Like all software, Joomla is regularly updated to ensure the latest security measures and CMS features are employed. Thus, ensuring that your website is utilizing the latest version is important for not only keeping things running smoothly but also for keeping your data safe and secure.

With Joomla 3 being replaced by Joomla 4, we thought it would be appropriate to provide an overview of what clients can expect when upgrading to the latest version. In this post, we’ll discuss the biggest changes and improvements in Joomla 4, why it’s necessary to upgrade, how to prepare for your upgrade, migration considerations, and much more.

The Evolution of Joomla: From 3 to 4

Joomla 3 was released in 2016, and although it was updated regularly, it has been a while since the platform has undergone a major upgrade. But that’s changing as with the latest release of Joomla 4, users can expect many new features, fixes, and security improvements in the CMS platform that they’ve come to love.

Joomla 4 is built on the latest technologies, such as PHP 7, the jQuery JavaScript library, and the Bootstrap 5 front-end framework. It features a new admin interface, a more efficient media manager, a new routing system for better SEO, as well as a completely new template framework and elevated security features, including two-factor authentication.

Joomla 4 has been redesigned to make creating and managing content easier and faster than ever. More specifically, it performs better because it has been optimized for speed and performance, so caching and loading times are faster. Scalability has also been improved, which allows it to handle more traffic, an essential benefit, especially for larger websites. It also delivers improved database performance, thus allowing it to handle large amounts of data with greater ease.

Additional enhancements included in Joomla 4 include:

• Improved codebase that makes it easier to add new features to your CMS
• Improved user interface that’s more modern and delivers improved mobile responsiveness
• Improved media manager featuring drag-and-drop simplicity
• Improved SEO features

Reasons to Upgrade: Why It’s Necessary

Whenever a new version of any piece of software is released, the number one reason for upgrading is the same – upgrading protects you and your data because the latest version utilizes the latest security measures currently available. In most cases, the security upgrades resolve weaknesses that were discovered in the previous version, and they are designed to protect against more modern threats.

Upgrading also ensures that the version you’re using will be supported for some length of time. For instance, official support for Joomla 3 ended on August 17, 2023. As a result, failing to upgrade can leave you more exposed to certain risks.

Upgrading to the latest version of Joomla 4 also provides you with a better user experience thanks to its new, updated interface and easy backend management. And because Joomla 4 is compatible with modern PHP versions and related technologies, your website will be future-proofed for the foreseeable future.

Preparing for the Upgrade

Before upgrading from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4, there are a few steps you should take to prepare, so the process can go as smoothly as possible. These steps include:

1. Backup your Joomla 3 website: This step is important because backing up your website safeguards your data should something unexpected occur
2. Check your server to make sure it meets the requirements for Joomla 4, including PHP (needs at least PHP 7.2), database, and other software
3. Make sure you have the latest Joomla 3.x version (if not update it to 3.10.11)
4. Run the Joomla 4 Pre-Update Check in Joomla 3 to make sure all installed extensions and templates are compatible with Jooma 4

Migration Considerations

When migrating to Joomla 4, there are certain considerations that should be kept in mind. For starters, you should assess your website’s complexity and functionality, as well as its original goals. If you discover that your site has deviated from your initial vision, look at the migration as a means of getting back into focus with your goals, or as a means of bringing it more up to date with your current goals if they’ve changed.

It is also important to note that some users may experience possible challenges in migrating custom code and functionalities. This is because some older extensions may not be compatible with Joomla 4. This is why it is always recommended to run the Pre-Update check in Joomla 3 prior to migrating. Leaving incompatible extensions in place could interfere with the Joomla upgrade and result in a failed upgrade that leaves the site inaccessible. You should upgrade all extensions to meet J4 compatibility or disable or uninstall these plugins before upgrading.

As with any major platform upgrade, you should test Joomla 4 on a staging environment instead of on the live site. Only once you thoroughly review it to ensure that everything is working smoothly and as expected should you copy it over to the live site.

The Upgrade Process

Once any incompatible extensions have been disabled, the upgrade process is fairly straightforward. For the most in-depth step-by-step instruction, you should check out Joomla’s official migration documentation and use their recommended backup and migration tools.

In some cases, certain issues may arise during the upgrade, the two most common being:

• Technical Specifications not met
• Third-party extension incompatibility

Each of these issues is easily remedied by following the advice previously mentioned in this article. Two other common issues involve isClient and isAdmin errors. These errors indicate that you have third-party extensions using isClient or isAdmin, so they should be uninstalled or disabled/unpublished.

