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Businesses must prioritise providing outstanding mobile experiences as more consumers use smartphones and tablets to access the internet. This is where the idea of designing for mobile devices first is useful. Building a website or application with mobile devices in mind first means that it will be optimised for smaller screens later.The mobile-first method entails creating a website for mobile devices before taking into account its desktop equivalent. The realisation that mobile devices are now used more frequently than traditional desktops to view websites led to the development of this strategy. Businesses can guarantee a flawless and interesting experience for their prospects and customers regardless of the device they use by prioritising mobile design.

Responsive Design: A Core Tenet of Mobile-First

         The base of mobile-first design is responsive design. Different screen widths and resolutions should be accommodated by websites. The content and style of a responsive website are guaranteed to dynamically adapt to provide the best user experience, whether the user is using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Prioritizing Content for Mobile Consumption

          Mobile screens are constrained in size, so choosing what material to prioritise requires considerable thought. A simple and targeted approach is encouraged by mobile-first design, emphasising the most important details and taking actions that are in line with users’ requirements and goals. The user’s ability to swiftly obtain pertinent content and complete desired tasks is improved as a result.

Efficient Loading Speeds for Mobile Optimization

Internet speeds and bandwidth are frequently inconsistent for mobile users. Optimising load speeds is a key component of mobile-first design, which makes sure that websites load quickly and effectively on mobile devices. This speed is critical for capturing prospects on the go, as slow-loading sites can deter potential leads.

Thumb-Friendly Navigation and Interaction

Mobile devices are primarily operated using thumbs, making it vital to design for ease of use. Mobile-first design incorporates elements that are easily reachable and clickable, minimizing the need for awkward hand movements. Convenient navigation enhances user engagement and improves the chances of converting prospects.

Progressive Enhancement for Cross-Platform Consistency

A mobile-first approach enables progressive enhancement, allowing businesses to add layers of complexity for larger screens. This ensures a consistent and coherent user experience across devices while catering to the unique capabilities of various platforms.

User-Centric Design through Feedback Loops

Gathering user feedback is crucial in mobile-first design. Continuous testing and iteration based on user insights allow designers to refine the mobile experience and align it with users’ preferences and behaviors. This iterative process results in a mobile interface that resonates with the target audience.

Benefits of Mobile-First Design for Prospect Conversion

Enhanced User Experience (UX): Mobile-first design focuses on delivering an exceptional user experience tailored to mobile users, increasing their satisfaction and engagement.

Improved SEO and Visibility: Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings. Embracing a mobile-first approach can boost your website’s visibility and reach more prospects.

Higher Conversion Rates: A well-optimized mobile site can lead to higher conversion rates, capturing prospects who are on the move and may have immediate conversion intent.

Cost-Effectiveness: Starting with mobile design and progressively enhancing it is often more cost-effective than retrofitting a desktop-focused design for mobile devices.

Mobile-first design approach is no longer an option but a necessity to thrive in the digital landscape. By prioritizing mobile user experience, businesses can effectively capture prospects on the go, leading to higher engagement, increased conversions, and ultimately, business growth. Embrace the mobile-first mindset and elevate your prospects’ experience on every screen they use.

As AI continues its rapid evolution, businesses need to keep up with its prevailing trends. From cutting-edge machine learning algorithms to advancements in natural language processing, these trends hold the potential to reshape industries and our daily lives.

According to Sharad Agarwal, CEO of Cyber Gear, “Millionaires look for opportunities, Billionaires look for trends. Did you know that Nike is transforming from a marketing company into a technology brand? My prediction is that every company will soon have to become a ‘Smart Company’ that is powered by AI. The mass adoption of Generative AI happened because of its ease of use in improving overall productivity. Whether you’re eight years old or 80 years old, anyone can use ChatGPT. This is not rocket science. Simply follow the trends!”

