Topic

A solid idea is what gets you off the ground. When it comes to choosing a topic, consider what your audience is looking for – what questions are they asking? Providing useful, relevant information, such as tips and advice on SEO, copywriting and content strategy for a digital marketing blog, is key to success.

Headline

An enticing title is one of the most important parts of a blog post! The first thing potential readers see, it must be engaging and click-worthy – boring headlines are much more likely to be passed over. A great headline lets readers know what’s in it for them.

Images

Every blog post needs a great image or three. Images should be eye-catching and relevant – they break up blocks of text and make them easier to read and more visually appealing. They add another dimension to the post and also work to keep the reader’s eye moving downwards.

Introduction

The introduction supports the title and connects it to the rest of the post and also provides an overview of the content to come. It lets readers know what to expect in more detail and, as such, should be captivating and inviting – just remember not to give too much away.

Body Content

Body content should be concise, grammatically correct and informative. Reflective both of your business and the topic at hand, breaking it up into short paragraphs makes it much easier to read. To ensure you offer the reader what you’re promising, proofread once and then proofread again. A second set of eyes is always good to have on hand.

Conclusion

A proper conclusion summarizes the content of the article and is short and concise. A handy way to wrap up, it provides a simple overview of the points of discussion as well as their benefit.

Social Networks and Sharing

Make it easy for readers to share your blog posts on Facebook, Twitter and other networks by including social sharing buttons on each page. This also encourages readers who don’t follow you to take the plunge, especially if they enjoy your posts and would like to stay up-to-date on what your company’s talking about.

Call To Action

One last thing that every great blog post has is a Call To Action. A main purpose of a business blog is to generate traffic and, ideally, leads for your company. Once a potential client has landed on your webpage and is reading your content, take it a step further by encouraging them to, for example, download a free eBook or white paper or sign up for an email newsletter. Another option is to offer the reader a next step, such as contacting your service team or visiting and “liking” your business Facebook page.

Representative of your business as a whole, blog posts provide useful, relevant information, promote your services and play a key role in initiating client relationships. A great way to build trust and rapport, taking the time to craft engaging and effective posts begins with these key elements. For help developing, launching and maintaining your company blog, contact Yabsta Digital today!

DO: Decide If You Really Need It

Is an email newsletter really the right decision? To start off, look into your industry. Are other companies sending them and are they successful? Look at your business goals. Good goals that this strategy can potentially help with include increasing leads and generating better quality, more targeted leads. Assessing your resources is also crucial. Can you pull it off on your budget and time constraints? Will you have any help? Answering these questions can help you decide if an email newsletter is right for you.

DON’T: Take On Too Much

Avoid jumping into an email newsletter without a set plan in place. This includes content, frequency and a landing page to encourage subscription. You also need to schedule time into your busy workdays to create, edit and send test copies out prior to deployment.

DO: Balance Your Content

A good rule of thumb for email newsletters is to stick to mainly educational content with a few promotions thrown in. While your products and services are important, useful and relevant information is much better received than constant self promotion. In this case, less is more when it comes to talking about yourself.

DON’T: Use Vague or Misleading Subject Lines

When it comes to the headlines, get creative. A great way to encourage readers to click, opt for engaging, humourous and attention-grabbing over more vague and repetitive options. Choose something different for each email. Keep it short and sweet and let the recipient know what’s in it for them if they click.

DO: Mobile Optimize

Mobile is getting bigger by the day and Google’s recent changes can attest to that. Many individuals use their smartphones to check their email, whether it’s during a meeting, while commuting or during downtime watching television. Optimizing your email newsletter for mobile is a great way to increase your readership. Click here for more tips.

DON’T: Send Without Doing a Test Run

Sending an email newsletter out to a subscriber base without first sending out a test email within your business is a disaster waiting to happen. A test deployment lets you in on any little issues that need to be fixed, from typos to broken images and links, defunct formatting, colour and design discrepancies and more. When in doubt, test and test again!

When it comes to email newsletters, these 6 dos and don’ts will help get, and keep, your company on the right track! To learn more, check out HubSpot’s round-up of 15 fantastic examples. Do you subscribe to any email newsletters? What are your likes and dislikes?

