Any business owner will tell you (no matter what industry they are in), lead generation is the biggest ball ache of them all. It’s expensive, it’s time consuming, and it’s frustrating. However, there are far easier and more effective ways of attracting ‘ready to spend’ customers to your cause. If you’ve been struggling and need a solution, read on and we’ll share the best online marketing strategies for generating new leads…

1.   Local SEO

While SEO in general is valuable, local SEO is the perfect lead gen solution for small businesses who rely on their local community to thrive.

Put it this way: 76% of all local searches conducted on a mobile device end up visiting an establishment within 24-hours!

That is a powerful statistic indeed. And the best part? They are already highly qualified leads because they are actively searching for the products and services that you offer!

2.   Email marketing

Believe it or not, email marketing is one of the most valuable and yet woefully underrated forms of digital marketing / lead generation available today.

Of course, how can you market via email if you have no email list to speak of?

Here’s what you need to do:

• Build a lead magnet: a lead magnet is a FREE, ‘high-value’ giveaway on your website. This is most typically in the form of an eBook packed full of useful information (e.g., a Miami SEO company could offer a free eBook with their most valuable local SEO secrets). Then, in order to obtain their awesome eBook, website visitors will need to enter their email address and ultimately sign up to your email list.



• Write a newsletter: as your email list grows you should continue to produce high-value emails for your audience to engage with. Many won’t bother reading them at all, however, those that do are already very clearly interested in the products or services that you offer and could only be a few emails away from making their final decision or returning for more! Promotions, updates, new product releases, discounts; there’s no limit to the value you can provide in your email list.

3.   Social media marketing

Social media marketing is another highly valuable form of lead generation because it allows you to create highly refined adverts for a very specific audience.

For example, Facebook allows you to push your adverts in front of a highly fine-tuned demographic, including age, gender, location, likes, dislikes, and so much more.

LinkedIn is also an especially useful tool for generating B2B leads. Whether through crafting ads or simply regularly posting high-value content to grow and monetise an audience, it’s entirely up to you.

4.   PPC advertising

Pay Per Click advertising is a great digital marketing method if you get it right. This is because you can effectively attract “instant” leads, rather than having to work for 6-months on your SEO to start generating more inbound organic traffic.

That being said, PPC is incredibly difficult to master and it can be an expensive learning process if you are inexperienced / don’t have the appropriate support.

5.   Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a relatively young (though by no means ineffective) form of lead generation in digital marketing.

If you can find a popular social media influencer who fits perfectly with your brand and has a large online following who are in-line with your ideal target demographic, then you can partner with them to be an ambassador for your brand and products / services to ultimately attract as many new leads as possible.

While this isn’t exactly the cheapest method, if you can secure a deal with the perfect influencer, the results can be tremendous!

Conclusion

These are just a handful of the lead gen methods available today. While it is certainly no simple task, if you invest plenty of time and effort into conducting the appropriate research, fine-tuning your message, and providing an exceptional amount of value by way of content creation, you should not have any trouble cutting through the noise and resonating with your tribe. Of course, don’t neglect the importance of having a well-optimized website with an intuitive user experience, otherwise you’ll be attracting new leads only for them to abandon your website for your competitors!

We hope this has been inspiring and that you now have some ideas of your own for attracting new clients to your cause. Good luck!

As the world becomes increasingly digital and technology-focused, programming has become a highly sought-after skill. The demand for programmers has never been higher, and as a result, many cities around the world have established themselves as hubs for tech talent. These towns offer high-paying job opportunities and a luxurious standard of living for programmers. This article will cover the top 6 places for programmers to reside and work, as well as language learning opportunities there.

1. San Francisco, USA

San Francisco, California, is without a doubt the heart of the information industry. It is the home of some of the biggest digital behemoths in the world, such as Google, Facebook, and Apple. The city offers a high quality of life for programmers, wonderful weather, and a wide variety of leisure opportunities. San Francisco offers many job possibilities, and the annual average pay for programmers is around $130,000.
 
San Francisco provides a variety of chances for language learning because it is a melting pot of nations. The city has several language schools that offer classes in languages such as Mandarin, Spanish, French, and German. There are also many language exchange programs where programmers can practice their language skills with native speakers.

2. Toronto, Canada

Toronto is Canada's largest city and has quickly become a hub for tech talent. The city is home to numerous start-ups in the tech industry as well as well-known industry leaders like Amazon and IBM. Toronto has a diverse population, excellent healthcare, and a good quality of living. In Toronto, a coder can expect to make about 80,000 CDN annually.
 
Since English is the most common language used in the city, Toronto is a fantastic location to acquire the language. For non-native users of the language, there are many language institutions that offer English lessons. There are numerous chances to practice other languages like French, Chinese, and Spanish, and the city also has a varied populace.

3. Barcelona, Spain

The flourishing tech sector in Barcelona's beautiful seaside metropolis contributes to the city's high standard of living. The city is home to many start-up businesses as well as big software companies like Amazon and Microsoft. Barcelona offers a wide range of recreational options, wonderful weather, and an intriguing cultural past. A programmer in Barcelona can anticipate earning between €35,000 and €45,000 a year.
 
Given that Spanish is the most common language used in the city, Barcelona is a fantastic location to acquire the language. For non-native users of the language, there are many language institutions that offer Spanish lessons. There are many online language schools that offer Spanish online teaching with experienced teachers who are native speakers. These classes can be accessed from anywhere in the world and can be tailored to meet individual needs and goals.
 

