Igniting Business Blog

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping increased exponentially throughout 2020 and consumers became increasingly reliant on using their smartphones, tablets, and laptops to make purchases. Today, advancements in technology are allowing online retailers to make shopping and transactions easier than ever.

In today’s competitive landscape and with the majority of consumers searching for products and services online, having a website is critical for your small business’ continued success. However, just having a functioning website isn't enough. If your small business website is not up to par, you could lose out on valuable business. With 79% of consumers shopping online, it's more important than ever that your website meets the needs of these modern customers.

When done right, web design and search engine optimization (SEO) are two separate disciplines that work closely together to help benefit and improve your small business’ overall success. Web design describes aspects of the website itself, while SEO refers to how quickly and often users find your small business website within search results. Keep reading to discover a deeper understanding of both concepts, how they work together, and how making smart adjustments to your website and SEO strategy can greatly benefit your small business.

A content delivery network (CDN) refers to a widely-distributed group of servers that speed up website loading times by reducing the distance between the user and the server, allowing the user to more quickly view content from anywhere in the world. Many popular platforms like Facebook and Amazon rely on CDNs to make their images and videos more quickly accessible to their millions of users.

In our blog post last week, we discussed several tips for improving your small business’ e-commerce website to help generate traffic and boost sales. This week, we’re focusing in more on the importance of providing excellent customer service to your online customers.

Due to online advancements over the last few years, and in light of COVID-19, the majority of consumers today are turning online to find and purchase their desired products and/or services. As such, it’s not only important to have an e-commerce website, it’s essential to ensure that your small business’ e-commerce website is built well in order to provide your customers with a seamless online experience and keep them coming back for more. Keep reading to discover what online buyers look for and tips to help you improve your e-commerce website.

Many small businesses struggle with the website security paradox. With limited budgets and security knowledge, many small businesses are left open to cyberattacks which, in turn, often cause financial losses. This paradox poses the question: why should a small business spend its limited resources on cybersecurity that cannot guarantee an unbreachable infrastructure? Many small business owners believe their business data is of limited value to cyber criminals, so they are unlikely to experience a cyberattack. However, this notion is not true, as small businesses often act as low-hanging fruit when it comes to hack attempts.

As online trends are always changing, ensuring your website is up to date is crucial for your small business’ success. If it’s been a while since you've given your website a design update, it might be time to make some changes. Keep reading to check out five signs your website is in need of a redesign.

As a small business owner in today’s world, you most likely know the importance of having a well-designed website and keeping an active online presence. However, expanding your small business via e-commerce could be an essential next step, especially in light of COVID-19, with consumers now preferring to complete most of their shopping online. By selling your products online, you’ll be able to target new demographics, reach more potential customers, and increase sales.

When it comes to standing out online, ensuring your small business’ brand is fully established is important. Furthermore, ensuring you maintain consistent branding across your website and the rest of the web is even more crucial to building brand awareness. Consistency is key to a successful online presence for your small business.