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Month: May 2013

What to expect in SEO in the coming months – By: Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts, talk about the changes coming up at Google – What search engine optimizers (SEOs) and webmasters should expect in the next few months.

E-Commerce And Handheld Devices

May 30, 2013

It is not an over exaggeration to say that e-commerce is rapidly going on to become “m-commerce”, with mobile devices serving as a major component of traffic to e-commerce websites. With the undeniable role of handheld devices as a shopping channel, it is becoming imperative for owners of shopping websites to optimize their mobile site designs, and monitor end-user statistics round the clock. Mobile commerce sales are expected to increase manifold over the next couple of years, accounting for a whopping 24% of retail e-commerce by 2016.

Needless to say, business owners have an exciting resource to tap in the form of mobile e-commerce, and need to be channelizing a major part of their efforts in this direction. The first step is to ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, whether this means creating a new mobile site, or changing the design of your current website into a responsive one. The biggest mistake that one can do is assuming that users shall adapt to their existing e-commerce website on their mobile devices. With all the well-optimized mobile sites to choose from, chances of that are bleak.

The prime focus while treading into the zone of mobile commerce should be to ensure optimal user convenience. You need to understand that users who are shopping on their handheld devices are not simply visiting your website, but are also comparing prices, looking for coupons, reading reviews, and performing a whole lot of parallel functions at the same time. You want to keep your web design as clean and light as possible, to ensure quick loading, easy call-to-actions, and absolute user friendliness. This ease of navigation could give you all the competitive advantage you need from a user’s perspective.

The two options that e-commerce website owners are faced with while trying to enhance mobile user experience are-

  • Creating an altogether new mobile site
  • Adopting responsive web design

The latter option is more feasible, as it makes it possible for companies to have a single website that adapts to whichever device it is being viewed on. While the upfront costs of implementing responsive web design might be higher than those of creating a mobile site, it saves significantly more in the long run. Now that mobile commerce is definitely here to stay and grow with each passing day, it would be prudent of business owners to take necessary steps to make the experience of their mobile users an optimal one.

Need For Office Security Solutions

May 24 2013

Office security is a multidimensional undertaking, extending beyond the physical safety, into virtual safety. With the high number of security breaches that have been hitting the corporate world in recent times, it is becoming imperative for business owners to invest in high-end office security systems, which cover all the major aspects of security at the workplace. The following list enumerates the major modern office security solutions, and their need-

  • Security Cameras- Also known as CCTV cameras (Closed Circuit Television Cameras), these video cameras are an excellent way to monitor activity in the office at all times. Ensure that the CCTVs are installed at all prominent places, such as the entrance and exit, area of financial transactions, hall ways, stairwells, etc.
  • Digital Recorders- Even though not necessary, digital video recorders are a worthy component for any office security system. These recorders are connected to the CCTV cameras, and make it possible to watch the recorded footage at a later time, fast-forwarding through insignificant events. A security system without a digital recorder is of no major use, since you can only watch the footage in real time, and have no evidence to present to the police in case something suspicious happens.
  • Remote Viewing- Remote viewing is a great feature to look for in an office security system, as it helps you to monitor the office activities while on the go. You can choose from various remote viewing options including on your smart phone, PC, or even television screen at home! This means that you are virtually present in your office at all times.
  • Touch-Screen Systems- Modern touch-screen systems make for an excellent component of your office security systems. Using such a system, you can literally have your office activity on your fingertips all day. A touch-screen system can be used to virtually walk through individual employee’s desks, view latest activity on your system, communicate instructions through message center, create phone-line backups, disarm the security system, etc.

For complete range of Office Security solutions, call us at Centex Technologies – Toll Free: (855) 375-9654

What Is Responsive Website Design?

May 16 2013

With tablets, smart phones, and other handheld devices are gaining tremendous popularity, website designing is no longer just about how your website looks on the large screen of a computer. Interestingly, according to a recent survey, 45% of the American population owns a smart phone, as compared to 31% that owns a tablet device. No wonder, Mashable has named 2013 the year of responsive website design. So what exactly is responsive website design, and how huge is its impact on the world of internet users?

To put it simply, responsive website design is a dynamic approach to website designing, where emphasis is laid on maximum user satisfaction, by enabling flexibility in browsing depending on the device being used to access the website. The basic difference between traditional or “adaptive” websites and modern, “responsive” ones, is that while the former are based on multiple fixed width layouts, the latter rely on multiple fluid grid layouts.

This means that each page on a responsive website is built based on proportion rather than pixels. This is what makes responsive websites “respond” to the device they are being viewed on, appearing different on different-sized screens. Some websites are also following a mixed approach, whereby they adapt fluid layouts only for small screens, maintaining the use of fixed layouts for large and medium screens.

With the number of devices and browsers with which websites need to be compatible, responsive website design will definitely form the base of the way websites are built in the coming years. By adopting responsive website design, website owners do not need to create different websites for different-sized screens, but instead can use the same website over all platforms.

Some of the key things to ensure before switching to responsive website design for your website are whether you can afford this switch, how long the process shall take, and whether an immediate switch would be beneficial for your business. Checking the statistics of your website users to see how many visit you through mobile devices could be a good way to start. You can do this simply by selecting “audience” followed by “mobile” in Analytics report. You also need to have a content plan in place, and might want to consider whether developing a mobile app for your business would be more beneficial.

It is a good idea to start off with mobile design and gradually progress to larger screens. You can gradually up step your website’s responsive design by enabling features like swiping between columns on touch devices.

Centex Technologies serves Austin, Dallas and Killeen areas in Central Texas. For SEO, Ecommerce Website Development, CMS Development, call us at – (855) 375-9654

How To Eliminate Security Threats For Your Computer

May 8 2013

With the increasing number of internet hackers and miscreants, it is every computer user’s responsibility to understand how computer security works, and ensure that they are taking the necessary steps to safeguard their computer from security threats. With just a few simple precautions, you can go a long way in keeping your computer safe from these negative elements. The following tips guide you on how to eliminate security threats for your computer-

  • The internet browser you choose has an impact on the security of your computer, so ensure that you are using a safe and trusted browser. Also remember to adjust your browser settings to avoid pop-ups and other auto downloads on the websites.
  • Be careful about the source that you choose to install antivirus software and other computer protection. Using a shady website for free downloads of these software could do more harm than good, infesting your computer with malicious code.
  • Use one reliable antivirus software with positive user reviews, instead of installing multiple software on your computer. Also be sure not to play around with the settings of the antivirus, unless you are absolutely sure about what you are doing, as you could end up leaving loopholes for threats.
  • It is recommended to delete all your browsing data, including cookies and passwords, after each browsing session. Making this a habit could help to save your sensitive information and protect your accounts from hackers.
  • Do not overlook the need to scan external storage devices for viruses each time you use them on your computer.
  • Be cautious before submitting your credit card details online, as phishing scams are getting alarmingly common.
  • Beware of emails from unknown sources and think twice before responding to these emails, as you could end up being permanently listed on spam lists. Also do not click on links to websites that you are not sure about.
  • Make the most of your antivirus by running weekly scans, and keeping it regularly updated.
  • Keeping a backup of all the important files and data on your computer is a good idea, as this could be of great help in the event of an attack on your PC.
  • You need to be particularly careful and install a firewall in you are using the internet on a shared network. Sometimes the worst hackers could be right next door to you.

Centex Technologies is a Central Texas based networking and IT firm engaged in providing complete networking and IT security solutions. For more information, call us at our Dallas office – (972) 375-9654

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