AI-powered predictive analytics enables us to harness the power of data and uncover valuable insights that can drive business success. By analyzing vast amounts of historical data and leveraging advanced algorithms, AI can identify patterns, detect trends, and make accurate predictions about future outcomes. Imagine being able to anticipate customer demand, optimize your supply chain and make informed decisions in real time. With AI, we can do just that. By leveraging predictive analytics, businesses can reduce costs, improve operational efficiency and enhance overall decision-making.

When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, it awakened the world to the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. The technology underpinning the powerful new chatbot is one of the biggest step changes in the history of AI. Generative AI can create something entirely new, including text, images, audio, videos, and synthetic data.

Big tech companies have been quick to jump on the bandwagon, with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and others all lining up their own generative AI tools in the space of a few short months.

Examples of generative AI models include:

ChatGPT: An AI language model developed by OpenAI that can answer questions and generate human-like responses from text prompts.

DALL-E 2: Another AI model by OpenAI that can create images and artwork from text prompts.

Google Bard: Google’s generative AI chatbot and rival to ChatGPT. It’s trained on the PaLM large language model and can answer questions and generate text from prompts.

Midjourney: Developed by San Francisco-based research lab Midjourney Inc., this gen AI model interprets text prompts to produce images and artwork, similar to DALL-E 2.

GitHub Copilot: An AI-powered coding tool that suggests code completions within the Visual Studio, Neovim, and JetBrains development environments.

Llama 2: Meta’s open-source large language model can be used to create conversational AI models for chatbots and virtual assistants, similar to GPT-4.

xAI: After funding OpenAI, Elon Musk left the project in July 2023 and announced this new generative AI venture.

Cyber Gear has documented over 250 pages of AI-related terms and phrases to help organisations become smarter. Every knowledge worker has the potential to use these technologies to increase their productivity.

The future of AI is bright, and with the right approach, we can benefit from the advancements in AI technology while also tackling its challenges.

Download your copy at www.cyber-gear.io or www.cyber-gear.ai

Web3 promises a decentralized internet built on the blockchain. It is important to understand all the buzzwords surrounding this technology.

Cyber Gear has compiled the most comprehensive (252 pages) and updated glossary. Download your free copy at https://www.cyber-gear.io

According to Sharad Agarwal, Chief Metaverse Officer of Cyber Gear, “In my opinion, Web3 is not so much about technology – Web3 is a mindset. A mindset of collaboration, not competition. Leaders need to think out-of-the-box and collaborate, even with competition, to bake a bigger pie and get a larger slice!”

Web3 promotes a creator-driven economy while at the same time rewarding consumers for their participation, thus ushering in a new era of social networks. Unlike the Web2 paradigm controlled by Big Tech, Web3 envisions an ecosystem of social and interoperable networks where all users can finally own a slice of the financial pie.

Web3 is an umbrella term that encompasses several ideas and futuristic visions of decentralization where community-powered, advertising-free, and self-monetized content will reign supreme. Although Web3 will disrupt many existing Web2-based business models, the creator economy is positioned as the biggest benefactor of this ongoing revolution vis-à-vis a reinvented social media paradigm.

Web3 solves this dilemma, giving back content creators full control and ownership over their content. Harnessing the power of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, Web3 allows creators to tap into numerous monetization opportunities while simultaneously rewarding users for their continued participation and loyalty. This creates a circular economy, free from the restraints of centralized platforms and intermediaries.

For instance, in the existing version of the internet, content creators are often subject to the whims and fancies of the platforms they use to share their content. This leads to several problems like unwarranted content censorship, content demonetization, and even possible deplatforming.

Driven by decentralization, Web3 social networks will transfer power back to the community by giving content creators full ownership of their content. In tandem with other Web3 services, these social networks will facilitate censorship-resistant, ad-free, and creative-centric ecosystems, thus offering equal opportunities for all.

Be it the rise of community-driven global social networks, the increasing acceptance of community-focused DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations), or the emergence of AR and VR-powered immersive experiences, Web3 social networks are sparking a transformation focused on the community instead of gatekeeper’s interests alone.

