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Farewell Internet Explorer, Hello Project Spartan!

internet_explorer_iconMicrosoft has officially announced that Internet Explorer will be phased out of use. The web browser has been battling a negative image and the growing popularity of browser competitors like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox for many years.

Internet Explorer was first introduced in 1995 as part of the add-on package for Windows 95. In 2002 and 2003, IE held 95% of the usage share among browsers, but has since declined significantly. The last version to be released was Internet Explorer 11 in 2013, which works with both desktop computers and Windows 8 touch screen interfaces.

 

Codename: Project Spartan
Moving forward, Windows 10 will include two browsers, Internet Explorer and the new codenamed Project Spartan. IE will just be installed strictly for compatibility, or legacy support. Chances are you will really have to hunt to find it on newer systems.

Project Spartan is a browser that is meant to more easily streamline your apps across all Microsoft devices. This means that from smart phones to Surface Hub, Cortana can be used seamlessly across all devices. Project Spartan “will co-exist with Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft will have two engines in Spartan, one will be used for rendering modern websites and the other engine for legacy enterprise web sites,” says Microsoft News.

It’s still unclear whether Project Spartan will finally shake the negative image that Internet Explorer has obtained over the last few years. Microsoft has done plenty of research on consumer perception of new names, and signs point to the new browser being named “Microsoft ___”, with the brand name bringing about the most positive reaction among Google Chrome users.

 

What Does This Mean for You?
Support for older versions of Internet Explorer will be discontinued, and using the older version may cause websites to display incorrectly. To make sure you are getting the most out of your internet experience, upgrade today to either the latest version of Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. We are excited to see what Microsoft will bring to the table with a newly redesigned browser!

 

MLT Group is a full service marketing firm located in Rochester, MN. We specialize in website design and development, and create digital marketing strategies that work. Contact us today for more information!

 

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Mobile-Friendly Websites are No Longer Optional

mobile friendly websitesGoogle shook up the SEO world last month when it announced that “mobile-friendliness” will soon be added as a ranking factor in its mobile search algorithm. The change will be implemented worldwide on April 21, at which point websites with search-engine-friendly mobile versions will have a significant leg up on their search competition.

Like all Google search algorithm changes, the new ranking factor is intended to improve the search experience for users. Recent studies estimate that about half of all Google searches come from smartphones, and those searches account for nearly 40% of total website traffic across all industries. Those numbers are expected to continue climbing, which makes it easy to see why Google put an emphasis on rewarding high-quality mobile sites.

So what does this all mean for you and your website? Simply put, your mobile search visibility, rankings, and traffic will decrease starting April 21 if your site is not mobile friendly. You don’t want that to happen, so here’s what you need to do:

1. Visit 犀利士
ly/?utm_source=wmc-blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mobile-friendly”>Google’s mobile-friendly site checker and enter your homepage URL*. If your site passes, then you’re good to go!

*It’s important to note that this tool only checks the page entered. If your homepage passes the mobile-friendly test, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your whole website is mobile-friendly. To determine if your site is 100% mobile-friendly, you’ll have to check each individual page.

2. If your site fails, then you either have no mobile website or a poorly-designed mobile website.

No mobile website: If you don’t have a mobile version of your website, then the desktop version appears when accessed on a mobile device. For the most part, desktop websites are far too complex and crowded to be considered mobile-friendly by Google.

Poorly-designed mobile website: Just because there’s a mobile version of your website doesn’t mean Google will consider it mobile-friendly. To meet Google’s mobile design standards, be sure that your site…

  • doesn’t use software unavailable on mobile devices.
  • includes enough space between links for easy clicking.
  • has text that’s readable without zooming.
  • doesn’t require horizontal scrolling.

To fix these issues yourself, consult Google’s Mobile Guide for extensive information regarding mobile design, development, and usability.

3. If you don’t have in-house web development capabilities, then you’ll need to work with an outside web developer/designer. The company or professional that built your site can probably build you a mobile site as well, although you should do some research to make sure they know what they’re doing.

The clock is ticking – April 21 will be here sooner than you think! Start your site’s mobile-friendly conversion today or you’ll risk losing website visitors and potential customers.

At MLT Group, we design, build, and optimize websites for a wide variety of clients. Our responsive websites automatically adjust to be viewed on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Google loves our websites because they’re well-designed, user-friendly, and compatible with all browsers and devices.

