Author: galaxy-admin

Craft CMS Vs WordPress: Why Choose Craft?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

We are not saying that we do not like WordPress but old man has to move the order to pave way for new and what better than Craft CMS to do so.

The key difference is how both the CMSs approach development. WordPress is a have-it-all and pick what you need approach, while Craft is ripped to basics so that you have a blank slate to build what you need.

Craft CMS is minimalistic, it’s simple, it’s dynamic, and offers key features. In fact, our developers have chosen right and wrong enough times to pick a final side.

You might not believe us right away so here’s what made us a fan.

Fields in Craft

Craft is a boon if you love neat organization. With Custom Fields you can get second level of control over your content type. Different content types ask for different formatting and layouts. Custom Field lets you define those types.

Craft’s Custom Fields & Sections make it easier to manage different types of content while WordPress makes up for it using plugins like ACF (Advanced Custom Fields).

Matrix block model in Craft

Matrix is like Legos, you can use the building Blocks to create a desirable layout for your content. It is a fun way to create complex layouts with ease. The rearrangement of these blocks is even easier. The blocks can be rearranged with a simple drag and drop without affecting the code in the template. You can define field types in the blocks.

WordPress’ ACF plugin adopts heavily from the Matrix content blocks of Craft for custom layouts but it isn’t as efficient as the Matrix.

Live Preview in Craft

Craft’s Live Preview allows you to make changes in real time. You can see the changes as you make them. It splits the screen, showing you the changes in real time on one side of the screen while you make those changes in other.

Craft’s Live Preview lets you review the changes in real time while in WordPress you will have a separate tab open for every little change you make.

Sections in Craft

With Craft you can create different sections for different content types:

  • ‘Single’ section for unique content requirement.
  • ‘Channel’ section for streamlined content with an order.
  • ‘Structure’ section for content type which follows a predefined structure.

As Homepages have unique content requirements, they’re made in the Single section. News and Case Studies need to be ordered by date so they are made in the Channel section while a page like Services needs a predefined structure which can be achieved in the Structure Section.

Craft completely focuses on Content Management and makes it easier for your users to consume content & design distinctively. WordPress on the other hand doesn’t have any such feature.

Localization in Craft

When in Rome, speak as Romans do. Because Craft conveniently lets you. Localization is a powerful Craft feature. It lets you present content on a website in a specific language to target specific audience. The feature proves to be very useful when your audience is of different nationalities. Localization can be achieved by setting up and enabling locales. You can simply switch to the desired locale from the sidebar of the edit entry section, even in a particular section.

Localization translates your page’s content according to your target audience. WordPress relies on heavy plugins that interrupt with the security too.

Relations in Craft

Craft’s relationship engine allows you to form relations between posts with entry fields. You can create relations within the entries. Make an entry field determine the field type and update the template code. Drag, Drop, done. It’s that easy in Craft.

Craft’s Relationship engine allows you to form relations between post types while in WordPress you will be creating a separate category and some PHP tweaks or a plugin.

One-Click Updates in Craft

Craft’s update feature is highly underestimated. It provides the critical updates vis-a-vis features, improvements, bug fixes, security enhancements, and plugins in a single easy-to-install package.

Whenever there is a new update in Craft, it will appear in the control panel as a notification badge. You can download the update just by clicking on the badge. Craft even takes the precautionary measure of taking a backup of your data before installing any update package. Pretty clever! Isn’t it?

You can just go through the brief about the bug fixes, security enhancements, and improvements which come with the package before actually installing the package.

Craft’s One-Click update feature literally updates everything in a single click while in WordPress you have to update every other element almost exclusively.

Security in Craft

Since Craft’s one-click update feature is so efficient, users don’t delay the most important part of keeping a CMS safe, Updates.

It’s just a matter of a click and Craft takes care of the rest.

Craft CMS provides freedom of customization, central update system, and state-of-the-art security, all at a one-time fee of $299. WordPress on the other hand is free, at least initially. For the added security — which is a necessity — you’ll have to pay up to $500/month.

Looking at the vulnerabilities that the dependency on plugins bring, Craft CMS does not only look like a safe bet but also a smart decision.

Want to know more about either of the CMSs? We can help you decide sooner and decide better. Head here and drop all your queries.