When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, it awakened the world to the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. The technology underpinning the powerful new chatbot is one of the biggest step changes in the history of AI. Generative AI is able to create something entirely new, including text, images, audio, videos, and synthetic data.

Big tech companies have been quick to jump on the bandwagon, with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and others all lining up their own generative AI tools in the space of a few short months.

According to Sharad Agarwal, CEO of Cyber Gear, “Did you know that Nike is transforming from a marketing company into a technology brand?My prediction is that every company will soon have to become a ‘Smart Company’ that is powered by AI. The mass adoption of Generative AI happened because of its ease-of-use in improving overall productivity. Whether you’re eight years old or 80 years old, anyone can use ChatGPT.”

Examples of generative AI models include:

ChatGPT: An AI language model developed by OpenAI that can answer questions and generate human-like responses from text prompts.

DALL-E 2: Another AI model by OpenAI that can create images and artwork from text prompts.

Google Bard: Google’s generative AI chatbot and rival to ChatGPT. It’s trained on the PaLM large language model and can answer questions and generate text from prompts.

Midjourney: Developed by San Francisco-based research lab Midjourney Inc., this gen AI model interprets text prompts to produce images and artwork, similar to DALL-E 2.

GitHub Copilot: An AI-powered coding tool that suggests code completions within the Visual Studio, Neovim and JetBrains development environments.

Llama 2: Meta’s open-source large language model can be used to create conversational AI models for chatbots and virtual assistants, similar to GPT-4.

xAI: After funding OpenAI, Elon Musk left the project in July 2023 and announced this new generative AI venture.

Cyber Gear has documented 450 AI Tools to help organisations become smarter. Every knowledge worker has the potential to use these technologies to increase their productivity.

To realize quick returns, organisations can easily consume foundation models ‘off the shelf’ through APIs.

Download your copy at https://www.cyber-gear.io

Learn how to host your website on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) for greater control, performance, and scalability. Follow our detailed step-by-step guide to set up your website, secure your server, configure Apache, MySQL, and PHP, upload your files, and effectively manage your website in a VPS environment.

If you’re looking to host your own website and have more control over its performance and resources, using a Virtual Private Server (VPS) can be a great option. 

What Are the Benefits of Using a VPS to Host a Website?

Using a VPS for website offers several advantages. Firstly, you have greater control over server resources, such as CPU, RAM, and storage, ensuring optimal performance for your website. Secondly, a VPS provides better scalability, allowing you to easily upgrade or downgrade your resources as per your requirements. Lastly, you have more flexibility to install and configure software, customize server settings, and implement advanced security measures

Get a VPS

The first step is to obtain a VPS from a reliable hosting provider. Consider factors such as:

• Performance. Look for a hosting provider with a robust hardware infrastructure, including powerful CPUs, plenty of RAM, and fast SSD storage. This will ensure that your website loads quickly and can handle high volumes of traffic.
• Uptime and reliability. Rent a VPS from a hosting provider that offers a high uptime guarantee, ideally 99.9% or higher. In addition, read reviews or testimonials to gauge the provider’s reliability and customer satisfaction.
• Scalability. Your website’s resource requirements may change over time as your traffic grows. Choose a VPS hosting provider that offers flexible scalability options, allowing you to easily upgrade or downgrade your server resources as needed.
• Server locations. The physical location of the server can affect the speed at which a website loads, especially for visitors in different regions. If your target audience is primarily located in a specific geographic area, consider choosing a VPS hosting provider that has servers located in or near that region.
• Customer support. It’s important to have reliable customer support in case you encounter technical problems or need assistance. The best hosting provider is one that offers 24/7 customer support through multiple channels, such as live chat, email, etc. Prompt and knowledgeable support can save you time and effort in resolving any hosting-related issues.
• Security measures. Look for a VPS hosting provider that offers comprehensive security measures: firewalls, DDoS protection, regular backups, and SSL certificates. 

Create Your Website

Once you have a VPS, you need to create your website. This involves designing and developing the website using HTML, CSS and JavaScript or using a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal or others. You can also use website builders or pre-designed templates, depending on your skills and preferences.

