Are you inspired to launch an eco-friendly business in your area? You can start creating the changes that you want to see in your community!
 
Allen Marketing Communications, a NYC boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency, explains why small businesses bring so many benefits to communities and how you can build your eco-friendly business.
 
Why Start a Local Business?
Local businesses bring resources, jobs, and money to small communities. In fact, Pineapple Payments states that small businesses are often more adaptable and more receptive to their customers’ needs and preferences than larger corporations.
 
This is because they are part of the fabric of the community just like the customers they serve, which means they have a deeper connection to their customer base.

Invest in Cybersecurity
Before launching, have a plan in place for cyber security data protection. Look into hiring experts like Comm Vault to help deter and even prevent ill-willed hackers from breaching your business data, which can come in many forms, including malware, ransomware, SEO spam, and viruses.
 
Data shows that downtime has been experienced by 68 percent of organizations due to cyber security cases – you don’t want to be a statistic. This is especially true if you receive customer data such as personal and financial information, which, if stolen, can wreak havoc on you financially and reputationally.
 
Your Business Launch To-Do List
You might have a million ideas for your new business running through your mind, so it’s important to organize your thoughts. Sit down and outline a business plan that includes details about the products and services you want to offer, as well as how you want to market them.
 
You can also include a budgeting section with figures for your estimated variable and fixed expenses. Furthermore, this is the time to incorporate your business (as an S-Corp or LLC) with your state, which will entail choosing your company’s name and structure.
 
It is important to secure your FEIN (also known as federal tax identification number) and open a bank account.  As your business grows and you start to think about hiring employees, then it is necessary workers compensation and commercial general liability insurance for your business.
 
Unless you want to run a home-based business, you will also need to start looking for a co-working space or an office or retail space to rent. If you’re planning to open a store, you’ll want to look into areas with ample foot traffic and plenty of parking! And if you’re seeking office space, a quieter neighborhood could be a good choice.
 
Hiring Your First Employees
As a small business owner, you have the opportunity to bring fulfilling new jobs into your town. Hiring your first employees is a major step, but with the right strategy, you’ll be able to find great candidates - some of whom might come from your own local social circle!
 
To start the hiring process, Salesforce recommends clearly defining the roles, asking your friends and relatives for referrals, planning targeted interview questions in advance, and acting quickly to extend an offer when you find a candidate you like.
 
Community Engagement
Through ongoing community engagement efforts, you can help more people in your community learn about environmentalism and help them see the value of having sustainable businesses in your area.
 
For example, you could host regular neighborhood cleanups and bring people together who share your concerns about the same issues. In addition, you can get in touch with local charities to develop partnerships. You may be able to support an environmental nonprofit that focuses on protecting local ecosystems and donate a portion of your profits to their programs. You can also organize volunteer days with local charities!
 
Small business owners can cause waves of positive changes in their communities. You can begin educating your neighbors and friends about sustainability through your business. Before you know it, your community will be ready to embrace eco-friendly lifestyle changes!
 
Market Your Business
As a start-up eco-friendly business, it is important to market your business to generate brand and consumer awareness and build loyal customers.
 
Blogs are an inexpensive way to increase your ranking as it pertains to online searches. It is important to weave your SEO keywords into your blogs and post at least two blogs on your website each week.
 
As your eco-friendly business grows, then you should consider hiring a PR agency to generate credible third-party editorial stories in print, broadcast and online media.  PR is an effective way to enhance a company's digital presence when stories appear online through direct links from a media outlet to your website
 
Social media is an important marketing tool to inspire first time customers to learn about your business and to build loyal customers.  It is important to develop your business pages for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google My Business and post two or three times a week to build loyal customers.
 
Digital display advertising is another effective marketing tool to customers to learn about your business.  You simply set your target budget, target markets and key messages to inspire consumers to click on your digital ad and learn about your business
 
Reach out to Allen Marketing Communications to learn how our team can help you build your eco-friendly business.
 
Guest post:  Chelsea Lamb at Business Pop
 
Photo credit: Unsplash
 
 

​

​​The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our eating habits from a renewed focus on a healthy diet to experimenting with cooking at home.   As we enter the third year of the pandemic, consumers are flirting with a vegetarian diet as a natural way to boost one’s immunity. 