If you get a blank screen after migrating, then you should check the page source. If it looks like the complete HTML code is there, then you may have a JavaScript error. Or, if there is no code at all, then it is most likely a PHP error. Check logs/joomla_update.php to see if a proper update was completed. If the site is updated properly, then you can use phpMyAdmin to disable any third-party plugins that you may have overlooked before updating to Joomla 4.

Redesigning vs. Migration: Joomla vs. WordPress

If your site is currently using Joomla 3 and you are looking to upgrade your CMS to a newer platform, then you may be trying to decide between migrating to Joomla 4 versus doing a complete website redesign using WordPress. One thing you can do to help you come to your decision is to evaluate whether your current Joomla website meets your needs.

If you like the ease with which Joomla 3 operates, then upgrading to Joomla 4 will only provide an even better experience. But if you are wanting to try something completely different and your website doesn’t need some of the advance functions available in Joomla, then rebuilding your site in WordPress may be something to consider.

Both Joomla 4 and WordPress come with their own set of pros and cons which should be carefully considered before making your decision.

Joomla Advantages

• Has more advanced user management controls out of the box
• Is more flexible for different types of content, including non-standard content types
• Has multilingual support built-in to the core, while WordPress requires you to use a third-party plugin
• Provides users with multiple templates for different pieces of content instead of one theme

Joomla Disadvantages

• Has fewer professional extensions than WordPress
• Doesn’t offer as many customization options as some other CMSs
• Can experience compatibility issues with extensions due to the core platform undergoing frequent updates
• Has a somewhat complex update/upgrade path

WordPress Advantages

• Is easier to maintain than Joomla
• Has the largest ecosystem of WordPress exclusive plugins and themes
• Has a huge support community consisting of blogs, Facebook groups, and developers

WordPress Disadvantages

• Is so widely used that hackers and other cyber-criminals target WordPress sites most frequently
• Can be challenging to use with certain plugins
• Tends to be slower loading, which can have a negative effect on search engine rankings
• Is too dependent on third party plugins, which can hamper site performance and increase security risks

Rebuilding in WordPress: Is It Necessary?

To determine if rebuilding your website by switching from Joomla to WordPress is necessary, you should first begin by assessing your website’s structure, content, and features. What is the purpose of your website? What are your goals for your site? What type of content and features do you want to share with your audience?

While most advanced websites might be better suited for Joomla’s robust content and media management features, WordPress remains one of the best platforms for blogs.

The downside, however, is that making the migration from Joomla to WordPress doesn’t come without its own set of challenges. A lot of complications can arise during the migration process, which can lead to data loss or website downtime. As a result, the migration process should only be attempted by experienced web developers.

Retaining Joomla: Benefits and Future Prospects

Many users who are already running Joomla 3 may be best served by simply upgrading to Joomla 4. You’ll be working with a more modern version of a platform you’re already comfortable using. You’ll also enjoy the continued support of Joomla’s vast community of users and developers and receive all updates as they’re released to ensure you’re always using the latest, greatest software.

Utilizing Joomla’s unique features and functionalities allows you to create a website that is truly original, easy to manage, and powerful enough to meet all its daily demands.

Post-Upgrade Tasks

Once you have successfully migrated from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4 and conducted a thorough testing of your site, there are a few other post-update activities that you should complete. These include:

• Clear the cache: Open Updates and click on Clear Cache.
• Check the database schema and fix any errors if any appear: Go to the Database Fix page and click on Extensions > Manage > Database, and then click the Fix button
• Check the website’s frontend and backend
• Go to System -> Global Configuration -> Server -> Error Reporting, to “Maximum” option into System Default. Click the “Save” button
• Move your Joomla site from Localhost to the live server – assign the staging site folder to the site domain
• Participate in user training to become familiar with Joomla 4’s exciting new features

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope this guide has settled some of the concerns or worries you might have had when you learned that support for Joomla 3 was ending. While Joomla 3 might be heading into the sunset, Joomla 4 is here to reignite your love for your website.

With Joomla 4, you will enjoy greater performance, speed, and ease-of-use. Your website will be more secure, modern, and significantly more efficient because its CMS will be supported for years to come. Plus, you’ll continue to be a part of Joomla’s rich ecosystem and its ever expanding community of users.

The post Upgrading from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4 appeared first on Moore Tech Solutions.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to help your website get the attention it deserves, and it all starts by making sure your site is up to date with the latest website design and development trends.

