Blog Articles

As we start 2025, user-generated content (UGC) is becoming the star of digital marketing! This lively, user-made content is flipping the script on brand-audience relationships. Dive into the exciting world of consumer-generated content in 2025 and discover how businesses can benefit from it. Click here for the full scoop!

As we approach 2025, cyber threats are getting more advanced, making it essential for people and organisations to improve their security. One effective method is to use two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorised access. Learn more about this important strategy here.

Your website content is like the superhero cape of your online brand, swooping in to make a killer first impression on potential customers. To create quality website content, you'll need a mix of key ingredients to captivate, educate, and hold onto your readers. Find out more here.

Working with local web developers has many advantages, personal service and local knowledge to quicker response times and local SEO.

Planning a website can be overwhelming for businesses, even with the help of experienced website designers and developers. But don't worry, we're here to help! Our friendly guidance will take you through the essential steps to create a website plan that suits your needs.

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, having a robust online presence is no longer optional it’s essential. At Online Innovations, we bring over two decades of web development experience to the table, setting us apart as a trusted partner in achieving your business goals. Our seasoned expertise, innovative solutions, and commitment to excellence ensure that your web development needs are not just met, but exceeded.

Welcome to Online Innovations, where your brand's digital presence transforms into a blazing beacon of success. In today's fast-paced digital world, standing out requires more than just a presence—it demands a strategic, creative, and data-driven approach. That's where we come in. At Online Innovations, we're dedicated to propelling your business to new heights with tailored digital marketing solutions that deliver real results.

From creating SEO-friendly content to managing pay-per-click advertising, search engine marketing, and social media campaigns, we have the expertise you need to succeed online. Trust us to help you grow your business and achieve your goals.

In today's fast-paced digital world, keeping up with the latest trends is crucial to stay ahead of the competition. This is especially true when it comes to website design. By incorporating some of the latest web design trends, you can create a user-friendly and engaging browsing experience for your visitors. We would like to share some of the upcoming web design trends for 2024.

Are you a recent graduate who's not sure what to study, or are you considering a career change? Don't worry, there are plenty of opportunities out there for you!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already started to revolutionize many industries. However, despite its many benefits, AI cannot replace the human workforce altogether, at least not yet.

Discover the numerous benefits of working with a professional web development company, including custom-made solutions, responsive design, advanced features and ongoing maintenance and support.

In this article, we’ll show you five free web design tutorials for beginners.

To keep up with current trends marketers have been forced to extend their marketing portfolio to include social media platforms. But these need to be utilised correctly to receive the full benefit. Here are some key features that make a social media post successful.

Twitter users alike are all cautiously optimistic about the future of the social media platform, what changes the new management will bring and how these changes will affect brand and user performance. While the future of Twitter is currently uncertain, there are some speculated changes that have been brought to the public eyes.

It is no big secret that the world has become consumed by TikTok. It was only a matter of time before Facebook stepped in with a competing offer to these quick-consumption videos which brings us to Facebook Reels. Here's all that you need to know about Facebook Reels.

Website security breaches have increased by 11% from previously conducted assessments. Website security is no longer optional or a luxury, it is a necessity, especially for businesses involved in the handling of sensitive user information or that rely on online transactions for sales.

The website footer is often considered to be the ‘doorstop’ of the website. Despite the footer being at the end of every page, it often receives very little attention from web designers. Here are five ways that the website footer can enhance the overall performance and usability of your website.

Social media influencers are digital content creators that develop content on social media relating to various topics of interest. Recent research revealed that up to 75% of brands have allocated their digital marketing budgets towards influencer campaigns for the upcoming year.

As we take a look back at 2021 there is no doubt that it has, once again, been a challenging year for digital marketers around the globe. Let’s take a look at some of the digital marketing lessons that we have learned from the new challenges faced in 2021.

Online platforms have made it easier to get in touch with the business using various online methods but are you handling these online queries correctly? Here are some tips for handling online business queries to help you out.