4. Berlin, Germany

Berlin is a dynamic metropolis with a thriving tech industry and a rich cultural history. Numerous start-ups as well as well-established digital firms like SoundCloud and Zalando are based in the city. Berlin has an excellent public transit infrastructure, affordable housing, and a good standard of living. In Berlin, a coder can expect to make about €60,000 per year.
 
Berlin is a fantastic location to study German if you're interested in doing so. Numerous language institutions in the city provide German lessons for non-native learners. Furthermore, since German is the city's dominant language, there are numerous chances to use it outside of the classroom.

5. Bangalore, India

Bangalore, also known as the Silicon Valley of India, is a major tech hub in Asia. The city is home to many start-ups, as well as established tech companies such as Infosys and Wipro. Bangalore offers a lower cost of living compared to other tech hubs, and the average salary for a programmer is around INR 1,200,000 per year.
 
In terms of language learning, Bangalore is a great place to learn English, as it is widely spoken in the city. There are also many opportunities to learn other languages such as Hindi and Kannada, which are widely spoken in the region.

6. Tel Aviv, Israel

Tel Aviv is a bustling city with a thriving tech scene. The city is home to many start-ups, as well as established tech companies such as Intel and IBM. Tel Aviv offers a high standard of living, great weather, and vibrant nightlife. In Tel Aviv, a coder can expect to make about ILS 240,000 per year on average.
 
To earn this amount of money as a web developer in Tel Aviv, one should possess a diverse set of skills and experience in various programming languages and technologies.
 
First and foremost, proficiency in HTML is a must for any web developer. This markup language forms the backbone of every website and is essential for creating and structuring web pages.
 
HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is a standard markup language used for creating web pages and other online content. It provides a set of tags and attributes that allow developers to structure and organize content on a web page, such as headings, paragraphs, images, links, and more. HTML documents are interpreted by web browsers and displayed to users in a visually appealing and interactive way.
 
Overall, HTML is an essential technology for web development and remains a fundamental skill for any aspiring web developer.
 
In addition to HTML, a programmer should also have expertise in CSS, which is used for styling web pages and making them visually appealing.
 
Furthermore, a solid understanding of JavaScript and its frameworks, such as React, Angular, or Vue.js, is essential for creating dynamic web applications. Knowledge of server-side programming languages such as PHP, Python, or Node.js is also important for building server-side logic and APIs.
 
Along with technical skills, a programmer should also possess good communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment. Staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry is also crucial for success as a web developer.
 
The primary language spoken there is Hebrew, and Tel Aviv is an excellent location to acquire it.
 
When deciding where to live and work as a coder, it's essential to take into account not only the employment prospects and standard of living in a particular location but also the tech industry and tools that are accessible to developers. Looking at the number of tech companies, hackathons, and meetings held in a specific location, as well as the accessibility of resources like co-working spaces, coding boot camps, and financing for startups, are some ways to evaluate the tech landscape there.
 
The final decision regarding where to reside and work as a programmer will be based on personal tastes, professional objectives, and situational factors. However, programmers can discover the city that best suits their requirements and provides the most fulfilling work and lifestyle by taking into account variables like job prospects, quality of life, and opportunities for language learning.
 
In conclusion, there has never been a greater need for coders, and there are numerous locations worldwide that provide excellent employment prospects and a high standard of living for programmers. Among the best places for programmers to live and work are San Francisco, Toronto, Berlin, Bangalore, Tel Aviv, and Barcelona. Each has its own benefits and possibilities.

Technology is captivating a vital role in our day-to-day life. From a local buyer who is paying through UPI to a big tech giant who is running a successful software company, who is deprived of the effect of technology.

Nevertheless, everyone is looking for certain specific features to ease down their task. So, is the case with e-commerce businesses, they need the best website for their business. This website gives the first impression of their business. This has enhanced the need of implementing website development best practices.

This article will pour light on what website development exactly is. and its requirement in 2023. It also along with focus on the best practices to follow while developing a website.

What is website development and how is it important in 2023?

Website development includes the entire process of managing and building the website. Web developers do the work behind the curtain. They come up with creative and swift features that make the whole website what it is.

Website development is a tedious task and requires a good skill set. Research conducted in 2023, shows that there has been an enormous 15% increase in web developers over the last 5 years. This data is likely to increase over time and 2023 will see more developers with better ideas and knowledge thriving in the market.

Website development best practices 

To make your website bloom with ease, and let your website attract more and more traffic and sales, here are a few industries standard Website Development Best Practice that you should incorporate into your website to enhance conversion rate and increase the search engine ranking,

1. 
   
   1. Set a predefined plan and purpose
   
   

As a web developer, you cannot just dive in and sit beside your computer screen and begin with random coding. You need to have a set goal to target and an aim to purpose for.

You first need to take in the client’s needs and then set your plan. Create a plan that how will you work on the website, the amount of time required to spend on it and what your product will look like. This will give you a clear picture of what you need to do and how you need to proceed toward your goal.

2. 
   
   2. Don't forget about the accessibility 
   
   

Website accessibility is an inclusive process that takes into consideration that your website can be used, accessed, and navigated by any individual including those with physical disabilities or visual impairments. 