In the Internet landscape, technology is constantly evolving and as a result, so too are user expectations. In this guide, you will learn all about the hottest website design and development trends that you should be factoring into your website build or redesign due to their unique abilities of enhancing user experience and engagement.

#1: Dark Mode and Color Schemes

Dark mode is a feature that exploded in popularity over the last decade, particularly among those users who do a lot of their web surfing on remote devices, like their smartphones or tablets. Dark mode works by inverting the colors of a website or web application, so the background is dark and the text is light.

This design function is popular because it helps reduce eye strain and improves readability in low-light environments. As a side benefit, the dark interface also uses less power, so users who prefer it can conserve battery power on their mobile devices while still enjoying all their usual online activities.

While making your website dark mode ready can improve the user’s experience, implementing creative use of color schemes is essential not only for increasing the visual appeal of your site, but it can also help maximize your branding efforts. If your company logo features distinctive colors, then incorporating those colors throughout your website, apps, and social media channels will create continuity throughout your ecosystem.

#2: Immersive Web Experiences

Two of the more innovative trends to arise in website design and development are tools that allow for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) integration. Augmented reality uses computer-generated content with elements of the real world to create a more engaging experience.

A good example of how this technology works is Amazon’s “See It In Your Room” feature, which superimposes a digital image of a product over the user’s real life living space by using the camera on their smartphone or tablet. Many fashion accessory sites also use the technology, such as those that allow users to try on glasses, shoes, and other apparel virtually without having to place an order. One of the biggest benefits of augmented reality, when used in this way, is a measurable reduction in returned items.

Like augmented reality, virtual reality experiences on websites will also continue to increase over the coming years. This technology is currently a popular feature on many real estate listing sites and Airbnb sites because it enables users to tour a home or rental before scheduling an in-person tour or making a reservation. Incorporating augmented and/or virtual reality technology in your website can help you deliver useful and meaningful content to your audience in an interactive and fun way that can help them make more informed buying decisions.

#3: Minimalist and Micro-Interactions

The minimalist movement has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years, both in the real world and online. In the home it focuses on clean aesthetics and a purposeful lack of clutter, which helps reduce stress and improve peace of mind. Online, minimalist web designs focus on limited color palettes and using only as many design elements as needed. Successful implementation of a minimalistic web design means leaving plenty of white space and ensuring that each element is perfectly balanced in how it is presented, so that nothing appears out of place.

Minimalist web design should also rely heavily on subtle animations and micro-interactions that fit with its overall theme and feel. Micro-interactions can help increase engagement without requiring a lot of input from the user. A common micro-interaction that is used by both minimalistic and standard websites alike is a progress indicator, which is designed to keep the user updated, such as on the status of a download or what stage they’re at when completing an online form.

Like micro-interactions, using subtle animations is a great way to provide feedback in the least intrusive way possible. Subtle animations add life to a minimalistic website and make it more visually appealing without overwhelming the user.

#4: Voice Search Optimization

With the increase in reliance on virtual chatbots, like Google’s Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri, voice search technology is fast becoming the norm. And while the technology hasn’t made a huge shift over to the website side of things, that will be changing in 2023 and beyond as we expect to see more and more websites integrating voice search as an option to traditional text search.

Adapting your website content for voice-based queries and implementing voice user interfaces (VUIs) for more intuitive navigation will soon become one of the best ways to future-proof your website and make it as user-friendly as possible.

#5: AI-Powered Personalization

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have been used in website development strategies for several years, but like all technology they continue to advance and open up doors for new and exciting opportunities. For example, one of the ways that AI and ML have been changing the way websites are being built has been via their ability to adapt to a user’s habits to deliver a more personalized user experience.

Using AI and ML technology, websites can change how they appear by offering dynamic content recommendations based on a user’s unique behavior. This level of personalization makes a single website capable of providing different experiences to different users. AL and ML can also dramatically improve search functionality, automate tasks, and produce chatbots and virtual assistants that can interact in real-time with users in a more lifelike and responsive way, all of which will help increase user engagement, improve customer support quality, and ultimately drive more conversions.

#6: Responsive and Mobile-First Design

Responsive and mobile-first web design is a trend that allows web pages to automatically adapt to the size and resolution of the user’s device using elements like flexible grid layouts, images, and more. This type of design focus is extremely important for today’s online businesses because it ensures that their websites and web applications are user-friendly and accessible across a wide range of devices. And with 92.3% of Internet users accessing the Internet using a mobile phone or other portable device, taking a mobile-first approach to your website has never been more important.