With over 63% of businesses listing lead generation as their biggest challenge, it is time to make your website enquiry form work for you to generate as many leads as possible. Let’s explore why an enquiry form is vital for growing your business.

Meta data is used by search engines, like Google or Safari, to determine what your website is about. The more accurate this information, the better the search engine will be able to rank or index your website in the search results.

Officially the Personal Protection of Information Act, or POPI, has been in effect since 01 July 2020. Let’s take a closer look at what your website needs to become POPI compliant and to ensure that you have covered all your bases.

While there are many factors that define a good website, the main factor that can influence your visitor engagement and total conversions is whether or not the website is functional. This begs the question – is your website user-friendly?

While some digital marketers have ranked blogging low on the list of marketing strategies for 2021, this should definitely not be the case when current blogging statistics are proving otherwise. Not convinced? Let’s take a closer look at how blogging can continue to help you in 2021.

In addition to keywords, it is time to target the correct audiences to further improve the click-through rate and return to your adverts. Let’s take a look at what Google Ads audiences are and how they can help us in our Adwords marketing efforts.

While a Featured Snippet or Zero Position spot cannot be bought, it can be influenced by ensuring that your website content is structured in the best possible way. Read on to learn more about Featured Snippets.

Since its release in 2010, numerous improvements have been made and new functionality has come to the fore to further enhance the Instagram user experience. Amongst this new and improved functionality lies Instagram Stories, Reels and IGTV posts.

When it comes to pay-per-click advertising (PPC) or search engine optimization (SEO), the first item on the proverbial list is none other than keywords. Keywords are phrases used in your website content that make it possible for searchers to find your website via search engines. If your website is optimised to speak the ‘language’ of the searchers, then you will rake in those clicks and views.

Because of the nature of the transactions that we complete on a daily basis, businesses need to ensure that the information of their clients remains safe and secure. The first step to achieving this level of security is upgrading your website to HTTPS.

Digital trends are ever-evolving and, as such, so is digital marketing. Regardless of what industry your business is a part of or what products or services you offer, the latest digital marketing trends cannot be ignored. Here are some digital marketing trends which have arisen in 2020 that will carry over into the New Year.

Covid-19 has had an immense impact on both the personal and professional lives of consumers and businesses across the globe. But, there is no doubt, that the one industry which has faced a great number of changes in 2020 is the digital marketing industry. Let’s take a look at how Covid-19 has changed digital marketing during 2020.

Until 2007, the hashtag had a whole different purpose than it serves today. Hashtags are now an essential part of social media marketing and can be found on all leading social media platforms.

Online shopping has not only made our lives easier but revolutionised the way in which consumers make their purchases. As technology would have it, there are constantly new technological developments to bring products even closer to the consumer like Google Merchant. Find out how Google Merchant ties in with Google Shopping and why you should be using it for your e-commerce business.

In a world that has become Internet-driven, it is essential for businesses to make their mark on the Internet. Google Adwords is one of the ways in which they are able to do so. But which advertising network is better suited for your business? Let's discover what the display and search networks have to offer.

Google Adwords has become the bread and butter of digital marketing for thousands of businesses across the globe. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a very effective tool in achieving a higher position in the SERPs. Want to earn those higher rankings? Here is how you can do it.

A lack of digital or online presence makes it difficult to engage with the customer market. If your business does not have a website, it is time to reevaluate your marketing strategy and create a competitive website. Here are 5 reasons why every business needs a website.

Digital advertising is starting to overtake traditional advertising as we know it. With more businesses opting to advertise on Social Media, how can you ensure that users will see your adverts among all the traffic? This guide will show you the elements that should feature in your Social Media adverts to make them more noticeable and clickable.

Facebook Advertising has enabled businesses to extend their reach to the screens of their target market. However, with Facebook Advertising been around for over a decade, is it still a viable digital marketing avenue to pursue? Here are 5 reasons why your business should still be using Facebook Advertising.

