Guest Post
How to Increase Awareness and Generate Leads with Local SEO
The rise of Local SEO has made it easier for businesses to increase brand awareness and generate leads through search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Unlike conventional searches, local ones include a “where” component such as an address or city. Search engines are now prioritizing local businesses in these searches, providing opportunities for those businesses to reach a larger audience. Plus, investing in local search rankings doesn’t require a large financial investment, making it a cost-effective marketing tool. The Google Places feature is the primary tool for local search marketing on the web and is largely free. Bing and Yahoo also offer local business listings. Business websites should be optimized for geo-targeted keywords.
Introduction
Your business has powerful partners that are working hard to help you increase brand awareness and generate new leads. Are you taking advantage of Google, Yahoo, and Bing’s new focus on Local SEO?
What is Local vs. Conventional Search?
Local search queries differ from conventional searches in that you are adding a “where” component, such as an address, a city, or a zipcode, to the “what” component (keyword, product, service, etc) that you are looking for. For years, these searches have often been dominated by national competitors: large directory sites with thousands of pages and other non-local SEO powerhouses. Now, the game has changed, and search engines want to feature your local business, your products, and your services.
Those companies without a local presence are finding it harder and harder to compete for these valuable search queries – searches that are increasingly being performed from smartphones and other mobile devices by consumers who are immediately looking to make a purchase.
Why the focus on Local SEO?
Consumers have always been in need of local products and services. What’s changed is their behavior and the tools they use to perform local searches. Traditionally, local directories like the Yellow Pages, along with newspapers and local magazines, supplied this information, but the digital age has changed all that. Computers and search engines have replaced the Yellow Pages and increasingly, smartphones and other mobile devices are your computers. When was the last time you picked up a copy of the Yellow Pages to order food or look for a local service or product?
What’s currently happening online is that many sites are battling the search engines for your local attention. While Google is still dominant (and has been since rolling out Google Maps in 2004), the landscape has changed: in addition to Yahoo! and Bing, many new local options like FourSquare, Yelp, Merchant Circle, and Urban Spoon are giving consumers what they want – reviews and feedback on local merchants and their services or products.
All of this focus on local search means that now is the perfect time to roll out a local SEO strategy and grow your business.
Cost a Concern? Local SEO is Budget Friendly
It is possible to achieve great local search rankings without a large SEO investment – as long as you are willing to invest the time. Local business listings, when optimized, can quickly achieve first-page exposure and will outperform expensive, traditional advertising.
Study after study illustrates that organic search traffic converts at a higher rate than most other marketing channels. Consumers are actively seeking you out – this makes search marketing much more effective than traditional “interruption” marketing.
The Great Equalizer
Google’s focus on local businesses has resulted in a dramatic change in search results compared to the past. Geo-targeted searches return Google Maps listings that level the playing field for small businesses that have one huge edge over national competitors: a local address.
Without that all-important street address, it makes little difference how much money these companies throw at SEO. You can rank well and get in front of potential customers when and where they are shopping. This makes local search one of your most powerful tools for building brand awareness and establishing credibility and authority.
There’s an App for That – Local and Mobile
Whether you’re an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry user, one thing is clear– the user experience on mobile puts everything at your fingertips. Apps that tie into Google Maps or other local listings will often eliminate search listings altogether and only pull from these niche listings. Your business details, reviews, and driving directions are at your customers’ fingertips, and the only way you miss out is if you aren’t listed locally.
Local Search and Google
Google Local Success Starts with Google Places
Google Places is the #1 place for local search marketing on the Web, and it’s largely free. Google Places gives your business visibility to potential customers even if you don’t have a website. More than likely, you have seen Google Places listings recently when you have searched for services or products in a specific city. People performing these types of searchers are HOT buyers and they want to buy locally. Google realized this and has slowly transitioned Google Places into a powerful tool for local search.
Keep in Mind that Google Places is not a Directory
Google Places displays listings as ranked by a mathematical formula (algorithm). So, your business may not always appear on the same keyword search in the same order or even in the same category day-to-day. Google states that:
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“Changes are automated and impartial.”
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“Having a correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date listing is the most effective way to ensure the best possible ranking.”