If you are interested in learning h

Pitching Lessons from Shark Tank that Will Save Your MVP

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Investors have the money, you have the idea, and the right pitch is the only thing that stands between you and them. But, pitches are hard. I have pitched (sometimes with my legs trembling and with a death march in my head) and I have been on the other side with people asking me for money in lieu of their businesses.

Safe to say, I have got an idea of what flows through and what would sink.

When I started to write this one, I had random lessons and ‘keep-this-in-mind’ points. I also had significant Shark Tank references for each of them (I guess binge watching stuff does that to your brain). So, owing to the harsh winters, endless love for hot chocolate, and obviously Netflix, I watched all the episodes again, well almost.

Feel free to take notes!

1. Give them the story

The products alone do not make investors buy, the stories do. What compelled you to the idea, how did you nurture it, what drives you, and what keeps you going, the answers to this make the product and the business.

Remember Johnny Georges, the Tree-T-Pee guy? His pitch is the best example of how long your stories can take you. It’s one of those moments where you see sheer vulnerability of humans and realize how emotions drive decisions at the end of the day. Even though Johnny lacked sharp business acumen & fumbled during the pitch, he managed to put his point across.

Now, it is not that stories will make up for everything else. But, when you talk about your invention and idea, the investor is looking for something to click. Your story provides the needed rationale. When Johnny told how Tree-T-Pee came about and his late father’s dedication to conservative agriculture methods, the Sharks were intrigued. He answered every question, reasoned it with his narrative, and stuck to his decisions. By the time he was done, the Sharks were tearful (Mark looks pretty tough to breakdown but he cried too).

Takeaway: You cannot get an investor or a VC in with a deck of slides, it ain’t 1999 anymore. Put your story on the table but keep it crisp. Make it the reason and rhyme. Keep the passion and the goal in your narrative so it travels across the room/stage/coffee table.

2. Data, more data, and then some more!

Once you have got the investor’s attention, feed him data and facts, feed him knowledge, and talk numbers. In the last post, we discussed how testing your MVP is important. Bring that data out and break it down into insightful nuggets. Make reports and projections so that the viability of your product is justified. For instance, the Sharks are always curious about product’s performance. They want to know:

  • what have been your sales? (specific numbers)
  • where do you want to take the product? (have goals for your business)
  • what are the numbers we are aiming at? (how much money will the money bring)

The investors do not want ambiguity and are fazed by vagueness. So, separate your assumptions from obvious facts and present them the same. Numbers narrate the probability of an early success. More than 43.2% of investors say, if a business can show early profit signs, they are doubly intrigued.

Case in point, the foldable book lamp Lumio brought in by Max Gunawan. His product was compact, aesthetically pleasing, and useful. But more than his product, it was his assertiveness that drew all the five investors in to offer him a deal. He told them that he had already generated a million dollars in annual sales, by sheer word of mouth. He was exuberant, spoke in numbers, and had done his research to the T.

Takeaway: An intriguing story backed with data and well-defined projections makes for a cracker of a pitch. Investors want to know what is going to happen with all the money and there’s nothing like prima facie customer validation to get the money out!

3. Know your buyer and your market

The world is not your oyster. Know your industry, analyze the buyer-seller dynamics that dominate your market, and plan your pitch.

Look at Brian Lim bringing in Emazing Lights in the tank. He had a well-rehearsed calculated narrative and his self-awareness stood him apart. He knew the industry he was catering to and had the buyer persona. He was well-aware of his market share and competitors. Emazing Lights had already generated $7 million in revenue and owned 80% of the market share with none of the competitors operating at Brian’s scale. The investors want to know what they are dirtying their hands in. They want to know the customer being targeted. Brian not only sold his idea, but also his business acumen and vision. It was the numbers that got him the deal.

Takeaway: Know your business like the back of your hand. Not just to raise the money but to know the scalability and health. The more you know the market, the better it is. Also, it still is one of the best ways to charm the investors.

Watch the pitch here.

4. Keep it simple, keep it direct

If there is one thing that pushes an investor away, it’s ambiguity. You can build the neatest MVP with a brilliant idea but if you cannot put it through someone’s head while you are explaining it to them, they will choose the exit door. (Eg: Latest Snapchat update).