Connect to the Remote Server

To connect to your VPS, you will normally use the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol. SSH allows you to securely access and manage your VPS remotely. You can use an SSH client such as OpenSSH or PuTTY to connect to your VPS using the credentials provided.

Secure Your Server

It is important to ensure the security of your server. Start by changing the default login credentials and disabling root login. Update the server’s operating system and install a firewall to prevent unauthorized access. Update and patch your server’s software regularly to address any security vulnerabilities. Take advantage of any additional security services offered by your hosting provider.

Configuring Apache

Apache is a popular web server software that can be installed on your VPS. Configure Apache to handle incoming web requests and serve your website files to visitors. You can set up virtual hosts to host multiple websites on a single VPS and configure various settings to optimize performance.

Configuring MySQL and PHP

If your website requires a database, you can install and configure MySQL, a widely used relational database management system. In addition, PHP is a popular scripting language used for dynamic web content. Installing PHP and configuring it to work with Apache will allow your website to interact with the database and generate dynamic content.

Uploading Your Files Using SFTP

To upload your website files to the VPS, you can use Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). SFTP allows you to transfer files securely between your local computer and the remote server. You can use SFTP clients such as FileZilla or WinSCP to connect to your VPS and upload your website files to the appropriate directory.

Manage Your Website

Once your website is up and running, it’s important to monitor and manage it properly. Keep your website files up to date, back up your data on a regular basis, and monitor server performance. Install security plug-ins or scripts to protect against malware, and implement SSL certificates to secure data transmission.

1. Building Backlinks: Guest posting allows you to include links back to your own website, which can help improve your search engine rankings.

 

2. Increasing Website Traffic: By publishing guest posts on popular websites, you can drive targeted traffic back to your own site.

 

3. Establishing Authority: Guest posting on respected and authoritative websites in your niche can help position you as an industry expert and enhance your credibility.

 

4. Expanding Your Reach: By reaching a new audience through guest posting, you can increase your brand visibility and attract new potential customers.

 

5. Networking and Collaboration: Guest posting can be a great way to connect with other influencers and experts in your industry, leading to potential collaboration opportunities.

 

6. Content Promotion: Guest posting allows you to share your best content with a wider audience, increasing its exposure and chances of going viral.

 

7. Gaining Social Media Exposure: Guest posts often get shared on social media platforms, helping you reach a larger audience and gain more followers.

 

8. Driving Lead Generation: By including a call-to-action or offering a free resource in your guest post, you can capture leads and grow your email list.

 

9. Improving Brand Awareness: Consistently publishing high-quality guest posts can help increase awareness of your brand and make it more recognizable in your industry.

 

10. Learning from Others: Guest posting on different websites gives you the opportunity to learn from other writers and gain valuable insights and perspectives.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today launched Dubai’s Digital Strategy. The launch of the strategy sets the stage for a new era of digital transformation, in line with the leadership’s vision to position Dubai as a global role model in the sector.

The launch took place during HH Sheikh Hamdan’s visit to the headquarters of Digital Dubai, where he was briefed on the progress of its various initiatives, the work done by various teams in preparation for upcoming stages of Dubai’s Digital Strategy, and the latest projects Digital Dubai is developing in collaboration with government entities.

“Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai has completed three outstanding phases in its digital journey, starting with the launch of the region’s first e-government in 2001, followed by a smart government initiative in 2013, and then the government-wide digital transformation, which culminated in fully eliminating paper transactions by the end of 2021,” His Highness Sheikh Hamdan said. “These stages served as the prelude to Dubai’s new Digital Strategy, which cements Dubai’s position as the world’s digital capital. The period ahead calls for intensifying efforts, strengthening cooperation, and promoting proactive thinking and innovation to achieve major goals.”