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“Google Maps ranks business listings based on their relevance to the search terms entered, along with geographic distance (where indicated) and other factors. Sometimes our search technology decides that a business that’s farther away from your location is more likely to have what you’re looking for than a business that’s closer.”
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“Google Maps and Google Places are a free service, so there’s no way to request or pay for a better ranking. We also can’t provide additional details about our ranking algorithm. We do our best to keep the details of the algorithm confidential in order to make the ranking system as fair as possible for everyone.”
The Evolution of Google Places
In September 2004, Google launched its “Google Local” business listings with maps. “Google Maps,” a more extended mapping feature, was launched in April 2005, featuring “satellite view” and directions, and quickly that was merged together to form “Google Places.”
Integration with Organic Search Listings
For many years, Google Places listings have dominated local search results and you are probably very familiar with the “7-pack” search results, which display a local map and the top 7 local businesses corresponding to your keyword query. These results frustrated many companies’ local SEO efforts because they pushed companies with great organic search ranks far down page 1 (best case) and onto the second page (worst case).
Enter the “0-Pack”
November 2010 ushered in a dramatic new look and feel for many local search results, one which integrated the “7 pack” results with their corresponding organic search results.
This new look can now be found in many markets, as can the traditional 7-pack results, which don’t appear to be phasing out entirely.
What You Need to Know: The Zero-pack emphasizes the importance of optimizing both your Google Places listing as well as your organic listing – local companies with a focus on each seem to have the edge right now. Here’s a snapshot of this new look:
As you can see, Google’s new layout gives businesses significantly more exposure than the 7-pack layout. Plus, the new results take up more real estate, which further spotlights the 3-4 optimized listings that rank near the top.
So how do you ensure that top ranking? Let’s discuss that now.
Building a Powerful Google Places Listing
Listen to Google. Google provides you with concise directions on how to build your business’s places page. Before you begin, there are a few things you should understand that will help ensure that Google Places is having maximum Local SEO impact.
Consistency – Conventional SEO puts a high premium on having the proper keywords in place…for good reason. Google Places does give you plenty of opportunities to tell visitors what search terms your business relates to but you also need to ensure that your business information is consistent with the contact information (address, phone, URL, etc) found on your primary domain AND any citation sites. Google needs to be able to trust you, and when they see consistent business information across multiple sources, it helps.
Completion – Complete your Google Places listing. So many businesses go halfway and provide the bare minimum, but a thorough, complete Google Places listing will rank better and provide a stronger user experience. This means photos, videos, and coupons – Google allows you to include a lot of information, and remember: It’s ALL FREE.
Citations – To Google, citations equate to trust in the same way backlinks do. Citations are loosely defined as a link from an authoritative source or directory, review site, or local pages directory. Citation links help establish trust with Google through the validation of business information. Be sure that all citations accurately represent your business address, phone, URL, and other pertinent information (as mentioned above in the category section).
Note: Be sure to check out our citation source list in the conclusion section
Here is a quick rundown of what an effective Google Places listing entails:
Business Name
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Represent your business in the exact same way that it appears offline.
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Save taglines, phone numbers, or URLs for their appropriate place. Inclusion here might appear as an attempt to manipulate results.
Business Location
The location appears to play a key role in the places algorithm. Follow these guidelines carefully:
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Use the exact same street-level address that you should have listed in the footer section of your website. Consistency is key.
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Keep in mind that this needs to be a physical address, not a P.O. Box.
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One is listing per physical business location – even if you operate in a larger service area. Don’t worry – you can designate your service areas separately.
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Do you have multiple specialties in the same office? Create a listing for your offices and a separate listing for each practitioner. According to Google’s standards, this should not appear manipulative.
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Remember, this is about trust and consistency across many different information sources; if your address is somewhat rural or miles away from a city’s “epicenter” zip code, you might be tempted to list just the city name.
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Multiple business locations? Create listings for each!
Website and Phone
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Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location as directly as possible, and provide one website that represents your individual business location.
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Your phone number SHOULD be a local number for maximum impact.
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Also, know that you should not select the “verify listing by phone” option if you use an automated phone system. Google’s system can only provide your verification PIN to a live person or voicemail.
Categories
Here is where your keywords will come into play.
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Keep in mind that Google Places categories should say what your business IS, not what it does. For example, If you are a law firm, that is your category. Not “personal injury attorney.”