The famous Feynman rule for teaching — -explain it like you are explaining it to a five year old — -is in fact, a mantra for life. If you can get it through the kid, you have explained it well.

Rick Pescovitz from Cincinnati with his ‘Under The Weather’ pop-up tent nailed it. He was tad bit dramatic but you aren’t left with any doubt once he is done with the pitch. You will either like the product or dislike it. Drama or without drama, you have to explain your product clearly. It’s all about the problem being solved and not what all did you do. Pescovitz could have gone on and on about the material, the quality, the making, and how he built one but he wisely abstains.

Takeaway: The investors can later know about the technologies that makes up your product. First let them know why the product is brilliant, how it works, and what problem is it solving. In fact, explain it to some 5 year-old kids. If they want to buy it because it seems useful and not because they love you, you have got a game.

Watch the pitch here

5. For the love of god, do not be a bore

You will rarely see a Shark Tank pitch that sounds like a boring conference room presentation. Now obviously, I am considering the fact that it’s reality TV and gimmick is part of the parcel. Considering that, the best pitches (~44%) on Shark Tank have had interactive and visually appealing pitch presentations.

For instance, getting investors to experience your demo is a great decision if you can do so without offending them (I still cannot fathom how Kisstixx got away with making two of the Sharks smooch abruptly in the tank. Reality TV gets weird sometimes).

It’s highly advisable to make the presentations visually appealing and interactive. Learn from 18 year-old Lani Lazarri. With her product Simple Sugars, she chose the right way to tell what it is. A skin care product can be judged the best when you use it so she made Lori Greiner volunteer, early on in her presentation.

As she lets her choose the flavor of the scrub, she has already got Lori engaged. You can see it on their faces that both of them are involved and that helps other investors to know what’s happening in the room.

Takeaway: Your investors are not just money-vending machines but humans who are getting emotionally & monetarily involved in the business. Treat them like that. Human interactions go far, the connections go far-er :p

Watch the pitch here.

Your pitch will decide whether your MVP goes out and sees the light of the day. Prepare your pitch, rehearse it a multiple times, test it with people, take feedbacks, and iterate.

{Note: If there are people who are reading this and have not watched Shark Tank, watch it as soon as you are done with the blog. It is a genius mix of important business behavior that you need to learn.}

I am Varun Bihani, CTO at Galaxy Weblinks Inc. I have been in the business for a good 15 years and it has been an exhilarating gig. I love working with startups and hearing new ideas. You can find me in Boston around CIC. I like my coffee strong 🙂

Is Android Picture-In-Picture Next Step to Innovation For The Edtech Industry?

Posted on by galaxy-admin
When you look at it for the first time, the Android PIP feature looks pretty dope. It is a classic example of taking ‘ease of use’ into account in the design process. For me, the fact that you can play Youtube and still use everything else on phone was enough to rejoice. The feature alters your video watching experience and how. It lets you do so many things without obstructing with your audio/video experience. PIP is not like split screen where you work on two exclusive apps, it’s a special multi-window mode that allows video playback in a small screen on the edge while users can navigate between rest of the apps.

Hey, we were doing fine before this happened

So, around the same time, one of our clients in the Edtech industry came up with an unusual request. They wanted to provide their users with editable notes which can be accessed while watching the video lectures. Their current process required the users to switch frequently between the apps and, let’s just say, it was not as fancy as it sounds.

The course is too much and there’s an issue, it’s not okay

As much as reasonable the problem was, the solution was not easy. We knew the PIP feature was godsent for this, but it was used by a few popular apps only. We talked to the client about it and they were pretty excited. In fact, the client said that if this works out, they will scale it up and add notes for all the sessions. Their users have asked for the same quite often and PIP might just be the answer to everything. We researched around the feature and it was one of the projects where things looked easy from far. Excited and scared, we went ahead and planned the development process. It was about to be a fun ride, or so we hoped!

Hey, can you tell your friends we need it sooner

We began with the project and planned sprints. This was going to be one of those projects where things either worked or they tanked, no in-betweens. Even though Android launched a complete guide on how you can include the feature in your app, significant things had to be planned. The app’s primary service was to provide the lectures and under no circumstance, the efficiency of the same could be compromised.

