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A Guide to Hiring The Best Web Designer in Brisbane

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Why Do You Need a Website Developer?

If you run a business you have likely been told that you need a website. It makes sense since the Internet allows your business to reach customers it could not otherwise. However, you may not understand why you need a professional web designer to do it for you and you may wonder what does a web designer do?

A professional web designer ensures that your website makes an excellent first impression. Without that, people will arrive, take a look at your business online and immediately exit. The average quality of websites has been improving for years and people’s expectations have risen accordingly. If you cannot compete, your business will struggle.

Choosing the Right Web Designer

Before you are able to choose the right developer, find one that meets your requirements. Ask yourself the following to narrow the field.

What is Their Service Area?

When you need web designers in Brisbane, the first thing you need to check is that the company you are interested in caters to your type of business. The requirements for startups, SMEs and large organisations are completely different. They also need to demonstrate that they are familiar with the particular niche that you are occupying or they will not deliver a suitable user experience.

How Experienced are They?

Do not let yourself be fooled by a dazzling sales pitch. You need a development company that has real experience. This is shown through an extensive portfolio which needs to demonstrate an understanding of the latest trends. Another test is to check their blog. Industry leaders are not afraid to show off their knowledge and will blog about it accordingly.

How Dependable Are They?

The greatest web development company in the world is no different from the worst if they do not do the work agreed. Look for recent reviews to get a feeling for their current status. Do not forget to check what people are saying on social media while also checking more formal review spaces.

Will They Meet Face-to-Face?

Part of finding web designers in Brisbane means finding people you can actually talk to. It may seem cheap or easy to outsource overseas but there are hidden costs. Chief among them is the breakdowns in communication that inevitably occur in purely digital interactions. Face-to-face meetings are the best way to communicate your concerns and ideas while getting a feeling for the type of company you may be about to hire.

Will They Meet their Milestones?

Developing your website is not a case of requirements turning into a working product with an indeterminate time in between. There have to be milestones along the way so that you can make sure that development is staying on track. They are the best way to catch mistakes or unforeseen issues early enough that they can still be remedied. So when you are outlining the project with your development company, make sure they are willing to set clear milestones that cover as many steps of the project as possible.

Will You Get Complete Website Ownership?

This is non-negotiable. Once complete, you need to make sure that your website is truly and wholly yours. Small web design and development tasks will occur after development ends and there is no point continuing to pay someone else to do what you can. This also lets you switch developers at a later stage if necessary without having to start from the beginning. This grants a vital measure of independence and there is no substitute for it.

About The Author:

Caroline Bird is a creative writer and digital marketer. She loves sharing her perspective, tips and how-tos related to home improvement, productivity, business, and technology through her writing. Connect with Caroline via @bCarolinebird12

A guide to Usability Testing Before Launching Your Website

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Usability testing is a technique that is used as part of UX design, to see how potential users interact with a website. This technique has been used since the beginning of the formation of IT systems. However, how a designer used to go about usability testing is not the same as designers do today. Today, conducting usability testing is a bit more involving and here is how you go about it.

Who Conducts the Test

Before the tests begin, you need to decide who will be in charge of the entire process. It may be one of your staff or a third party outside the company’s walls to do the tests. You can also decide to have more than one type of test so that one staff can handle tests within the company as a third party handles trials outside the company. Using an old testing method such as focus group participants, both a staff and a third party can be involved to balance out the findings.

Who are the Test Users

Users testing recruitment is another thing to consider. Not everyone is suitable to be a part of the test. Some prospect users might have no interest in the website; hence their inputs are not of any importance. This is why it is essential to choose the appropriate user testing participants. As you do the users testing recruitment, make sure that the users you choose are very close to the clients you expect to attract to your website. You can either look for organic users or PPC through SEO advertising.

Testing Among Staff Members

As much as you want prospective users to have a good experience on your site, your staff to need to not only know how to navigate through the website but also have an easy time in doing so. It will not paint a good picture if staff members are finding it hard to assist clients just because the site is too complicated for them. The first-hand experience for the staff is a good marketing strategy as well.

