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Everything You Need to Know About UX User Experience Research

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Everything You Need to Know About UX User Experience ResearchUX research, also known as user experience research, is used by both small and large corporations to help determine what customers want and need in a product, experience or website. Unfortunately though, when consumers hear this term, they have no idea what it means that they often ask what is user experience research. Learning more about UX user experience research can help you to better understand what this research is and how it can be used. Read on to learn more about user experience research.

What is User Experience Research? 

User experience research, also known as UX research, involves studying individuals and evaluating their response. User research may be done when consumers are testing out a new website, looking at a protype product, looking at or listening to advertisement material, or utilizing a service. All in all, a team evaluates the response of the user when they are utilizing something new, and then obtains feedback from the user about their experience with the product, service, advertisement or website. This allows companies to get honest feedback about items before they launch them or roll them out to all of their current customers.

Why is User Experience Research Important? 

User experience research is extremely important for a number of different reasons. These days, there is a lot of competition among businesses. As such, businesses want to do what they can to stand out. Utilizing user experience research allows you to get feedback about your ideas, products or services before you spend the money further developing the product or rolling it out. This gives you unique insight into whether there is a market for your product or service, what people are willing to pay for that product or service, or whether the idea may be a flop. Knowing this before you invest a lot of time or money into your idea can help you to spend on great ideas and help you to cut off bad ideas before they drain your business of valuable money and resources.

What Are the Different User Experience Research Methods? 

When it comes to user experience research, there are a lot of research methods that can be used to gain valuable insight into different users’ experiences. One of the ways that experience can be researched is with focus groups or surveys. Remote usability testing, diary studies, card sorting and interviews are a few of the other research methods that are used. Different companies use different methods, based on what they think is the ideal way to test out their website, advertising methods, products or services. When it comes to user experience research, there is no right or wrong way to get feedback on these items, which is what makes the process so interesting. You can use different methods to obtain feedback, and that feedback can then be used to help you develop new products, make changes to existing services, or determine whether to bring a product to market.

If you have never heard of UX research, you may find yourself asking what is user experience research. However, once you know what user research is, why it is used and what methods are used, you will better understand how valuable this type of research is. This type of research is so valuable because it helps companies learn more about consumers, allowing them to tailor websites, products and services to their customers and enhance their user experience. This also helps to ensure that consumers have the experience, products and services that they want, need and expect. User experience research is changing the way that business operate and the day-to-day lives of consumers.

Ways to Update Your Current B2B Website Design

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Ways to Update Your Current B2B Website DesignMany marketers and business leaders believe a website is complete when it goes live. However, a B2B web design needs consistent monitoring and updating to ensure it is still working properly and you are focusing on the right business goals. To update your B2B website design, try these few things.

Do a Website Audit

This doesn’t need to be complicated but is an opportunity to make sure everything on your website is in proper working order. Go through each page and check for issues that need fixing, such as outdated or incorrect information, broken links, style and format issues, broken forms, and technical errors. Regularly doing website audits is one of the most important aspects of updating your website.

Check Your Website Analytics

If you can install tracking and analytics tools on your B2B website, such as Google Analytics, then you can monitor how your current website is performing. Website analytics provide data on things such as the most popular and least popular pages, pages with the highest time on page, pages with the highest bounce rates, which pages are converting visitors into leads, and more. You can see which pages are helping you generate clients and get insights into how to optimize the rest of the site based on this information. One best practice is to do A/B testing on your website. This involves creating different versions of an aspect on the website, such as the CTA, and testing them against each other to see which one performs better or drives more conversions.

Update Keywords

Keywords are an important part of your website and should be updated as your business evolves and changes. Even if you did SEO keyword research when you built your website, it’s likely these keywords will change based on your audience’s preferences and needs. It’s crucial you devote time to checking your keywords regularly. You can use tools to make this an easier process, such as Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Moz. You don’t always need to create new content for your keywords, in some cases, you can simply update your existing content to correlate with new keywords. This can be a simple and effective way to make sure that the website is up to date and still relevant without having to do a full website overhaul.

