Global insights & knowledge from Sundew

React JS vs Angular JS vs. Node JS Which is the best JavaScript framework?

Choosing the right JavaScript framework for creating an incredible web application is the foremost decision of every business owner. It would ultimately help them to provide seamless web experience to their customers.When it comes to developing websites, JavaScript is the most ideal one and a favourite amongst developers. While choosing one of the JavaScript frameworks, there is often a dispute as to whether to choose Angular js, Node.js or React Js. So, before you approach for JavaScript Development, you must know and understand the difference between all the three applications and their features. o understand how JavaScript is becoming more prominent across digital platforms, it’s important to explore its widespread applications beyond just frameworks.Comparison of JavaScript Frameworks: Angular.JS vs Node.JS vs React.JSAngular.JSAngularJS was launched in 2009 by Google. It is an open source client-side web framework. It assists developers to resolve issues in single page web application containing a shell page with multiple views. It works on features like routing, data binding, templates, dependency injection, directives, deep linking, and filters. With a large support community, there can be some best reasons to choose AngularJS•    There is an induction subsystem with inbuilt dependency•    Allows simple routing and angular data binding•    Amazing UX can be built by help of AngularJS•    There can be certain performance issues with DOM basics•    At times the scope of the application can be hard to debug•    As pages embed interactive elements, it surges the page loading timeNode.JSNode JS is built on Chrome V8 JavaScript Engine; it makes use of an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes them simple and efficient. Node.JS package network is the largest biome of open source libraries in the world.Reasons to choose Node.JS•    Node.JS developers write server-side applications in JavaScript•    Coders can scale up applications created in Node.JS in vertical as well as horizontal manners•    Google’s V8 JavaScript engine pile up the code written in JavaScript right into machine code•    It further supports the caching of individual modules•    It is highly extensible•    It follows the asynchronous programming method rather than linear blocking.React.JSReact.JS development is mainly used to find a framework that helps in building a dynamic library with high performance. Used for building amazing user interfaces and also supports rendering performance. It is more like an open-source JavaScript library rather than a framework.Reasons to choose React.JSOut of the several reasons React.JS can be the future of hybrid mobile app, some of the interesting ones are:•    Allows server-side and client-side rendering.•    Simple to learn and implement•    Fully component-based design.•    SEO effective search engine•    Debug JavaScript easilyAngular.JS is a fully introduced framework while React.JS is a library. One has to write less code with React JS as it performs better due to the application of virtual DOM. As React has just started, its community is still growing. Node.js is a JavaScript and its runtime is fast and lightweight. It can be used to create fast and scalable networking applications. With Client-Side data rendering and an upper configuration, React JS is the appropriate choice for all JavaScript framework Developers.

How to choose the right Machine Learning Algorithm?

When considering machine learning algorithms, you will find there is no particular solution or one approach that fits all. There are numerous factors that can affect your decision to choose an ML algorithm.Some problems are very explicit and require a unique approach. For instance, if you look at a recommendation system, it’s a very common type of machine learning algorithm and solves a very exact kind of problem. While some other problems are open and need a trial and error approach such as supervised learning, classification and regression. They could be used in anomaly detection or could be incorporated to build more universal sets of predictive models.Further, some of the decisions that we make when choosing an ML algorithm have less to do with the optimization of the algorithm but more to do with business decisions. Here we compiled some of the factors that can help you narrow down the search for your machine learning algorithm.Understanding the DataThe type and kind of data play a vital role in determining which algorithm to practice. Some algorithms can work with smaller sample sets while others require tons of samples. Few algorithms work with certain types of data sets e.g.  Naïve Bayes works well with definite input but doesn’t respond to missing data.Recognize your constraints•    Check data storage capacity in order to store gigabytes of classification or gigabytes of data to the cluster.•    In real-time applications, it is obviously very important to have a swift prediction•    Data learning have to be fast in order to rapidly update your model with a different dataset.Identify the available algorithmsOnce you understand where you stand, you can identify the algorithms that are applicable and tangible to implement. Some of the elements persuading the choice of a model are:•    Whether the model meets the goal of the business•    The accuracy of the model•    How reasonable the model is•    Performance and time it can take to build a model to make the right predictions.•    Scalability of the modelLogistic RegressionLogistic regression provides a probabilistic framework to receive more training data in the future that you want to be able to quickly incorporate into your model. Logistic regression can also help you comprehend the contributing factors behind the prediction.Decision treesDecision trees can easily handle feature interactions and they’re non-parametric, so you don’t have to worry about outliers. One drawback is that they don’t support online learning, so you have to rebuild your tree when new examples come up.Support Vector MachineSupport Vector Machine is a supervised ML technique that is broadly used in pattern recognition and classification problems.Naive BayesNaive Bayes is known to outperform even highly sophisticated classification methods and used for very large data sets.Neural networksIt is used to predict the class by establishing a link between neurons. With Neural networks, extremely complex models can be trained and utilized to perform unsupervised learning tasks, such as feature extraction from raw images or speech with much less human intervention.It is difficult to shortlist at first which algorithm will work best. Being able to combine and balance to solve a machine-driven problem is crucial and those who can do this add the most value. So consider all the points above to develop the right solution and at the end assess the performance of the algorithms to select the best one. 