According to Statista, “the global food market generated more than eight trillion dollars in revenue in 2020, an increase of one trillion since the previous year.  The Statista Consumer Trend Index estimates that food revenue worldwide will continue to grow over the next year and reach 9.1 trillion dollars by 2025.”

Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique NYC food and beverage public relations agency, spotlights key trends in the food industry in 2022.

Reducetarian Diet
A reducetarian diet, a new approach to vegetarianism, enables eco-minded consumers to make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of meat, dairy and eggs in his or her diet. “Many people want to eat less meat and animal products but don't want to go fully vegetarian or vegan,” according to LI Herald.

“Reducetarian food has gained popularity in the last year. And this means that animal products that are in small amounts and high quality may one day become the mainstream on the market,” according to Whole Food and the online food retailer ShelfNow, 

A reducetarian diet offers a way for individuals to eat healthier since “opt for higher quality meat and animal products such as organic dairy and grass-fed meats,” according to LI Herald.

Potato Milk
There’s a new player in the non-dairy milk market – potato milk. By blending potatoes, water, oil, and the right amount of sweetener, the potato milk has the same creamy flavor of the cow milk. 

Potato milk currently stands out as one of the most nutritious non-dairy milk products on the market.  In fact, DUG, a Swedish food company, claims that their potato milk contains six percent of milk potato source added with pea protein, calcium carbonate, and natural flavors. 

Currently, potato milk is only available in Europe with plans to launch in China and the U.S. in the coming months.

Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a flower that grows in tropical destinations such as the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and West Africa.  It is also known as roselle, bissap and sorrell.

“Hibiscus is a rich antioxidant that will help lower blood pressure and improve cardiac health,” according to Heathline. Traditionally used in medicine and tea drinks, hibiscus flower has been discovered as a new ingredient in desserts. 

Foodies are experimenting with hibiscus often including the brew from the dry flowers in cocktails, mocktails, desserts and chutney. 

Sunflower Seeds Butter 
Sunflower Seed Butter, also known as Sunflower Butter, is made by grinding the sunflower seeds in a food processor or blender into a food paste.  It is a healthy alternative to peanut butter for those with allergies.

Research shows “sunflower seeds butter can lower cholesterol level and reduce inflammation. It contains a large amount of fiber and magnesium that can lower blood sugar and regulate blood pressure as well.”

Sunflower seeds butter is becoming more popular, popping up on supermarket shelves in items such as cheese, ice-cream, crackers and more.  It is favored by school cafeterias as an alternative to traditional peanut butter.

Mushrooms
Foodies have always incorporated mushrooms into their diet because of the nutrients.  During the pandemic, mushrooms have become extremely popular because of its health benefits.
 
Specialty food magazine reports that “80 grams serving of mushroom per day provides sufficient vitamin B, zinc, potassium, selenium, and soluble fiber called beta glucan for a healthy adult. There are creative ways to add more mushrooms in your meals through mushroom powder added to dishes and beverages.” 

Levantine Foods
Levantine foods refer to the cuisine of Levant, also known in Arabic as Bilad-al-Sham.  This Eastern Mediterranean cuisine is often found in Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, northern Iraq, Palestine, and Syria. 

Americans have embraced popular Levantine dishes such as baba ghanoush, baklava, falafel, humus, and lentil soup. During the Covid-19 pandemic, foodies have been experimenting with Middle Eastern spices while cooking at home during the lockdown. 

Recently, there has been an explosion of flavors such as pomegranate molasses, Turkish Urfa chili flakes and Feta helping to make this Levantine cuisine even more popular.
 
Our food and beverage public relations professionals are here to help savvy food marketers.
Give us a call.

By Max Wu at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

When you’re running a small business, your brand is everything. It is important to develop your company’s unique selling proposition to differentiate your product and services from your competitors.

Making a recognizable brand is a big part of business.  And it often begins with your company’s visual identity, also known as your organization’s logo. It also includes a creative tagline or slogan to build an emotional connection with customers.