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Google will provide category suggestions – you can override these and create your own, but the inclusion of location keywords will appear as an attempt to manipulate the listings.
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Get as specific as you can within categories. Say you have a book store; try to choose a specific category like “college books store, “comic books,” “used book store,” “new books,” or “rare and antique books.”
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Also, check and correct listings for your business on citation sites such as YellowPages.com and SuperPages.com because Google aggregates information about your business from another website to determine under what categories and for what keywords your Google Places business listing appears.
Advanced Tips – Reviews
Customer reviews will usually appear with your Google business listing. It’s smart to have customers and colleagues create Google Maps reviews for your business.
Positive reviews are a powerful motivating factor for Google users deciding which business to buy from. First, your reviewer must locate your business in Google Maps, click “More info,” and then click “Write a review,” then write the review, choose a rating, and click “Save.”
Important note: They must be logged into their Google Account to write a review. If they’re not logged in they’ll be prompted to either sign in or create a Google Account. Their Google Account nickname will appear next to the review.
Google also pulls reviews in from 3rd party resources – this means those reviews can create incredible exposure for your brand. This can be a double-edged sword, though and many businesses have experienced problems with inaccurate or unjustified negative reviews.
Google advises, “If you’re concerned about a review that was submitted through Google Maps, click the Flag as inappropriate link found under the review and submit a report. If we find that the review is in violation of our Google Maps policies, we’ll remove it. Some reviews found on Maps listings are created on third-party websites such as Yelp, CitySearch, Yahoo, and Trip Advisor. If you feel that a review from a third-party site is inaccurate, you would have to express your concerns to the webmaster of the site where the review was posted. If the review is removed from the third-party website, the change will also be reflected on Google.”
Yahoo and Bing Local
Yahoo Local (only available in the U.S.)
Much like Google Places, Yahoo offers a thorough local business listing that is tied directly into their search engine. Unlike Google, Yahoo’s local listings are not tied to a local area map.
If you are using Yahoo for local searches in the U.S., it is likely that you will see local directory results. Unlike Google, Yahoo offers a free basic listing but withholds many extended features for their “enhanced” listings which cost $9.95/mo.
The free basic listing is limited to the following:
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Contact information: phone, website, address
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Hours of operation
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Products or Services
Enhanced listings include the above plus:
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Your logo and tagline
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Up to 10 company photos
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Detailed business description
Like Google, Yahoo integrates reviews from many different social networks and includes them in your local listing under a tab entitled “web reviews.” Yahoo also indexes review content, which makes keyword-friendly reviews a powerful ally – review content alone can literally help position you above your competition when local search results are returned. Be sure to create or claim your Yahoo local listing – oftentimes, the traffic here will convert very well. Yes, the volume pales in comparison to Google in most markets, but it’s still a great free resource for your business.
Bing Local
Bing’s local listings now run through the Bing Business Portal and are tied to a map feature that is very similar to Google Maps. Bing’s search volume has grown, and many customers prefer Bing exclusively… registering with Bing’s Business Portal will ensure that you are capturing the attention of these non-Google web prospects.
Within the Business Portal, you can:
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Claim, create, verify, and manage local business listings
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Identify key search categories where you want your listing to appear
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Customize listings with enhanced details such as logos, photos, and more
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Create a mobile Website (and free QR Code) so customers can learn about your business on their mobile devices
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Create a custom menu (restaurants and bars) for inclusion on a mobile menu
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Create Deals (coupons) and promote them for free on Bing (both PC and Mobile) and Facebook
Bing’s listings also include testimonials and reviews from 3rd party sites like citysearch.com and Yelp. Make these reviews a high priority. Don’t be afraid to ask for them! Trust and credibility are key components to your online success. The popularity of Yelp and other aggregator sites means that one positive review can carry significant weight across many different sites.
Note: The mobile website offering makes the Bing offering a great resource – one that you will want to take advantage of to round out your local SEO strategy.
Your Website
While local listings on various search engines have been emphasized, it is important to highlight that your business website needs to be optimized for your geo-targeted keywords. Standard SEO practices apply here, and try to include your city or regional keywords in:
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Your URL
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Page Titles
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Meta Description
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H1 and H2 tags
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Throughout your site content
Refrain from keyword stuffing
Google hates it, and so do your site visitors. It’s easy enough to convey to both your readership and the search engines what your various pages are about without entering “black hat” SEO territory.
