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HTTP vs. HTTPS: Which is Better?
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Unless you are tech savvy and are constantly keeping up to date with the latest digital trends, the average user would probably not understand what HTTP or HTTPS even means. In simple terms, HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol and is the most common way to connect and access websites. On the other hand, HTTPS is another iteration of HTTP but adds a layer of security to handle confidential material. Another protocol that can be used with HTTPS is the secure socket layer (SSL) which checks to make sure that the information from one party sent to another is consistent without any tampering.

HTTPS is used for e-commerce businesses or banks who require online payments via credit card since the added layer of security and encryption make it a safer choice than HTTP. Now that you know which one is better to use, how does HTTPS contribute towards Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? When it comes to Google search, Google tends to put preference towards safer websites which HTTPS fulfills. Ultimately, this leads to slightly increased rankings for websites that use HTTPS but what mostly changes the ranking is still website content.

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WordPress vs. Joomla for Websites
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When I get new clients that request an open source CMS to manage their websites, two popular brands always pop up- WordPress and Joomla. Both are free, open source technologies that offer similar features. Both allow for web development and built in plugins and extras like online stores, login systems, portfolios, sharing tools, and more.

The biggest question is which is more beneficial and efficient.  I get a lot of clients that, wanting an online store, ask what is the difference between the two.  Joomla has been around longer and WordPress became popular as the ideal blogging module in the market, then quickly became used to build fully functional websites. Both are coded in PHP and both allow for customization from top to bottom.

Personally, I feel WordPress is better suited for all facets of the newest trends in web development like HTML5, Jquery, and AJAX tools.  Joomla is easier to use and implement, and requires hardly any coding experience. That is why Joomla is more widely used, as it gives front end web designers the ability to add in back-end capabilities. But, in the long run, WordPress is more robust and allows for future customization and changes a lot easier.
Joomla is built in “modules”, as one section of the website is dependent on the framework of another. So the layout and tools added in cannot be easily adjusted and modified in different positions and sections. WordPress is completly built in HTML and PHP, so it allows for fuller access to core code and can easily be adjusted and customized with an experienced PHP developer who is familiar with WordPress CMS framework.

I see WordPress as the future of open source CMS development. Others exist for specific and more advanced purposes, like Magento and Drupal. I will go into those another time!

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Top 10 Reasons to Create Micro Websites for your Business
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Business exposure is so crucial nowadays, especially in todays economy. I see so many businesses cram soo much information on their websites with the intention of exposing all of their products and services to their customers. With their online marketing and advertising budgets lower than before, it has become crucial for businesses to sell as much as possible to each web visitor all the time.

They also have the intention of becoming optimized and listed for all their web services on Google and other search engines. But, since their website is so full of different information and services, it is hard for them to become specialized in a specific service or product… hence, they have a low page rank and do not appear on the 1st page of their product keyword searches! This is huge dilemma and alot of businesses do not know what to do. They cannot afford to remove information, they have no time to redesign their site… and their budget is small. What can they do?

Creating micro websites is the answer! A micro website is a mini website that is specific to a product or service. You have 10 products? The key here is creating 10 mini websites (3-4 pages) that are keyword dense and specific to theis product/service, with a powerful keyword based URL. The goal? Get optimized and listed faster for this product/service keyword, thus having another “branch” in your online marketing tree of offerings.

Here are the top 10 reasons this will work:

  1. You can keep it specific to a keyword phrase only! You do not have to worry about Google or another search engine not knowing about what your site is about. The content and keywords will be very specific and direct.
  2. You can buy a keyword based URL for your product or service. As you all may know, your URL is the most powerful SEO tool in search engine optimization. Adding your keyword to your domain name can work wonders.
  3. You can show your company specialization for this particular product or service. As you know, many web visitors do not take the time to really familiarize themselves with your different offerings. A micro website gives you the chance to show off your expertise and uniqueness of your company as it relates to the product or service.
  4. A micro website will get you ranked faster. Creating a micro website that is specific to a keyword phrase gives you up to a 40% faster optimization rate, thus getting you ranked higher much faster than your main website would.
  5. Saves you money in online advertising. As you know, SEO takes alot of time. A micro website can save you tons of money in the long run since it can get listed faster than your main website.
  6. Gives your company more exposure. Imagine having your micro websites appear for all of your products or services, along with your main website? This is called web dominance. Why not give it a try?
  7. Are affordable. Micro websites cost considerably less than adding the amount of pages to your website, both in design and advertising costs. Why not save money and get more exposure on the internet with another website?
  8. Great regional strategy. Does your business have multiple locations? Are your services offered in different areas? Micro websites can also help you target geo specific customers with the same keyword strategy!
  9. Create backlinks to your website to boost it’s page rank. Micro websites can also boost your main website traffic and ranking too. Linking your micro websites to your main website will give your main site considerable web traffic, thus boosting its page rank and backlinks considerably.
  10. It works. Thousands of internet savvy businesses have been implementing micro websites to their online busness model. Try typing in a city based keyword, check Google local listings, and see how many websites are the same company. This gives companies who implement it more exposure, better SEO results, and a competitive advantage… all the while saving them tons of money. Try it!

If you would like my company, www.RGPacific.com, to work with you to implement this strategy, please give me a call at 323-314-2127. We are located in Los Angeles and offer the best and most affordable web design, development, and internet marketing services.

Please do not hesitate to post some questions!

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Bricks and Mortar and an Online Store – Expand your Business on the Go
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I have had several clients in the past that were very hesitant to start an online store, with all virtually telling me the same excuse- business is fine, why complicate things? Surly a business owner, with little time to dedicate to learning about the internet and managing a website, can make more money concentrating on his business with walk in customers right? Wrong! Yes, in today’s ever changing social media landscape, that has become business suicide!

The internet today is everywhere. In every sector of the business community. Retail, Wholesale, Distribution, Manufacturing… You name the industry, I can find you the top dogs in the niche thriving online.  The internet is needed now because it is everywhere. People are online at home, at work, on the go (with mobile phones), and in the air (iPad’s and tablets). Therefore the old cliche of a 24 hour online business model is more true than ever now.  Social media has become a mainstay for many people of affluent culture, and the middle class is the biggest online contributor online.

If you are trying to package and sell your products to your customers locally, you all are aware that location is key. With the internet, you can pinpoint your customers by time, age, income, demograhic, and geographic location. Anytime, for a modest budget. Business owners are using an online storefront to present new products, sell last years overstock, reach new markets and cities, and build a CRM system that can help business in the coming years.

The biggest difference I tell clients about online marketing for their products online is this: Print, TV and Radio allows your to market to a general audience. You “hope” your kind of customer reads your message, which is why there are “slogans” and gotcha statements in ads. WIth online marketing, the opposite holds true. People visit certain websites and therefore you can find your target market in a few minutes, so your message is more personal and direct, you can talk to your customers personally. No newspaper or magazine can give you that kind of access.

An online store can be affordable and robust. Start an online brand and show off your products and attempt to sell your hottest items. Get to know your market and customers, and invite walk in clients to give you feedback about your website. You will find that everyone is on the web, people everywhere look for goods and services on search engines like Google. Not being seen online is like having a store in the middle of nowhere.

Remember guys… Location, location, location!

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