As if being mobile-friendly isn’t already important enough, providing a responsive and mobile-first website can even improve your search engine result standing. The reason is because Google now utilizes mobile-first indexing on SEO when delivering its search results. It does this by analyzing the mobile version of a site’s content instead of its standardized version for indexing and ranking.

#7: Accessibility and Inclusivity

Accessibility and inclusivity are not just trends, but they are now standard elements (as stated by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)) that need to be incorporated into any website’s design to make it more accessible for people with disabilities. Providing your audience with a site that every visitor can navigate and interact with is essential for not just delivering good customer service and an excellent user experience, doing so can also increase conversion, boost your SEO, and help you reach the widest audience possible.

Some of the ways you can improve accessibility and inclusivity in your website design can include:

• Using strong color contrasts between text and backgrounds to make it easier to read
• Using voice search technology
• Incorporating focus indicators for easier keyboard navigation
• Using labels and instructions with form fields instead of low-context placeholder text
• Using functional alt tags for images

#8: Blockchain and Web Security

Despite global efforts to reduce it, cybercrime is at an all-time high. This is partly due to the tenacity and techno-savviness of today’s hackers, but it is also due in part to the growing number of opportunities for hackers to exploit. For example, websites that aren’t upgraded regularly to incorporate the latest web security measures or those that ask their users to log in via their Facebook account or other social media credentials are only waiting to become victims.

But modern consumers are fast becoming more concerned about who they share their information with, so you don’t want your website to ask for data that you don’t need. You also want to provide your audience with a secure browsing experience by keeping your HTTPS and SSL certificates up to date. And if you store a large database of user information on your servers, then you need to employ next-gen security measures like blockchain and multi-factor identification. Failing in any one of these areas will leave your website exposed and your customer data at risk.

#9: Creative Scrolling and Navigation

Today’s web developers can incorporate innovative scrolling techniques that can help create a more interesting and satisfying user experience, especially in the realms of storytelling and engagement. For example, parallax scrolling is a popular web effect that adds a dynamic touch to certain sections of a webpage. When parallax scrolling is used, it creates an illusion of the media being positioned behind adjacent sections, making the content more engaging. Creative scrolling effects marry usability and intuitive navigation, and when it is done right it can stimulate your audience to keep scrolling.

#10: Sustainability and Green Web Hosting

Record breaking summer temperatures. Increasingly devastating tropical storms. Continually rising sea levels. These are just a few of the very real effects that climate change is having on our planet and if something isn’t done (and quickly), then who knows what type of world we’ll be living in over the coming years. Because of this, consumers have become increasingly aware of how businesses impact the environment, and this includes those in the web hosting field.

Traditional web hosting companies rely on massive server warehouses, which consume tons of energy just to keep their websites up and running. But today, there’s a new trend emerging where more and more web hosting providers are utilizing renewable energy sources to help make the websites they host more eco-friendly. If environmental responsibility is a big part of your company culture, or important to your audience, then in addition to partnering with a green web hosting company, you can go one step further by having your website optimized for energy efficiency.

#11: Typography and Custom Fonts

Incorporating creative use of typography and custom fonts can not only help you establish your brand’s identity, but it can allow you to give your website a unique look and feel that are representative of your company’s culture. For instance, if you want to keep things lighthearted and fun, then choosing a certain font, like a quirky sans serif font, will do the trick.

Using creative typography also allows you to take advantage of nostalgia, if that’s something you want to go for in your website. For many users, nostalgia can be extremely powerful due to the positive feelings it produces, and this can help result in increased conversions. Typography can also be used to help ensure your site’s readability across different devices and screen sizes. The key to success, of course, is choosing the right typography and custom fonts that best reflect your brand.

#12: Data Privacy and GDPR Compliance

One of the biggest things, if not THE biggest thing, that website owners need to be concerned about is keeping up to date with ever-evolving data privacy regulations and user concerns regarding it. In the EU, data security practices need to adhere to the UK’s GDPR, which outlines seven key principles:

1. Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency
2. Purpose limitation
3. Data minimization
4. Accuracy
5. Storage limitations
6. Integrity and confidentiality
7. Accountability

And while the United States has its own set of data privacy standards, practicing GDPR compliance in your website’s design and development will help ensure that you meet and/or exceed them all.