And I hope it’s gonna be fine and working again

We started stepping up the ladder with basic functions including: Declaring PIP Support: The system does not automatically support PIP for apps. We had to register the video activity by setting android:supportsPictureInPicture and android:resizeableActivity to true. We had to also include room for layout changes in the code so that the activity doesn’t relaunch when layout changes happen in PIP transitions. Switching Activities: To enter the PIP mode we called a function enterPictureInPictureMode() and further added a logic that switches an activity into PIP mode instead of running in the background. UI during PIP Mode: When the function enters the PIP mode the system calls Activity.onPictureInPictureModeChanged() or Fragment.onPictureInPictureModeChanged(). We overrode these callbacks to redraw the UI elements in the activity. Adding these basic functions got the PIP mode running. The client was not completely sure and hence, went ahead with initial testing. The application worked fine, at least prima facie. But there was a small problem. When the users tapped the back button to switch to the app from the pinned video, the app unexpectedly closed. In short, the user couldn’t restore the app.

So can we pull over and get rid of this once and for ever

It took a while for us to figure this out. The thing is, when you switch to the PIP mode, Android moves only the PIP activity into a new task. This causes a problem if the user stays within the app after restoring the PIP window back to full screen and tapping back. The app must re-create the back-stack to accomplish this. We understood what was happening within the whole process and why the user can’t restore the app. Due to application’s current architecture, back-stack recreation was happening automatically. To resolve the problem we went through many tests to find out where we were losing the back-stack process. This was our gateway. We added a link after the notes which redirected the student to the video. Another problem popped up when we were at our final stages of testing. The video playback in the PIP mode was causing audio intervention for other apps. To manage the video playback and other apps, we called a function requestAudioFocus() and supplied a parameter AudioFocusRequest. Further, we used this parameter to request and abandon focus.
Within the span of five weeks we solved the problem and successfully implemented the software which helped the client get more students onboard.

Key Takeaways (feel free to use and learn):

> PIP is intended for applications and actions that play full-screen videos. So you should avoid anything except video content when switching your activity into PIP mode. > As the PIP window is a floating screen, make it a point to avoid showing critical information on the areas that can be obscured by the PIP Window. > When your app is in PIP mode, video playback in the PIP window can cause audio interference with another app, such as a music player app or voice search app. To avoid this, request audio focus when you start playing the video, and handle audio focus change notifications, as described in Managing Audio Focus. > PIP only works in Android Oreo 8.0 and versions above. Quickly make a move to upgrade your mobile applications. Get in touch with our development team and give your users an astonishing experience of learning.

Data Security Matters: Know Everything about GDPR Requirements, Compliances, and Deadline

Posted on by galaxy-admin
“Personal data shall be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures” ~GDPR Article 5, clause 1(f). From May 25, 2018, organizations will be dealing with penalized under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) if they violate its privacy laws. EU parliament approved and adopted the GDPR in April 2016 and it will be implemented next month, forcing numerous organizations to change their data protection policy. The deadline is May 25, 2018. It will also restrict companies from circulating data to the third parties to control unwanted marketing and reduce the risk of data selling.

What is GDPR?

GDPR is a regulation to protect the personal data and privacy of EU citizens for transactions within 28 member states of EU or even outside. It regulates the exportation of personal data outside EU. Also, it give users more control over how the organizations use their personal data. If companies fail to comply with the rules, they have to pay hefty penalties.

What all data does GDPR protect for the users?

Identity information like name, address and ID numbers

  • Web data such as location, IP address, cookie data etc.
  • Health data and genetic data
  • Biometric data
  • Racial data or ethnic data
  • Political opinions
  • Sexual orientation

Why did EU Parliament adopt this regulation?

The users in EU were doubtful on how companies treat their personal data, creating a mistrust in the users. According to the WARC survey, 85% users say they would boycott a company that showed disregard for protecting consumer data.

Are you under the risk of GDPR?

Any company that stores or processes personal information of EU citizens within EU states will drop under GDPR. Even if your company does not have a business presence within EU, but processes personal data of EU residents you are under the GDPR. A company with more than 250 employees or less, whose data processing impacts the freedom of data subjects will also be affected. A survey from PwC showed that about 92% of the US companies consider GDPR a top data protection policy.