Even the smallest of details, such as an emoji, can influence your online presence and customer drive. This guide can help you to decide when, where, why and how emojis can be used effectively in your social media marketing strategy.

Online reviews play a significant role in purchasing decisions. These four ways can help your small business to get more online reviews.

Receiving negative feedback is never pleasant, whether on- or off-line, but the sheer nature of social media can quickly cause a single comment or post to escalate into a total PR disaster.

Web design and development has come a long way in ten years.

The 2010s are drawing to a close, and we’re taking stock of the major advances in digital marketing practices over the past ten years.

Here are five simple ways you can keep visitors on your site for longer and reduce that dreaded bounce rate.

We might not be the next viral sensation, but we can take some valuable pointers from those who were.

Though blogging can be tricky business, these eight free resources will help make it a breeze.

Ephemeral content refers to visual content that is usually only visible for 24 hours. But how can your business tap into this ever-growing trend? And what benefits does it actually present?

There is no magic formula for mastering social media marketing, but there are a few best practices for getting it right. The 80/20 rule is one of them

If you’ve advertised your business online before, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about conversion tracking. But what is conversion tracking exactly? And why does it matter for your business?

Discover eight great reasons why your business should start using Google Ads.

Messenger marketing is sure to play a significant role not only in 2019, but also in the years to come. Here are a few reasons why.

Join us as we reflect on all the valuable lessons we’ve learnt from working in the social media space this past year.

Set your business up for holiday sales success with these nine online marketing tips.

Aside from website design, website content is one of the most important elements to get right before launching a website.

Spring has sprung and it’s as good a time as any to freshen up your social media pages.

With the introduction of numerous new marketing mediums in recent years, business owners the world over are wondering whether it's still worthwhile to invest in email marketing.

Because social networking sites are always working on ways to improve user experience, they often release exciting new features which in turn give businesses an extra avenue to reach and engage with their customers online. Here are five new features to experiment with.

Influencers are those individuals who have significant influence over their sizeable social media follower base. Here are seven questions you should ask when deciding whether or not to partner with them.

Hungry for a slice of the e-commerce pie? Expand your business operations into the online space by keeping these 10 things in mind.

In addition to providing the server space and technical support needed to ensure that your website is visible online; a great web host can give appropriate advice and recommendations based on the website you have in mind. To assist you in making the correct choice, here are five factors to consider when choosing your web host.

Today’s consumers are flooded with countless messages from different brands across multiple communication platforms. In order to stand out from the crowd, and most importantly your competitors, it’s not only important to have a strong brand, but also to adopt a cohesive approach to your branding.

2018 is bound to have all sorts of surprises in store and, while we can’t always control what happens, we can attempt to make predictions and plan accordingly.

With 16 million South Africans being on Facebook, followed by 8 million on Twitter, 6.1 million on LinkedIn and 3.8 million on Instagram, social media certainly has the numbers you need to reach members of your target market. Read on for more reasons why you should invest resources into running social media advertising campaigns for your business.

Many business owners recognise the importance of having an online presence, but may not necessarily see the value in investing time, money and energy into having their own business blog. If you’re also not yet sold on the idea, here are five reasons why you should seriously consider blogging for your business.

In today’s digital, fast-paced society, businesses are confronted with more queries than ever before and more channels by which to field these queries. Here are five best practices to ensure that you handle your online queries in the best possible way.

To ensure your brand and business is being steered in the right direction one needs to be aware of the pressure technology is placing on brands. People expect to be informed, educated and entertained. Expectation levels are higher than ever before.

Are you a small business finding it difficult to compete with larger companies, as your marketing budget is seen to be more limited than theirs? Fortunately, you now have a chance thanks to online advertising, as it allows you to better position and compete alongside larger companies without blowing your budget!

With social media playing a very important role in a brand’s online success, companies have started to take notice and are asking themselves whether they need to outsource their social media management.