Conclusion

So, to recap, there are no fewer than 12 website design and development trends that you should be factoring into your site in 2023 and beyond, and these include:

1. Using dark mode and color schemes
2. Creating immersive web experiences
3. Utilizing minimalist designs with micro-interactions
4. Incorporating voice search optimization
5. Using AI and ML to increase personalization
6. Focusing on responsive, mobile-first design
7. Increasing accessibility and inclusivity
8. Maximizing web security via blockchain and other tactics
9. Using creative scrolling to make navigation more engaging
10. Designing with energy efficiency in mind
11. Using creative typography and custom fonts
12. Maximizing data privacy through GDPR compliance

It’s also important to remember that the Internet is a constantly changing thing. New trends and technologies will continue to emerge, so maintaining adaptability and staying informed is important for ensuring that your site never falls victim to being dated.

For designers and developers, this means it’s also important to experiment without losing sight of the end-user experience. Every trend that is put into action needs to enhance the user experience. If it doesn’t, then it’s not a trend worth pursuing.

It’s remarkable to think about how far web design and development has come. This is truly an exciting time to be in the industry. With the above trends shaping the current nature of web design and development, it makes it all the more exciting to think about what we can expect next and what the future of the industry holds.

The post Website Design and Development Trends for 2023 appeared first on Moore Tech Solutions.

Technical SEO is a set of practices that improve the technical aspects of your website and make it easier for Google’s web crawlers to index and improve the overall user experience of your website.

SEO is usually divided into three types: on-site, off-site, and technical SEO.

• Off-site SEO refers to practices that happen off-site but still influence your rankings. These practices include creating backlinks and linking your social media to your website.
• On-site SEO is, essentially, technical SEO done on the front end of your website. Practices of this type include keyword research and implementation, URL structuring, header formatting, meta descriptions, etc.
• Technical SEO is a subset of on-site SEO done in the backend of your website. This requires technical knowledge, or, at least knowledge of how navigate a content menagement system such as WordPress or Joomla.

SEO Strategies to Increase Organic Traffic –

Web design templates and web page layout editing using a professional software, collage and paper cut composition

Site Structure and Organization

From what we’ve said, it goes without saying that our primary goal for technical SEO should be to create a structured and well-organized website for crawlers to read. Here’s how to do it.

Optimize XML Sitemaps

Sitemaps are still relied upon heavily by Google for website indexing. By creating a clean and well-organized sitemap, Google can better understand and better index your site’s URLs.

The key to effective XML sitemaps is regular monitoring. As new web pages are being added to your site, your sitemap can become a confusing mess without proper monitoring and updating, making it harder to get your pages properly indexed.

Optimize Site Architecture

A properly optimized website starts with a properly optimized architecture. Always organize your pages with a clear hierarchy in mind. Your most important pages should be at the top, with the less important ones referring to the above them in the pecking order. This way, you’re creating a pyramid-like structure for your website that’s easy to navigate for both bots and humans.

Additionally, implement a standardized URL structure. Your website will consist of several, if not many, pages, and all pages will need a URL. By creating a standardized structure that organizes your URLs in groups, you are also boosting the navigability of your website.

Crawling and Indexing

We said it before, and we’re saying it again – the best way to increase organic traffic on your website is to have it properly indexed. Here’s how to go about improving your website for indexing.

Maximize Crawling Budget

Crawlers won’t stick around your website forever; they only stick around for a set amount of time, which means you’re working with a limited time frame where your website can be indexed.

One of the best ways to minimize work for the crawlers and maximize your time is by implementing pagination. This tells the crawlers how certain pages on your website relate to each other, making them much easier to read.

Additionally, you should always canonicalize any duplicate content or pages. This makes the pages easily distinguishable from their copies, and they won’t get flagged as plagiarism.

Perform Regular Audits and Monitor in Real Time

One way to keep your website healthy is to perform regular audits.  If you can, set up a real-time monitoring system of your website’s various elements so any errors can be caught early and resolved before the next crawling session.

Organize Structured Data

Structured data on a website refers to the markup of your pages. Correct implementation of markup schemas can lead to better readability of a page and its content, and better visibility overall resulting in higher placement in SERPS and an increase in organic traffic.

Implement Hreflang Tags

Implementation of hreflang tags is an extremely important practice for websites that aim to please an international audience by offering their content in several languages.