5 Benefits of Coding with React Native

React Native was first introduced by Facebook in 2013. It is a programming language that allows developers to build cross-platform mobile applications using JavaScript. This particular framework comes with many tools that are best for web developers.Furthermore, it has brought a style to UI development that hinges on a modest idea. As per React Native, UI is a function of data and if that data changes, UI must also change. With React-Native it is possible to develop an application once and deploy it on both iOS and Android. React Native allows developers to see their code and incorporate on real mobile screens at the same time. Some of the benefits of React Native are outlined below:    Community-drivenThe development of the React Native framework, responding to the need of the developer community, combined the advantages of mobile app development with the power and agility of the native React environment.There are substantial advantages to using such a community-driven environment like the availability of a huge team of enthusiastic JavaScript and Native developers keen to share their knowledge and expertise and huge catalogues of freely available components.If you choose React Native for developing a mobile app, you do not have to be concerned about the framework falling behind in terms of improvements in mobile software. React Native is consistently improving, so one can always be assured of having the application built on the best of technologies. Maximum code reuse & cost savingBy using React Native, one can deploy the same code on iOS as well as on Android. This saves a lot of development time and cost. Ideally, this will cut the development effort by half. While in practice, the cost saving will be a little lower but it will make the investment worth your while. As per the recent studies, about 90% of the code can be reused between Android and iOS, but it would be wise to calculate some extra time for practical alterations as well. Live reloadReact Native allows you to create powerful mobile applications with additional feature like ‘live reload’, enabling you to immediately see the result of the latest change that you have made to the code. If you have two windows opened – one containing the code and the other showing a mobile screen as a result of the code – you can immediately see the effect of what you have changed in one screen, or on the other screen. Strong performance for mobile environmentsThe React Native architecture is very well tuned to mobile devices and they are relatively faster than Native apps. It makes use of the Graphics Processing Unit, while native platforms make use of Central Processing Unit.   Modular and intuitive architecture similar to ReactThe modular and intuitive interface makes it easy for other developers to delve into someone else’s project and build upon it. This surges the flexibility within a development team and makes it easier to create updates and upgrades to web applications. Also, testers will need less time to understand the programming logic and build appropriate testing setups.Benefits of Coding with React Native can be further extended from web to mobile and vice versa. These merits are worth considering before kicking off with React Native. 

Hybrid App Vs. Native App – Which one is better?

Technology is progressing rapidly and it is changing the way we live and work. Our huge dependence on smartphones is the best bait for businesses to target the new millennial. For almost everything you can find an app, right from ordering food, playing video games, listening to music to even finding a date for some event, an app can meet every human desire.  However, the likings and expectations of users from around the world create certain requirements for apps. They prefer the apps to be fast, user-friendly, highly responsive and reliable.There are multiple factors that determine how to select the best technology for a mobile app. Each technique of developing an app has its own set of perks and shortcomings. This article will outline the major differences between the two similar but at the same time very different mobile app development method — Native and Hybrid Application Development.Here are key differences between native and hybrid mobile appsBoth these methods - native and hybrid have ways to meet diverse needs and purpose of users and developers, but none of them can be said to be the perfect solution. These apps have their pros and cons — both for an app developer and the end user.Pros of Native Apps• Full Integration of DeviceNative Apps come with many functionalities offered by the mobile devices such as cameras, GPS, calendar,s and microphone. These apps help the users to build an experience that is fully enjoyable and provides great exposure.• Works without an internet connectionOne of the striking features of the Native app is that these apps also work without an Internet connection. • Excellent PerformanceIf you are looking to build a high-speed app, then a native app should be your pick. It is designed specifically for some operating systems and provides great performance.• More secure and safeAll the native apps are accessible through the app stores and reviewed by the app store approval team. This provides a certificate of reliability and assurance.Cons of Native Apps• Higher development and maintenance expensesNative apps are quite intricate since they have a different codebase for each platform and to maintain them, it requires a lot of time and effort as developers have to work and support each version natively.• No guarantee that apps will get acceptedOnce the applications are made, they are required to get approval from the Play Store. And it is a lengthy and tedious process because all the applications have to get approved from the store to get featured. Also, there are chances that the application might get rejected and will not be added to the App Store databases. Pros of Hybrid Apps• Unified DevelopmentThe main advantage of Hybrid Apps is that it allows the companies to save a lot of time and money in developing more than a single app for leading platforms.• Works on a single codebaseHybrid Apps are easier to maintain as the developer needs to manage only one codebase. This ensures smooth and efficient productivity.• Fastest development speedHybrid Apps can be built in a very short period of time. These apps require less maintenance as compared to the native apps and are flexible in terms of launching it on another platform.• Efficient ScalingHybrid apps are also known as cross-platform applications which are easy to scale on different platforms and different operating devices. It permits the development team to reuse the code without making much change in the application.Cons of Hybrid Apps• Slow PerformanceHybrid apps are a bit slower because they are based on web technologies and at the same time they are utilizing mobile platforms which can result in poor performance. If the user doesn’t get an impressive experience, then the likelihood of the application becoming popular goes down.• Poor UXA hybrid app doesn’t offer a user that smooth experience like a native app. Also, the users very rarely give a second chance to an application that has a poor user interface.To be precise, it is important to understand the differences between native and hybrid apps. Each has its own strengths and flaws, and the ultimate decision depends almost entirely on your business needs.