Misfit Shine

Manufactured by Misfit Wearables, the Misfit Shine is a sleek and attractive piece of wearable technology. The size of a quarter, it can be worn as a necklace and tracks both fitness and sleep. Waterproof, it is affordable and syncs with both Android and iPhone.

Smartphone Upgrade

A great choice for the Moms who are hard to shop for, a smartphone upgrade is both kind and logical. The latest iPhone, Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy or similar model will keep her connected. To add a special touch, upload all of her favourite music and add your favourite photo of the two of you as a background photo before gifting it.

FitBit Aria Smart Scale

If your Mom is into fitness, the FitBit Aria Smart Scale can’t be beat. A great tool for weight loss and getting in shape, the scale tracks weight, BMI and more, displays stats and trends, syncs with Wi-Fi, works with FitBit trackers, recognizes up to 8 users (keeping personal info private) and more. It is beautifully built and attractive, a great addition to any bathroom or home gym.

Parrot Flower Power

The ultimate gardening gadget, the Parrot Flower Power is ideal for keeping both outdoor and indoor plants healthy. It supplies real-time updates and monitors light, temperature, water, soil and more. Accompanied by an app, an updates are sent to synced iPhone or Android phones to monitor a plants’ needs, such as for more water or food. The Parrot Flower Power is bluetooth-enabled.

Video Baby Monitor

New moms are sure to love the BabyPing Video Baby Monitor. Simple to set-up, it’s easy to use and lets Mom keep a close eye on baby from any room in her home. It boasts many great features including audio filtering, Wi-Fi connectivity to various devices including smartphones, nursery rhymes, two-way audio and more.

From a brand new smartphone, to a smart scale, upscale gardening gadget, video monitor and a sleep and fitness tracker disguised as gorgeous jewelry, there are many great tech gifts out there to make this Mother’s Day something special. What do you have planned for your mom? Let us know in the comments!

Differentiate yourself. Today, there are many bloggers trying to make it on the Web and standing out is critical to success. Great content is key to doing this. Look in a wide range of places for ideas, such as offline magazines, and remember that your audience is interested in much more than just one topic.

Optimize your posts. Blogging is great for SEO and optimized content makes it even better. Add relevant keywords to captions, descriptions and the post itself. Saving images under relevant titles also helps.

Publish for free what users would pay for. Original information that users find useful is what will bring them back to your blog.

Invest time in your headlines. An excellent title attracts attention, promises a specific benefit and, hopefully, entices the reader to click through.

A friendly tone goes a long way. Opting for a conversational instead of a corporate tone is much more engaging. Choose active over passive, use contractions and scrap the jargon and long paragraphs.

Show personality. Letting your personality shine through on your blog lets people know that there’s a person behind the posts and that’s a good thing.

Add an email list sign-up button. Email is a great way to develop a true connection with your readers and encourage the consumption of your content. Offer a benefit for signing up, such as a free downloadable eBook, and place your form in strategic locations such as on the homepage and in the sidebar.

Educate and inform. While the occasional self-promotional blog post is more than acceptable, the bulk of your content provide value for readers, answer their questions and encourage them to take action.

Invite guest bloggers. Built up your blog content by encouraging writing-inclined colleagues, industry experts and others to submit a post on an interesting topic. This offers a fresh perspective and can widen readership.

Organize your posts. Superior information architecture, which includes clear navigation, categories and tags, makes it easy for readers to quickly and easily find what they’re looking for. This is also key to a successful blog.

Have you tried any of these 10 tricks? Do you have a tip to add to our next instalment? Contact us on Facebook or Twitter!

Huge Background Images

A year later, this trend has proven staying power. In 2015, we can expect to see even more use of large background images on websites for all sorts of businesses and brands. An eye-catching way to set-up your home or inner pages, it works well alongside dynamic typography. See it in action over at Google Nexus.

Mobile

As discussed here, Google is making big changes this month. Beginning April 21st, websites that aren’t mobile-optimized will be penalized in the search rankings. This is a big deal and, as such, 2015 is the year that mobile design will truly expand. Key to getting found online, a great mobile website benefits both businesses and their consumers, increasing conversions and ROI.

Increased Privacy

Websites today are more frequently being designed and developed with security in mind. Especially key for eCommerce, users are much more likely to visit and make purchases from sites that offer safe and secure forms and check-out processes. This is important to take into consideration if you’re planning on selling your services or products online.