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Website Redesign Questionnaire: Is It Time for an Update?

In all honesty, it’s probably time for a website update. The rapid advancements in applications and technology have rendered websites designed five years ago as “behind the times.” You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Follow along with our website redesign questionnaire below to assess your own digital presence!

Is my site functioning like I need it to?

Broken forms, 404 errors, and complicated navigations are just a few of the problems that a user can experience on your website. A user-friendly design and a clear call-to-action keeps visitors on your page and encourages them to contact your business. Additionally, your site needs to be targeting the right market. Whether you provide services nationwide or just to your local community, your website and its content needs to express your intent and appeal to your target.

Are you keeping up with your competitors?

You shouldn’t necessarily copy your competitors, but you should ensure that the digital playing field is fair. It’s important to make sure you are keeping up with or surpassing the standard of your industry. One common advancement that all industries need to consider is a responsive design for their website – a design easily viewed and navigated across desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones alike.

Are all your services displayed?

Since your website was built, have you added services or expanded in any other way? Maybe you now serve a different area, or offer in-field services instead of customers visiting your store. Make sure your website reflects everything your business has to offer or consumers may miss your business entirely.

Do you have someone on staff with the skills to build a new website?

This article from Forbes hits the nail on the head when it comes to deciding whether to contract a project or not:

“At this point, your website is as much the face of your company as any brick-and-mortar office (if you even have one). So this isn’t the area to cut corners. If you happen to have someone on staff who possesses the skills to carry out this project, that’s great – you’ll save time and money. But if you don’t have someone already on your team who can genuinely do this job as well as it can possibly be done, don’t let your desire to save time and money force you into making sacrifices on the quality of the end product. There are a lot of brilliant web designers out there – it’s more than worth it to invest in working with one.”

Does my logo translate well on the web?

No matter how updated your website is, an old logo can easily send it back in to the 90s. There may even be technical issues associated with your logo, such as too many colors or gradients that don’t look as nice on a web page. If you and your customers aren’t extremely attached to a logo, consider upgrading it according to the Just Noticeable Difference theory. Every few years, update a small part of your logo to keep it modern and current, like so.

Is your website being found?

The most well-designed website won’t be much of an asset to your business if it isn’t found by consumers. On-site SEO for your recently designed website is key to making your online presence work for you. Digital marketing is not a separate item entirely, but a holistic approach to being found by consumers. Make sure your website is doing all that it can for your business!

If you answered no to any of the above questions, it’s time to update the design of your website to keep your business relevant and competitive. MLT Group offers advice like this, as well as web design and development, to businesses and organizations in Rochester, MN and beyond. An all-encompassing digital marketing strategy, starting with a website, will help bring more traffic to your business. Today is the day to start.

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Web Developer Job Opening in Rochester, MN

MLT Group is looking for motivated web developer and webserver specialist to join our team.

MLT Group is looking to fill a Web Development and Webserver Specialist position. The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of web languages and applications. The candidate should also be able to effectively communicate with team members and clients requiring support.

Required Qualifications:
• Experience developing web-based applications using HTML5, CSS3, PHP, JQuery and JavaScript
• Must be proficient in using the following: Adobe Creative Suite (i.e. PhotoShop & Illustrator)

Preferred Qualifications:
• 3 years of professional applicable experience
• Experience identifying and fixing browser compatibility issues
• Experience in mobile/responsive web building
• BA/BS degree in Computer Science or a closely related field
• Familiarity with PHP and MySQL
• Familiarity with Apache server / Plesk a plus
• Experience with POP3/IMAP email and support
• Experience with e-commerce programs such as Magento
• Familiarity with WordPress

To learn more and apply, please view the job listing on Indeed. Position is full time with salary based on experience. You can also submit your résumé here.

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3 Reasons Why You Need a Responsive Website

Almost two years ago, Moz predicted that responsive websites were going to become the industry standard for website design. With increased smartphone internet searches and increased tablet use, it was no reach to make this claim. It used to be enough to just have a mobile version and a desktop version of your website, but now the various screen sizes that exist across all platforms have rendered this method inefficient.

There are 3 major reasons why responsive websites have become an industry norm. From a technical standpoint and from a user perspective, responsive websites are truly the standard for website design today.

