The rise of online security concerns

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By Google (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Google (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

As the wealth of activities offered by the internet continues to grow every day, so too do modern online security concerns. The recent security scare at Gmail only served to highlight the fragility of today’s modern measures – more than 4.5 million users of the popular email service had no choice but to change their passwords after a database containing personal details was exposed on an internet site.

Account details and passwords on cryptocurrency Bitcoin Security were leaked. Other services offered by Google including file sharing platform Google Drive and mobile payment system Google Wallet were also revealed on social networking site Reddit.

Google has since reassured its customers that a password change will rectify any problems, but the scare has proven that all website hosts need to take extra measures to ensure they stay safe. This is a grave concern for those who are launching their own website for the first time, in particular hosts of e-commerce sites which require secure payment systems.

One type of e-commerce site that has risen in popularity in recent years and as such has to address these concerns is the online casino industry. Figures show that online gambling, despite worldwide legislation, has more than doubled in revenue since 2005, forcing web hosts to address their online security measures.

Affiliate marketing has been instrumental in addressing these concerns, particularly for customers. While there are millions of sites out there aimed at taking advantage of misinformed customers, today’s modern affiliate sites help direct customers to reputable gaming sites where payment security is a top priority.

But there are other measures that new website hosts can take in order to guarantee peace of mind for themselves and their customers. Keeping software up-to-date is imperative to protect your website from hackers – even if it is just a simple WordPress update, about which users will be reminded via the ‘Dashboard’ function – it can be instrumental in keeping a website safe.

Moreover, new website hosts should be aware of what information they are revealing to new customers. For example, if a user forgets his or her password, the error message should not give too much away.

File uploads are also a tricky subject when it comes to blocking out hackers – it is important that administrators keep an eye out for fake file extensions, even if it is for something as simple as a change of avatar.

While undoubtedly the biggest online security concern today is that of payment security, no new website host should start building without taking these tips into consideration.

 

Responsive Web-Design and your Search Engine Results

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The growing increase of Smartphone and tablet acquisition among both the young and old has made it important for websites to be mobile friendly. Most companies have discovered the importance of having a marketing strategy on online platforms that addresses this growth and are incorporating it with SEO. In most cases, such websites rank highly on major search engines such as Google among others. Although there has been a debate on whether responsive websites are better than having a standard mobile site, it is becoming apparent that responsive designs are preferred by many companies seeking to reach as many customers as possible.

responsivewebsitedesign

Reasons to have a Responsive Web Design

As indicated earlier, investing in web development that results in a site that is responsive is a step in the right direction for any company. Responsive web designs that are centered around SEO are a good choice and are preferred because of a number of reasons such as:

  • Google friendly – Google prefers responsive sites for mobile devices and indicates that it is one of the best practices in the industry. The main reason for this is the single HTML and URL that is used on all devices from which information on the site is accessed resulting in better crawling by the search engine and also helps in organizing content. Also, when the content is on a single page it is easier to share on other online platforms.
  • Enhanced user experience – The overall design of the website is important for responsive sites so that it remains friendly to online users. When a website is appealing and can be easily accessed through mobile devices and still maintain their look, it is likely that traffic will increased resulting in higher rankings on search engines.

Advantages of Combining SEO and Responsive Web Design

Proper integration of SEO and responsive web design during web development offers a number of benefits to companies seeking to increase rankings on various search engines. Some of these benefits include:

  • Compatible to tablets and smart phones

Even as Google streamlines its policies on content that is to be shown on search results when using mobile devices, it is apparent that they will be locking out some mobile users. However, with a responsive site the search results are not affected negatively and the ranking can even go higher especially when the content is SEO optimized.

  • Elimination of duplicate content

They will be no need to transfer content from one site to another when using responsive design as the pages share one URL. When information on websites appears on only one platform it helps companies avoid any penalties that are tagged to duplicate content.

  • No link dilution

Having a responsive web-design ensures that all SEO feedback is directed back to the website thus increasing traffic. In addition, the back links as well as social mentions related to the site are aimed at a single website thus increasing the chances of being ranked much higher on search engines.