Having a brand that your potential customers can identify with is going to lead to better sales, as well as a better reputation. Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a NYC boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency, presents the following guide that explains why branding is important, how you can help your brand reach your target market, and what you can do to start building your brand today!

What is Branding? Why is it Important?
Branding, quite simply, is a holistic approach to develop a company’s brand DNA from the new logos and taglines to brand guidelines, to the brand vision and to recommendations on how employees should conduct business on your company’s behalf.

It’s all about the way you present your business, services, or products. The way you position your business ultimately defines how it’s going to be perceived, and how successful it is.

To be successful with developing a unique identity for your small business, business owners should undertake research to get a pulse for the marketplace and then develop a strategy to make your business breakthrough in your respective industry.

That’s exactly why branding is important. If you don’t brand your business well, then you won’t be able to set yourself apart from your competitors.

In a competitive market, that’s one of the most important things you can do! Great branding is going to show your customers what you’re all about. It’s also going to give you a sense of purpose and direction. When your business stands for something, you can make decisions that reflect that.

Branding and Customers - Reaching Your Target Market
Branding also affects your relationship with your customers. First, let’s talk about how branding affects the consumer experience. When you have a strong brand, you become more appealing to people looking for what your brand is producing. Customers begin to understand what to expect from your products, and as a result, your business.

Now, when you build a strong brand, you also do yourself a favor in the long run. A strong brand is going to help you define your target market, as well as reach it. When your business is catering to the people who believe in your brand, more like-minded customers are going to gain interest as well. Branding improves marketing both internally and externally. Knowing who you’re appealing to can shape ads and marketing, and growing your customer base increases word-of-mouth.

How You Can Start Building Your Brand
When you want to start building your brand, there are a number of different approaches you can take. Learn more about brand-building strategies below!

Hit the Books - Get a Business Degree
If you’re serious about building your brand, you should start with the building blocks, so to speak. Going back to school to get a business degree is going to teach you the skills necessary to build a strong brand.

Thankfully, going to school is easier than ever! Accredited online programs can help you get your degree while working full-time or taking care of your family. Find a program that’s accredited, and one that offers competitive tuition rates.

Do Some Brand Building DIY Projects
Some brand-building projects can be done on a DIY basis. Some are as simple as making thematic elements for your business. Others are a bit more nuanced, requiring that you do some deep diving to find your business’s purpose. Building your brand can be done, to an extent, on your own.

Hire a Pro and Build Your Brand Together
If you’re having trouble building your brand on your own, there’s no shame in hiring a professional to help! Building a brand can be a daunting task. When you’re looking to create a new target market for your brand, or extend your brand’s reach, a pro can help you with all of the steps you’ll need to take.

Allen Marketing Communications, Inc. has a talented team of branding experts to help small business and Fortune 500 companies develop a unique value proposition.  Our process is based on solid research – quantitative and qualitative research – to test the messages and visual identity to ensure it resonates with your target audience. 

It is very important to copyright your logo, as well as slogan or tagline.  It is also important to integrate slogans and logos in all communication materials to build brand awareness and create an emotional connection with customers.

Our team is here to help.  Give us a call.

​Tina Martin at Idea Inspired
 
 
 

If you’ve ever taken the whole family on a long trip, you’re well aware of the logistical demands, especially if you have young children. It’s far more complicated than traveling as a couple. For families that like to go abroad, there are passports to obtain and keep up to date, and everyone needs vaccinations. 

Vrbo’s annual Travel Trend report reveals, “Parents are more likely to reward their kids on their 2022 vacations.  After an irregular two years, kids will have a bigger say in vacation planning, with half of the families saying they’re more likely to let their kids decide where they vacation, compared to pre-pandemic times.”
 
In this blog, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc. a NYC boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency, shares tips to help savvy marketers tap into the lucrative family travel market.

Think Destination
Traveling to a new destination, foreign or domestic, is always exciting, but it generally takes a day or two to get your bearings and a good feel for where things are. Why not give the gift of a head start by doing some research and purchasing tickets to a popular tourist destination ahead of time. 