A quick guide to developing PWA apps for your business

Perhaps you're wondering what is Progressive Web App (PWA)?There is a lot of buzz around PWA app with assertions that it is the future of web app development. Since its inception in 2015, it has taken the industry by storm because of the relative ease of development and excellent user experience which is equivalent to the native apps.Progressive web applications are reliable, fast and engaging. It takes advantage of the most recent technologies to combine the best of web and mobile applications.  With such a combination, it is possible to create ultra-fast web pages that provide improved user experience, better visitor engagement, and increased conversion rates. You can also explore how mobile applications as an integral part of today’s business model are shaping modern business strategies..PWAs can be saved on desktops just like any native Android or iOS App.  These are specialized, Java-based websites that give mobile users an app-like experience. It loads fast and responds quickly all while using web technologies. PWAs bring significant benefits to businesses like higher conversion rates and customer retention.So, let’s get into the core principles for better understanding: Connectivity or offline supportPoor internet connectivity won’t be the hindrance for launching PWA apps. They solve the slow connection issues and work on all possible scenarios. Regardless of bandwidth and latency, the navigation inside the app is fairly smooth.PerformanceHigh bounce rates are something that scares all business owners. The root cause of high bounce rates is slow page loading time.  As reported by Google, if a website takes more than 3 seconds to load, 53% of users abandon it and if the time exceeds to 5 seconds, the probability of the bounce increases by 90%.  So, this is where PWAs comes in making it readily available on the user’s device and browser.Rail modelRAIL is mainly an abbreviation for describing key performance metrics. By analyzing human interactions with computer programs a user-centric model RAIL was created. This model can be applied to all user-oriented software programs like websites, desktop applications, mobile applications, and video games.EngagementThe essence of Progressive web applications is that it should have the feel and the capabilities of native apps and needs to be built on the application shell model, with minimal page refreshes. On the desktop, PWAs can be added to docks and taskbar. Also, shortcuts can be added to the desktop.SecureIn a progressive web app, all network requests are intercepted through service workers so, it is imperative that the app is hosted over HTTPS to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.Merits of Progressive Web Apps (PWA)Progressive Web App (PWA) offers a package deal of some lucrative features:•    The size range of PWAs is way too light and can range in KBs which is much lesser than native apps.•    Cost of acquisition is very low as it is easy to convince a user to visit a website than to install an app to get a first time experience.•    Fewer efforts are required to build and release updatesPWA apps can build a strong mobile presence and drive your business in areas of poor internet connection. In the coming years, we are going to witness a massive rise in progressive app development. Mainly the areas like e-commerce, media, and restaurants can reap more profits and attract new customers with the implementation of PWA. 

Why PHP 5 and 5.6 became obsolete & labeled hazardous?

PHP is a programming language used to build popular website CMSs, such as Word Press or Drupal. With the recent developments in PHP, the former versions 5 and 5.6 is about to reach its end-of-life, which suggests it will stop receiving security updates by the end of December 2018. Once these security updates stop, many websites that are still on PHP 5 versions will be vulnerable to numerous threats as anyone can have access to tamper with the data.With each release of the PHP version, the development team’s policy remains valid for two years from the date of its release. Then it extends its support for an additional year for perilous security issues only. Once the duration of three years elapses from the date of its release, the version of PHP becomes nullified.What’s next?PHP 7.0, the very first PHP 7 version released almost three years ago came with extended security support. The newer version overpowered the existing features and does things better than the old versions. PHP 7 has many improvements over PHP version 5. These include performance improvements. PHP 5 has many known bugs related to performance, memory usage and more. PHP 7 is actively supported and developers are therefore able to implement those improvements and make the website run faster, become more stable and use resources more efficiently.As an added advantage, PHP 7 also allows the use of more modern programming structures, which is a great benefit for software developers.Security susceptibilities are continuously reported in PHP. Many more will be revealed in PHP versions 5 next year after security support for all versions of PHP 5 have ended. That is why it is imperative that you upgrade to a version of PHP 7 that is supported and is receiving security updates.If your website remains on PHP 5.6, you may find yourself dealing with compromise issues sometime next year when vulnerability will appear but no fix will be released by the PHP team.So, before the deadline approaches, upgrade to PHP 7.2 to see the enhanced performance and you can rest assured that you will continue to receive security updates until November 30, 2020. 

5 Social-Media Trends to Prepare For In 2019

Recently, social media platforms have evolved from simple communication medium to a full-fledged news, entertainment and marketing hub. With new features and this year’s innovations like IGTV and Snap chat’s Story Ads, all social platforms are racing against each other to keep its users engaged and entertained – which signifies that your company shouldn’t be left too far behind. To keep up with these current social media trends brands need to upgrade themselves by reevaluating their strategy to thrive in this ever-evolving industry.In this dynamic landscape, marketers and businesses are vying for ways to stay ahead of the competition by boosting brand awareness.Here are few pointers to keep in mind as you prepare your social-media calendar for 2019Social CEOs will become the new customIn the digital age, one of the most prominent changes we have noticed is how we perceive a company's frontrunners. Lack of online presence and transparency with the audience has diminished public's trust about the brand. However, in 2019, CEOs and other company leaders need to use social media extensively to share their insights, connect with their community, and listen to their audience. Making social media a part of doing business in 2019 is imperative for the success of the brand.User-generated content will make brands' efforts more reliableUser-generated content will do the trick if your organic social reach is on the decline.  Instead of spending hours crafting unique content for social media, one can rely on user-generated content from their actual audience base which will increase the engagement more authentically and build a stronger relationship with the followers.LinkedIn Dynamic Ads are making ads more subjectiveWaving off your new members through invasive or impersonal ads would be the last thing any marketers would do to their TGs. Luckily the new feature rolled out by LinkedIn would help you to avoid such errands. With LinkedIn Dynamic Ads one can customize paid ad content and cultivate more authentic communication with their target customers.Social listening will give brands an edgeEngaging your audience is the thumb rule of any social strategy! So while developing your social media plan, put the effort to hear your audience to balance the engagement equation.  Social listening comprises analyzing conversations, phrases, and other details about your brand and competitors. Social listening tools can help to identify patterns and collect meaningful interpretations. Using that to your advantage can significantly benefit your campaigns in the future and give your brand an edge over the competition. Instead of bombarding with promotional content, focus on engaging with your followers.Instagram Stories feature will get more prominenceIn the last few years, Instagram Stories have become a popular way for users to constantly update their profiles, keep followers engaged, and, in some cases, even increase follower base. From the past trends, it has been observed, possibly the most valuable content is short-lived. To make the most of this feature, one can share pictures or behind-the-scenes videos that give your audience a glimpse to the ethos and culture and make them feel like a part of your brand. However, overwhelming your followers with a dozen posts a day would definitely impede your Social media strategy.The goal is to implement these trends by next year while many of them are already in use. So, keep an eye on what social media experts and other leaders in the industry are saying and incorporating in their marketing plan and rework on it to beat the competition with an exceptional social-media strategy for 2019.