Regularly Publish Blogs

One way to keep your B2B website updated is by regularly writing and publishing blogs. How often you do this depends on your business and availability of copywriting resources. A small company may only be able to post a few times every month, whereas large businesses may have the bandwidth and resources to post every day. In addition to considering how often you publish, think about what you are hoping to accomplish with each blog post and who the target market is for each blog. Regularly posting blogs helps improve brand awareness and establishes your brand as a thought leader in the industry.

Refresh Your Existing Content

Google and search engines reward websites that publish fresh content regularly and adding new content is a quick way to update your B2B web design, especially with tools like Sharepoint Edits which make customization quick and simple. When you add new content, it can be a great way to improve your b2b web design. You don’t necessarily need to add new content to accomplish this. You can update or refresh older content that drives traffic to your website. By refreshing existing content, you are creating relevant and fresh content that may even double your traffic. For any business in an industry that is evolving, keeping your website updated and relevant is important. Not only is it important to Google, but it also helps with visitor engagement.

These tips should help to ensure your website is current and relevant. However, every few years it’s important to redesign a B2B website design and content to ensure it’s fresh, consistent with your brand, and reflects current trends in design.

5 Reasons to Hire a Marketing Automation Expert Instead of Going DIY

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, 5 Reasons to Hire a Marketing Automation Expert Instead of Going DIYMarketing automation is undoubtedly an excellent way to streamline your marketing operations. It saves you crucial time, money, and makes your work efficient. If you’re like most business owners, you’re always looking for ways to save money and optimize your operations. So, you may be considering doing your own marketing automation instead of hiring a professional. But before you make up your mind, here are some reasons why you should hire a marketing automation consultant.

1. A Marketing Automation Expert Saves You Money and Time

A good number of companies feel that setting up an in-house marketing department is the only way to save money. But hiring a team requires you to pay salaries, benefits, and perhaps even bonuses. Plus, you also have to invest in office equipment such as computers, laptops, printers, etc. On top of that, it’s going to cost a lot more if your employees aren’t familiar with marketing automation software solutions or the latest email marketing trends.

Hiring a marketing automation expert also means you don’t have to spend time training your employees. A professional can set up and configure new programs within hours, instead of days or even weeks you’d need if someone less experienced tried to do it on their own.

2. They Have the Right Knowledge and Experience

Building your own marketing automation solution requires the right knowledge. You need to understand how AI works, how predictive analytics can help you make smarter decisions, how to use chatbots for personalized customer engagement, etc. As a regular business owner, you probably won’t have the time to research all of these concepts, let alone implement them.

An experienced marketing automation consultant will have the necessary knowledge to set up your system properly. They will make sure it uses all available resources to automate processes and save you valuable time.

3. Your Expert Will Guarantee Performance

When you hire a marketing automation expert, they will guarantee the correct implementation and performance. They’ll also take responsibility if their service doesn’t meet your expectations in any way. This is because a professional knows all the factors that affect marketing performance.

For instance, there are dozens of factors that can affect email deliverability. A professional knows how to configure an email service provider’s systems for optimal deliverability. They also know the right time to send emails and which days will maximize your open rates. These are factors they’ll consider when deciding the best campaign strategy for you.

4. An Expert Will Help You Make Smarter Marketing Decisions

A professional will help you make better marketing decisions for your business. They’ll utilize their experience and expertise to best fit your needs. This means that they’ll understand what your competitors are up to, which demographics you should target, which ad networks will generate the most revenue etc. They’ll also keep your budget in mind, which means they’ll recommend the best tools and services for your budget.

5. Expertise in Marketing Automation Means Better ROI

Your marketing automation expert will have a number of years of experience working with different businesses just like yours. This means that they understand what works best for companies in your industry. When you hire a professional, they’ll use their expertise to help you achieve your goals.