That will help your friends or family members kick-start their itinerary while they get a sense of how to make the most of their time. Combine it with a nice lunch or dinner, and you’ve got a fun and convenient start to a great vacation.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also sparked a trend for families to buy out villas and houses and boutique hotels to provide ample space for social distancing on a family getaway.

Games and Activities
One ironclad rule of vacation travel is that kids need something to occupy their time, especially the young ones. It’s not their fault; they just aren’t used to being penned up in a car or airplane for hours on end. Games and activities that occupy their minds and allow them to use their hands creatively can make a big difference. 

The Lonely Planet kid’s journal is a fun way for kids to write down their thoughts and feelings about their trip. Who knows? It may lead to a career in travel writing. If games are what they like, you can’t go wrong with old reliables like Uno or more modern favorites, such as a handheld gaming device. The Nintendo Switch is a popular choice, as it has access to apps like Hulu as well as video games. 

Toddlers present a different challenge when it comes to traveling. They need something that keeps their hands busy. How about a gift that allows them to take part in the journey while allowing them to travel in style? 

The Trunki Ride-On toy and suitcase is big enough to accommodate clothing, books, and games but small enough to fit in an overhead compartment. It’s on wheels and includes a towing strap, which lets little ones pull their own weight (until they ask mom to carry it for them, of course). 

Convenient and Attractive
Parents have a lot on their plate when it comes to vacationing. They’re responsible for everything of importance, such as passports, medicines, USB sticks, keys, and anything that cannot be lost. That’s what makes a good travel organizer such a useful gift. The BUBM Universal Double Layer case can handle your essentials, as well as an iPad, your toiletries, and more.  

If parents are traveling with small children or toddlers, another great gift is the Piggyback Rider backpack carrier. This product is a standing backpack that you can place your child in. It’s a great way to transport your child, especially in rougher terrain where strollers won’t work. Your child will love the view. 

It is no secret the pandemic has inspired remote workers to mix business with pleasure.  Thanks to the rise in popularity of Zoom calls, employees can work anywhere in the world and simply connect by Zoom for the all important business meeting.

Skip Trips
The Covid-19 vaccines and boosters for multiple generations in a family will inspire many families to embrace in-person family remembers instead of gathering over Zoom.

Skip Trips, are quite simply grandparents traveling with grandchildren, leaving parents home alone.  Family Travel Association reports that “37 percent of grandparent respondents intended to take their grandchildren with them on a trip during the next three years.”

Skips Trips present an invaluable opportunity for grandparents to bond with their grandchildren, share life lessons with them during a family vacation.  In fact, Barron reports, “travelers in their 80s are anxious to make up for the months lost in quarantine. Families separated by the pandemic are finally uniting to take that long-awaited trip.”

The sky’s the limit!  Let our travel and lifestyle public relations professionals help you to tap into the growing family travel market.

Guest Post by Chelsea Lamb at Business Pop
Courtesy of Pixabay.

​2022 heralds a new beginning for the travel industry on the road to recovery.  The Covid-19 vaccines and booster shots have injected a desperately needed lifeline for the travel industry.

According to a new report the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shared with Travel + Leisure, “domestic travel growth has "significantly" outpaced global tourism as a whole and is expected to rise even more in 2022…. Research also shows that while the global travel [and] tourism sector is slowly beginning to recover, the U.S. is recovering faster than many other regions."

To help travel marketers navigate the ever changing travel landscape due to the Covid-19 virus, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a NYC boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency, spotlights key travel trends for 2002.

GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Vacations 
GOAT (The Greatest of All Time), once referred to athletes or actors or actresses, has now been embraced by the travel industry to refer to the once in a lifetime vacations. 

After spending almost two years cooped up due to international travel experiences, avid travelers are fulfilling the once in a lifetime vacations.   Expedia research reveals, “American travelers are going after their GOAT by stepping outside their comfort zone (22 percent) and immersing themselves in a destination, culture, and experiences completely different to their own (19 percent).”

Expedia's research, which polled 12,000 travelers across 12 countries, “uncovered that U.S. travelers are embracing the GOAT mindset by seeking out excitement/exhilaration (41 percent) and the feeling that they have made the most out of their trip (40 percent). The study also found that travelers are more willing than ever before to splurge on their future travels (40 percent).”