6 Traits to look for when hiring a Software Developer

Since last few years, the competition is fierce among the software developers, even when there is no dearth of jobs in the IT sector.  This is because of some key traits and qualities that differentiate a seasoned coder from an average one. Hiring the right developer is crucial for the success of a company as they are the backbone on which of the entire IT system functions. So when reviewing stacks of resumes, look for the wide variety of skill sets that the potential hires highlight and focus on programming languages they know and the projects they have worked on. This will give a rough idea about their abilities and proficiencies while doing the primary assessment.Here are the six qualities to look for while hiring a software developer-Look for people who can develop value - When hiring a developer, one should look for three attributes that have consistently outshined are self-direction, a focus on providing value to the business (not only from the technical perspective) and a great team player attitude.  Great programmers have the capability to make both masterful/ quick hacks and robust solutions to meet any business challenges whereas an amateur programmer often lacks the expertise to come up with problem-solving strategies.Programming Power - The state of the art of programming is constantly evolving keeping the programmers on their toes. So someone who likes to work independently can pick up new technologies, techniques and best practices quickly to excel in their role and can become a true asset for the company and as well as for the team. For example, developers should get familiar with the 5 best PHP frameworks to stay updated with modern web development trends.Hire the inventors who are passionate about technology - Hiring someone who understands the core concepts of programming and loves to experiment are the ones who stay updated with cutting-edge technology which is pertinent to a company’s development, innovation and success.Value trustworthiness - This is something an employer needs to consider, with loyalty comes an enthusiasm to learn and get better over time. And from several studies, it is found that only loyal developers are more likely to stick around during hard times and step up when needed.Craftsmanship - Great coders take pride in their craft. They get into the depth, while still aware that they need to deliver on time. Craftsmanship is all about the quality of the invention. There is a big difference between simply being skilled, and executing that skill with a vision and agility.Adaptability - Developers who wish to be successful needs to be flexible and should readily accept changes to scale up their work. So while hiring them, analyze if they are willing to adopt changes or are they incompatible with this notion.It isn’t always easy finding the right developers, but when one knows what to look for and to test for; they will increase the chance by 10x in building a perfect team!

5 Simple Hacks for Optimizing your Site for Voice Search

These days we are approaching closely to the tech-driven world, where virtual assistants are widely accepted in simplifying our tasks through voice search. This phenomenon eliminates the need to manually type on the phone or desktop and allows us to dictate our query while we are on the go.  This major technological transformation has made the businesses feel the impulse of optimizing their site for voice search and realize its serious repercussions on overall functions of the business.According to a recent study, websites that rank high on the search engine result pages tend to secure that similar place when it comes to Google voice search results.  However, there is far more to Google voice search than mere convenience; it is changing the way Google handles search queries and interpret how users search for particular information. So, in this article, we will be giving tips at how businesses can optimize their website for voice search. Try long tail keywords for voice search SEO optimizationGoogle is paying close attention to this voice search trend and is making adjustments in how it ranks sites and present information. One basic principal to optimize your website for voice search is to find long tail keywords that sound natural and keep the conversation going. While optimizing for voice search, pick words carefully as people tend to be more specific as opposed to typing on phone or desktops.Claim your Google my business listingClaiming and optimizing Google my business listing is a great way for Google to find out more information about your business for e.g.  Category of business, address, phone number, business hours and so on. Since many voice search queries are local in nature, therefore having your business claimed and up-to-date can help increase the chances of showing up when a voice search is done pertaining to the local business category.Improve online reputation by tracking ratings & reviewsAlong with the popularity of voice search, online ratings and reviews also play a major role in helping people decide which business to patronize. These are key metrics in managing online reputation and are crucial in promoting your business. Voice assistants such as Alexa, Cortana and Siri are convenient for bringing up information on Google My Business, Yellow Pages, Facebook, Yelp and other review sites.Optimize for local searchBoth the terms ‘voice search’ and ‘local search’ are closely connected. People mostly use voice search when they drive around or prepare to leave the house. They're generally looking for nearby businesses to solve their needs. In order to take advantage of this, find out as many relevant local search terms as possible. In addition to your physical address and city, including neighbourhoods, counties and landmarks (e.g., near the main city or the airport).Make your website mobile-friendlyWith the majority of web searches now being steered on smartphones or tablets, it is now important that your site is responsive across all devices and is optimized with voice searches. It's easier to speak than to type it out on a smartphone. When people are in hurry, they are more likely to use voice search to find something than to type out the question. As mobile devices increasingly overshadow desktops and laptops, voice search will become a natural way to connect.Voice search is a trend that is going to stay and it will only get bigger with time. It will strongly affect marketing and how voice search feature is transforming e-commerce business, especially for local businesses.”. So marketers need to understand the power of voice search and take the full advantage of it to modify the content of their website. This is the time to take the plunge into voice search SEO to cater to the customers who are seeking information about your business through their smartphones or voice assistants and gain an edge over the competition! 