For instance, they’ll know which demographics to target and how frequently. They’ll also set up your campaigns in such a way that you get the most out of every ad dollar you spend. All this means is that your return on investment (ROI) will be greater with an expert’s help than if you were trying to do it all yourself.

Hiring a marketing automation expert will save you time and money. It also means you’ll get better results than if you were trying to do it yourself. Hire an expert today so you can focus on what matters most for your business, while they help increase revenue and maximize ROIs.

Small Business Owners: Here Are 8 Services You Shouldn’t Skip if You Want to Grow Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Small business owners|Small Business Owners: Here Are 8 Services You Shouldn't Skip if You Want to Grow Your BusinessIf you’re a small business owner, then there’s a good chance that your biggest goal is to grow. You do have a few cards in your favor: the internet has made it easier than ever for you to reach new customers all over the globe. But to capitalize on this opportunity, you need to take a look at the services that could help your company grow even more. No matter what type of business you’re in, one of these eight services is critical for your company’s growth.

1. Online Marketing

If you want to grow your business quickly, you can’t skip out on online marketing. One recent study found that internet users in the United States spend an average of 16 hours a week on their computers and mobile devices. That’s a lot of time spent browsing the internet, and it could translate into a lot of lost sales. You can effectively double your reach by adding a company website to your existing advertising efforts. Plus, you can use this space to provide more detailed information about your company’s offerings and services. Visitors are more likely to stay on your website for a more extended period if they can easily find what they’re looking for.

2. Online Payroll Services

The payroll department is one of the essential parts of any business, but it’s also one of the most overlooked. By handling payroll in-house, you may end up paying high fees that force you to do business with an expensive payroll service. Instead, it would be best to consider using an online payroll service. These services can offer you the same benefits as your local payroll company, but they’ll do it all electronically, so there’s no time wasted. At the end of the month, you’ll have a fully-filed and complete payroll report that all employees will receive.

3. Online Office Supplies

The growing popularity of office supplies like coffee shops, bookstores, and even restaurants has made everyday office supplies in high demand. That has made office supply stores a precious asset. However, if you’re operating a small business, it’s important to note that in-store prices tend to be higher than their online counterparts. Instead of driving out to an office supply store, you should use an online office supplies shop like Staples or Amazon. These services will sell the same goods at a lower cost, and they offer fast shipping so your business can keep running smoothly.

4. Employee Management Tools

To be successful, you need employees who are happy and productive. But that’s easier said than done if your employees have no idea what to do or how to do it. Fortunately, you can take advantage of the growing popularity of free employee management tools that can help you manage your workforce. It is crucial if you are running a distributed team. You can use these tools to help your team members stay on the same page with their work. It will also help you keep track of task-specific details. And if an employee is struggling, you’ll be able to know right away and help them improve. There is not much difference in the work management tools you may use when running distributed versus remote teams. If a service is helpful for one, it’s useful for the other.

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5. Accounting Services

The last thing you want is to lose a lot of money from making an error on your taxes. Fortunately, you can use online accounting services to help prevent that from happening. You can use these services to keep track of your business’s figures and keep an eye on your transaction. You’ll be able to import your accounting data into these online services and make sure you’re doing everything right. Once you have everything posted, you’ll have an audit report that your tax advisor will be able to read. By using an online accounting service, you will be able to save on costs that you would otherwise have to pay to a full-time accountant.

6. Customer Service Tools

Customer service can get very complicated for small businesses if they don’t have the expertise to handle customer issues. However, you can find excellent customer service tools that make managing customer support more accessible. Some of the most popular customer service tools include live chat, a web form, and email. For example, you can provide live chat support on your website so that customers can get an answer in real-time. You can also have a form where visitors can submit their complaints or questions. Or, if using email is more convenient for them, you could have an auto-responder that routes emails to the right people in the company.