Evaluations

Once you have undertaken the usability testing, having data that is both quality and right quantity will be of great importance. These are the two sides of your website that will show how ready the site is to be launched in the market. With the quantity, you will learn about your target audience and their behaviour while quality will let you know why the people who were part of the test behaved the way they did. The two will help you see where the issues are and how to solve them.

Importance of Usability Testing

Most people do not understand why usability testing is important. Some argue that one can just launch the website in the market and make changes as time goes by. However, doing some corrections after a while might be too late for the brand. This is one of the reasons why designers should do a usability test before the site is out to the public.

The tests will help you bridge the gap between the business’s goals and the real world. It will also help you evaluate a product and make sure that it is as perfect as it can get before it is launched into the market. During the test, you can be able to understand your user’s expectations as well.

Conclusion

Conducting usability testing can happen more than once during the UX design process. Getting the right participants during these tests should never be compromised. Otherwise, your feedback will be as good as not having any. A successful usability test will consequently mean a useful site.

Featured Photo © Mimi Thian on Unsplash

About The Author:

Caroline Bird is a creative writer and digital marketer. She loves sharing her perspective, tips and how-tos related to home improvement, productivity, business, technology, and SEO through her writing. Connect with Caroline via @bCarolinebird12

Digital Marketing: A New Way of Marketing

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Digital Marketing is any marketing that makes use of electronic devices such as mobile phones. Digital marketing has gained unprecedented importance in today’s times as a considerable part of the waking hours are spent on electronic devices. The Americans expend more than 11 hours each day on their electronic devices and the situation is much the same elsewhere, as per reports.

Types of Digital Marketing

There are various kinds of digital marketing such as Search Engine Optimization, social media marketing and affiliate marketing; it’s all about what works best for a particular industry and audience.

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of growing the online visibility in search engine results. The users search for a given set of keywords by using Google and other search engines and receive individualized results based on location, keyword and browsing history. The organic search results are ranked with the use of search engine algorithms. SEO agencies such as Impressive Digital help in generating high levels of online visibility and traffic.

Search Engine Marketing

Search Engine Marketing covers the ground ignored by SEO. Google AdWords is the most common paid search platform. It charges a predetermined amount to display an advertisement in a number of places on the basis of criteria such as keywords and phrases. Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a digital marketing method whereby search engines charge a company for each click of the advertisement.

Social Media Marketing

Social media is pivotal to any marketing strategy. Social media marketing provides exposure and facilitates intimate connections with the consumers. The by-product of such interactions is feedback that is valuable for enhancing customer services.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is the practice of delivering quality content to the users to generate sales and leads. It is comprised of tweets, YouTube videos and blogs. Content Marketing works well as it jells with other types of digital marketing such as SEO and Social Media Marketing.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is the practice of updating the company’s customers at regular intervals through the medium of email. This fosters deep trust between the company and its customers, and provides value to the end users, thereby building brand trust and brand loyalty. People who opt for email subscriptions generally convert into active consumers.

Why Digital Marketing?

Marketing was once considered as the domain of multinationals and large corporations with deep pockets to mount and sustain an online marketing campaign. Digital Marketing has levelled the playing field, providing small and medium enterprises an opportunity to compete against the big boys. Small businesses can engage effectively with multiple customers worldwide even in the absence of physical stores and branches. Digital Marketing is also more cost-effective than traditional marketing as it delivers cost-effective marketing channels to small businesses with limited resources and capitalization.

To conclude, digital marketing bestows competitive edge to a business in today’s digital arena. The real goal of digital marketing is to boost online visibility, engage with consumers and enhance brand value. Quality marketing practices thereby benefit both the company and target audience.

A Look at the AusCERT2019 Cyber Security Conference

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Photo © Pixabay

AusCERT is holding its annual conference from 28 to 31 May 2019 at the Surfers Paradise Marriott in the Gold Coast. AusCEPT is a leading Cyber Emergency Response Team CEPT information security advisor for different sectors.

Different organisations in Australia join the network and benefit from the response services of the team on different issues involving cybersecurity.