If you look at the statistics, around 1 billion people all over the world have some sort of disability. You cannot ignore such a vast number. So, make your website comfortable for everyone. For example, to let screen readers explain, add ALT text to images or make your website design friendly to ease the process for one with colour blindness.

3. 
   
   3. Take UX/UI into account: user experience and user interface 
   
   

It is rightly said that a website developer should invest 70% of his time in research and design and the remaining 30% on coding, as UX/UI needs to be focused on. UX/UI of a website is extremely important for your website, and it decides the experience that users will have while navigating through the website. 

The better the user experience will be, the more time he/she will spend on your website. This will in turn increase the chances of generating revenue for the business. 

You can generate a mock version of your product, test potential customers or beta testers for the UX/UI, and take in their feedback to improvise the website.

4. 
   
   4. Implement website security 
   
   

Security at both the user end and developer end is extremely important these days. We are still halfway through this year, and 2023 has already seen some security breaches.

The need to protect your database and other relevant information is quite important. The foremost step is the installation of SSL certificates. They are of several kinds like single domain, multi domain SSL, Wildcard SSL certificate, which comes in a very low-price range. It is recommended to purchase SSL of well known brands like GeoTrust SSL, comodo SSL. All these SSL come at low price like cheap comodo SSL, RapidSSL, etc. You can encrypt your communication channel and let the user's trust in you stand strong.

Other security measures involve taking strong backups, using good hosting sites, and two-factor authentication and the list is endless. Just opt for the most basic one and then take in others as per your website's need.

5. 
   
   5. High performance with faster load time and speed
   
   

The Year 2023 is the era of speed and development. The faster the better. This speedy generation cannot wait for your website to take ages to load. They will without a second thought shift to your competitor's website. In addition, the result is quite clear, you will lose your potential customers, have decreased revenue and even your search engine ranking will fall.

Make sure you develop a high-performing website. You should compress images in your website to decrease the load time, use fewer plugins to speed up the website and choose a hosting server that is not shared, as a shared network slows down the load time.

6. 
   
   6. Responsive design
   
   

Responsive websites are a need in 2023. Such websites adapt to and deliver the best experience with a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. You can easily take a switch from small screen devices to big screen ones or vice-versa and experience the same experience. All the data and calls to action will be visible clearly. 

An unresponsive website often makes a visitor lose his interest in the website and makes him deviate to other websites. A full picture of the website will not be visible and there might be a slew of other barriers.

7. 
   
   7. Take a sprint and do not look for leaps
   
   

The complex task of website development cannot be completed in a single go. You will come up with errors and flaws that need to be fixed from time to time. Changing the entire website or taking a huge section of it for implementing changes becomes troublesome. It is better you take a sprint of it rework it and fix it.

You need to develop the website keeping in mind the future amendments that will follow it. It is for sure that the front end developed today will look old within a few months. So, instead of working on the whole website again, develop the back end imperatively, to look for minute changes in the front end only.

8. 
   
   8. Implement high-end search engine optimization (SEO) strategies 
   
   

Search engine optimization (SEO), the new trendsetter has taken the software development world by storm. Your business cannot flourish well if you have not optimized your website. Once you achieve a good search engine ranking, your website will be visible on the top pages of Google, and you will be able to reach a good amount of crowd.

Word-of-mouth marketing is no longer the need in 2023. You simply need to abide by the Google algorithms and implement relevant SEO techniques to optimize your website.

Although this section does not come under the control of a website developer, still a talk with your SEO team can ease your task of developing a correct and optimized website fourfold.

9. 
   
   9. User clear and concise code
   
   

“Make every line of code count.” Yes, this has become a generalized rule that many website developers stick to these days. 

Over-coding can occur easily i.e., you can easily end up writing unnecessary codes that are not relevant in the context. This might look tempting to your eyes, and you will feel that this complex code will add brownie points to your coding tactics. Nevertheless, the reality is different, complex codes come with bugs and issues.

Resolving bugs in such complex codes becomes a tedious task, which complicates the whole scenario. So, always use clear, concise, and useful codes that make sense.

10. 
    
    10. Don't deviate too much from the set standards
    
    

Website development is all about showing your creativeness. In addition, 2023 calls for web developers who are creative, enthusiastic, and adaptive. However, that does not mean that you break all the rules.

In the very beginning, we said that you should set a goal, so do not deviate much from that goal. Keeping this goal as the final target, you can come up with certain amendments that will suit the new industry standards.

Rules, standards, and frameworks like keeping maps and global navigation menus the same, and keeping hyperlinks text size it, are a few standard practices that need not be changed globally.

Final takeaway 

The key takeaway is that with these best website development practices, you can secure a good position as a web developer. However, to make things clear, I would say that these are only a few practices, the area of website development is so huge that you need to evolve with it.

So, do not just sit back and relax if you have mastered these points. Look for more industry standard practices that will suit your client's business goal and abide by them to develop a website that is user-friendly and at the same time generates good revenue for the owner.

Great app development ideas: where do you find them? Almost 3 hours daily and a month and a half annually - that's exactly how much time an average American spends on the phone. Funny videos with cats don't account for all of it. What is more important is that people also spend money on apps. In fact, $935 billion is the expected revenue for this segment in 2023. 