Are you blogging?
Blogging is a great way to increase your local ranking. It is easy for local businesses to include geo-specific keywords in posts about current events, local government policies, or business interests. You can even add these keywords to your tags and create categories. Again, just make sure that you are writing FOR YOUR READERS and not causing harm by adding blog posts or categories that are geo-targeted but confusing.
Link Building Locally
Local link-building opportunities abound – as long as you know how to find local sites. Here are some of the most obvious ways to build links locally:
1. Use Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn communities will help you network and find likeminded people who would be willing to link to your site
2. Associations and Organization – are you a member of the Chamber of Commerce? Better Business Bureau? Local organizations like these will link back to your site and help search engines trust you as a local authority site. Don’t stop there – can you think of other local groups you are affiliated with? Credentialed by?
3. Query Local Blogs and Websites – you might live in an area populated by great local sites and blogs that you can tap into. Links from these sites establish the local trust that the search engines look for, so comment with links, offer to guest post, or request a link for a valuable “local resource.” To find sites like this, simply search for:
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Your City + “Blog” or “News”
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Your Zip Code + “Blog” or “News”
4. Directories – finding local directories should also be easy. Use search queries such as:
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Your City + “Directory “
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Your Zip Code + “Directory “
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Your Neighborhood + “Directory “
You can even do a statewide query for directories like this – you get the picture.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive link-building list but a local complement to the conventional SEO that you are engaging in. Remember – content is KING! Writing valuable content will build credibility locally and not only attract Google, Yahoo and Bing but will also elevate your status as an expert with potential customers.
Congruency is Key
It’s vital that you maintain consistency in how you describe your company and list your address and other company-specific information. Your website should include your company contact information in your footer – so that the local listings that you have worked hard to build can recognize your business. The biggest reward here will be when your site and places listing populate in Google’s new “O-pack” local listings.
Conclusion and Additional Resources
By now, you should have clarity on the importance of local SEO to your business. If you are targeting customers regionally, it is in your best interest to implement a local search strategy to ensure that they find you when and where they are shopping. Most resources are free. Others are very budget-friendly, and this makes for a high ROI activity.
Start with Google Places – it will have the most impact and, as mentioned, will help your organic search efforts for dual impact. Expand from there and focus intently on getting as many citations as possible. Not only will they drive targeted traffic to your site, but they build much-needed trust.
Last but not least – Measure your strategy’s effectiveness by carefully annotating updates and new listing creations in your analytics program and measuring traffic and conversion increases. Your metrics won’t lie to you – your local SEO strategy should include many new listings, so it’s important to see which ones best suit your particular niche.
Local Citations – Here is a list of some of our favorite local citations:
1. Yelp – www.yelp.com
2. Foursquare – www.foursquare.com
3. Merchant Circle – www.merchantcircle.com
4. Judy’s Book – www.judysbook.com
5. Dex Knows – www.dexknows.com
6. Local.com – www.local.com
7. City Search – www.citysearch.com
8. Insider Pages – www.insiderpages.com
Author bio
Jamie Noel is a Marketing Manager and Internet Strategist at Ebranbz. This company specializes in SEO, pay-per-click management, social media optimization, and affiliate management. He enjoys writing about SEO, social media, web development, and IT technologies. He will give support to SEO Resellers. Follow Tari and Ebrandz on Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter to learn more!
Guest Post
React js Developer Skills – These Ingredients Make a Skilled Developer
React js Developer Skills
React js
There is no denying the fact that the IT world is dominated by a plethora of programming languages and libraries. React js is considered among the top javascript framework that has given a new meaning to front-end development and the open-source community. I guess it’s the perfect time to revisit the technology and understand why it’s so popular in the first place.
Right from simplicity to reusable components, dynamic web apps, fast rendering, SEO support, testability, and so forth are certain reasons the javascript library is used to create robust and dynamic user interfaces for web applications. Of course, the following post is not about what is react js and why the javascript library is so much in use. I am pretty sure you must have covered this part already. The post emphasizes the top skills React js developers in India must take into consideration. You see the technology itself is so popular that every budding programmer aims to excel at it. As a result, it does require a certain level of expertise, skill, and maturity to offer the best of development work. So yes eventually we will be covering the top react developer skills.