1) Increases Usability and User Experience

Though this  may seem like an arbitrary benefit, Google considers how user-friendly a website is within its ranking algorithm. A desktop version may have many utilities, loads of content, and great photos; this is perfect for stationary users, but it takes far too long to load on a mobile phone. This decreases the number of “Googlers”, something that the major search engine wants to avoid at all costs.

2) Updating  is Faster and Easier Than Ever

In previous years, a change to your website meant both a change to the desktop version and the mobile version. This would take twice the time of either your employee or your website company. With a responsive design, the change only needs to be made once, keeping your website consistent across all platforms and efficiently using your time and money.

3) SEO, Link Building, and Campaigns are Streamlined

Similar to how updating is easier, SEO will only need to be done to one version of the site. In some cases, it’s beneficial to have a mobile SEO campaign and a desktop SEO campaign, but the majority of SEO looks the same across all platforms. Link building also becomes streamlined, as the URL structure remains the same.

If your website is outdated, or you’re looking for your first one, be sure to ask your web design company about responsive website designs. MLT Group provides individual mobile designs as well as responsive designs to meet the needs of every business. Contact MLT Group today or call our office at 507. 281.3490 for more information.

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Changing Trends in Search Rankings: Embrace Change for Long-Term Success

MLT Group provides SEO services in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and throughout the nation based on the most recent search research.

As it has been said before, SEO is an ever-changing practice that cannot be summarized through a solely quantitative approach. Blending both qualitative and quantitative research when evaluating SEO practice effectiveness is important, as Google continues to release algorithm changes that are far more sophisticated than the algorithms of the past.

For example, a 2014 study from search data firm Netbooster suggests that page 1 positions may not be the only hope to be found organically. The study summarizes that trends in what users click and why is changing, and click-through rates (CTR) indicate users have been navigating beyond the first page of search results to find the content for which they’re looking. If you’re interested in reading the study and the technical components, we encourage you to check out the article here.

Now that we know searches are expanding their searches to multiple Google results pages, digital marketers must adjust their strategies. The major implications for SEOs include adaptability, change, and patience. As Google has continued to make the push towards great content and quality over quantity, it left SEOs initially skeptical and confused as to what they can do aside from wait. Well, waiting is absolutely essential, and these studies continue to prove the point. However, this study gives evidence that patience it works long-term, even if its difficult. If your site is relevant to your keywords, is optimized on the front-end and back-end, then widen your horizons and continue putting out great content for users. In the end, this will be the best way to not only increase search rankings, but sustain good presence on the web.

Stated in the article, “What is clear is no other industry is changing as rapidly as search. Understanding how we all interact with new forms of search results will be a crucial part of measuring and creating success.” As you continue in your digital marketing efforts, find comfort in the fact that research is beginning to show true correlation to users and quality content. Continue researching; embrace the change that exists within digital marketing and see your results compete fairly over time.

MLT Group – Creative Solutions is committed to staying up-to-date with Google update releases, SEO trend changes, and marketing best practices. We provide quality web design, content creation, and SEO services, all components that are important in holistic SEO that succeeds long-term.  Call MLT Group – Creative Solutions today; SEO services, website design, and content writing in Rochester, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN and throughout the United States!

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SEO: Why Your Website Needs It

Search engine optimization drives traffic to your site and creates lead opportunities.

seoSEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of building and arranging your business’ website to be easily read by search engines, and, in turn, to rank well in organic search results when your products or services are looked for online. From content to site structure to meta tags, SEO is about balancing the interpretation of you site by individual people, while still making the site readable by the bots of Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

Websites need to take a holistic approach to SEO. This includes:

• Organized site structure
• Keyword or key phrase usage
• Location targeting
• Original content
• Appropriate title and meta tags
• Continuing SEO services and updates

MLT Group provides SEO services for both new websites and those that have already been established. By investing in search engine optimization, you can increase exposure of your site to potential customers and ensure it can be found by your existing customer base.

From web design and development through content creation and on to continuing SEO services, MLT Group provides the entire gamut of services that you need to establish a strong digital presence. Get started today! All you have to do is email jeff@mltgroup.com or call one of our friendly professionals at 507.281.3490.

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Your Website: Stock Images vs. Local Photos

Which photo types are the best for your business’ website?