Without hreflang tags, your pages will begin to cannibalize themselves, because they’ll be flagged as duplicates. However, with proper tagging, your web pages will be considered alternatives instead, so they won’t displace each other in Google’s index.

Content-Focused Optimization

Content-focused optimization is, perhaps, the easiest set of practices to perform, and they require a little less technical knowledge and a bit more attention to detail.

Fix Duplicate and Thin Content Pages

We already mentioned that tagging and canonicalizing pages fix a lot of problems involving duplicate content, but you should also consider pages with too little content as well. These thin content pages can be a detriment to your website’s overall being, so it’s considered a prudent practice to fill them up with a little bit more content so they meet the standard.

When it comes to duplicates, you can also perform plagiarism checks to ensure the pages don’t share the same content and cannibalize each other.

Improve Headings, Title Tags, and Add Alt Text to Images

This set of practices is the easiest to do, but it requires a bit more time and foresight.

Proper heading implementation and formatting make it much easier for web crawlers to “understand” the contents of your page/blog post so that Google can more easily offer it to readers. Also, your readers will appreciate nice formatting in the first place, leading to better UX, and fewer people bouncing.

Title tags are also important for a similar reason – with proper keyword implementation, your title tags can be a ticket to the top of the SERPs, and they will entice users to interact with your website.

Image alt text is one of the best things you can do if your website is image-heavy. Since bots can’t really “see” pictures (or, rather, what’s on them), creating an alt text that describes the photo is a great technical improvement to your posts/pages.  Additionally, alt text is also used by voice assistants, and people with impaired vision or those that rely on voice assistance will be greatly appreciative of your effort to describe the photos for them.

Page Speed & Performance Enhancements

You can have the most impressive showing of content on your page, but if it takes ten seconds to load, you’re not going to get much traffic. One surefire way to increase organic traffic for your website is by ensuring your site loads fast and performs well.

Compress Your Files

Page size is the determining factor of page load speed. By compressing the files on your website, you’re effectively reducing the amount of data that needs to be loaded, leading to faster load times.

One of the biggest culprits of “fat” websites is images. The higher the quality of the image, the higher the resolution, and the bigger the image file becomes. You might lose a bit of fidelity by compressing images, but you’re improving load times significantly, which matters more.

You can also compress certain CSS and JavaScript files to make them load faster as well.

Limit 3rd Number of Party Plugins

3rd party plugins can be killers of website performance. It is estimated that every 3rd party program you have running on your website is increasing its loading time by 35 milliseconds. That isn’t much on its own, but it can stack up over time and with excessive use of plugins.

So, to combat this, minimize your use of plugins on your site, and only pick those that you absolutely need for the best performance and UX of your site.

Use Asynchronous Loading

Asynchronous loading allows for the loading of HTML elements, scripts, and plugins at the same time by spacing them out evenly. Thus, async loading allows for much smoother performance of your website while keeping the load times relatively quick.

Technical SEO for the Win!

Technical SEO is one of the most rewarding sets of SEO practices one can implement on their website. With these strategies, you’ll be sure to stay on top of the SEO game, and improve your SERPs rankings, ultimately reaching your desired goal – increasing organic traffic to your website!

The post How to Increase Organic Traffic with Technical SEO appeared first on Moore Tech Solutions.

In case you haven’t heard of Clutch, they are a B2B ratings and reviews platform in the heart of Washington, DC, committed to helping small, mid-market, and enterprise businesses identify and connect with the service providers they need to achieve their goals.

Our team is honored to be chosen for this prestigious award. We would like to express our appreciation to Clutch and their team for making everything possible. To talk more about this, here is the President of Moore Tech Solutions, Inc. Don Moore:

“It is a great honor to be recognized as a Clutch Leader and we are most appreciative. Clutch is a fabulous resource and we are glad to be featured on their website!”

We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

The post Clutch Hails Moore Tech Solutions, Inc. as one of the Best Web Development Companies in Alabama appeared first on Moore Tech Solutions.

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One of the first things clients want to know when they call us here at Moore Tech Solutions is how much a new website will cost. We answer it so much, in fact, that we thought we’d create this handy guide that suggests what you should pay for every different type of website.

One of the reasons this guide is so useful is that the price of a website can depend on a whole host of factors. Unlike building a custom home, which might vary 10%-50% between different builders, the price of a website can vary by as much as 200% or even more! That’s because the type of service and level of experience of website designers can differ massively. To understand the true value of your website, you also have to understand the service you’re going to receive.

Now we’ve got that clear, let’s look at all of the costs associated with building a new website.