Such profits make ambitious entrepreneurs wonder about trending app ideas and how to bring them to life. Let's figure out the first point about new ideas. Keep reading to know more about not only the ideas, but also app development costs and how not to spend a fortune on it. 

Telehealth App: Medicine 4.0 Isn't Going Anywhere

The global pandemic may be winding down, but online healthcare is still in huge demand. It's convenient and fits into the busy life of a modern global citizen, as well as being included in the pool of promising app development ideas. No wonder it has brought the largest revenue share to the market. 

Investment App: Finances Are Always a Hot Topic

Remember a few such apps you may have tried yourself, haven’t you? Mobile app ideas on personal money management are on the rise. 6.39% is the annual growth rate anticipated by Statista. One of the best-known budgeting app ecosystems, Intuit, earned $5m in February alone (2023).

Productivity and Motivation: Ever-popular Trending App Ideas

People always want to improve themselves, and there's a huge industry built around this human need. According to Statista, self-improvement is one of the most promising android app ideas, with 91% of phone users confirming this continuing trend with their clicks.

Refugee Support: Giving-Back Kind of Mobile App Ideas 

Unfortunately, the challenge of immigration isn't well-planned for or simple for some vulnerable population groups. The events of 2022 have only increased the number of people who would benefit from app development ideas that help them adjust to their new environment.

Safeguarding and protecting your precious personal information and data: Simple but Promising Android App Ideas

These days, we spend far too much money on our smartphones to lose them. Besides, it's not just our money that gets lost. It's also the information that we have saved, the photo moments we wanted to preserve, and our valuable time and energy spent on looking for and replacing our lost items. Spending a bit of money in advance to protect our important data sounds more than reasonable.

The Cost of Mobile App Development: What to Expect

Practically speaking, anything in the range of $40,000 and up to $730,000 (that's not even the ceiling). The truth, however, is that the implementation of app development ideas depends on several key factors:
 

• 
  
  • platform (you can search for flutter developers for hire since they work with a single codebase for both Android and iOS);
  
  

 

• 
  
  • app complexity (the variety of features you choose);
  
  

 

• 
  
  • the rates of the specific professionals you decide to hire.
  
  

   

Saving your Budget: There Are Some Options

 

The Discovery Phase Is Where It All Starts

Sometimes the app development ideas end here as well. However, that’s much better than losing vast amounts of money on an unprofitable app down the line. This is the stage to specify the customer you’re targeting, their buying capacities; define the features you want, the costs that will be incurred, and all of the requirements necessary for successful development. 

Outsourcing Is What Saves You Both Time and Money

Outsourcing is a common practice for many reasons. Finding the experts is only half the battle. Creating a united team is another challenge. One highly skilled developer just won't cut it. Flexibility and the lower costs of outsourcing are also great alternatives to hiring new staff, renting an office, buying expensive equipment, and establishing new internal processes.

MVP Is Where You'll See the True Potential of your App Project

You can conduct dozens of market studies (which are necessary, of course), but nothing speaks as eloquently about your success as the consumers who pay for your product. The minimum viable product gets you out there in the marketplace and can make you the industry pioneer (an idea can come simultaneously to several people, but somebody will be the first to present it to the public). The advanced elements of your app can come later. They are just the cherry on top of a well-functioning app. 

Making a test-drive prevents you from having to spend time (which could be dedicated to the promotion of your product), and money on the development of the not-so-valuable features. It also helps to attract investors since they can see your brilliant app development ideas in action.

To Sum Up: How To Turn These Trending App Ideas Into Successful Products?

All of the successful mobile app development ideas are born of demand, passion, and thoughtful planning. First, you solve a problem that has already existed for a while. Second, you turn to the professionals who develop the working code and make it visually appealing. Finally, marketing makes your product well-known and recognized in the marketplace. 

FAQs

 

How do I develop an app idea?

You see the problem to solve, come up with a business plan to solve it, and then you hire experienced specialists to make it happen.

What apps should you build in 2023?

Anything that makes life easier and makes people feel better. Health, money and time management, crisis solutions (for immigrants and lost personal data) are all marketable. Minimalism and purposefulness should be the main criteria for the design of your app.

What's the most popular app in 2023?

75 Hard and The Wonder Weeks are simple app ideas that make money on the App Store. Both relate to health, the first one takes care of the mental well-being of the user, and the second - of the physical comfort of a mom-to-be.

The Google Play winners are also linked to health monitoring, one to the human (MX313 Digital Watch Face), and the other one (surprisingly) to the car (Torque Pro). Yet the year has just started, so you have time for your product to get into the ratings by the end of 2023. 

Scala is a high-level language that aims to provide both object-oriented programming and functionality. Not surprising that it is becoming more and more popular among developers and companies. In 2023, the demand for Scala developers is high as ever before and if you still don’t know what language to choose, this might be your chance. Make yourself comfortable because, in the next few minutes, you’ll learn how to land your first Scala development interview.


 

1. Get an academic degree

To become software developers, high-school students need a Bachelor’s degree in an IT-related field. For example, Engineering, Technology, Computer Science, and so on. Although the academic degree is not compulsory, it gives Scala developers lots of advantages including basic knowledge of various languages and databases and networking. You will also learn how computers work and will be able to build a portfolio even before graduation.
 