Now many of you have this misconception that Reactjs and React Native are the same. Well, Reactjs and react-native both are different. Reactjs is a Javascript library mainly used to create highly functional and complex interfaces whereas React Native offers a native feeling to your mobile applications. However, this one needs separate space and it’s a vast topic. Now without any further ado, it’s time to hire ReactJS developers tagged with a certain set of predefined skill sets and duties.
What Skills Needed to Become a Good React.js Developer? (Silo) 1
React js Developer Skills – These Ingredients Make a Skilled Developer 1
ReactJS Developer – Roles And Responsibilities towards the React Library 3
What are the Skills Required to Become a Good React Developer 4
Technical/Functional Programming Skills 5
JavaScript Fundamentals + ES6 5
GIT 5
ReactJS Developer – Roles And Responsibilities towards the React Library
Those who aspire to become React js developers must be well-acquainted with the fact that Dropbox, Khan Academy, Yahoo! Mail, New York Times, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Codecademy, Uber, etc are some of the best use case examples when it comes to React js. And as from the developer’s perspective, it comprises numerous crucial features such as:-
- Learn once, write anywhere
- Easy to create interactive UI
- Predictable and easy to debug code
- Building encapsulated components
- Creation of new code without rewriting code
- JavaScript Syntax Extension (JSX)
- Virtual DOM and one-way data binding
Who is a React js developer? Much like any other professional a React js developer is solely responsible for designing and implementing UI components for Javascript-based web applications and mobile applications with the help of open-source library infrastructure. A developer is entirely responsible for accomplishing the entire development process starting from conception to the major testing process and following popular ReactJS workflows like Flux.
Commonly known as front-end developers, React js developers build modern-day UI components to improvise application performance. They leverage their knowledge about JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React library and work closely with testers, web designers, and project managers to create a robust and effective application.
Also, ReactJS developers enable business owners to focus on their core business areas, without having to bother about other IT-related activities. This has helped big time in enhancing client satisfaction. Before you even think about the cost to hire React developers, it’s time to focus on their basic Day-to-day tasks:-
- Keeping a constant track on the latest trends
- Meeting the client’s expectations
- A Reactjs developer tend to build intuitive and simplistic design
- Creating apps that are extremely scalable and flexible and that appeal to the masses
- SEO friendly
- A react developer helps in increasing the popularity of the application and product through effective UI/UX
Further below I would like to mention certain roles and responsibilities react developers are often asked to follow.
- He or she must be well-known with the javascript fundamentals.
- A react developer must have the potential to leverage the toolkit for creating frontend features.
- Next a Reactjs developer must be capable enough to create data visualization tools, libraries, and reusable code for prospects
- Integrate designs and wireframes within the application code
- Other than creating, a react developer must enhance application performance by keeping a constant eye.
- Optimize components to work seamlessly across different browsers and devices
- A react js developer must have a good understanding of CSS libraries, GIT, Sigma, Adobe XD etc
- By following responsive web principles, a react developer creates responsive web-based UI
Apart from these a react js developer must be able to translate wireframes and designs into good quality code by using array methods. He must consider thorough reviewing of applications needs and interfacing elements. Lastly, a react js developer must stick to the concept of proper documentation.
What are the Skills Required to become a Good React Developer
Today it has become very crucial to up your development game and nothing works wonders than choosing a high-end functional programming framework from your arsenal for the upcoming web application development projects. However using such a development framework eases the task of development but to ensure that framework is used at its best and true potential, one does require to consider reputable react js application development companies across the globe who have a proven track record of developing high-end, scalable applications.
Further below I would like to mention what are the essential skills required to become a Good Reactjs Developer. More or less these are the top react developer skills worth taking into consideration.
Technical/Functional Programming Skills
JavaScript Fundamentals + ES6
Without having a firm understanding of these javascript fundamentals ES6, it is next to impossible for one to become a successful reactjs developer. Let us delve into the details:
The first and foremost aspect is Variables and Scoping. Here a js developer must understand when and where you have access to the data. Now, what are these variables? Basically, they are mechanisms built into Javascript enabling programmers to hold onto data in memory and access that data later on within our applications.
Second, we have Array methods. One of the crucial aspects offered by React technology is that it has the capability to store data and access it within arrays and objects. The built-in JavaScript array methods are essential tools in every developer’s toolbox.