Family Reunions
The Covid-19 vaccines have made it safe for multiple generations to gather together safely, in person, instead of having virtual gatherings.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a trend for those who can afford to buyout hotels, villas, condos and private yachts to reduce their contact with individuals who are not in their inner circle and to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus.  This trend will continue in 2022 as families gather once again for multigenerational vacations.

Grandparents will continue to embrace Skip Trips – grandparents travel with their grandchildren often leaving parents home alone. “Grandparents, parents, and children are booking vacations together, whether they’re road-tripping to national parks or heading abroad for a milestone celebration,” according to Barrons.

Rules are always changing as it pertains to in-person and remote learning.  Parents, who opt for remote learning for their children, are embracing a new trend – Flexication – families travel off peak sometimes during the school year, stay longer in a destination, parents work remotely and children learn through remote courses.

Personalized Travel Experiences
As we enter the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, avid travelers will be looking for more personalized travel experiences with ample room for social distancing on vacation.

Some tour companies are capitalizing on off the beaten path experiences to help travelers escape for a vacation.  Other companies are offering private cooking classes to help food lovers immerse themselves in the local culture.

Train travel will be very appealing for those with the time to explore a location at a leisurely pace.  Thanks to technology, savvy travelers can mix business with pleasure and stay longer at a destination while working remotely.

And, speaking of technology, hotels are always exploring innovative ways for contactless check in such as using your smartphone to unlock your room key or using a QR code to check into the hotel.

Wellness Vacations
The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked new ways of embracing wellness experiences, making self-care all the buzz during the pandemic.  Despite the shutdown for many spas, the wellness industry has adapted to enhance the new wellness offerings – yoga, meditation, mindfulness – for travelers.

According to the Global Wellness Institute, “the study projects a 21 percent annual growth rate for wellness tourism through 2025. Thermal and mineral spas show a worldwide increase of 18 percent expected through 2025. 

Mental wellness will continue to be an important sector in the wellness industry during the third year of the pandemic, as individuals have explored ways to cope.  The Global Wellness Institute reports a “strong seven percent growth from 2019-2020 (from a $122 billion to a $131 billion market), as consumers desperately sought solutions to help them cope with pandemic stresses. The largest segment, “senses, spaces and sleep,” grew 12.4 percent, while the smallest segment, meditation and mindfulness, grew the fastest (25 percent). The forecast: strong 10 percent growth annually through 2025, to reach $210 billion.”

Travel Insurance
This pandemic has taught savvy travelers that travel insurance is very important especially as the Covid-19 virus and its variants – Delta and Omicron – put a wrinkle in our best plaid plans for desperately needed vacation.  

Consumer Advocate.org has a guide to help consumers navigate the different travel insurance options.  Travel insurance will be an integral part of the vacation experience since there are many ever changing variables as it pertains to domestic and international travel.

Our travel and lifestyle public relations professionals are here to help.  Give us a call.

By Joanna Allen, chief executive office, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

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Digital marketing is very important to help companies, whether you are a start up or an establish brand, stand out from your competitors.

In this article, our a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency has teamed up with Webster Solutions, a partner agency, provide invaluable insights about what to look for in a digital marketing agency.

Look for Creative Talent 
To have a successful digital marketing campaign, it is important to hire creative talent.  

Creative people usually have unique skills to help your brand stand out from your competitors.  Your digital marketing agency should be able to identify your unique value proposition to help you break through the clutter.

Remember, being unique is the source of conceiving something new and useful in this world, most of the time. Being unique may just lead you to do something positively influential.

The Power to Persuade People 
Digital marketing is similar to offline sales. The only difference between the two is that digital marketing involves online advertisements and selling. So, as an aspiring digital marketer, it’s best that you empower yourself with the ability to persuade people.

The good thing about selecting a digital marketer, the agency is doing the persuading online, and not in person. It’s easier to persuade people if you don’t do it in person.

A really good campaign will convince potential customers to make purchases.