Both members and non-members can attend the conference, which has various elements making up the agenda. The first two days cover tutorials while the actual conference takes place on the last two days.

More About AusCERT

The Australian CERT was established in 1993 as a non-profit that is part of the University of Queensland in the Information Technology Services. AusCERT served as the national cyber emergency response team until 2010. It is one of the first contacts that organisations have when dealing with security incidents.

AusCERT was created to help members detect, respond, mitigate and prevent cyber-related attacks. The response funds itself through registration fees from members, service contracts and the annual conference.

AusCERT is responsible for monitoring threats and vulnerabilities on a global scale. It then develops strategies for mitigation and prevention of different types of risks. The team has numerous global contacts across the world that allows it to gather accurate information on emerging cyber threats. As part of global CERT, the cyber security Australia team gets early warnings about threats for which members benefit a lot.

The response team has an incident management service that is responsible for stopping a cyber attack in progress. Members can also rely on this service to help them recover after an incident. AusCERT has a Security Bulletin Service, which is a report containing data from varying sources about different internet security issues.

AusCERT 2019

Every year, AusCERT holds a cyber security conference that has remained the longest running in Australia. About 700 participants, both individuals and organisations, attend the event. The conference is designed to offer companies and internet security experts the tools they need to enhance their response to attacks.

From in-house IT teams to white hat hackers and other internet security experts, the 2019 conference provides an opportunity for industry players to interact and discuss issues like cyber security management. Social events are also part of the program including a Gala Dinner that incorporates industry awards. Participants have the chance to visit the Gold Coast and enjoy what it has in store.

The Agenda

On the first day of tutorials, participants will undertake a malware traffic analysis workshop, open source security orchestration, malware analysis, MISP training, TLS training, digital forensics and social engineering. For the second day of tutorials, attendees will learn how to think like an analyst, the risk management of cyber security, x86 assembly fundamentals, hacking of Bluetooth low energy, practical data science, TLS training and digital forensics. On 30 and 31 May, keynote speeches will take place.

The keynote speakers at the 2019 AusCERT cyber security conference are Mike Hypponen and Troy Hunt. Hypponen is a renowned TED Speaker on matters of tech security. He is also the CRO (Chief Research Officer) of F-Secure. Hypponen is an author for various global publications including Scientific America, The New York Times and Wired. Hunt is a Microsoft Regional Director and an independent security trainer. He founded HIBP (Have I Been Pwned) a data breach monitoring and notification service. Adam Spencer, a lover of math and a comedian, will be the event’s MC. Speakers for the main program and tutorials are from different global and regional companies.

AusCERT2019, organised by GEMS Event Management, will be a congregation of organisations from across the region looking to gain more knowledge about cybersecurity and its various facets. AusCERT provides information about the registration of members and non-members for the conference.

Australia vs. India Test Series: Preview and Predictions

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Australia, the reigning ODI champions are set to play India, the number one test team, in a test match that begins on Thursday, February 23 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, India. The match starting Friday is part of a four match test series that will be played between February 23 and March 29. Australia’s recent performances have been a bit of a mixed bag. They lost to New Zealand in a recently concluded ODI series but dismantled Pakistan in a one-day and a test series played in December and January. Recent games between the aforementioned teams point towards an Aussie win. Though, the last time the baggy greens played India, they were comprehensively beaten.

Talking about the home team, India has lost only one test series to Australia at home since 1967. The last time the Aussies managed to win a test series in India was way back in 2004-05. Since then, the two teams have played ten tests against each other on Indian soil. Of those 10 matches, India has won 8 while 2 matches have ended in draw. This clearly shows that India has the edge going into the series. Correctly predicting the winner of a cricket game is never easy. However, by considering bluebet tweets and the recent performances of the players involved in the aforementioned series, you can get a fair idea of who’s likely to win the test series between Australia and India.

The visitors are well led by the enigmatic and every buzzing Virat Kohli. Against Australia, the Indian skipper averages over 50 with the bat in both tests and ODIs so stopping him from running havoc would be a real challenge for the visitors. Apart from Kohli, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is a player the Australian team needs to be wary of. The number one bowler in test, Ashwin has always performed well against the Aussies.