The city’s new Digital Strategy is based on a vision to digitalise all aspects of life in Dubai and establish a reliable, robust digital system that enhances the digital economy and empowers a digitally-driven society. The Strategy is centred on seven key pillars, namely, the digital city, digital economy, data and statistics, digital talent, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital competitiveness. The Strategy aims to enhance the outputs of the digital economy, increase the positive impact of Digital Wellbeing by 90%, achieve top rankings in the United Nations’ Local Online Service Index, and launch 50 digital city experiences that are seamless, interconnected, proactive, predictable, and high-impact. The strategy also aims to equip over 50,000 professionals with advanced digital qualifications.

The strategy, launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan, represents an advanced stage and a new milestone in Dubai’s digital transformation journey. The digitisation rate of government services is now at 99.5%, while the paperless government objective has been achieved 100 and digital transactions account for 87% of total government service transactions. Moreover, over 120 government smartphone applications have been developed, while government entities have recorded a compliance rate of over 80% with cybersecurity indicators and 100% compliance with the Dubai Data Law.

The Crown Prince of Dubai highlighted the importance of these achieved targets and said that the current stage of the city’s digital transformation calls for an integrated, holistic system where all stakeholders join the effort to drive a game-changing shift in embracing technological breakthroughs that have already started to radically transform work and productivity patterns.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s visit to the Digital Dubai headquarters reflects the leadership’s commitment and the close attention it pays to all projects and efforts, in a bid to ensure the best quality of life in Dubai.

During his visit, Sheikh Hamdan expressed his confidence in the Dubai Government team and its highly skilled and competent members. He commended their work in the field of digital transformation at Digital Dubai and other entities. “Dubai’s competencies have always been a key element of its distinction,” His Highness said. “Just as we have succeeded in every stage of our transformation so far, by relying on our highly qualified professionals, we are confident today that we will also achieve our future aspirations and move forward towards another higher and more ambitious objective.”

“In order for us to accomplish what we aspire to, we must enhance cooperation and coordination between various entities in the Dubai Government,” HH Sheikh Hamdan noted. “This era of major technological transformation calls for maximum integration and cooperation between all sectors. We must listen to customers and strive to keep pace with their needs and expectations that are changing at the same pace as these technologies are progressing.”

His Highness stressed the need to take advantage of new technologies of all kinds, saying: “Artificial Intelligence and generative AI technologies provide tremendous opportunities to capitalise on and develop proactive services, rooted in a deeper insight and understanding of customers. We must explore the potential of these technologies and use them to enhance our efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity.”

For his part, His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, expressed his gratitude to HH Sheikh Hamdan for his visit, saying that His Highness’s directives will guide Digital Dubai’s plans and operations in the stage ahead. “This is a happy day for our team here at Digital Dubai,” he said. “Nothing can be more encouraging for us than to hear words of encouragement from our leaders, and to see our efforts appreciated by the leadership. This encouragement is a powerful incentive for us to strive towards greater achievements, as an expression of our determination to ensure Dubai’s spot at the forefront, and position it as a role model in the field of digital transformation and smart cities.”

“Digital Dubai will work with all of our partners, including government entities and private establishments, as one team tasked with optimally implementing the Strategy, all the while keeping pace with promising technologies, so that together, we add a new success story to Dubai’s history and chart a new future centred around a comprehensive digital life,” HE Al Mansoori said.

Advanced digital initiatives and projects

During his visit, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also launched the Digital City Experiences initiative, which aims to develop an integrated and connected city, providing consistent digital experiences to citizens, residents, visitors, and entrepreneurs. The initiative seeks to achieve these objectives by connecting fragmented digital services in Dubai, compiling them all into an integrated system that values privacy, focuses on users, and provides them with options.

The initiative will also offer experiences through unified digital channels, where users, including citizens, visitors, and companies in Dubai, can enjoy an easy and seamless experience that saves them time and effort. This approach is a cornerstone of the digital service delivery system, elevating the quality of digital life to its highest levels.

Furthermore, His Highness unveiled the new version of the official website of Dubai, Dubai.ae, which serves as a unified and reliable digital platform that offers users in Dubai and around the world access to a range of information and digital services in Dubai, anytime and from anywhere. It allows users to explore a vast database of information and digital services covering all sectors, including healthcare, education, city events, tourism, work, investment, residence, family affairs, transportation, communications, real estate, and many others.

