Insights & Perspectives
Keep up with the latest eCommerce, Digital Marketing & Custom Web Development trends with E-dreamz.
Starting a new web project and unsure where to start? Needing a little guidance on what you should be looking for since there is a lot to review? Does the project almost feel a little overwhelming ? Here are 11 important questions to ask yourself and your team before you begin the process. This will make it easier for you on your new web project.
Given that one of our primary industries of focus is healthcare, we are always excited for the opportunity to design and build a new medical website. Rarely, though, do we get to work with organization the size and caliber of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA) - the nation's largest neurosurgery & spine specialty group. Our most recent launch is a completely revamped web experience for CNSA, leveraging a heavily customized version of the healthcare package of our Echo website platform.
Digital design as a whole has changed drastically over the last few years. In the last decade we've seen the emergence of responsive design which has changed the industry completely. Now in 2019 designers and developers are challenged with keeping each site unique and fresh while adhering to what works best for the web and each device or screen size.
E-dreamz's latest eCommerce website project is a multi-store set-up for Qualitrol International - two similar, but distinct, high-end eCommerce websites running on the same multi-site administration platform powered by our Echo by E-dreamz website CMS. Qualitrol is a GE certified dealer that provides parts and repair services for PLC systems. E-dreamz is proud of our results with this challenging eCommerce project.
It may seem that eCommerce has become the norm in today’s society, but there is still a long way to go before online shopping overtakes brick-and-mortar. It may surprise you, as it still surprises me, that eCommerce sales as a percent of global retail sales currently stands at 13%. While that percentage is quite low, it’s also important to remember how online shopping influences our in-store purchase behavior. Multi-channel buying is a common theme today as most consumers will utilize a variety of online and offline resources prior to making a purchase.
At E-dreamz, we're always excited to work with new partners in the automotive industry. Being headquartered in the heart of NASCAR country here in Charlotte, NC, we've enjoyed the opportunity to build high-performing automotive websites for many local and regional aftermarket auto parts companies over the years. Our latest site launch is for StreetKing, a full-service provider of custom wheel and tire packages with multiple retail locations throughout the southern US.
E-dreamz recently launched two websites for DATASCOPE WMS - both a refresh of their corporate site and an all-new eCommerce site. DATASCOPE is an international company specializing in warehouse management software and solutions. They recently invested in a US-based headquarters here in Charlotte to spearhead plans for growth in the US market. E-dreamz is proud to have been selected as their stateside digital partner.
How often should you redesign your website? Most experts in the field would agree that about 2-3 years is the maximum lifespan of a website at most. However, what matters more than how often you are updating your website are the changes you are making and what goals want to be met based on the changes. If your site is not performing well or generating leads then it’s time to look into starting the redesign process.
As mobile and tablet use continues to increase, website users are expecting app-like elements on their desktops. At E-dreamz, our developers are always looking for ways to move in this direction. In this article we highlight our client, Carolina Fitness Equipment and focus on the development of a drag-and-drop idea board we created for them.
One of the largest discrepancies designers and developers have when updating their websites is image size. Since we build our websites around responsive design, this makes image dimensions and pixels incredibly important. In this article we will discuss the top key items to keep in mind when you're choosing images for your website:
Recently we were asking to be guests on a local podcast, hosted by Shotgun Eddie & Company. Topics ranged from general business ideas to our Echo Platform.
E-dreamz begins each of our website design and development projects with a dedicated planning and definition phase that includes the preparation of a full wireframe document for the new website. Often, our clients struggle to grasp the purpose of the wireframe and provide useful feedback. Here’s what a wireframe is all about and five reasons why it’s critical to the overall custom web design and development process.
In a society driven by mass media and information-overload the internet is constantly expanding and changing with new content and rich media. The types of content we’ll be referring to here can include but is definitely not limited to: text, articles, videos, audio recordings, photos, graphics, memes, and more.
Many marketers believe it is only a matter of time before AI becomes a necessity for the way we interact with customers and run our marketing campaigns. AI-powered chatbots, image search, content creation, and PPC advertising are among the few services AI will be able to automate. AI and machine learning are valuable areas to explore to increase the efficiency of your marketing campaigns and boost conversations for your clients.
As the digital marketing world continues to evolve, so should your SEO strategy. Here are four tips to stay on top of your SEO to bring you further towards reaching your business goals.
Creating a website that shows your customers exactly how great your business is and looks differently than all the other websites, is a challenging task. For eCommerce and lead generating sites, the homepage is a very important step in beginning the customer lead funnel. Here are a few pieces of critical content to have on your homepage that can transform the way your audience engages with your brand and how your site performs organically.
The Laravel framework we are proud to say is the backbone of our Echo by E-dreamz software, and for good reason. We chose it because in our opinion it is the best out there. It seems that most developers and digital communities agree. Laravel has been consistently rated the #1 framework by almost every survey, pool, and blog that we could find. Its popularity has increased exponentially over the past 5 years, while most of the other PHP frameworks numbers have declined.
As the saying goes for real estate, it is all about location, location, location. Well for digital marketing it is all about branding, branding, branding. Making sure your brand is in the public eye is as important as it can get for an e-commerce or lead generating website. Not only do you need to get your brand and messaging out there, but you need to make sure you are targeting the right audience.
Congrats! You have just launched a beautifully designed and functioning website! It’s responsive, multi-functional, eCommerce or base (depending on your business model) and has all of the latest digital marketing techniques and tactics to advertise your business best online. Now, I want to let you know a common mistake to avoid that businesses make after completing a website launch: not touching a website for months or potentially year(s) after it goes live.
What does Content Marketing have to do with eCommerce? A lot, actually. When most people think about eCommerce, they immediately think of Black Friday, next-day shipping, and heavy promotions, and while they are not wrong, it’s easy to forget about what makes up a brand, especially one that lives solely online.
Our most recent eCommerce launch delivers a full redesign of SheltonVineyards.com, the web home of one of the East Coast's largest vineyards. Shelton offers all of their wines for purchase online through the website, or you can visit their beautiful estate in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina to tour the winery, dine at their on-site restaurant, stroll along walking trails through the vineyard, or enjoy a tasting. The vineyard is also premier destination spot for weddings, private or group tours, and corporate events. As a long time partner of ours, we are proud to enhance Shelton's web presence with a fresh new look built on our Echo platform.
No code base can be guaranteed to be 100% bug free. While programmers should aim to write code and software that is bug free, it’s inevitable that bugs will fly in from time to time. When they do pop up, the response can vary due to the nature of the issue.
E-dreamz's most recent eCommerce website launch is for a fun and unique new partner - Carolina Fitness Equipment. CFE is a fast-growing business that focuses on buying and selling new, used and pre-owned gym-quality fitness equipment, along with other robust fitness-oriented services like gym planning, equipment refurbishment, and delivery & set-up. E-dreamz is excited for the opportunity to be a part of their story of success.