Have an Accurate Interpretation of Web Design
Although web design is not directly part of digital marketing, these two areas of expertise are somehow related. Websites need good designs. Without having appealing designs, there’s no way websites can go live online, and, in turn, be used for digital marketing purposes. 

In digital marketing, websites are the center of the universe for all marketing campaigns --it is the first point of contact customers will have with your brand.
It is important for your digital marketing to stay abreast of the latest technology and include AI and VR experiences into the website to enhance the visitor experience to your website.
 
Skills and Knowledge in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Most digital marketing activities take place in Google. A professional background in SEO, thus, is prerequisite into mastering how things work in Google search. Having knowledge and skills in SEM enhances digital marketer skills.

The difference between SEO and SEM is that the latter comprises of paid ads, while the former doesn’t. Extensive study of keywords utilized in searches is the foundation of SEO. 

Content Marketing
Content marketing is closely associated with digital marketing. Sometimes, these two things can be separated individually. However, those instances are rare.

Content marketing is done by writing and publishing content. It is important to post blogs on your website at least two, sometimes three times a week to increase your company’s visibility in online searches.

Take your content marketing a step further and post your blogs, video and stunning pictures on your social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and Google My Business to enhance your company’s visibility in online searches.

Video Marketing
Video marketing is a very important element of digital marketing.  It helps to increase your brand visibility in online searches and provide invaluable back links to help drive traffic your website.

According to an article published in Digital Marketing Institute, eight out of 10 people bought items after watching a marketing video online.

Data/Analytics Analysis Skills 
One thing is for sure: Numbers don’t lie! You’re likely aware that the statistical figures acquired from analyses of performances of search, social media, and Google analytics results comprise of the information you can truly trust as credible.

Two of the popular tools in accessing and monitoring digital marketing data are Moz and Ahrefs. 

Get the info you are looking for…Contact us now

By Vishal Dudhal, partner, Webster Solutions and consultant for Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.
 

When building the perfect WordPress website, there are many choices to make, from layering to tweaking. While the process is different, finding a suitable WordPress theme is general.

​Your theme is your website from a visitor’s perspective – what they see, interact with, and remember. The look of your website and links affects how people see your presence on the web and your brand as a whole. Simply put, your theme should be submitted.

Anyone can create a WordPress theme, and after research, it probably seems that everyone did it. Thousands of themes are spread across many markets, from authors to individuals and various organizations.

Our a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency has teamed up with Webster Solutions, a partner agency, offer insights about the five essential factors to consider when choosing a theme. If the theme follows these guidelines, it will be a worthy competitor for you.

1. Strive for Simplicity
Simplicity is the best rule. Many WordPress themes include various colors, intricate layouts, eye-catching animations, and more. Sometimes you may need these, but most of the time, you don’t.

Simplicity is a remarkable sophistication. Find a structured theme that will help you achieve your goal. It should look good but without compromising on usability or ease of use.

Make sure the theme presentation is not too difficult. Web design is designed to help users find the information they want and at the same time help website owners achieve their goals.

If a theme seems exciting but doesn’t help attract existing customers or subscribers. It’s also not a great theme for getting to your site.

2. Pick a Lightweight Theme
Your theme forms an integral part of the foundation of your website and therefore has a massive impact on your website’s performance and page load time.

I once did a test where I “normally” switched from a WordPress theme to a performance-optimized one, and my page performance dropped 42%. 
The site’s loading speed is critical in everything from the user to SEO and conversion rate, so it cannot be ignored.

So how do you know if a theme is lightweight? Well, first, let’s address some of the purest themes here. However, you can also test your exams with the test tool.
If you are looking for a free theme, install it on a trial website. Then run it through GTmetrix and see how it works.

You can do the same with a general theme example for a premium theme. This is not an excellent way for the theme creator to download some of their checklist that is not part of your website but should give you a good idea of using it. It’s your theme.

3. Compatibility with Essential Plugins
One of the great benefits of using WordPress is the number of great plugins that allow you to add all features to your site. From SEO to speed, security, and more – your website has the layout of many things you need.

There are several must-have plugins that you need to install on any website. These include Yoast SEO, W3 Total Cache (or any other installation solution), Wordfence Security, and BackWPup.