2. Develop a corresponding skillset

To become a software developer, you don’t need a degree but you must have a specific skillset – knowledge of Scala and databases, strong analytical skills, and so on. Here are the main fields to focus on:

• Scala itself. This point hardly needs explanation because your first skill should be knowledge of Scala programming – flowcharts, syntax, variables, and lots of other topics. There are hundreds of courses and training programs where you can learn both basic and advanced programming. Plus, you will get much-needed certificates. YouTube is also a great source of free lessons for beginners.



• Databases. Some think that software development is all about coding but a successful programmer should also know everything about networks and databases.



• Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. They are a must for any software developer because throughout the career you will face daily problems and should be able to know how to solve them on your own. Programming involves hours and hours of reflexing on the code trying to figure out what went wrong.

Other important skills include knowledge of similar languages like Python or Java, a basic understanding of AWS, Spark, and MapReduce, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to present work clearly.
 

3. Practice, practice, practice

Once you understand Scala development basics, it is the right time to use them in work. Coding is a practical, not theoretical field, so every rule and concept you learn must be tested in the Scala environment. Start with small and simple projects like a mini-game or a bot. When the task seems easy enough, go to medium-level projects and boost your Scala development skills. These programs can be used to build a portfolio.
 

4. Create a resume

Even if you are a great and talented Scala developer, recruiters might not notice you among other programmers. That is why you need to have a strong portfolio and a professionally-looking resume. It should include your contact information, objective, core competencies, experience, academic background, and so on. To simplify the process, download resume templates and fill them with your personal information. Having a LinkedIn account is also a plus.
 

Scala developer: job overview

Scala developers do a lot of tasks on a daily basis, so the list of responsibilities may greatly vary from one project to another. But most of the time, they develop and maintain software based on specifications and manage the architectural development of the project. They also conduct program analysis and work closely with other team members to achieve the set goals. Depending on the direction you choose, you might also be involved in testing and debugging, as well as developing documents and improving performances.

The salary may greatly vary depending on the role, industry, and chosen company. On average, junior developers receive around $65,000 per year, while senior Scala developers earn up to $176,000 annually. Add bonuses, loyalty perks, and medical insurance, and you will get a rather beneficial career path.
 

Wrap-up

According to statistics, 4% of all software developers in the world work with Scala. This means that the niche is rather engaging but still has enough space for growth and development. And the best part is that you can become a Scala developer even without a higher degree. We hope that our guide was helpful and now you are ready to make an informed decision.    

One of the most important elements of your business is a powerful brand, which is exactly why you need to do everything in your power to develop a brand that you can be proud of.

Fortunately, there are plenty of steps that you could and should take in order to develop your brand, which is exactly why this article aims to highlight some of the best you can take to get started with optimizing your brand.

Know What Makes Your Brand Valuable

Before you can get started in developing a brand that you can take pride in, you first need to take some time to try and understand what makes your brand so valuable in the first place. This can vary from company to company, but there are certain elements of your brand that are valuable across the board.

For example, one of the most consistently valuable elements of any brand is the impact that it can have on your customer base and how they view your business. By taking the time to ensure that your brand is aligned with what you want your business to stand for in your customers’ eyes, you can ensure that your brand is valuable in that regard.

However, it is vital that you take some time to outline exactly what makes your brand valuable to your business in particular, so that you can work toward improving those elements of your brand whenever possible.

Engage with Digital Brand Development

Of course, if you are looking for an effective and reliable way to manage your brand, then you might want to consider the impact of your digital presence on your brand. After all, digital marketing tools have provided you with some of the strongest options available to help you directly manage your brand development.

For example, if you want your brand to be more strongly aligned with a particular search term, then tools like SEO can help you to ensure that your brand appears more commonly on search results for those terms. This is why companies such as www.clickintelligence.com make a business of providing high quality SEO services.

Alternatively, if you wanted to directly impact the connection between your customers and your brand, then you might want to consider engaging with social media marketing, as that can allow you to directly shape the way your brand interacts with customers.

Listen to Your Customers

Finally, one of the most important things that you can do to help your business grow better over time is to ensure that you consistently listen to your customers and work to incorporate what they want into your business.

As a result, one of the best things that you could do to help your business grow and thrive is to incorporate an effective feedback system into your business. By building a system for feedback into your company, you can ensure that every development you can make in your business is aligned with the desires of your customers.

Since work models have been changing at an incredible velocity, cyber threats are evolving simultaneously. Enterprises can no longer protect their network by using conventional security methods. So many companies adopt hybrid or remote work models and many of them migrated to cloud-based environments. As their working style has been changing, they start to require more professional and comprehensive safety solutions.

1.  Unsecure access to the company data

Remote workers access company data from different locations by using several Wi-fi connections. Although connecting to the company network from anywhere seems flexible and comfy, it has some disadvantages.

First of all, remote employees use public or unsafe Wi-Fi to make a connection. These unsecured Wi-Fi connections put company data on the line. When enterprises use strong passwords and make updates regularly to protect employees’ connections, remote employees rarely pay attention to these precautions. They do not care about their Wi-Fi connection and do not hesitate about where they are connecting through. Especially public wifis are more prone to cyber-attacks so they require more attention.

When remote employees use public Wi-Fi to access corporate data, they invite malicious actors to your sensitive company data. Hackers can easily harvest company data by benefitting from public Wi-Fi connections. Remote workers should send and receive some data to pursue their work. However, each time they create data traffic remotely, the company's confidential data is threatened.