7. Online Communications

Paying for an internet marketing service can cost a lot of money, so you should check out other options before committing to one. One of the best ways to get more exposure is scheduling social media posts on your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles. This way, you can attract many new followers who have been looking for a local business in town. But don’t forget about email marketing either. You can create an email campaign centered around a marketing offer and send it out to your list of customers. It’s important to send these emails out promptly because if you do not get them off your list, they’ll probably end up in the spam folder. Allowing customers time to sign up for your email list can make them more likely to buy products or services once you launch the campaign.

8. Contact Management

It’s essential to keep in touch with everyone in your network. By using a contact management tool, you’ll be able to maintain current relationships and build new connections. Many different contact management tools are available for business professionals, but one of the most popular is LinkedIn. This service allows you to connect with thousands of professionals who can help grow your company. You can use LinkedIn Groups and the website’s career section to look up potential employees and even vendors that can help you further your business’ reach and success. By carefully planning your social media strategy, you’ll be able to connect with new people who can share your business. Using the right tools at the right time can increase your reach and ultimately increase profits.

9. Employee Training Services

If you want to grow your business, you will need trained employees. But if you can’t afford to pay an expensive training expert, you can still use some free strategies. One of the best ways to train employees is using mentor programs to learn from an experienced business owner, ask questions, and clarify mistakes or frustrations. The best way to stay current on training is by joining communities of professionals like LinkedIn. You’ll be able to find people who share your same interests and connect with them for professional advice. It’s also essential to train employees to use the tools you’re already using. It will help you make sure all of your employees are using the right equipment in the right way.

Summing Up

As you can see, several services are essential if you want to grow your business. Whether you’re a small team or a large corporation working with multiple remote offices, these services can help your company improve in all the right ways. Remember, when you develop your staff, you are creating the potential of your business. Moreover, It doesn’t matter if you are a one-person team or a huge corporation. These services can help you stay competitive and improve your bottom line.

Long-Tail Keywords Are a Growing SEO Trend

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Long-Tail Keywords Are a Growing SEO TrendIf you want to gather more customers for your business, you need to think about digital marketing. One of the most important components of this is SEO, and you need to do keyword research regularly if you want to stay ahead of the competition. There are a lot of keywords out there, and your gut response might be to try to focus on the most popular keywords; however, this might not be the best strategy. Long-tail keywords might be a better bet for your business. Why is this the case? Remember to visit Onpoint in Dallas to get the most out of your SEO campaign.

What Are Long-Tail Keywords?

So, what are people talking about when they mention long-tail keywords? They are referring to the size of the term. When people use search engines, they tend to keep their searches short and sweet. They usually only use a longer term if they are looking for something specific. That is exactly what a long-tail keyword is. For example, instead of someone saying that they are looking for a “puppy dog,” they might say something like “brown puppy dog,” or “small brown puppy dog,” or even “young healthy puppy dog.” The more modifiers they put in, the longer the term gets. You might want to target some of these terms as a part of your SEO campaign.

Why Might They Be Better?

It is true that long-tail keywords might not be used as frequently as shorter terms, but it is also true that they might be better for your SEO campaign as well. Some of the biggest companies in the world do not target long-tail keywords as often, which means they are not as competitive. Therefore, you might have an easier time ranking for them, increasing your online visibility.

Furthermore, when someone uses so many terms, this is a sign that they are probably ready to make a purchase. If you target the right long-tail keywords, you might have an easier time boosting your conversion rate, which can drive more revenue for your business. For both of these reasons, you should consider using long-tail keywords as a part of your SEO campaign. Even though it can be a challenge to find the right long-tail keywords for your company, a professional team can help you do that.

Work With a Professional SEO Team

In the end, you need to remember to focus on a balance of the popularity of the keywords and the competition they have. This is where long-tail keywords can be helpful. This is a great way for you to target keywords that are still relevant to the needs of your users while also staying away from terms that might be too competitive for you to rank for. If you would like to learn more about long-tail keywords, you might want to reach out to a professional SEO team that can help you. That way, you can put your digital marketing campaign in the best position possible to be successful.