6 Essential components of SEO every entrepreneur needs to know about

In today’s digital ecosystem, SEO has become an important technique in strategizing and ensuring Brand visibility. As per a recent survey, 94% of B2B buyers believe that they search online before making a decision.Brands that do not take the initiative to leverage and understand the importance of SEO will be left behind as it plays an imperative role in bringing the potential customers providing a great deal of value to their business.SEO needs a defined strategy, it is not a one-time work but It involves a lot of alteration to your website time and again, and a lot of off-site work as well.Here are a few SEO techniques every entrepreneur should know about in growing their online business:1.    Aesthetic and User ExperienceThe first thing one needs to accept is that the Website is the front office of the Business to the global market. If it fails to attract and retain users and is not seamless in terms of user experience, no amount of SEO efforts will make much of a difference. Consider looking at other sites within your industry to get an idea of what others are doing and how to improve your website’s user experience, as you can build a different perspective through your design communication.2.    Your Website Needs to Be Search Engine FriendlyA lot of startups and organizations don’t want to dive into SEO as they start out, but later on, in their journey, they feel the need to optimize their web presence. Nevertheless, your website should be built in a way that will amplify SEO down the road. Otherwise, one has to spend a huge sum re-engineering the site or building a new one. It’ll be a hassle and possibly a big expense — and will delay your ramp-up of organic user growth by months or longer.3.    The Basics of Search Engine OptimizationWhile doing SEO, make sure to write a user-friendly Meta description that connects your business offering with the user requirements. It should be relevant to the business services described on the page of your website. Headers are equally important, so use your keywords in headers whenever possible, but again, don’t stuff keywords unnecessarily. Lastly, make sure that every photo on your site has a description and alt tag to help Google understand what the picture is all about.4.    Writing Unique ContentIt’s best to ensure that every advert, one-liner, or description written on your site is relevant to the business and its users. If a business sells a product that is also sold elsewhere, creating your own distinct product descriptions will give search engines more unique content to crawl through, thus you gain an advantage over the competition.5.    Influences of Social Media on Your SEOOver the last couple of years especially, SEO has evolved in many aspects, getting smarter and more accurate in terms of the identification of content. The algorithms have also changed due to the influence of Social Media platforms. Social Media helps you to broadcast your Business Offerings, Thought Leadership, and Content to reach a huge audience, online. Thus, it helps you to amplify content and leverage on the user engagement that you can pull in. This helps you grow organic traffic to the website, which in turn impacts the page ranks.6.    Technical SEOTechnical SEO is one of the most important elements in Search Engine Optimisation. It helps search engine spiders crawl and index your site more effectively. One doesn’t have to be a programmer or website developer to update and replace the site’s robots.txt file, which is a mandate nowadays. Further with basic knowledge and with the help of Google Web Master tools, one should be able to put together the XML sitemap efficiently.The main motive to invest in SEO is to drive qualified organic traffic to your website from user searches — and then have those leads make inquiries, further leading to sales conversion. There is no point in doubling, tripling, or quadrupling your traffic if it’s not generating the desired ROI or business to be precise. Technical SEO is needed to meaningfully optimize your website to promote your Business Services & Products.