Ghost Buttons

A trend that began in 2014, ghost buttons are more popular than ever. Clickable buttons, they are basic, flat and feature no fill – hence the name. Transparent aside from the outline and the inner text, they are typically large in size and placed prominently on the page. They are often paired with full-screen backgrounds, mobile applications and one-page sites. See it in action here.

Constantly evolving, 2015 is going to be a big year for web design. From ghost buttons to large background images, increased privacy and a focus on mobile, many of today’s trends are worth discussing. If you’re looking to start the year out with a great new design, our talented team of designers can help.

Digital-First Branding

Today, many consumers’ very first impression and experience with a brand is online. Though advertising venues such as commercials and radio are still quite popular, digital-first branding is gaining considerably. Companies are now conceiving their brand and how it works online before moving on to different channels. An innovative approach, digital marketing techniques are now often working in conjunction with, and enhancing, the traditional.

Custom Photography

In 2015, we’re going to see more professional photography that suits the needs and purpose of a website. Though there is still a time and a place for stock photos, custom images are completely unique and take the overall design of a great site to the next level. Highly personable, it’s a great way to show off your business – who you are, what you do and why you’re the best.

Hidden Navigation

Many websites (including Yabsta Global’s recent redesign!) are hiding their main menus, lending a minimalistic look to their home pages. A technique commonly used in responsive design, it is being carried over to overall site design when it was previously seen mainly in small viewports, such as smartphone screens. Clean and functional, the navigation becomes visible when the user clicks or hovers over the appropriate icon.

Bright and Bold

Vibrant design, a stunning, graphical combination of colour, environment, large typography, lighting, shadow, responsiveness and motion, is going to be a hit as the year progresses. A type of design intended to mimic the texture and experience of paper and ink, Google’s Material theme is a great example.

From vibrant design to digital-first branding, large background images and a few oldies-but-goodies, 2015 is going to be a great year online. What do you think the biggest trend will be? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

Image Credit: design by Maher Berro, via Flickr, CC License, no changes made

1. Keep creating content! Producing regular content is key to blogging success. Fresh, interesting posts are a big reason why readers choose to check back regularly or subscribe.

2. Subscribe to, and read, top industry blogs. This is a great way to generate ideas and boost your inspiration.

3. Set a schedule. If you find that you’re falling behind, this might be just what you need. Decide to post daily or biweekly, for example. Stick to it and hold yourself accountable.

4. Increase your scope. Especially important for business blogs, it is necessary that the content reflects more than your products and services. For example, if your company offers social media management, include posts on the latest networks and how to use them.

5. Market it. Increase reach and readership by promoting your blog posts via avenues like social media. Just finished a new article? Post a link to it on your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.

6. Think outside the box. Why not turn that series you just finished into something new and exciting with video?

7. Utilize buttons. Prompt readers to subscribe via RSS or email or share posts they enjoy on Facebook and Twitter.

8. Get visual! Great images are eye catching, provide much-needed visual stimulation and also break up the text, making it simpler for readers to consume.

9. Keep a list of topics handy. Excellent for preventing burn-out, brainstorm ideas with your coworkers or friends and record them by hand or in a Word document. When the time comes to write, pull it out and pick one.

10. Write in short paragraphs and use bullet points. This is much easier to read, and less intimidating, than a page full of long paragraphs of text.

Do you have any tried-and-true blogging tips? Share them in the comments below!

Image Credit: Blogging Research Wordle by Kristina B, via Flickr, CC License, no changes made

Offer Something Up

Give your current and potential customers something they’ll love by offering up a gift or discount. Think free shipping, a great sale (25 or 50% off usually generates attention!), complimentary gift wrapping or a special package. Advertise the deal wherever possible, such as on your website, social media accounts and even on the radio.

Run A Facebook Contest

Generate engagement on Facebook with a lovey-dovey photo contest. Taking your audience into consideration, encourage your followers to submit a photo of themselves and their partner, for example, or of something that they think represents love and choose the best one. The possibilities are endless!

Sweeten Your Profile and Header Photos

Another great idea for social media is to add some V-Day flair to your profile and header photos. Depending upon your type of business, you can go simple and understated or a bit more flashy – hearts, hugs and kisses and flowers all make great choices, as well as images advertising your special offers.