The Australian team that will take the field on February 23 features many heavyweights including David Warner, Steven Smith, and Mitchell Starc. In Tests, Warner averages just under- 50 and has a phenomenal test strike rate of 80. Australia’s bowling ace, Starc is one of most lethal bowlers in the world. Starc has a test bowling average of 28 and has taken 143 test wickets. Additionally, he is a pretty handy batsman as he averages 24 and has a highest score of 99. Finally, we come to Steven Smith, the captain of the Australian team. An outstanding batsman, Smith has a test batting average of 60. In just 30 matches, the Aussie skipper has scored over 4500 runs.

The series between Australia and India that begins February 23 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium is expected to be closely contested. Most experts are predicting an Indian win but nobody knows for sure what will happen. By considering the recent performances of the players involved in the game, you can also put forth your prediction. Who knows you might just win the lottery!

Top 10 Ways to Earn Extra Money Online

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Today there are several exciting ways to earn money online without having to make a large investment. Everything from self-publishing e-books to entering online tournaments has the potential to bring in an extra wage. The following are ten top ways to earn an income online.

One – Self-Publish an eBook:

Self-publishing books is a good way to earn an income online. Sites like Create Space provide services designed to walk writers through the necessary steps: uploading manuscripts, creating covers, and publishing books through Amazon, either in paperback or on Kindle platform.

Two – Online Poker Tournaments:

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If you enjoy online poker, there are several online tournaments that provide winning opportunities. For example ipops, with a guaranteed prize-pool over a million dollars, it’s a way of getting your pockets packed without very small buy-ins investments. You will have to start from the beginning winning satellites and getting yourself up will the finals where is where the big money is.

Three – Forex Trading:

While Forex trading requires an investment in time, the potential for earning is considerable. Practice on a free demo account until you feel confident. With leverages ranging from 1:1 to 1:888, the only loss you are exposed to is what you actually have in your account, unlike other markets where a margin call can leave you owing the broker money.

Four – Online Freelancing:

Online freelancing sites such as Fiverr.com, Gigbucks.com, and Elance.com provide wonderful opportunities for marketing your talents. While Fiverr.com provides a flat rate, sites like Elance allow freelancers to create unique profiles and bid on a variety of jobs, anything from translation to website SEO.

Five – Selling Artwork and Crafts

For talented individuals selling online can provide a solid income. Sites like Etsy.com provide a ready-made platform for artists and craftspeople to sell items through virtual stores. It is now easier than ever to sell merchandise on Amazon and EBay.

Six – Blogs on Squidoo

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Another exciting way to make money, Squidoo offers potential. While it may take a little while to start earning, adding gadgets to a personalized page can help draw the attention of internet users. Add modules to generated income from affiliate sales.

Seven – Google AdSense

Google’s AdSense is an additional way to earn money. Sign up for a free AdSense account and receive an extra income from ads attached to your website or blog. As traffic to the site increases, the greater the earning potential becomes.

Eight – Write for Online Article Bases

Writing for article bases like Yahoo Contributor Network can provide a nice secondary income. Contributors may write articles covering a broad range of topics and receive payments upfront or via performance pay-outs. Contributors are able to promote their own articles and receive ongoing payments.

Nine – Selling T-shirts on Zazzle and CafePress

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Designing unique t-shirts with colourful designs and slogans can provide the perfect opportunity for creative individuals to make a little extra money. Websites like Zazzle and CafePress allow designers to set up free accounts. Payments are based on established pricing, and the companies produce and ship the merchandise to the customers.

Ten – Set up a Consultant-Site

Perfect for retirees, a consultation site allows experts to take advantage of their knowledge and experience by selling advice to others. Set up your own site or use an existing site to serve as a platform for your expertise.

While it’s important to be aware of scams, there are many authentic opportunities. The best way to earn money online is to promote yourself, sponsor your work, love what you do, and do what you love!