Pricing Considerations

Domain Names

What is a website domain name?
It is the name of your website’s link (URL) that is typed into a browser to find your website. For example, our domain name is mooretechsolutions.com.

Before you can have a website, you must first buy a website domain. If you are using a web design agency to create your new website, they can take care of this for you. But for maximum control, you are better off doing this yourself through a domain name registrar such as GoDaddy or Moniker. If you ever change agencies this removes any question of who owns the domain

How much does a domain name cost?
The price of a website domain will typically be between $8-10 per year depending on the type of TLD you choose (.com, .org, .store, etc.) and how long you purchase the domain name for. Domain names can be renewed every year and you will always be able to renew it before it expires. Domain names with a longer expiration date can play a small factor in search engine results, so you may want to renew for multiple years. An added advantage is that you won’t forget to renew!

Website Hosting

What is website hosting?
The website hosting account is where the website physically resides. Your website is made up of files and data that must be stored in a location called a server that connects to the web.

Typically, your web developer will have a preferred provider and will host your website through them. Some design companies will waive the hosting fee, others will include it in the price and others still will charge you separately for it. High-quality hosting isn’t cheap and typically small cheap hosting accounts tend to perform very poorly.

How much does website hosting cost?
Website hosting will typically set you back between $50 and $500 per year depending on the type of hosting you use. The better quality hosting environments usually cost more.

If your site is handling secure data such protected health information (PHI) you may need a HIPAA compliant server which is much more expensive.

Website Development Options

Designer, Platform or DIY?

Who you choose to create your website will have a HUGE impact on the price of the website. Thanks to the number of DIY website builders and open source content management systems you don’t even have to pay anyone (although you probably should).

Below we’ve listed ways in which you can build your website, have your website built, or hire in-house talent. We try to cover about how much those options will cost and our thoughts on each.

What Are Hosted Website Platforms?

There are plenty of options available including Wix, Weebly, Squarespace and Shopify. These platforms are self-hosted, meaning that you pay a monthly fee to use the platform but don’t really own the site.

Pros

• Hosting is included so you can save some money there
• You build it yourself so you don’t have to wait for someone else to get it done
• You can select pre-made templates (themes) that are already designed and ready to go.

Cons

• You don’t own the site
• If you sell things you may have to pay a fee per item sold
• You can’t make changes to the layout or styling, it just is what it is
• Others will have websites that look the same as yours
• You can’t control the SEO so there isn’t too much you can do to improve the search engine results
• You can only extend them so far, additional functionalities are limited

Pricing

• The typical monthly fee for a hosted platform is anywhere between $30 and $300 per month depending on how much volume you need.

What Are Content Management Systems?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a pre-built website that has been zipped up into an folder that must be installed on a hosting account server that has a database setup on it (usually MySql). It normally includes a few pre-built pages, some menu tabs to the pages and maybe a few special items like a login. It incorporates all of the functions and capabilities of a fully functional website plus extensions (plugins) can be installed to extend those functions. Edits to the site can be made using a WYSIWYG (what you see id what you get) text editor or a drag and drop builder (if one has been installed).

Pros

• Most CMSs have a wide selection of themes and templates that come with demo pages already built
• You build it yourself so you don’t have to wait for someone else to get it done
• You can select pre-made templates (themes) that are already designed and ready to go.
• You own the website and control the hosting account
• Very simple themes and templates are free so it costs you nothing except hosting and time

Cons

• You must set up the hosting account, configure the server, and create the database
• You will need to pay for hosting but service it and manage it yourself
• Although you can change some styling true design changes require CSS, HTML and sometimes PHP knowledge
• You will have to learn and get familiar with using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) in order to manage site files
• If you break it you will have to fix it yourself

Pricing

• Aside from the cost of hosting, open source CMSs (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal) are free. However, themes, templates, and third party plugins and extensions are not always free and can run into hundreds a year for updates and renewals.

Should I Hire In-House Web Design Staff?

If you have a large company and plan on frequent changes to your website you may feel like having an in-house staff developer is necessary for being responsible for planning and creation of the website. However, be advised that staff developers don’t come cheaply. A basic front-end web developer’s salary starts at about $50,000 a year and if a full-stack backend web developer is needed the mean salary for that member is about $106,000.