What will the General Data Protection Regulation cost your company?

According to a PwC survey mentioned above, 68% of the US-based companies expect to spend $1 million to $10 million to meet GDPR requirements. Another 9% expect to spend more than $10 million. There’s a huge group of third party vendors that have access to this personal data across the globe. GDPR made it very clear that the companies need to ensure that all their third party vendors adhere to GDPR and process the data accordingly.

The client contract must reflect the regulatory changes such as:

  • Regulatory fines: EU is long known about its willingness to levy steep fines for regulatory non-compliance. In case a data breach is reported, not having contracts in place might work drastically against the company.
  • Operational: Have you decided the plan of action or the data flow with the third-party vendors? If not, it is not clear how you will be operating under GDPR.
  • Vendor management: According to GDPR, you must know how your vendors operate, what security framework they use, and how they process the user data. Without such critical knowledge, you don’t know the risk they present.
Do your vendors present a transparent process when it comes to data processing? Does your contract clearly mention the data usage guidelines? If not, it is clearly an indication that you don’t know what your vendors are doing with the data, which leads to a larger management issue.

Implications to breach of contract:

In case of non-compliance with GDPR a company can be penalized up to €20 million or 4 percent of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. The question is how the penalties will be assessed? According to the agreement, the regulators will swiftly act on a few companies found to be not in compliance with the GDPR to send out a message. This will help organizations to assess the penalties related to GDPR. The companies must report data breaches to supervisory authorities and individual affected by a breach within 72 hours of threat detection. The GDPR requirements will also force the companies to change they way they process, store and protect user’s personal information.

Are you ready with a robust data protection framework?

Here is what you need to do:
  1. Involve all the stakeholders — Just IT cannot set-up a data security infrastructure. Get hold of anyone and everyone in your organization who collects client’s information.
  2. Conduct a session for all your stakeholders in the process — Explain your stakeholders what is the importance of GDPR and how can it make a change in the organization’s process. Tell about the consequences and how regulation can affect the company.
  3. Create a data protection plan — Many companies have already created a data protection plan, but it’s time to review them once again.
Mobile-first VS GDPR — Mobile devices are one of the major hurdles setting up a strong security framework. According to a survey of IT and security executives by Lookout, Inc., 63% of employees access personally identifiable information (PII) of customer, partner, and employee, using mobile devices. This creates a gap, making unique set of risks for GDPR non-compliance. Companies facing GDPR compliance requirements must look for viable mobile threat defence solutions to protect EU PII, enabling them to achieve risk mitigation. This requires few steps:
  • Identify risks on EU data that mobile devices can present
  • Implement risk-based conditional access policies
  • Prepare GDPR’s “72 hours threat notification” process
  • Apply powerful security features around data transfer.
If your organization is on a growth stage focusing on clients based in EU, you surely need to work a lot on your security framework. Still thinking where to start from for the GDPR compliance? We can help you out. Get in touch with us here. Take the next step before it’s too late

Running Outdated Drupal? You Need to PATCH NOW!

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Are you using outdated Drupal version for your website? Your website is open to hackers now! Everyone is calling it Drupalgeddon2! Here is the big news, Drupal recently found a major security vulnerability in their older versions. They have decided to release an URGENT security update, even though the 7.x, 8.3.x & 8.4.x are no longer supported now. The security vulnerability might give hackers access to your data and can take away your control from the website. Focusing on these issues, Drupal introduced an urgent security patch to address a highly critical security vulnerability. The designated flaws CVE-2018-7600 was found in the software’s core, and affects the older versions. Drupal produced patches for their older versions of its latest software – 7.x, 8.3.x, and 8.4.x. This will save you from database updates and quickly update without the possible side effects of a minor version update. What to do next if you are using Drupal 7.x, 8.3.x & 8.4.x.? Get hold of your developer and get the security release implemented immediately!
DO NOT PUT IT ON YOUR TODO LIST. GET IT DONE NOW.
The community has been expressing concerns over security in outdated versions and this is just the first wave. After you are done with the security release, plan on migrating the website to the latest version. Safety is the choice you make! Connect with our Drupal security expert now. You can read more about the official security release here –