You want to ensure that your theme is appropriate for all your primary purposes. In most cases, popular themes should match all required plugins, but ask the theme developers if you’re not sure.

4. Choose a Responsive Theme
Responsive design means your website is straightforward to use – not only on one computer but also on many devices. This means it fits your mobile phone and has menus and other widgets that are easy to navigate.
Look for features like locations and custom images that can be translated to non-computer devices. An example would be a sensitive theme quickly and seamlessly translated into a mobile phone.

5. Cross-Browser Compatibility
Your users might use a lot of browsers. Your theme may look good in the browser you’re using, but there may be something wrong with other browsers.

That’s why cross-browser compatibility has much importance. Most WordPress developers search for their themes using social media search tools.

They can make that clear on their website. But if they don’t, you can always do some basic testing in different browsers (like Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and more) to confirm the theme. Don’t forget to search for different browsers on your mobile phone.

Takeaway
If you choose a WordPress theme, you may be tempted to find a theme that does whatever you want. For example, if you’re going to create a website of events, you can look for a theme that includes an organized calendar.

Even if you are so tempted, I will not tell you not to do that. There should be a clear distinction between themes and plugins in WordPress. You choose a theme for this theme and use plugins to add features. The theme doesn’t have to control your entire design or stop your activities.

The main reason is mobility. When you choose a theme that embodies both design and performance, you’re sticking to that theme for most of your life. On the other hand, if you separate, you can still change themes as needed.

However, this does not mean that you will not find a ready-made solution. Instead of looking for a theme that brings everything together, look for a theme designed to integrate with a plugin that provides the features you want.

For example, if you want a theme that has a drag and drop function, you may not want to choose a theme with a snug fit because it blocks you. However, you can select a theme to cover. You are using another embedded component (such as Elementor). For example, the Elementor team officially recommends the Goal theme as a great way to connect with Elementor.

If you want to open a retail store, you can use a theme like Airi, designed for e-commerce features to integrate with the WooCommerce plugins such as WooCommerce variable pricing.

Or, if you’re looking to find an online course, you might want the Astra theme, which offers built-in integration for two popular WordPress plugins, LifterLMS and LearnDash.

Many themes come with a combination of recommended plugins, which is a great way to get the best of both worlds. You can still get the extraordinary feature you want, but you can change your theme in the future if needed.

By Vishal Dudhal, partner, Webster Solutions and consultant for Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

2021 is a glorious year for technological advancements despite still having the pressing issues of the COVID-19 pandemic. Different industries have adopted and made specific changes in how they deal with things.
​
Our a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency has teamed up with Webster Solutions, a partner agency, share insights about the technological changes that have been transformed into trends, so you can utilize them and get an edge over the competition.

Bots are the Future of Customer Service
Virtual chatbots are taking over websites in 2021. While live agent customer support is still a thing, we can expect to see more bots in the future, perhaps sharing the job with their human counterparts. The best thing about customer support bots is that they can learn to communicate better with visitors of the website without any effort.

It’s also less hassle for the website visitors as they will usually only choose among two to three options, which helps narrow down their concerns a lot faster.

Cross-Platform Applications Will Take Over
Mobile applications are evolving with every year that passes. One remarkable change that we might be seeing more in 2021 is the domination of mobile apps on other platforms. This is all thanks to the flexibility of their coding and framework that can be easily operated on different platforms simultaneously. This gives developers various advantages, mainly in the sense of updating the application without doing extra work.

Implementation of other advanced technology like augmented reality and virtual reality might also be worth noting here. While mobile phones are still not fully ready for AR and VR commercially, many manufacturers do their best to push their products to do new things.

Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing
AI has been a scorching topic in tech for years. Many people questioned its capabilities; most doubted if it would ever improve and catch up to the technology. Through research and the hard work of different people, AI has progressed into something even more than we can think of. As of the moment, AI is being used in many fields of technology.

One of the main focuses of researchers is using AI for data processing to make things faster for businesses and having them able to look at accurate and valuable data.

Like it or not, AI is here with us to stay, and it will only improve even more as the years pass by.
 