VPN Solution

To avoid data breaches rooted in remote connections, companies can use VPN solutions. VPN creates a virtual and protected tunnel to encrypt data that is sent via this tunnel. By encrypting confidential data, enterprises can minimize data breaches. Even if the data has been captured, hackers can not harm the company because of the encrypted information.

There are several types of VPNs available for specific purposes. In terms of remote work, a secure connection to the company data might be the prior concern, and a site-to-site VPN can be recommended for safe access to company resources. Site-to-site VPN helps corporations to create a particular connection between their employees from different areas. So, corporations can throw off the handicaps of separate LANs.

Data is the most valuable asset of a modern company so we highly recommend you take adequate precautions to avoid any leakage and customer loss. See how 40 million customers have been affected by a data breach https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58263521

2.  Weak Passwords

When it comes to remote work, weak passwords should be mentioned. Remote employees connect their corporation accounts remotely from anywhere. If they have unsafe passwords that are not strong enough, they can risk company data at any moment. It is quite easy for hackers to decipher weak passwords, even if the hacker is inexperienced. Remote work doubled this risk because employees can be more distracted when working remotely and they are commonly unaware of the risks around them.

Moreover, family members or friends increase the threat possibilities. Some remote employees work from their homes when family members or friends are around them. A moment of neglect can cause your confidential data to be disclosed or even deleted. Your employees must be sure that their family/ friends can not estimate their passwords or that they do not leave susceptible pages open to the public.

As a company manager, you can adopt password software. By using this software, you can create strong passwords for your staff and protect them against both inside and outside threats. The software can create undecipherable passwords even experienced hackers can not decipher.

Two-factor and multi-factor authentication

Furthermore, you can start considering two-factor (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods. These methods ask for extra verification for your employees to launch an account or access any company resource. So, you can be sure that your private data has been protected from both inside and outside threats.

3.  Phishing

Phishing attacks are one of the threats to remote workers. In phishing, the attacker sends fraudulent links to install malware on the victim’s machine. These links or other communication methods seem accurate and reputable most of the time. When the victims trust the link and consider that it came from a trustable resource, they click. This is where the attacker started to steal confidential data, login information, etc.

While remote employees rely on e-mails this much, phishing might be the greatest risk for them. Because most of the phishing attacks occur via e-mail. As a remote work model adopted company, you must be sure that your team has an idea of what is phishing and how to protect themselves against it.

Last words on remote work cybersecurity threats

We live in an online world full of cyber threats. Pacing up with the requirements of the changing world is getting more difficult day by day. On the other hand, this revolution offers a great range of opportunities in terms of business growth, reputation, and market values. Modern enterprises give equal and maybe even more attention to cybersecurity solutions wins out. Be aware of the crucial cyber threats and embrace them as a reality in the business world. Then, implement the modern professional and comprehensive solutions that fit best to these threats.

So, you spent months, or maybe years, designing, developing, and testing your mobile app, and finally, it has hit the market! But does the story end there?

We don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm, but the answer is no; it doesn’t end there. It's time for the next phase of the development cycle: mobile app maintenance.

What Is Application Maintenance?

Simply put, application maintenance is the continuous process of analyzing, updating, changing, and improving existing software.

By maintaining your app, you can ensure that it performs flawlessly, doesn’t contain serious bugs, and, most importantly, responds to user expectations and market demands.

Why Is App Maintenance Important for Your Business?

Today, app maintenance cannot be overlooked if you want your business to grow. For further explanation of this statement, just consider the two facts listed below:

1. The mobile app market is highly competitive. That is why you must continue offering innovative and unique solutions for your app or risk losing ground to your competition.



2. Technology is advancing at an incredible speed. Even if you used the latest technology during development, you can never be sure that it won’t eventually become obsolete.

So, the conclusion is simple: If you don’t want your app to become rusty after a while, you must maintain it consistently.

What Are the Benefits of Maintaining an App Regularly?

A well-planned app maintenance program can provide long-term benefits for your business. Here is why this process should be your number one priority after the app has been released:

• Better user experience. Satisfied user=engaged user. And that is the goal, right? So, ensure the user experience is impeccable, and you will surely build a long-term relationship with them and win their loyalty.



• Increased user retention. Keep in mind that users are annoyed by app errors and obsolete content. These flaws irritate users and frequently lead to the desire to uninstall the app. Make them satisfied by ensuring smooth performance and a seamless app experience.



• Higher return on investment (ROI). If you keep your app updated and adapt it to the users’ expectations and market requirements, your number of users will grow, and so will your sales. In other words, your ROI will increase over time, find ways to attract new users, and cut expenses.

Types of Mobile App Maintenance

Before you even start the maintenance process, it’s worth getting an insight into the main types of app maintenance.

1.    Preventive Maintenance

As you can guess from its name, this method implies regularly testing and removing any bugs that could appear.

With preventive maintenance, you will ensure that your code is fully optimized, updated, and secured. It also works on preventing app complexity and making it easier to use.

2.    Perfective Maintenance

The user experience is directly related to this aspect. Perfective maintenance means constantly analyzing user behavior and gathering valuable feedback, based on which you will make necessary updates. You can use surveys, user testing, and in-depth interviews.

Your app should always respond to challenging user expectations and requirements. If that is not the case, frustrated users will stop using your app and turn to your competition.

So, always strive for a perfect experience for your users.