The portal also includes a dedicated section for E-participation in Dubai, which reflects the level of interaction between Dubai’s community and its government and highlights the latter’s commitment to involving the community in the development of city services and policies. The website provides a dedicated space for sharing ideas, discussing topics, and submitting suggestions to enhance the quality of life of the city’s residents.

Sheikh Hamdan also explored the Dubai Transactions Index, which aims to assess the performance of government transactions in real time. The initiative enables relevant entities to monitor the performance of government services offered through their various channels in real time. The initiative also allows customers to track the status of the services requested by them or follow up on requests through the DubaiNow application.

His Highness was also briefed about the innovative Digital Assistant initiative, which aims to embrace and develop the potential of generative AI by integrating it into the Smart Employee application, offering Dubai Government employees quick and easy access to a range of services.

His Highness’s visit to the Digital Dubai headquarters also included a briefing on the Dubai Leadership Dashboard, developed by the Dubai Data Establishment using the power of data to create a specialised dashboard for decision-makers, enabling them to access real-time, updated, and reliable city indicators, such as the population index, Platform 04, happiness index, business licenses, tourism, foreign trade volume, real estate transactions, Dubai Cybersecurity Index, and other indicators that facilitate optimal decision-making.

His Highness was also briefed on the Maha Project, developed by the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) at Digital Dubai, as a proactive system to mitigate the impact of cyber-attacks on government services and enhance security. It is an advanced system for securing online government services and monitoring their vulnerabilities.

Finally, His Highness explored the Happiness Meter and Environmental Quality IOTs, developed by Digital Dubai in collaboration with the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA), which uses artificial intelligence technology to read facial expressions in government facilities or elsewhere, providing a general indicator of public happiness in a specific place and time. In addition, the indicators assess the quality of the environment in a given location by setting up sensors inside or outside facilities to display key indicators, such as temperature, humidity, air quality, noise level, carbon dioxide levels, as well as total volatile organic compounds (TVOC).

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital payments, ewallet app development services have emerged as a helpful solution for businesses seeking to provide convenient and secure financial transactions to their customers. 

So, what exactly are ewallet app development services, and why are they gaining such prominence in today’s digital landscape? Let’s explore these services’ key aspects, benefits, and considerations.

How do ewallet development services help payment businesses?

Ewallet app development services encompass the entire process of creating a mobile application that enables users to store, manage, and transact money digitally. These services involve designing and developing an eWallet app from scratch or enhancing an existing app with additional features and functionalities.

The development process typically involves a team of skilled professionals, including developers, designers, and business analysts, who work collaboratively to create a seamless user experience, robust security measures, and seamless integration with various payment gateways and financial services.

Benefits of ewallet development services

So, what are the specific benefits that ewallet development services bring to the payment companies? Let’s delve into the advantages, opportunities, and transformative potential that these services offer.

Convenience

Ewallet apps offer users the convenience of making payments anytime, anywhere, with just a few taps on their mobile devices. Whether it’s paying for groceries, splitting bills, or transferring funds to friends and family, eWallet apps simplify and streamline the entire process.

Enhanced user experience

With intuitive interfaces, personalized settings, and easy navigation, eWallet apps prioritize user experience. They offer features like transaction history, real-time notifications, and quick access to account balances, providing users with a seamless and user-friendly financial management experience.

Security

Security is a top priority when it comes to digital app development services. These apps incorporate advanced security measures, including encryption, biometric authentication (such as fingerprint or facial recognition), and tokenization, to ensure the safety and privacy of users’ financial information.

Integration with third-party services

Digital wallet apps can seamlessly integrate with various third-party services, such as loyalty programs, reward systems, and digital wallets, allowing users to enjoy a comprehensive range of financial services within a single app.