Next is DOM manipulation. Here manipulating the actual DOM elements can be a tricky task. Well, now we have the JSX abstraction at our disposal. Things have become easier than before.
Functions and arrow functions, here each component acts as a lego brick. It all depends on your smartness and spontaneity. How do you as a developer fit all these together?
GIT
Almost all coders who keep themselves busy during the development process are asked to be acquainted with the Git toolkit. Apart from this, by using Git, developers have the flexibility to add as well as update projects on different coding forums such as GitHub, Gitlab, and BitBucket. Some of the common tasks here include: merging strategies, handling conflicts, interrogating changes using push and pull options.
HTML + CSS
Another basic but crucial technical skill React developers must take into account is HTML + CSS. I mean you aren’t called a front-end developer especially if you aren’t acquainted with HTML and CSS. So what exactly does this mean?
First, he must be able to work with and write semantic HTML tags and CSS selectors.
Second, he must implement a CSS reset.
Third, Understand the box model and how to reset to border-box and flexbox.
- Node + NPM
Having a high-end knowledge of javascript is a must but if a developer has knowledge of nodes then it could be an added advantage. Businesses often prefer Reactjs developers who have a decent knowledge of nodes. At least, he could effectively exhibit the development needs of the client-side.
In addition to all these, developers must be skilled at different tools and technologies. For example, using sentry to fix crashes and real-time monitoring, Bitrise for increased automation, in case of crash reporting, managing testers, beta distribution – the developer must be able to use the hockey app, Redux to manage the application state, jest – a Ready-to-use tool for testing JS code and so forth.
Soft Skills
Now, do you think an ideal front-end developer must be limited to technical skills? Absolutely not, the right programmer is said to be the one who comprises exceptional soft skills. Let us unveil what exactly kind of soft skills they must possess?
Great communication skills
Building an app is no one-man show. It requires a team and to effectively manage the team it is very crucial to communicate well. So an ideal programmer is expected to communicate fluently.
Acceptance
Apart from strong communication, React developers are open to ideas and solutions proposed by others. They cannot be blinded by their own egos.
Problem-solving approach
Attitude matters the most! Of course, when you are creating something mistakes are bound to happen. It’s the way that makes a developer a cut above. How he handles the problem. This approach not just affects the developer but also the entire team as well.
Constructive feedback
There are no failures, there is always significant feedback. Every suggestion and piece of criticism should be backed by matter-of-fact arguments. And if you are the kind of person who goes by emotions and personal differences then the field is absolutely not meant for you.
Team player
Last but certainly not least, react js developers always tend to work in a team. Henceforth, they must be a team player – capable enough to consider every aspect of the team and then proceed further. A team of people gets things done. A good team player plays a crucial role in agile teams, where cooperation and working together on a common goal are crucial to finish the sprints.
Conclusion
So this is it! I do agree with the fact that hiring a skillful react developer could be a stressful experience but by following the above-mentioned traits it becomes way easier. In case you have any doubt or queries regarding the same, feel free to mention that in the comment section below.
Guest Post
What do Software as a Service (SaaS) Companies Do?
What do Software as a Service (SaaS) Companies Do?
A SaaS firm hosts an application and makes it accessible over the internet to clients. The term SaaS refers to software as a Service. This implies that the program is hosted on a SaaS company’s server and is accessed remotely by the user. A SaaS provider manages the servers, databases, and software that enable an application to be accessible through the internet – most often via web browsers. The program is accessible through nearly any device. Customers of SaaS applications often pay a subscription fee — sometimes monthly — to access the program. Certain subscriptions are priced according to the amount of data that must be saved, the number of users that will use the program, or the required degree of technical assistance. The following are a few of the things that the Saas company does.
1. Marketing
SaaS marketing is a subset of marketing focused on promoting and generating leads for SaaS solutions that are subscription-based. SaaS, often known as software as a Service, is a business model in which items are sold through cloud-based apps that get frequent upgrades and capability additions.
In contrast to firms that sell physical goods or require one-time payments, SaaS enterprises provide an intangible product. They must constantly demonstrate to existing and prospective consumers that their “rented” or subscription service is worth the monthly charge.