3.    Adaptive Maintenance

As we already mentioned, the tech industry is constantly developing. What was revolutionary technology yesterday today can be a thing of the past.

Adaptive maintenance means that you need to adapt your app to the latest technological trends. Sometimes this requires not only code adjustments but also a transformation of the software environment, changes to the operating system, or even hardware.

4.    Emergency Maintenance

This one looks out for various errors and bugs that may occur and unexpectedly afflict the system. That requires instant intervention to prevent disaster.

Once the problem has been solved, always conduct further testing to verify that the situation is stable.

Another way to avoid this is to regularly scan and analyze your app’s performance and remove any disturbing anomalies.

5.    Corrective Maintenance

Corrective maintenance involves fixing residual coding, logic, or design errors. These bugs are usually revealed by users.

How Much Does Mobile Application Maintenance Cost?

Simply put, it is impossible to give an exact answer to this question. Numerous factors directly impact costs. Those factors are, for instance, specific industries, app complexity, the platform on which the app was developed, and more.

Experts say that the average cost in the first year of development is around 50%, and after that period, 15-20% of the total development cost.

Here are the most important factors you need to rethink when it comes to the process of maintaining your application:

• Software complexity — the number of features your app has.



• App development technology — an app with separate codes for iOS and Android is more challenging to maintain than cross-platform apps built with a single code.



• Team size — the number of developers, designers, and analysts needed for maintaining your app.



• Code quality — an app developed on poor code requires more

The average cost includes content generation, buying media elements, promotional activities, graphic design, and more.

The regular costs include new technology integration, code changes, platform upgrades, etc.

Here are some more elements that will affect the total amount:

1.    Hosting Prices

App hosting prices play a critical role in app maintenance costs.

First, consider what kind of server you'll need for your app. Depending on the application data type, you can plan out server resources. Extensive data requires more server CPU, storage space, and memory, leading to increased costs.

Cloud-based hosting options like Amazon Web Services are less expensive, as you only pay for what you use, and server maintenance costs are lower.

2.    Analytics Costs

Mobile app crashes, bugs, and other glitches must be analyzed and monitored. Besides that, you need to check out your users’ expectations and preferences. For all of that, you can use free tools, but for more detailed and critical insights, there are advanced tools that require investment.

3.    Updates and Bug Fixing Costs

Regular updates can quickly fix errors and enhance the UX. The cost of updates depends on various factors, such as the app's size and functionality changes.

For instance, the price would vary depending on whether you needed one quick code change or if it took a couple of weeks.

4.    Customer Support Costs

If your users have any complaints, it would be great for them to express their concerns and have a pleasant complaint resolution experience. Customer support could be an ongoing cost, but it will benefit your app with positive reviews.

The more features your app has, the more expensive it will be. Suppose you are an app owner who needs help with maintaining and budgeting. In that case, you can contact a mobile application maintenance service to gain insight into what kind of maintenance your application needs and how much it will cost.

Final Words

If you observe the market, you will notice that the number of mobile apps with excellent user experiences rises daily. Your competition will surpass you if you don’t take steps to improve your app. Therefore, maintaining an app is no longer merely “nice to have”, it is definitely “a must” in the mobile app world.

In this article, we shared standard procedures for app maintenance and planning the costs that go with it. If you follow them, you will be able to achieve your business goals and stay relevant in the game.

Webpages that load slowly are frustrating and bad for business. Slow loading web pages can mean lost sales due to low retention rates, website abandonment, and loss of private information and intellectual property.

It's a losing battle for marketers to keep their subscribers engaged when their website is slow and frustrating to use. They aren't able to develop those relationships with their audience simply because they have immediately removed the trust and authority standing they had. This is why optimizing the appearance of your website speed should be at the top of any marketer's list this year.

Website Speed Is Important

Your website speed will affect your search engine rankings. Slow loading webpages that take up to 3-5 seconds to fully load will be penalized by Google; this will lead to customers getting frustrated and moving on to the next thing. Here are a few things that can contribute to slow page speed and how to improve it.

Too Much Code

The website will be slow if you have too many pieces of Javascript, CSS, and HTML code.

One of the biggest contributors is third-party code, such as ads and tracking cookies. Sometimes these snippets aren't written in a way that's easy for a CSS or Javascript framework to determine what belongs where and that's part of the layout. It's a waste of network resources to have outdated code that no longer works.

How to improve this: Make sure you're using vendor-supported new technologies and avoid spaghetti code unless you're willing to write your own HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Poor Use Of Cookies

Advertisers use remarketing and retargeting cookies to track how many people have visited the website and how often. A retargeting cookie will be triggered before an ad is shown to you on that website if you have previously viewed or searched for content.

How to improve this: Head to a professional developer to get the right cookies on your website. Once you have cookies in place, you can then turn to a professional service like clickintelligence.co.uk to help you design and implement retargeting ads that will help you bring back visitors who left your website hastily last time and give them another reason to try out your faster loading website.

Large Images

Large images can often cause slow page speed. Excessive file sizes in a webpage can limit the download speed and increase the number of requests from the browser to your server. It's important to keep a relatively small size reservation for images that are small in dimensions and large when viewed on different screen sizes.

If you know your visitors are coming from mobile devices, it's important to ensure you're only loading the images needed for the viewport size.