Building a Successful Ecommerce Business in 2019

We come with an industry experience of 11 years partnering and developing solutions for customers and brands globally. So, let’s share some of our learnings that we have working with Global Brands and delivering successful e-commerce systems &websites. To better understand how digital commerce drives growth, it’s important to know the primary benefits of eCommerce for your business before building your own online store.To ensure success in the e-commerce sector, we have identified 6 key factors that might help a business to drive their e-commerce initiatives.1.    Creating a Customized DesignThe website design must be built with a strategy in mind, that will help businesses to persuade visitors to take a look at your offerings. It is very important to have a unique value proposition for the customers through the design itself. Today, users know if they like a website or not by just a peek and that first impression usually persists on their mind.Making a great first impression is imperative in getting more customers to your online store. An eye-catchy design will make your users come back to the website, time and again. Thus, everything on your website should be easy to comprehend and give users a smooth experience while they scan through the site. Canned templated and free tools can never deliver the advantage, that a bespoke/customized design can. 2.    Focusing on Navigation & User ExperienceTo determine the performance of an e-commerce site, you need to focus on engaging visitors by providing them with a great user experience. This is the most important aspect of having an e-commerce website. A website that has too much of noise in it and does not give clarity on how to navigate through the products and pages, will never be successful to pull in business.So, if the customers will keep on abandoning the site. It will become a huge concern for the businesses as their bounce rates will shoot up and most importantly business will go down. Also, a lot depends on the way product listings are done and the filter options are set. It’s very important to understand the user’s search points and design a filter option based on user behaviour. 3.    Securing Online Shopping ExperienceSecurity is a major apprehension for both businesses and customers.  There is always a possibility for e-commerce websites getting compromised and customer’s data are stolen for nefarious purposes. On the other hand, businesses worry about fraudulent activities and fake orders on the website as well.So, the very first step is to design and develop the e-commerce website with proper technology and frameworks ensuring that the basics are taken care off. Then comes the implementation of SSL Certificate for the website. It will be really excellent if businesses can implement EV SSL for the websites to make them look extremely trustworthy for online transactions.Next is two-step authentication, that should be made a mandate for online purchases for customers ensuring a more human transaction and not bots working to get that done. This helps both the customer and the business at large.Further the payment page should have proper security measures, with the available payment gateway options we see in the market now, there can be 2 ways of implementing the payments, one is to navigate the user to the Payment Gateway website for the transaction and then bringing back the response to your web page or implementing the payment form within your website’s page only. While the former does not look very cool, yet ensures all payment related security is considered by the payment gateway providers, thus minimizing risk at the business end. 4.    Options to Make PaymentWhen it comes to e-commerce business, payment process plays a major role in the success of the business. However, payment methods may vary from one country to another as per technology adoption of different places. Some truly believe in electronic money transfer processes, hence use cards/banks to make payments online or use online wallets to do the same. But in some conservative places, Cash on Delivery draws more appeal and transparency.Currently, buyers have access to various forms of payment systems, such as traditional Credit/Debit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay along with the fast-growing electronic wallet transfer systems like Zelle, Venmo, Paytm to make purchases at any time of the day.So, the business should first understand the market they are focusing to for the online sales and then opt for a suitable payment solution or a combination of multiple of them to make the customers feel ease and be comfortable in making their purchases. Also, traditional Cash on Delivery option should be kept, if it can be adopted by the business keeping in mind the type of goods and the possibilities within the business policy. 5.     Building Credibility and Brand Loyalty is a MustIn e-commerce business, building credibility is imperative to sustain and have a firm recognition in your niche. In recent years, many big giants miserably failed to instill such authority among their customers and as a result, they had to exit the market and become obsolete. Integrating reliable methods like customer survey, product rating & reviews, excellent customer service and tracking mechanism for customers at each stage after the purchase of the product, this makes the entire process user-friendly and smooth.This will encourage the existing customers to purchase again from your site and often because of such experience they might offer recommendations amongst their circles. This will help in first building the credibility for the brand amongst the users and then make them become your loyal customers. 6. Using System Insights to Improvise Your BusinessA well designed and architected system can give you insights that help you to plan strategies for your promotions and marketing. It is very important that you record each user journey in your administrative system so that you can provide personalized customer services to your customers. The system should have a very thoughtfully designed dashboard that tracks the visitors, shows purchase, revenue growth, failed orders and customer activity on a daily basis. This should be mapped with graphs and charts so that you can compare the performance over any selected time period.At Sun Dew Solutions, we design systems and dashboards in a very comprehensive and useful way that helps businesses to take key business decisions in regards to their marketing and promotional strategies. Our systems help the businesses to track users having abandoned carts and generate system generated communication with them. This helps the business to activate idle carts and converts them into business.Do you need an e-store for your business? We can help you to build one and give the best solutions to manage all processes ensuring a faster ROI. Talk to our development team for your e-commerce needs at sales@sundewsolutions.com. 

Get familiar with these 5 Best PHP Frameworks for Modern Web Development

Web Application development is quite a complex and prolonged process.  But, with the right PHP framework, Sun Dew Solutions can ease out the process and minimize the time required for development. PHP, also known as Hypertext Preprocessor is one of the most powerful and popular server-side scripting languages which provides a wide gamut of frameworks that build complex applications and enterprise-class websites easily.PHP Frameworks come in all categories of form and sizes and have targeted developers with different levels of experience, application needs, hosting capabilities, and development time-frames. One should always consider picking the modern PHP Framework that provides well organized, reusable and maintainable code. It’s also important to understand why PHP 5 and 5.6 became obsolete, since outdated versions can create major security and compatibility issues for web projects. Most modern PHP frameworks follow the Model-View-Controller pattern that ensures the separation of presentation and logic and support modern web development practices.Look at the 5 best PHP Frameworks that increases productivity and makes web development streamline-1.    LaravelLaravel PHP framework is comparatively new and it is one of the most robust and popular tools which is been used extensively by a large number of experienced web developers. The framework is designed with lightweight template processor called ‘Blade’ elegant syntax that makes task simple and enables frequent chores such as authentication, caching, sessions, Restful routing, and queuing easier for developers. Laravel also includes a local development environment called homestead that is a packed Vagrant box.2.    SymfonySymfony is the second most popular PHP Framework after Laravel. It is a reliable and high performing framework developed for creating websites and applications.  Symfony is also built on similar web architecture design patterns like Laravel which includes components such as Drupal, EZ Publish and phpBB.  It’s hard to determine which is superior among Laravel and Symfony as they both have common and excellent features and are among the most popular framework used in website development.3.    PhalconPhalcon is another popular framework among the developers because it is fast with low overheads and it is written in C and C++ to attain the highest level of performance. Phalcon not only speed up the execution process but it also decreases resource usage.  Phalcon framework is equipped with advanced features like auto-loader, asset management, caching, security, translation and many more. It is definitely worth a try! 4.    CakePHPCakePHP is great for commercial web applications and is packed with cool features such as database access, caching, validation and so on. Even though it a decade old framework, but it is still counted as one of the popular PHP frameworks. However, the latest version CakePHP Framework 3.6 upgraded the session management, modularity and enhanced the ability to create more standalone libraries. CakePHP has been used by many big brands like BMW, Express and Hyundai for developing their websites.  5.    CodeignitorCodeignitor is a developer friendly framework with the simple installation process and minimalistic configuration setup which can save you from a lot of hassle. It is an ideal choice if you want to avoid PHP version conflict and works fine on almost all shared and dedicated hosting platforms.  As Codeignitor is not built on MVC development pattern, it gives developers a great freedom where they can use their own code and naming conventions. Being one of the lightweight frameworks, it gives developers an opportunity to add third-party plugins to perform more complex functionalities.Each framework has its own perks and flaws, however choosing the right one depends on various factors like speed, ease of use, security, scalability, documentation and hosting sources. Along with that, the skill sets of the developer and the project they will be working on also come into consideration. Just be sure to check the company behind the development of each framework to be certain, it is actively maintained and has long-term support which will ensure that it remains updated in the future.