Showcase Potential Gifts

If you sell potentially gift-worthy products, create a Valentine’s Day line-up to wow your customers. You can then showcase the range in a variety of ways – craft a blog post, email or special website section, or even all of the above, for the occasion. Don’t forget to include pricing, a Call-To-Action for ordering and high-quality images.

Share Tips

Share tips on your blog and social media accounts to make your followers’ Valentine’s Day extra special. Depending upon the scope of your business, you can offer recipes for dinner, dessert and drinks, date and gift ideas, party suggestions and more. If you utilize Twitter, consider creating a special hashtag, such as #VDayTips.

Make Valentine’s Day an event your customers will remember with great offers, contests, tips, imagery, gifts and more! There’s no better time to give your marketing an overhaul than mid-month when love is in the air. Do you have any other ideas? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

Image Credit: Happy Valentine’s Day by Viola’s Visions, CC License, no changes made

Eva’s Nail Care

Eva’s Nail Care, a popular Grand Cayman salon, needed a site as fun as them! Our designers created a concept that extolls the company’s staff, services and specials and reflects their friendly atmosphere. A trendy new logo, horizontal imagery collage, social media call-outs, central navigation and a one-page experience make the website even more special. Click here to visit.

Divers Supply

Grand Cayman’s top provider of diving equipment, rentals, repairs, servicing, apparel and more, Divers Supply needed a web presence that matched their expertise. We created an engaging site in a calming blue colour palette, complete with imagery of the beautiful Caribbean Sea. A simple navigation bar and large background image make it even better. Check it out here.

All Things Electrical

A Cayman Islands contractor, All Things Electrical wanted to showcase their range of services to current and potential customers. They collaborated with Yabsta and the result is an engaging, easy to navigate brochure site that is both functional and visually appealing. Visit the site and let us know what you think.

Caribbean Optical

A popular island optometrist, Caribbean Optical specializes in customer service and provides a full range of services. We opted for an inviting colour palette, stimulating imagery and prominent calls-to-action, as well as a navigation bar that displays the company’s many offerings. Dynamic and easy to use, you can view the website here.

Cayman Hyundai

Yabsta designed a brand new site for Prestige Motors, the islands’ exclusive Hyundai distributor. Highly effective, the result showcases the dealership’s available vehicles and increases awareness in the local market. The site leverages the recognition of their global brand partner and is visually welcoming. There is a built-in request form and both the navigation and messaging are direct and straightforward. Wanna see?

Eva’s Nail Care, Divers Supply, All Things Electrical, Caribbean Optical and Cayman Hyundai are recent Cayman Islands web design projects we are proud to share. Learn more about our services, which also include social media management, copywriting, SEO and more, or contact our offices here.

It’s Ad-Free

The most notable aspect of Ello is that it’s entirely free of advertisements. It does not sell or show ads and users’ personal data is not bought or sold. Ello is also a USA Public Benefit Corporation, which means that it’s highly unlikely they will ever be able to sell ads or user information. Different from the services offered by networks like Facebook, Twitter and the like, you can check out their policy here.

It’s Free-Free

Ello is free to use and users will never have to pay anything. However, the creative team frequently offers special features and, if you like them, it costs a small amount to have the feature added to your account. This money goes to support the continued improvement of the network.

How Do I Join?

At this point in time, Ello is invitation-only. If you know someone who is currently using the social media network, you can ask them to invite you. You can also request an invitation code via the site’s home page. Once you’ve received the code, you can enter it here.

Design

The layout and style of Ello is simple, clean and minimalist. Though the site is relatively stark in comparison to much social media, it is easy to use and uncluttered. Individual profiles feature a header and profile photo, username, short bio and links.

How It Works

Similar to many other networks, Ello users can follow and mention one another, and also comment on one another’s posts. The homepage is divided into two panels – one displays the Control Panel (which gives users access to the site’s many features) as well as users being followed. Followed users are divided into two groups – “Friends” and “Noise.” The second panel displays a timeline of posts from the users in the selected group that can be scrolled through and interacted with. To learn more about the nitty-gritty, check out this user manual.

Now that you know what Ello’s all about, it’s time to take the plunge! Sleek, stylish and secure, it’s the new “it” thing for individuals looking for an ad-free experience. Try it out and let us know what you think on Facebook or Twitter.