more likely to click it when they don’t have to search for it). Keep the shipping forms concise, the buttons visible, and provide clear instruction. C – Currency is key. Be generous in the payment options you support. Be willing to accept all major credit cards and this will be a door to more business. Setting up a merchant account is easy and the fees are typically small and well worth the cost. And for those customers who don’t prefer cards, consider setting up payment options like#PayPalor#GoogleWallet. Don’t neglect providing diverse payment options because there is nothing worse than exciting a customer about your product and they get all the way to the payment option and they can’t pay. Don’t let payment barriers deny your customers the very thing your marketing efforts have convinced them they need you. Happy shopping fellow #DivaDolls! ...read more

Do you know your shopping cart ABCs? You go through a lot of effort to get your site in tip top shape; it should be no different for the#checkoutexperience on your site. A – ALWAYS#proofreadyour shopping cart entries. This means more than just checking spelling – no doubt still extremely important. In this case, we mean making sure that the pictures matches the description and the pricing is up to date. We have seen a few hilarious mishaps in our online shopping experiences. One particularly bad instance was an entry with a picture of a juicer and the description for a DVD player. Although this gave us a good laugh, our confidence in our potential purchase was long gone at that point. Needless to say neither a juicer OR a DVD player was bought. B – BEWARE of site inconsistencies. If you put a lot of effort into branding your site a pristine boutique, then your shopping cart experience should match. Make the transition absolutely seamless. If it is one message we hope to spread to all of our fellow#DivaDollsit’s that#consistencyin design and branding is absolutely critical. You want your customers to know without a doubt that they are paroozing through your brand. Payment processes that give the customer the feeling of a#redirect(or that they have shopped at your site but are paying through another) often causes loss of potential revenue. That also means making the purchase transition clear and seamless. Your site must play the role of the sales associate and walk customers through the transaction. Keep the shopping cart icon in the same place on every screen (your customers will be more likely to click it when they don’t have to search for it). Keep the shipping forms concise, the buttons visible, and provide clear instruction. C – Currency is key. Be generous in the payment options you support. Be willing to accept all major credit cards and this will be a door to more business. Setting up a merchant account is easy and the fees are typically small and well worth the cost. And for those customers who don’t prefer cards, consider setting up payment options like#PayPalor#GoogleWallet. Don’t neglect providing diverse payment options because there is nothing worse than exciting a customer about your product and they get all the way to the payment option and they can’t pay. Don’t let payment barriers deny your customers the very thing your marketing efforts have convinced them they need you. Happy shopping fellow #DivaDolls! ...read more

Hey#divadolls, here are 4 great ways to increase your#seoand#pagerankingon your website, check them out. 1. When you are creating a blog post on your website, if WordPress is set to use your post title as your page title, it will automatically put a dash between each word of the title, better known as a permalink. Select edit on the permalink, try to use only two to three words. Do not leave it as post title, they are usually way too long. If your article represents your keywords in your website, that is even better. This will increase your page to rank better in the#searchengines. 2. Ensure your content is well written and includes your keywords (not just one word). Example: WordPress customized websites 3. Post your blogs on google+ in addition to other social media efforts. Don’t just come to the conclusion, it’s on my blog, they will find it. Put it on social media, so you are driving traffic to your website. #Google+ automatically adds a hash tag to your post on Google+. Have you noticed that? So if you put it in Google+ first, it will show up quicker in search results, because Google owns it, right? The Diva Dolls say: absolutely. Score one for the diva dolls. 4. Don’t forget to put your meta description tag to use. This creates a compelling description tag a searcher will definitely want to check out. Did you find this helpful, let us know by leaving us a comment. ...read more