Voice Recognition and Command
Another byproduct of the betterment of AI is voice recognition and command. Through proper coding and machine learning, voice functionality can be a powerful asset to your business, especially if you’re taking advantage of multi-platform applications since it is where they will be used most of the time.

Back then, voice recognition was very wonky, as it would only pick up certain words, and sometimes it’s even incorrect. As of the time of writing, however, voice recognition has evolved way past just one word.

AI voice recognition can efficiently function even by giving them sentences to process. A good example is Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s phone Assistant. Both of which have helped millions of people and made their daily lives a lot more hassle-free.

E-learning and Online Courses
E-learning has certainly pushed boundaries within the past five years. Colleges and universities aren’t the only options left to acquire new knowledge. Thanks to the internet, learning is now possible through different mediums such as live
teaching and even video recorded ones.

Online courses are also skyrocketing in demand because of how straightforward it is. Students may choose what pace they’re willing to commit to finishing a single course. Having this control is essential and should always be considered when considering what new technology to add to your arsenal.

Summary
It’s easy to jump into trends and copy what everyone else is doing. These tech trends are brilliant, and there’s no question about that, but the execution is always crucial. Understand what certain techs your business needs and focus on that first before hopping onto another one.

By Vishal Dudhal, partner, Webster Solutions and consultant for Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

​Web design should never be underestimated. It’s the main reason people stay on your website; either your design is pleasing to the eyes, or it’s easy to navigate. If you’re planning on redesigning your website, you have to reconsider a lot of things. 

Our a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency has teamed up with Webster Solutions, a partner agency, to provide helpful tips to redesign your website.

Website Loading Speed
One of the most important factors when building a website is choosing your hosting provider. Not only will it determine the quality of your owner’s experience, but it will also reflect on the users’ side.

The website loading speed can be improved by selecting a more advanced web hosting provider, but this usually comes with an increase in pricing. Whatever the growth is, we’re still recommending this investment as many people highly appreciate fast-loading websites, and they’re likely to come back again.

Keep in Mind About Mobile-Users
When designing a website, you should never forget that people will use different platforms to access yours. Most people nowadays use mobile phones, so dedicating some time to designing a mobile-friendly website is necessary. Identify your website identity and make sure that you implement it on both versions so that users won’t get confused when switching back and forth.

Redesign Your Sitemap
While sitemap functionality seems to have been lost these days, it’s still an essential factor to consider to increase the trust rating of your visitors. Not everyone can memorize websites on a whim, so having the option to view everything available on your website is a huge plus. The sitemap should be free of nuances and made as simple as possible.

Sitemaps should also be SEO friendly to increase visibility on the internet. For this one, you might want to hire an SEO specialist and have them look at your whole website and ask them what type of sitemap you need.

Focus on Your Main Audiences
Considering that the website has been in operation for some time, you’ll have a lot of idea of what your audiences are supposed to be. In this case, it is a lot better that you shift the focus of your website and craft it according to your audience so that they will stay and recommend more people with the same taste or needs.

A powerful strategy that you may use is also taking suggestions from your audience. To do this, you must first give them a platform to submit their thoughts. Having your contact e-mail address is necessary, but you may also craft a form that they can quickly fill out to voice their opinions on your website.

Avoid Using Low-Quality and Unpleasing Images
Images are essential visual factors for your website. Not only do they cover a lot of space on a page, but they’re also relevant for adding more information and helping the audiences visualize what they’ll be dealing with.

Several stock images may pass, and you can use them on your website, but we don’t entirely recommend using them if you want to go professional or if you’re going to stick for a long time. The best thing to do is hire photographers and have them capture images for your website.

Not only is it highly customized, but you can directly communicate with your audiences if text and content aren’t enough.

Conclusion
Always remember that the entire focus of a website redesign is elevating your current platform. You might have some features and functionalities that are already doing wonders, so be careful not to remove them.

Plan everything carefully and, if possible, consult a professional website designer to have everything planned out and make the redesign a lot faster. Our team is here to help with your website design.

By Vishal Dudhal, partner, Webster Solutions and consultant for Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.