Pros

• You will incrementally control every aspect of your website from server to site
• You can develop a test platform to test changes prior to implementation
• You can create custom themes and functions
• You will own the website

Cons

• Money, this is a very expensive solution
• If you don’t hire the right talent you may still find that you have to pay for help
• If one staff member leaves another must be capable of stepping into the middle of his work, which isn’t easy to do
• Your staff members will have to train to keep abreast the constant changes in technology
• Did we mention the expense?

Pricing

• If you are comfortable paying $50,000 – $100,000 per year, this is a good option for you.

Should I Use a Freelancer To Build My Website?

If you know exactly what is needed, can communicate it clearly to a developer and an also understand what that developer is saying to you then a freelance web designer may be a good choice for you.

Pros

• You won’t have to have the expense and management time of a full-time staff member
• You can set budgets and expectations for delivery times
• You may not (maybe) have to pay if expectations aren’t fulfilled
• You will own the website

Cons

• You must be able to communicate clearly and concisely what is needed, what the budget is, and what the delivery time is to be
• Many freelancers don’t speak English as a first language so communications can be difficult
• Many freelancers live in another time zone so expect to have very late night conversations or several days of lag time in between conversations
• If you don’t use a third party freelance platform you may pay for something that will never be delivered
• If your freelancer goes away you may have to start from scratch later on down the road

Pricing

• Freelancers tend to charge between $35 and $75 an hour.

Should I Use Web Design Agency To Build My Website?

If you are not technical, are too busy working in your business to work on your business, don’t have a large staffing budget, and you’re not interested in trying to manage a project with a developer that is half way around the world, then hiring a web design agency is the best choice for you.

Pros

• You can have a non-technical conversation with your developer about things like site goals and specific functions
• You can usually expect to receive a full price breakdown of what you are getting for your money
• With the right developer you will own the website
• You can order work as it is needed
• A few web design companies (like ours) will provide you with training to make basic content edits to your website

Cons

• Some web design companies, not all, may not deliver as quickly as you would like
• Most will not be open on the weekends or evenings if you need changes done at those times
• Most will charge for time to explore and consult
• If future edits are needed they must be requested and scheduled

Pricing

• Website Designers tend to charge between $50 and $200 an hour for ad hoc services but tend to charge less for project pricing. Most will submit to you a full proposal that covers what is included, what additional options are available, and what the project price will be before they begin any work.

Website Types and Typical Prices

Is Your Website Basic or Complex?
Apart from who builds your website, the other major factor that will dictate price is the kind of website that you need. It goes without saying, the simpler, the better. The more complex your website is, the more time developers will need to create it and, therefore, the more expensive it will be. Below you can find the standard range of websites that clients usually ask for and their associated agency costs.

How much does a typical one-page website cost?

A one-page website displays information about your company. Customers will use this website to find out more about your service and then make contact either by calling a listed phone number or by filling out an online form.

Typical Price: $1,000 – $2,000

How much does a typical business brochure website cost?

This is typically a 5 to 20-page website used by small and medium-sized businesses. It will have all of the standard pages that you expect a website to have: a homepage, an about page, a services page, a gallery, FAQs, news and a contact page. For additional fees, it can also be connected to a CRM or have restricted download areas.

Typical Price: $3,000 – $10,000

How much does a typical ecommerce website cost?

An E-commerce website is much more technical than a brochure website and the cost will reflect this. It will include categorized product pages, a checkout shopping cart, inventory controls, product variations, shipping rules, taxing rules, a payment gateway and E-commerce SEO.

Typical Price: $5,000 – $20,000

How much does a typical real estate website cost?

A real estate website usually includes a brochure website that also displays real estate listings in addition. These can be entered by hand, iframed from an MLS source or by importing an IDX data feed from an MLS board natively into the website to garner better SEO results.

Typical Price: $3,500 – $10,000

How much does a custom website cost?

Occasionally, clients will want a custom website that doesn’t conform to the categories above and that utilizes advanced functions or ties together third-party platforms. You should always speak with your web design agency to discover the cost of a custom website and to check that they can complete the work.

Typical Price: $3,500 – $10,000

How much does a custom website cost in the UK?

Costs not only vary according to what is needed, but they can also very according to where your website developer is located. Here is a good resource for finding what a website should cost if your development company resides within the UK: Average UK Web Pricing.

Typical Price: 200 – 100,000 Pounds

When we create a site for you – you own it. You own the website and all of the code, if you ever want a copy of it we will provide it to you upon request. We go out of our way to use open source, well-supported tools that are non-proprietary so you never feel obligated to have to use our services once the site has been built.

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