How to improve this: Images should always be served via an image-optimization web service such as imgix or imgify to get faster loading times and smaller file sizes than resizing them yourself.

Not Using A Content Delivery Network

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a server network that serves content to your website visitors. This is ideal for those with multiple websites or a large amount of traffic. A CDN will significantly decrease the time it takes to get your web pages loaded, and you'll have more bandwidth available for a higher number of requests.

How to improve this: A CDN can also be used with customers in different geographic locations or diverse business types, so even if you have an eCommerce store serving customers from around the world, a CDN can help with load times and server load.

The IT industry is huge. It consists of such spheres as web development, mobile development, data science, web analytics, web design, SEO and so on. To comfortably navigate through this extensive ecosystem, you need an online resource where all the data will be represented in a well-structured and comprehensive format. Rating IT companies was created with the aim of becoming this kind of resource.

What Is IT-Rating dot Com?

As its name suggests, it's a website that publishes ratings of top professions in the IT industry. There is a dedicated rating for each niche (such as web development, mobile development and so on). New entries and being continuously added to the lists. The information is regularly updated.

What Differs IT-Rating from Other Similar Projects?

It-rating is an impartial project. Contractors that are included in the rating can't pay the It-rating administration to improve their positions. They can't do anything to influence the results apart from being highly professional.

This project relies on unbiased metrics. Before adding a contractor to the list, the It-rating team scrutinizes their portfolio, client reviews, the tools they work with and other qualitative and quantitative aspects. The full list of the relevant criteria for each niche is available on the It-rating website.

The team of this project doesn't simply rely on the statements made by a certain contractor. They strive to prove all words with facts. For instance, a contractor might state that they can handle a specific framework. Then, they will be required to show works from their portfolio that were built with the help of that framework.

It-rating is still a young project. It has successfully taken off and its reputation has been impeccable so far. Some other ratings that were established years ago might feature hundreds or even thousands of IT companies. When you add yours there, it will get lost in an avalanche of information. It-rating is not that big yet. That's why it guarantees better visibility for the professionals who join it.

How Can IT-Rating Be Helpful for IT Professionals?

IT professionals who add themselves to It-rating can benefit from this project in the following ways.

Your Potential Clients and Partners Will Understand That You Treat Your Business Seriously

Top IT specialists don't only focus on coding or analytics. They invest time and effort in their promotions. Third parties appreciate such proactivity.

It's Your Chance to Detect Areas for Improvement

When you land a certain position in your niche rating, you'll understand why you got such a result. You'll be able to compare yourself to other professionals from your sector as well as analyze their strong and weak points. You'll better realize your competitive edge. It will be easier for you to focus on improving those aspects of your workflows that might still be imperfect. It-rating fosters honest competition.

Great Opportunities for Everyone

It-rating targets its services at specialists of all levels: from junior developers to top managers of large companies. Everyone can find new useful knowledge and contacts on this website. This project will help you to grow professionally and make the most of your career.

How Can IT-Rating Be Helpful for Private People and Organizations Who Look for IT Contractors?

The first thing that users mention when they open It-rating is an incredibly intuitive interface and a modern, visually appealing design. Then, they discover many other advantages of the project.

AI-Based Recommendations

It-rating is AI-powered. It will remember all your requests and requirements. The more frequently you use this website, the better its AI remembers your preferences. It will proactively recommend the most opportune contractors to you.

Transparency

You don't need to be tech-savvy to select the best professionals. You'll clearly see who is the top specialist in a given niche and why they deserve this status. No guesswork, no surprises.

Prices

If you begin to look for IT contractors manually, you'll have to check their websites one by one and put down their prices in a separate document. That's tedious work, especially if different contractors indicate their prices in different formats. At It-rating, it will take you a few seconds to compare the pricing of several professionals.

Tenders

It-rating allows you to run tenders extremely conveniently. When contractors will be offering their services to you, all the applications will have a uniform structure. You'll be able to comfortably compare candidates at a glance. You'll happily avoid the mess that inevitably takes place when the participants of the tender begin to send their proposals to your email.

What Else Can IT-Rating Offer to Its Users?

This project offers the following opportunities for its users:  

• • Job openings. Professionals with any level of expertise can find a well-paid job here. It can be an in-house position, a remote one or a short-term project.
  
  

 

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  • Courses and training opportunities. You'll get to know where to acquire new skills and knowledge on the most favorable conditions.
  
  

 

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  • Industry news and analytics. Be the first to get a competitive edge thanks to this valuable data.
  
  

 

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  • Events. In the calendar of events, you'll discover the information about the conferences, workshops, webinars and other online or offline gatherings that you might want to attend.
  
  

 

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  • Technology. Read about the specifics and advantages of various tools, frameworks and solutions that you might need to use at work.
  
  

 
The It-rating ecosystem is continuously expanding and evolving.

Final Thoughts

It-rating is a go-to resource for all IT professionals and clients who'd like to hire such specialists. It's an ecosystem that contains large amounts of well-structured knowledge about IT. The most important part is the ratings of top contractors in various spheres, such as web design, web analytics, mobile development, SEO and so on. Besides, you can find job openings, industry news and insightful analytics on this website. If you own or manage an IT company, make sure it's listed on It-rating to boost its visibility, strengthen its reputation and, eventually, make more money! If you're a private person or an organization, It-rating will help you quickly find professionals whose skills and expertise precisely match your requirements.