Any marketing plan’s foundation is made up of strategies and methods. In general, strategies refer to the overall approach to accomplishing goals and objectives (with defined, measurable targets), while tactics refer to the individual activities used to accomplish those goals.
Another critical point to convey when selling software as a Service (SaaS) is the ease with which updates and security fixes may be applied. Since the SaaS provider updates the software, there is no need to upgrade individual devices.
A critical conclusion for SaaS providers is that the hosted software industry is exceedingly competitive, making it more difficult for businesses to distinguish their offerings from the competition. By enlisting the assistance of an experienced technology public relations agency, providers may improve their marketing efforts and gain market distinction for software as a Service (SaaS) products.
2. Management of Customer Relationships
SaaS CRM is cloud-based software that provides permanent access to CRM features and support without installation and maintenance. A SaaS-based CRM increases customer transparency and enables firms to automate and customize marketing, sales, and customer care. You can get a SaaS CRM for almost any field of business, even private equity CRM.
SaaS is a subscription-based model with no substantial upfront expenses. To utilize CRM as a service, you pay a monthly or yearly membership cost.
This is one of the reasons why SaaS is preferred by smaller businesses and start-ups that may lack the financial resources to invest in a CRM system, even if it is deemed mission vital.
A few years ago, there was one concern associated with adopting a new software application: it would conflict with the way you worked daily, particularly with the applications you were used to.
As technology advances, customers of SaaS CRM applications may interact with currently available software and grow their CRM system in the same way that an onsite client would.
This implies that consumers may continue to use their existing software, like ERP systems or email clients, since these are often readily connected with the SaaS solution.
3. Management of projects
SaaS is an excellent model for delivering project management software since practically every form of the organization needs to manage projects successfully.
Regardless of the approach used, project planning and scheduling are critical components of project management. These project management tools provide easy access to the team’s prior work on the present project.
Given the amount of sensitive data stored in a project management software, superior security is non-negotiable. A reputable SaaS project management solution makes use of highly secure data centers and servers.
One advantage of cloud-based software is that, as annoying as it is, if your hard drive dies, all hell does not break loose. Log in with a different device, reset your password if your laptop is stolen, and you’re back in business.
Customer success, access to the newest goods, absorbing burdens, and minimizing payment barriers are all priorities for SaaS organizations. Since Salesforce coined the phrase “Software-as-a-Service” over two decades ago, the sector has seen rapid expansion and complexity.
4. Improve Security
Although a SaaS company can help with the security of your business on its end, your business needs to maintain high-security standards. Without both teams working together on keeping the business’s data secure, there will be problems. A SaaS company keeps your software updated and makes sure software patches are installed. The company keeps the business’s data very secure.
To do your part, the employees need to update passwords regularly. Your business needs rules in place for handling different types of data, for instance, classified data should never leave certain rooms, or be discussed around certain people. This relationship is like having a very safe car, but the driver needs to drive safely.
5. Free-Up Physical Space
When your business needs to expand to produce more products or hire more employees, having a SaaS company can help. You can get rid of your servers and the roles associated with managing servers and licensing software. A SaaS will take care of this through the cloud. Employees can change roles and still be productive within the organization.
An IT team troubleshooting problems is also a part of the SaaS company’s services. The IT team you have now could be retrained and put into the production part of your business. Training is also a very big part of a SaaS company; it will ensure your business’s team members are up-to-speed on the software the company offers.
Final Thoughts
A SaaS company will not take over responsibilities quickly, these changes take time. The company will need to assess and evaluate your needs, and you will need to make choices on how you move forward. Over time you will see the amazing benefits a SaaS company can bring to your business.
While e-commerce is projected to account for more than $6.5 trillion in sales by 2023, getting to stand out in this domain is getting tougher every passing day due to the dense competition.
Simply put, to become successful with your e-commerce business, you need to have a robust website. Now there is a number of factors that go into creating a perfect Ecommerce site including a solid backend and a stellar-looking UX, and in this read, we’re going to walk you through the rundown of Ecommerce website essentials that you need to look out for.
Let’s begin.
Essentials For A Successful Ecommerce Website
1. Responsive design
Considering the fact that more than 50% of the global internet traffic comes from mobile devices, there’s no surprise that you need to have a website that looks stellar on both desktop and smartphone screens.