Many of you might be asking yourselves the same question on why do you need a website when a Facebook Page is for free? And yes, social media particularly Facebook offers business owners phenomenal opportunities to interact with new and existing customers, but is a Facebook Page really enough?

While SEO consultants can provide clients with valuable services, some unethical SEO consultants have given the industry a bad name through their aggressive marketing efforts and unrealistic claims to try and win over clients.

The explosive growth of Business to Consumer (B2C) has created a lot of attention over the past few years as more and more businesses opt to sell their products and services online. This is where companies have jumped on the bandwagon and utilised Business to Business (B2B), as their customers have become accustomed to the ability to make retail and lifestyle purchases online.

In a Google webmaster hangout, Google’s John Mueller said that Google will release the mobile-first index later this year

Website design is an ever changing field and staying on top of trends can help your business flourish and set you apart from competitors. Impress the consumers of tomorrow by ensuring that your website is ready for 2017 by having a look at the website trends that will shape web design in 2017.

A frustratingly addictive game of higher or lower using Google searches.

Social media is more than simply posting on Facebook and other online platforms, and hoping for the best. Instead, it’s a marketing platform where a strong and strategic social media presence forms a critical part of the purchase decision-making process.

Content is and still remains to be ‘king’, and as the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve rapidly, marketers need to ensure that they implement and invest in creating a content strategy that is creative, personal and unique, to help drive their brand towards success.

Digital marketing is a form of marketing that is continuing to grow as more and more businesses choose this option over traditional marketing. Take a look at why you should invest in it and how Online Innovations can help you.

2015 has seen the rise of visual content marketing in the form of images and videos on websites, blogs and, most prominently, social media posts. Find out what exactly it is and how Online Innovations can help you.

Online Innovations offers quality website design services. Take a look at why the design of your website is so important and why you should stay ahead of the digital trends.

We have compiled 8 simple steps for you to follow to make sure your website ranks on Google. These ranking factors range from the design of your website and keywords to the compatibility and display of your website.

Inbound Marketing is a form of marketing where a brand attracts customers by means of interesting, entertaining and educational content, as well as social media participation. Take a look at how Online Innovations can help you.

Content Marketing goes hand-in-hand with your SEO, PPC and Social Media to form part of your overall marketing strategy. Take a look at how Online Innovations can help you with your Content Marketing.

Google's Mobile-friendly Update means that in order to improve your SEO ranking, you need to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Take a look at what this update entails and why you need to get your website mobile-friendly today!

Choosing the right web company to design, create, host and possibly market your website isn't always an easy choice. Take a look at some of Online Innovations' helpful tips so you know what to look out for when choosing one.

With Google's recent announcement that websites need to be mobile-friendly in order to rank well, we take a look at the differences between non-responsive, mobile and responsive websites.

Online Innovations shows you that it's easy to organise an E-commerce website for your business, as well as what the benefits are of having one. We can help you every step of the way when it comes to designing, developing and running your online shop.

Have you been thinking of taking your business online? We have a fantastic offer where we provide you with a starter package consisting of all the basic essentials you need when building your new website.

It’s no secret that websites’ presence on the World Wide Web is growing and growing – just last year it was announced that we reached the one billion mark, meaning there are now over one billion websites on the web.

Taking your business processes online has many benefits. From online registration systems, debit orders and internal management systems, they're ideal for keeping the customers satisfied and having an easy experience with your company. Take a look at how Online Innovations can do this for your business.

The use of mobile devices is on the rise and with this comes the need for more and more businesses to invest in a mobile-friendly website. Online Innovations shows you why it's important and how it will benefit your customers.

2015 is going to see many businesses choosing to optimise their existing websites rather than designing new ones. Take a look at how Online Innovations can do this for you.

With social media marketing ever on the rise, we take you through what Online Innovations can do for your company's social media. We also show you a very successful case study of ours of our client, House of York.