SDK.financeewallet development services 

SDK.finance offers pre-developed payment software to accelerate the release of your payment products. If you’re looking for ewallet development services, using SDK.finance software allows you to build the digital solution faster, without starting from scratch.

We offer customized mobile and digital wallet solutions that leverage cutting-edge technologies and integrations. Leverage our expertise to get your fully secured, intuitive ewallet software with best-in-class UI /UX design. With our pre-developed digital Platform, you can create different wallet types: closed, semi-closed, open wallets; telco, stored value or rewards wallets. 

SDK.finance platform has more than 400 API endpoints that ensure easy integration with almost any third-party vendor or solution. This strengthens the time and cost-saving potential of our ewallet platform and frees developers from many integration-related headaches.

If you have a dated website and you are thinking about marketing it, you are likely wondering if you’d be wasting your time trying to rank an old website as opposed to having a fresh website built instead. So, the question is: is it possible to rank an old website? Read on and we’ll take a closer look…

Is it possible to rank an old website?

Absolutely. In fact, the truth is, Google is more likely to rank an older, more established website than a brand-new one. That said, if you haven’t touched your website in many years, then you are going to have your work cut out for you.

Do I need a fresh website for the best results?

Again, not necessarily. You don’t have to put your current website out to pasture and invest in a brand-new website in order to succeed. However, there is likely an awful lot of work to be done in order to modernise it and align it with Google’s current search algorithm ranking factors.

How to modernise an old website for SEO success?

So, now that we know that old websites can rank well for SEO with a little love, how should you go about modernising yours?

1. Give it a fresh design: the first step is to redesign your website. Think about the overall user experience and how difficult it is for users to navigate your website as it stands. How can it be improved? Which features make it harder to navigate? How can you update the colour scheme and font style to match your branding?

                  a. Ditch textures for solid colours.
                  b. Lose gradients, bevels, and other old design trends.
                  c. Remove any search bars that are otherwise useless.
                 d. Add a favicon.
                 e. Consider using an existing premium WordPress theme that fits your brand.

2. Make it fully responsive: another critical aspect of a modern website is responsiveness. If mobile users access your website and then have to ‘pinch and grab’ their way around it because it hasn’t been made fully responsive, then you need to fix that immediately. Not only is responsiveness a ranking factor for Google, but failing to accommodate the 55% of traffic that comes from mobile devices is a costly mistake indeed.

3. Refresh your content: conduct proper keyword research and figure out what your ideal customer is searching for / what your competitors are working on and then update your website content accordingly – with SEO in mind. Also, don’t forget that you likely have lots of juicy content on your blog that could easily be modernised and repurposed for even better results!

4. Ditch old stock photos and replace with new imagery: refresh the imagery on your website and replace stock photos with real, authentic imagery of your own. Also, be sure to compress them to reduce their size without compromising quality.

5. Add the appropriate NAP details: add your name, address, and phone number to your website and ensure that it is exactly the same across all other digital platforms, including your socials and local directories, etc.

6. Add video content: consider uploading quality video content, especially product reviews / ‘how-to’ guides to help build authority and up those on-page conversion rates.

7. Increase page load speed: we cannot emphasise the importance of optimizing your website for a fast page load speed. This is part of your technical SEO requirements and is a modern ranking factor. Put it this way: how long are you prepared to wait for a website to load before you abandon the search for another website? We’d wager not very long. Remember, the longer your website takes to load the less likely you will be to convert those clicks into customers!

Final thoughts

These are just a handful of the website modernisation tips that you should implement, however, they are arguably the most important. If you commit to redesigning your website with usability in mind, creating solid internal linking, and ultimately delivering a superior on-page experience, Google will be far more likely to rank you.

So, in conclusion, it is entirely possible to rank an old website, but you will need to carry out an awful lot of technical and onsite SEO in order to bring it up to speed.

If you feel like your website is beyond saving and could do with a brand new build entirely, then we would highly recommend hiring a New York City SEO company who can help you build a fresh website with a long-term SEO strategy in mind. Sync the two and build a site with intention – that’s the key to success.