Google Rolls Out Mobile-First Indexing for Web Content

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Google recently announced Mobile-First Indexing after a year and half of extensive experimenting and testing. The search engine giant will start migrating sites that follow best practices for Mobile-First Indexing. Google’s algorithm will now prioritize websites with a mobile version when searched from a smartphone. It will now consider mobile sites as the first node to the websites, especially when a query is fired from the mobile platform. This will surely increase the traffic for companies having mobile websites being crawled from the Smartphone Googlebot. Websites that only have a desktop version will experience a major downfall in mobile traffic, even if they have a high ranking on the search engine because Google does not maintain separate indices for different version of the websites. The websites using responsive web design or dynamic serving will generally be set for mobile-first indexing. For sites that have non-AMP and AMP pages, Google will prefer the mobile version of the non-AMP page for indexing. To make the change easier and smooth, Google will be notifying sites that are migrating to mobile-first indexing via Search Console.

What does it change for you?

Companies with ‘desktop-only sites’ will have downfall in their primarily mobile audience. It might not affect your ranking but you will need responsive websites and mobile-friendly content to perform better in mobile search results. The update is a part of Google’s announcement that said that beginning in July 2018, slow loading content will perform less as Google will be optimizing for speed. Long story short, you will have to make some amends! For more details on how you can get your website optimized for better performance after the update, contact us.

Tool Alert: UI Faces: Easier Design Process IS Everything

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Dear fellow designers, have you ever felt serendipitous? (yeah yeah I will monitor my Word Porn consumption). That is how I felt when I found UI Faces. The tiny little tool solves one of the most boring, if not major problems of the designing process. It’s an ode to all the hours that our brethren & sistren had lost while looking up for the right avatar of the UI Mockup. UI Faces is a simple aggregator of people avatars that you can use in your design mockups. It has got a whole collection of beautiful & diverse people who let you use their face in your design (faith in humanity, restored). You can save time & energy and keep your sanity to continue the rest of the design process. Every single picture on the tool is processed and tagged with age, gender, emotion, and hair color. You can easily filter for quick search and sort them by your requirements. No fuss and fume. Even my Scrum Master seemed impressed so you can take his word, if not mine. The users who have submitted their photos are aware that their pictures will be used. Also, as every picture on the website is reviewed personally by Alex, there are no copyright issues. Great guy tbh! You can use all the avatars either by the good ole’ copy-paste, API, and Sketch plugin. Easy peasy and quick! Also, this baby belongs to Mighty Alex, so go give him a shoutout!

Older Apps Might Become Useless After Android P

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Google recently came up with a developers’ preview for Android P. The developers have now found a new class in the latest Android P Dev Preview. It sets a minimum API version apps on Play Store. So, in Android P, if an app is not meeting the minimum API requirements, the OS will pop up a warning message stating: Error message: “This app was built for an older version of Android and may not work properly. Try checking for updates, or contact the developer.” We all know how pumped up Google is in keeping PlayStore in sync with new developments. Setting up a minimum API support requirement for newly uploaded apps is a perfect move. The update now restricts the developers from having a specific mindset before building an app, enabling the newly submitted apps to work with all the latest Android versions. Hence, the already available apps that fail to update will be retired for good. The news comes after Apple did something similar recently. Apple cleaned up the App Store from old apps. And even if you try running a removed app from your iCloud backup, it will popup a warning message. We have to wait for Google’s next step towards a better user experience. No matter what Google’s intentions are, once Android P goes live, things are surely going to change! Galaxy Weblinks provides all kinds of design and development services for mobile and web apps.

Social Media Marketing in 2024: Redefining Engagement and Brand Success

Posted on by galaxy-admin
In 2024, the average digital consumer now encounters over 5,000 brand messages daily, yet only 1% of these messages leave a lasting impression. This highlights the critical role of Social Media Marketing (SMM) in capturing and retaining consumer attention in a crowded digital space. Let’s break down the latest trends and social media marketing strategies that make SMM work in this busy digital landscape. From quick, disappearing content to online shopping blending with social media, we’ll uncover what it takes to succeed in the digital world.