7 Cutting edge Web Design Trends to maximize visibility

While designing a web page every designer needs to refine their creativity in order to grab the attention of the visitors. In a tech-savvy world, a website is the face of a company so it’s important to follow the emerging trends to stay ahead of the competition.  The design can make or break the reputation of the business online. If the website doesn’t attract or leave an impact at the first glance, chances are visitors won’t return to the website and one might lose them forever.A good website design is the primary foundation of success across all industries.  So integrating the latest design trends can deliver the best results possible and make your website appear neat and professional. In fact, applying design thinking methods help create user-centric designs, ensuring your website not only looks great but also delivers meaningful user experiences.The top web design trends that companies and designers are adopting:1.    Carefully crafted typographyIn the battle of grabbing eyeballs, typography is one of the most powerful weapons that one can resort to while planning a website design.   In recent years, the use of serif and sans-serif fonts on the web has broadened to create a dynamic user experience. To keep up with this trend, designers are opting for typography with tons of typefaces not only for laying emphasis but also for creating an aesthetic effect.2.    More creative formattingAs the device resolutions are getting sharper, simplifying the legibility factor is also opening the door for a rise in custom formation and layouts. Developers put their best foot forward in finding ways to create more engaging and creative formatting styles that work. Grid Layout is one such kind of approach which helps in placing multiple elements on a single page as there are several columns in the grid format.  Usually, a responsive Grid view layout has twelve columns which adjust as per the browsers. It allows images and texts to overlap and converge creating a stunning juxtaposition of bitmap and letterform.3.    Brighter colours and Bolder GradientsBold and striking colors are expected to revamp the industry. This may have been continuing for a little while, but this trend is branching out and holding strong since it made a comeback in the last year. Along with a variety of textures, designers are experimenting with brighter colors and bolder gradient shades. Today a number of brands give preference to solid color palettes to draw the optimum attention of the users. In the era of latest technologies, color-rich sites look sharper and elusive on the high-resolution displays.4.    CinemagraphsIncorporating high-quality videos or animations that run on a smooth, continuous loop have become a popular way to enhance visual performance to otherwise static pages. We’ve seen ample of simple designs already. Now, it’s high time to switch for more appealing visual elements. In this High-Definition world, nobody likes blurry images on the websites.  So make your images more stimulating by using SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). The benefit of using SVG images on websites is that your images’ pixels won’t get tainted when zoomed. The perks of Cinemagraphs are that they are available in all formats like HD, SD, 4K and so on.5.    Micro-interactions on websitesRecently many brands are integrating animations or Emojis into their web pages to draw the viewer’s attention.  These are a part of a marketing strategy, where one can share their feelings through Emojis without actually using words. It feels good to see some Emojis waving around on the screen. These micro-interactions are now getting popular and became a trend in website designing.6.    Custom IllustrationsIllustrations those are eye-catching and tailored to the brand’s appearance, perceived as creative and are more approachable to their customers. While this trend is perfect for businesses that are energetic and has a subtle mix of quirkiness in their approach. Whatever your business deals with, there’s likely an illustration style to match your brand’s identity.7.    Improving Mobile PresenceIn this phase of digital transformation, about 50% of search queries are performed from the mobile devices which point towards making the design of the website mobile friendly. Also, it’s a known fact that Google priorities those sites that are mobile friendly. This obliges all businesses to have mobile-friendly sites to improve SERP and visibility over the internet. Businesses can ensure mobile-friendly behaviour of the website with Lambda Test’s emulators and simulators.Great web designs not only provide better readability and visual impression but it can also set the tone of your brand’s pursuance, evoke emotions and trigger associations. If all these web design elements are blend together, businesses will weave a perfect match for sites that do not want to leave their audience feel apathetic. 