Getting a insurance quote for your car

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Insurance for your car is one of the things that people don’t plan for when they plan to buy a car Buying a car can be a difficult task with heaps of research to be done and lots of different factors to be taken into account , like the mileage the car will give , the space inside the car and the what kind of car are you seeking sedan , 4 door , 5 door, small car , Hatch and many other factors. Often people don’t realise but just buying a car is not the only thing that you need to plan for when you decide to get a car, but there are things like Insurance for your car, servicing contract for your car also that needs to be planned and researched. Insurance for your car can be one of the major things you will need to research even more as this ensures the safety of your car in case of accident theft and incidents out of your control.

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BMW Hommage car

Insurance for your car often comes as an afterthought after the car is bought and often ignored, however if proper research is done regarding what sort of insurance you want you can save money over the long term with proper planning. Nowadays getting a car insurance quote has been made easy by many online websites that just allow you to just input details of the car you are buying and get a approximate quote for insurance instantly, rather than doing the old fashioned way of visiting or calling insurance company.

With a car insurance you are protected in the event of unforeseen events and you can hit the road secure in the knowledge you have reliable and cost-effective comprehensive car insurance

Things to keep in mind while getting car insurance

You can vary your excess or simply adjust your excess on the online quote form or with insurance company, and see the change in price on your premium.

Some companies give you discount or provide cheaper quotes when your policy is bought online as they tend to save on processing and manpower costs.

Some insurance companies offer a new car discount if you get a policy before your car turns two years old

How are Insurance Premiums for cars worked out?

The “insurance company” gather large amounts of historical data so that the patterns of insurance payouts can be calculated accurately in case of a payout is needed. When you enter your individual details into the insurance company automated system, the computer databases compare this with other people who match your profile and the also the risks that are associated with them.

Factors that re taken into account when your quote is given

· Your age

· The make and model of vehicle

· Annual mileage

· Whether the driver is male or female

Getting a car insurance quote online is simple if you do a little preparation for the questions you’ll need to answer.  Refer questions above. To obtain your instant car insurance quote online and purchase a policy, you’ll need to provide information for each driver on the policy you are taking including address, driving record, and driver’s license number. You will also need to provide the Vehicle Identification Numbers for the cars you want to insure, if not available automatically based on your address and vehicle records. Get a online car insurance quote here

Big retailers gear up to take the online sales war head on

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Harvey Norman has just  released its online  website  focusing on selling online  with a  group buying strategy called “big buys”. Dicksmith , JB HI-Fi, and Coles have also spruced up their  act  and Online websites.

Research demonstrates that one of the main reasons Australians buy online from overseas-based sellers is due to many popular products not being offered online locally.Turnover for the top 2,000 Australian businesses on eBay.com.au grew by 38 per cent in 2010, clearly demonstrating that consumers have a robust appetite for domestic goods and for purchasing online.

Coles recently has also started  a service  making groceries available at a click of a button.  You can buy Groceries online and you can just drive in to the Coles  stores and staff will drop your online grocery shopping  goods into your car  ready for you to just drive home. You can register to do Online shopping with coles  over here – https://www.colesonline.com.au/r

Harvey Norman BiG BUYSTM offers you a fantastic new deal online every day. Harvey Norman BiG BUYS offers are available for a limited time only. It works on a countdown timer and stock is usually limited; a low stock message will appear when stock is almost gone. Once stock is gone, or the countdown has finished, you cannot purchase that day’s special anymore.

 

Visit the website here – http://www.harveynormanbigbuys.com.au/

Dicksmith  electronics which can be browsed at  www.dse.com.au has got a convenient click and collect new buying method for customers , the customers can reserve a product online without payment and then pay and collect the product in store.

More details on how this buying method for Dicksmith online works  is here on their website

David Jones launched its online retailing website in November 2010 as a record high Australian dollar was enticing local consumers onto overseas websites.

The four-year-old study has found that while 82% of global retailers have some form of online catalogue , Australia has only 75% of  its retailers having a online catalogue. The countries with the highest proportion of retailers that can deliver goods bought online were the UK (at 44%), the US (39%) and France (38%).