When it comes to your domain name, you need to make sure you own it and that a reputable company hosts it. Online Innovations has the advice you need and domain name services too.

When it comes to marketing your website, there are many ways you can do it effectively. Take a look at our tips, from SEO and PPC to social media and newsletters.

Choosing the right domain name isn't as easy as it seems. Domain names need to have certain features in order for your website to rank well. Take a look at what it entails and what we can do to help you.

Find out why website content is so important for SEO and how Online Innovations can help you get your website to the top.

Every few years, it's recommended that you upgrade your website. Take a look at the amazing benefits of having your website redesigned.

Many companies are still using their personal Facebook profiles as a business page. Not only is it not allowed, but they're also missing out on the fantastic features that can be used when managing a proper business page.

Take a look at our tips and advice on how to make sure that your SEO for your website counts. From metas and image tags to your URL, read it here.

These days, many people take to social media to complain about a bad experience with a company or brand, so how do you handle this crisis in the right way? We have some tips for you.

Find out all out how South Africans are taking their businesses online and all of the benefits of doing so.

Heartbleed is the internet bug that is hacking people of their passwords and other security information. We tell you all you need to know about this virus and how to prevent it from affecting you.

From April 2014, electronic products will be taxed. This ranges from online content to webinars - learn more from our blog.

Make sure that your website is contextual and optimised so that your business can be at the top of Google's search engine results pages.

Making your website visual makes it more appealing to your visitors, which is why infographics are often a good decision. Read 6 reasons why your website needs an infographic here.

The use of AdWords to advertise online is becoming more and more popular. At Online Innovations, we can do this for you by means of search engine marketing.

Take a moment to evaluate your website so that you can make sure you have done everything correctly. Our website checklist is a great way to go about this.

Read all about what open source code is, the impact it may have on you and if it's the right choice for you.

Traffic to your website needs to be pushed and this very often takes more effort than the website development itself. We offer these services, so read more to find out about it.

As a business, you ideally want to appear above, if not at the top, of your competition on the search engine results pages (SERPs). We can help you achieve this through SEO and AdWords.

We have tips on social media optimisation for you so that Google can love your website as much as you do.

With years of experience, we can safely say that Google Apps is important as far as your online presence is concerned. Read all about why they are a must for business.

Although Google gives a new domain name a short boost when first published, it is moved to the sandbox for a long period of time and websites need to earn back their spot. Read more here.

Google and your website are able to work hand in hand to get your website to the top if you do it properly. Learn more about this from our blog.

When setting up a website or even visiting one, you want to know if it's worth your time. Take a look at the features that will help you identify what a good website is.

Read our case study blog on how social media has proven to improve business by allowing brands to reach more people.

If you already own a domain name or if you are considering registering on one, read this helpful blog about all you need to know to make sure you do it properly.

With consumers doing everything on the internet from shopping and banking to making bookings, we need to make sure our websites keep up-to-date. Read on the benefits of this here.

When setting up social media platforms for your business, make sure you get the right advice and get it right from the beginning.

A website is not only a marketing resource, but it's also a business tool. Take a look at how to start thinking of the role it will play in your business.

There is so much more to the internet than just having a website, such as SEO, keywords, marketing and the list goes on. Read more about it here.

Online Innovations takes pride in owning all the source code to our CMS that we offer to clients. See how you can benefit from a content management system.

Website strategies are not particularly suited to the marketing or IT departments in your company which is why you will need a web committee or webmaster to keep your website up-to-date.

With social media expanding more and more, it is becoming popular with business marketing. Take a look at the benefits of using social media.

Meta titles, keywords and descriptions all play a role in where your website ranks on the SERPs. See how relevant it is to your SEO.

Google's Local Business Centre gives you the most control over the way your business listing appears in Google Maps.

Websites are the way forward when it comes to growing your business. Take a look at some of the reasons why you need a website.

You can take full advantage of the internet and its benefits simply by learning more about it. Take a look at how to get your business noticed on the internet.