The Evolving Landscape of Social Media Marketing:

In 2024, SMM is marked by innovative technologies and changing consumer dynamics. AI-driven personalized content has become a mainstay, significantly enhancing user engagement. For example, AI-powered algorithms used by brands like Spotify tailor user experiences, resulting in a reported 30% increase in user engagement.

Emerging Trends in Social Media Marketing:

Ephemeral Content Dominance

Ephemeral content on platforms like Instagram Stories and Snapchat has become pivotal for user engagement in 2024, capturing 28% of social media time due to its fleeting and authentic nature. This content type has boosted user engagement by 40% and proven effective in creating urgency, enhancing conversion rates for time-limited offers. Additionally, it has strengthened brand-customer relationships, evidenced by a 35% increase in customer loyalty. The growing significance of ephemeral content in social media strategies highlights a trend towards more authentic, momentary marketing, resonating with consumers’ desire for genuine interactions.

Video Content Supremacy

In 2024’s social media marketing, video content, particularly short-form videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, reigns supreme, driving a 60% rise in brand engagement rates. Users are spending 88% more time on video-rich platforms, leading to a staggering 1200% increase in video shares compared to text and images. This trend is supported by innovative methods like interactive live streams and educational content, with live streaming alone increasing viewer interaction by 60%. The success of video content lies in its ability to create emotional connections and provide immersive experiences, establishing it as a crucial element for brands aiming to elevate audience engagement and storytelling.

Social Commerce Integration

The integration of social commerce into platforms like Instagram and Facebook has transformed online shopping, blending social media with e-commerce to enhance customer experience and boost sales. This approach has led to a 40% increase in sales for brands using these platforms, with influencer-driven sales and shoppable posts significantly improving the shopping process and consumer engagement. Social commerce provides real-time feedback and data-driven insights, allowing for more tailored marketing strategies and effective consumer engagement. This trend represents a future where shopping is an integral, convenient part of the social media experience, benefiting both consumers and brands.

Characteristics of Effective SMM in 2024:

  • Personalization and Authenticity
For instance, Nike’s personalized shoe recommendation campaign led to a 35% increase in online sales, demonstrating the power of tailored content.
  • Data-Driven Strategies
Using data to guide marketing decisions, as Netflix does, can significantly boost content relevance and viewer retention.
  • Agility and Responsiveness
Quick adaptation to consumer feedback and trends is vital. Spotify’s rapid implementation of user-requested features has been key to its high user engagement rates.

Building Brand Awareness through Storytelling:

Storytelling remains a powerful tool in building brand awareness. For instance, Dove’s Real Beauty campaign illustrates the power of storytelling in creating lasting brand impressions. Airbnb’s use of customer stories has enhanced its brand image, contributing to a 40% year-on-year increase in its social media follower base.

Enhancing Engagement in SMM:

Tapping on and encouraging user engagement is crucial for building brand loyalty and online presence. Let’s dig into some real-world examples to understand how innovative engagement strategies can transform a brand’s social media impact.
  • Interactive Live Sessions
Brands like Red Bull have utilized live streaming to increase viewer engagement. Their sessions, often featuring extreme sports or unique cultural events, have not only garnered massive live audiences but also significantly boosted post-event engagement through replay views and shares, leading to a 55% increase in audience participation compared to pre-event levels.
  • User-Generated Content
Encouraging users to create brand-related content is a strategy that has paid dividends for companies like GoPro. By incentivizing customers to share their adventure videos captured with GoPro cameras, the brand has created a vast library of authentic content. This approach not only increases engagement but also adds a level of credibility to the brand. As a result, GoPro has seen a 65% increase in user engagement on social platforms, bolstering both brand loyalty and community growth.
  • Personalized Responses
Engaging personally with users can profoundly impact the brand experience. Zappos, known for its exceptional customer service, regularly interacts with its customers on social media with personalized responses. This strategy has enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty, with Zappos reporting a 40% increase in customer retention rates attributable to their personalized interaction approach on social media.