The Future is here Influence of Chatbots and AI Bots on your Business Metrics

Automation technologies are captivating all the spheres of our lives, be it the growth of smart cities, smart homes, computerized workspaces or technologies like smartphones and digital personal assistants. Software robots, a recent buzz across a lot of sectors and businesses are getting adopted extensively to scale up user experience and engagement amongst business and the customers. By 2020, research survey shows that “consumers will deal with 85% of their associations with enterprises without ever interacting with a human.” Whether a business requires linear or departmentalized backing, such as tech support or customer service for primary user interactions, bots will the one stop solution to perform a magnitude of tasks seamlessly with less or limited human assistance.Chatbots are mainly developed using Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a combination of machine learning & virtual intelligence which enables them to speed up internal business processes while offering plenty of time to the taskforce to focus on more productive work. Both chatbots and AI Bots provide sustainable business growth by improving key performance metrics like customer conversion, engagement rates, overhead cost with high return.Scroll down to witness few merits of implementing bots in businesses:1. Improve customer relationshipChatbots and AI bots help business to achieve one of the most vital metrics i.e. improving user experience and connecting patrons with customer service at any given time. If chatbots are built on the landing page of a website, they can direct users for easy navigation and provide an instant response to their queries. This, in turn, reduces high bounce rates and shields the online reputation of the brand, resulting in overall traction and fostering customer acquisition.  2.    Drive more businessBots are transforming the sales practice through targeted customer outreach to drive qualified leads, increase organic traffic, and customer service management.  Chatbots create a situation that is certain to drive organic traffic through SEO from increased social proof and perceived user value. By introducing chatbot solutions to balance the human workforce, one’s business can get the leverage it needs to go into new markets.3.    Better capital retentionNo matter what methods businesses are using for assisting customers, one can elevate the design experience with bots while managing expenses. Today’s consumers are active around the clock, so in order to support them even at odd hours, bots fit the role in eliminating the need for businesses to bear overhead costs of staffing team. If any industry receives a lot of inquiries, chatbots can reduce the load off the customer support system by acting as the first point of contact, screening calls from the customers and readdress them to human sources as per the requirement.4.    Enhanced ProductivityUnlike apps and websites, bots do not function giving a passive customer experience. AI-powered Chatbots perform all the basic tasks like verifying customer related information, replying to emails, and sending appropriate responses to the leads. This allows businesses to save time and invest carefully in areas that need more human intervention. Prioritizing tasks as per productivity would eventually enhance the business’s revenue-generating capacity.5.    Personalized Marketing campaignsChatbots that are equipped with processing Big Data Analysis can help businesses create customized marketing campaigns which result in the increased attention span of the target audience and higher conversion rates. Bots can help businesses reach any number of specific metrics, such as product pairing suggestions in e-commerce sites with a humanized touch to increase average customer spending.With every latest development, we are inching closer to a more connected and digital future. Thus, leveraging the chatbot and AI Bot technology as a part of a wider business strategy will mark a sharp edge over the competitors. Being digitally present, engaged and competitive in the online landscape is a necessity for viable brand growth. 

Tips to reduce high bounce rates for your website

When visitors are coming on a website, they expect to get all the relevant information about your services within 4-5 seconds. So in that little timeframe, the website should tell them about your offers, else they will leave. The rate or percentage of visitors that leave a site without viewing any other pages is termed as the bounce rate.  So a Website design can be improved to reduce the bounce rate, increasing the likelihood of visitors to convert into leads.The average bounce rates through websites are about 49%. That being said, the bounce rate that one should aim for if they are into an e-commerce website should be lower as the site is selling products not exchanging ideas.  Shoot to land between the 10-40%, apparently the lower the better.High bounce rates are the prominent sign that the company is losing their potential customers. While many factors can be involved, a common one is the design of a customized website. To reduce the bounce rate and retain more visitors on the website, try implementing these few tips:Focus on UI and UXGenerally, users’ experience includes a visitor’s feeling and easy navigation while they are interacting with your website. Creating a user-friendly site that looks great across all platforms and devices is the first step in the direction. Observe prudently how your users behave and what influences their purchase decisions. Remember it is the comprehensive feeling a user experience while using your website, so the whole thing is part of the user experience. So, UI and UX have a major role to retain your target audience.Use intelligent Pop-upsPopups often create a negative image of your brand and readers who are visiting the website gets annoyed when pop-ups arise every now and then. Various surveys show that 50% of users leave the website when popups come up resulting in increased bounce rates. So, be wise while deciding on the type of pop-ups one needs to employ in the website development. Consider how the user's first impression will be. Will it annoy them or will it be just what they need! Focus on the right timing and message which will compel the user to take action without being invasive.Amplify your CTA placementMajority of the users decide whether or not they like a website in the first couple of seconds. One of the reasons your TG might bounce from a landing page is because there wasn’t a CTA button inviting them to take further action. Optimize the landing page and describe what you are selling to make the call- to -action clear and intriguing. Messages saying “Get Offer,” “Start today,” or “Learn More,” triggers interest among the users and make them click and get directed to another page of the website. Reduce Web Page loading timeSlow loading time of pages is the reason for visitors abandoning your site without interacting with it. Thus one gets lesser than 60 seconds to get their message across to the user and leave them feeling educated. If your business can achieve this, social interaction will increase in turn decreasing your bounce rate further.Ensure that your website is responsiveThese days having a responsive website is essential because most of the target audience visit websites on their mobile devices. In fact, Google now penalizes business whose websites aren’t responsive. Ensuring your website is mobile friendly will not only save one from getting in trouble with Google, but it can also improve the high bounce rates. Above all else, keep your strategy simple with the goal of bringing your desired customer the finest experience on your site.  By following these tips you’ll be on your way to reducing your website bounce rate and enhancing your SEO! So if you are looking for a professional website designing company, then contact us, we design bespoke websites and other awesome digital marketing solutions that help to increase your sales and business. Get in touch for a free consultation!