In context with eCommerce alone, more than 60% of the people buy from mobile-friendly sites. You can quickly judge the importance of mobile-friendly sites from the stats.
To make your website mobile-friendly, you need to use the responsive eCommerce web design so that it can adjust itself based on the device your audience will use.
2. Easier Navigation
Navigation is an integral aspect of an eCommerce website. If your website fails to provide that to the consumers, there’s a high chance that they’ll bounce off it and ever higher chances are of them to make no purchase.
Moreover, if a user leaves your website due to uncomfortable navigation, they’re very less likely to ever click on your website again – which is a disaster in long term.
What you need to do here is to make sure that you have clear menus for different product categories so that the users can navigate through them seamlessly. Moreover, a great practice is to locate your bestselling products on the homepage of your website.
Also, you need to allow the users to sort the products using filters such as Style, Color, and Pricing, etc.
3. Top-Notch Security
If the users do not trust your website, you are unlikely to make any sales. This is especially applicable with Ecommerce websites where users input their personal information such as Email and credit card numbers.
Therefore, having a robust security system for your Ecommerce website is integral.
To achieve that, you need to create secure passwords and update them regularly. Moreover, it’s essential to purchase an SSL certificate, as it would cast out the essence of security to the audience and they’ll feel more comfortable making a purchase from your website.
4. Try To Provide More Value To the Users
The biggest problem regarding an eCommerce store for the consumers is that they can’t feel, smell, or touch your products. While there’s no way to reverse that but the AR integration could allow your prospects to test certain products digitally. This can act as great compensation.
You can offer value to your customers by offering certain perks such as discount vouchers, free shipping, and gifts. This would keep your customers hooked with your store. Moreover, it is a great practice when it comes to retaining your customers. It is also worth noting that a great pricing strategy significantly contributes to customer value and retention.
5. Stay On Top Of Website Maintenance
Note that for eCommerce websites, even minor bugs and issues may cause disasters in long term. Therefore, it is essential to stay on top of your maintenance game in order to provide a smooth and seamless shopping experience to the consumers.
Another direct benefit from maintenance comes around the overall performance and speed optimization of your website. Note that nobody likes a website with slow loading speeds.
A quick tip here for Ecommerce side holders is to put your website into maintenance mode while you work on it because it helps you avoid ‘Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance. Check Back in a Minute’ and display a timeframe on when your site will go live again.
6. Have Several Payment Options
The way you accept payment also determines how innovative and valuable you’re as a store holder. This is the same for eCommerce websites – the more payment options you offer, the better.
People like to pay directly from their finance apps instead of swiping cards. Therefore, in addition to the major credit cards, you must also offer digital payment gateways like Apple Pay, PayPal, etc.
A great practice here is to display icons of the payment options that you accept on your website so the users may know what they can use to make transactions.
7. Social Proofs Like Reviews And Ratings
Trust towards the product quality is yet another concern why people feel uncomfortable shopping online. To get around this issue, you need to display social proofs like reviews and ratings in order to back up your claims of the product.
Moreover, if you successfully earn the trust of your audience, they’re more likely going to refer you to their friends and on their social platforms.
8. Set An Option For Order Collection
While this is something you don’t often see on eCommerce platforms, order collection is an option that provides huge utility to some users.
There are hundreds of people that are often not at home and cannot receive their orders at their workplace. Having an order collection feature is quite useful to these people and ultimately it adds tons of value to your store.
In simpler words, you’ll turn these random customers into your regular and loyal customers. Moreover, they’ll act as a free referral for your business.
Additional Advice
While the tips mentioned above will significantly assist you in creating a robust eCommerce website, here are some tips that you can consider for further betterment.
- Avoid using longer videos on the homepage
- Avoid using access content on the homepage
- Try using bigger images for your product listings
- Use display buttons for product variations
Wrap Up
Ecommerce business is not an additional option anymore. In fact, it is a protocol for every brand to have an online store where they can trade their products through digital means.
Therefore, if you haven’t considered making an E-commerce store yet, do it now or you’ll miss out on tons of revenue on the table.
Author Bio:
Frank Borg has a flair for strategic innovation and tech-driven transformation. He leads the Content Marketing Team at Wppals. He thrives on exploring and sharing information about the transformative impact of technologies and strategic innovation on SMBs, startups, and enterprise-grade organizations.
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