Though stock photos can be tastefully used, at MLT Group we always encourage our clients to use photos unique to their business. Initially, stock images may seem like the best choice: they are sometimes cheaper, more readily available, and usually high quality. Sounds perfect, right? Before you decide, consider the benefits of having a photo shoot unique to your business and operations.

1) Photos look more natural and are relevant to your business.

2) Unique photos reinforce that you are a local business.

3) You legally own the photos used on your website.

4) No other business will have the same photos that you do.

5) You can garner trust from customers by using local photos.

Imagine a customer checks out your website before visiting your business, then walks in to find the same person on the home page greeting customers at the door. Your local branding and recognition is immediately reinforced by your digital presence!

At MLT Group, we provide a full range of services to help you make your new website look fantastic. From web design and development to photography and video services, we can help you with all of your digital and traditional marketing needs. For more information, please contact jeff@mltgroup.com or call our office at 507.281.3490.

 

 

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Is Your Website Design Affecting Your Bottom Line?

Your online presence and website design can impact your brick and mortar business!

digital marketing picHaving a credible looking website is extremely important. An outdated, cluttered website can create a negative customer experience and cause customers to spend their money elsewhere.

Your website design is a key part of your digital marketing strategy; its design is where real world marketing meets the internet. The impression you leave on your online customers translates into how they view your business in real life. Does your website make you look like a credible business or like you’re still doing business in the 90’s?

 

What makes your website look credible to users?

1) Make sure your website is arranged in a user-friendly format

2) Place the most important information “above the fold”

3) Ensure your design looks like quality, professional work

4) Leverage a blog to show expertise in your field

Don’t get stuck in the past! If you need a website redesign to keep up with technological advancements, contact jeff@mltgroup.com or call the MLT Group office at 507.281.3490. We’d be happy to provide you with a quote or more information about our many traditional and digital marketing services.

 

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MLT Group Team Member Attends Forbes Under 30 Summit

MLT Group – Creative Solutions provides innovative SEO, web design, and video production services in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, MN and throughout the Midwest

This past October, one of MLT Group’s team members, Tori Utley, was invited to attend the first ever Forbes Under 30 Summit, a gathering of 1,000 hand-selected entrepreneurs, game changers, and innovators from all around the world who are under 30 years old. We were very excited to have had one of our staff members attending and wanted to share a few of the takeaways she learned from the exciting event.

1. Millennials are Unstoppable

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Tori Utley Attends the Forbes Under 30 Summit This October

With the many breakthrough products, services, and ideas that the Forbes Under 30 Summit participants brought to the gathering, it was apparent that this is a generation that won’t settle. Millennials want the best – whether they create it or use it. How does this tie into digital marketing strategy? It shows that your strategy, website, and product matter. So long are the days where black hat digital marketing and SEO was truly effective – Google has become much more sophisticated and complex and will judge a site based on its quality, just like the millennials of the Forbes under 30.

2. Limits? What Limits?

If there was one underlying theme of the Forbes Under 30 Summit, it was the absence of limits on what a person can and cannot do to innovate in their industry. Although there are limits on what you can and can’t do to get ahead in the eyes of search engines, there are no limits on what you can do to exceed your customer’s expectations. Write great content, have a great web design, sharp graphic design, and more – these areas of your site are limitless concerning how innovative and creative you can be. All of these factors ultimately lead to greater search rankings, so go past the limits of traditional sites and see the reward follow.

3. Collaboration Matters

The participants of the Forbes Under 30 are secure in the fact that collaboration and teamwork are essential to success. In digital marketing, collaboration and teamwork come full circle in the practice of link building strategies. Just like in the real world of business, collaboration and link building cannot be cheated or faked. True link building that holds validity will be a collaboration between sites, all revolving around the generation of great content, a relevant site, and quality information for consumers.

Although there were many themes represented at the Forbes Under 30 Summit, we can all learn something from the members of the Forbes Under 30. In your website design, video production, SEO, or overall digital marketing strategy in Rochester, Minneapolis, or throughout the United States, remember – you have the opportunity to create unstoppable, limitless, and truly collaborative experiences for your consumers. As it has been said, content is king, and so is the quality you bring to the digital marketplace. Thank you, Forbes Under 30, for continuing to drive home these important concepts!