Measuring SMM Success:

In 2024, the focus has shifted from mere likes to engagement and conversion rates. For instance, Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign saw a 7% increase in soft drink sales, highlighting the impact of personalized marketing on tangible business outcomes. The complex landscape of social media marketing demands expert navigation to ensure your brand stands out. Galaxy Weblinks specializes in not only crafting effective SMM strategies but also providing a comprehensive suite of services to elevate your entire digital presence. We go beyond social media marketing to optimize your website and social media platforms, creating a seamless and engaging online ecosystem. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, we enhance your website’s performance and user experience, making sure it remains at the forefront of industry standards. Our expertise extends to integrating your social media efforts with your website, creating a great online presence that maximizes your brand’s impact. Partner with Galaxy Weblinks to explore the full potential of your social media presence and achieve unparalleled success across all digital fronts. L

Agency Originals: A London-based Design Agency Finds Their Right Development Partner

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When one of our clients introduced us to his friend’s London-based design agency, the one which cannot be named (Voldemort and NDA have things in common), it was a classic case of once bitten twice shy.

The first meeting with James, the CEO, made it clear that he was reluctant to hire a remote team. On one hand, he urgently needed an experienced team of developers. On the other hand, the last vendor left him pretty bruised and he wanted to avoid another ordeal. There were some projects left unfinished & stranded by their previous agency.

James was having a struggle managing clients and the deadlines. In addition to that, Kate, the Creative Director, needed someone “in or around London” this time.

Needless to say, we were not the ideal fit demographically.

After the first round of conversations, it was clear that even though they were convinced with our proposal and portfolio, they were still not keen for a distributed team. But we really wanted to work with James and Kate. We loved their working style, the communication was coherent, and our value systems matched perfectly.

Amidst all the skepticism around, we went on and proposed a pilot project to James & Kate.

It was just the right thing to do.

Season 1 Episode 1: The Pilot

It was an incomplete WordPress Web Development gig and Kate was dealing with an anxious client. The designs were ready, wireframes were approved, and the initial layouts were finalized.

But as the last vendor ghosted, Kate needed a team of designers & WordPress developers to get going. She couldn’t find a reliable resource for simple tasks like plugin development et al. She contacted several WordPress freelancers and dev shops but they were either too expensive or hard to communicate with. Some offshore vendors went so far that they were willing to do the work for free just to get the business. That almost made her feel suspicious on their abilities. The search was turning into a struggle.

When we got in touch, we made her feel like her inhouse team. The communication was crisp and process was as transparent as it could possibly be. We set the expectations from beginning and assigned a team that included a project manager along with a dedicated team of developers and designers. The tasks, small or big, were done pretty quickly.

Kate’s expression was almost this.

‘One exclusive team for every project’ is our mantra.

Our developers provided with responsive and clean HTML codes. The designs were perfectly rendered and the teams got the website running up and tight after a few rounds of iterations.

Kate approved the project!

The Chemistry of the Crew

Kate could effectively communicate with the Project Manager and as they were in constant touch during all the development phases. There were zero communication hassles. Even though the teams were in different timezones, Kate was able to track & manage each and everything happening in the project. The feedbacks were quick and the sprints were managed effectively. She never felt that the team working is 1000s of miles away.

Spielberg even called to praise the casting.

All of this was possible due to our proprietary project management software. More on it later in our exclusive next special. Hit the follow button and watch this space for more.

The Season Contract

The pilot took off well and we all were ready for a great season ahead. We signed further contracts for small to medium sized projects over the next few months. The projects varied from simple landing pages to built-from-scratch custom WordPress sites.

James and Kate had some quick client projects that were awaiting finalisation and an extended development team just made everyone’s life easier.

Here’s the cherry on the cake, amid the hustle that client projects were, James realized that having us alongside gave him a window for bigger and better projects. He had been postponing expansion owing to absence of a consistent development partner. As the design and development partnership seemed working out this season, he opted for a spin-off.

We scheduled a quick meeting and finalized the agreement. This was the smoothest negotiation in the history of negotiations and we closed the deal.

Also, the partnership gave Kate more time to focus on design. Lesser woes, more creative freedom, and a collective sigh of relief.

Coming Up Next

Post the partnership, our first gig is quite up close and personal. James and Kate are redesigning the agency’s website and we are handling the development duties. We are not only working on their new website but will also team up for client projects simultaneously. HTML conversions, mock-ups, design elements, and web development & maintenance services remain the central plot.

The Cliffhanger

If you wanna know what eventually happened with James and Kate, stay with us here to get the inside story right away.