How to Improve Overall Performance & Security For Any eCommerce Website In 2023

The eCommerce industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, with global eCommerce sales reaching $4.9 trillion in 2021. However, as eCommerce businesses become more prevalent, they also become prime targets for cyber attacks, putting pressure on maintaining website performance and security.

In fact, according to a report by Security Magazine, eCommerce websites are a prime target for cybercriminals, accounting for 22% of all cyber attacks. This means that eCommerce businesses need to prioritize website security to protect their customers’ data.

But it’s not just security that eCommerce businesses need to worry about. Poor website performance can lead to lost revenue and dissatisfied customers. Even a one-second delay in page load times can reduce conversion rates by 7%.

Investing in regular eCommerce maintenance services, updates, and security measures is becoming more crucial than ever for eCommerce businesses to ensure they can maintain their market position and protect their customers’ data.

How To Detect Website Performance & Security Issues 

Regular audits can help you identify issues early and prepare the necessary adjustments. But with the combination of a few methods you can try to detect and address performance and security issues in your systems before they become serious problems, and ensure that your systems are optimized for performance and security.

Here are some ways for you to detect performance & security issues and how you can solve them: 

Code Profiling:

  • Recommended for: Performance optimization & identifying security vulnerabilities
  • Category: Performance audit 
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Frequency: Regularly, especially after making significant changes to the codebase.
  • Impact: Identify performance bottlenecks, memory leaks and security vulnerabilities.
  • Popular Tools: JetBrains dotTrace, Visual Studio Profiler, and Eclipse MAT for Java.
  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

Security Scanning:

  • Recommended for: Ensuring compliance with security standards and regulations
  • Category: Security scanning and compliance
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Frequency: Regularly, depending on the application’s risk profile and industry regulations.
  • Impact: Identify compliance gaps that result in data breaches, legal and financial consequences, and reputational damage.
  • Popular Tools: SonarQube, Veracode, and Checkmarx.
  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

System Monitoring: 

  • Recommended for: Detecting system errors, ensuring system uptime, and optimizing system performance
  • Category: Performance optimization
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Frequency: Continuous monitoring, with regular analysis of system metrics and logs.
  • Impact: Helps to identify system errors, optimize system performance, and ensure system uptime and availability.
  • Popular Tools: Zabbix, and Prometheus, New Relic and Datadog for application performance monitoring (APM); ELK stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) for log
  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

User Behavior Analysis: 

  • Recommended for: Improving user experience, optimizing marketing strategies, and identifying user trends
  • Category: Performance optimization
  • Priority: Medium – High
  • Recommended Frequency: Regularly, depending on the frequency of user interactions.
  • Impact: Understand user behavior patterns, identify areas of the application that need improvement, and optimize marketing strategies.
  • Popular Tools: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Amplitude. Salesforce and Hubspot for customer behavior analysis and Hootsuite and Sprout Social for social media behavior analysis. 
  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

Manual Audit: 

  • Recommended for: Security audit and compliance checks
  • Category: Security audit and compliance
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Frequency: Periodically, depending on the application’s risk profile and industry regulations.
  • Impact: Helps identify security vulnerabilities and compliance gaps
  • Popular Tools: Manual audits are typically performed by security professionals with expertise in the relevant industry regulations and security best practices.
  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

User Report: 

  • Recommended for: User experience feedback, bug reports, and feature requests
  • Category: Security audit
  • Priority: Medium
  • Recommended Frequency: Regularly, depending on the frequency of user interactions with the application
  • Impact: Helps to identify user pain points, bugs, and feature requests to improve the application’s user experience.
  • Popular Tools: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Amplitude for web and mobile app analytics; CRM tools – Salesforce and Hubspot for behavior analysis and segmentation.
  • Technical Proficiency Required: No it doesn’t, it requires technical expertise.

Automated Testing: 

  • Recommended for: Ensuring software quality, improving development efficiency, and reducing testing costs
  • Category: Quality assurance and testing
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Frequency: Continuous integration and testing throughout the software development life cycle.
  • Impact: Helps to ensure software quality, reduce testing costs, and improve development efficiency by identifying defects and bugs early in the development process.
  • Popular Tools: Selenium, Appium, and Cypress for web and mobile app testing

JUnit and TestNG for unit testing. Jenkins and Travis CI for continuous integration and testing

  • Technical Proficiency Required: Yes, it requires technical expertise.

Ways To Improve Website Performance: 

There are a few major factors that can significantly improve the performance of an eCommerce business website. Improving performance leads eCommerce businesses to increase conversions, revenue, and customer satisfaction. 

Here are some of them:

Optimize images: 

  • Task: Optimizing website images to improve website performance.
  • Priority: High.
  • Recommended Approach: Use a combination of image compression and resizing tools, and choose the right file format for each image.
  • Industry Standards: 2-3 seconds load time (source: Hubspot).
  • Impact on Performance: Increased website traffic, improved SEO and search engine rankings, and reduced bounce rates.

Use caching: 

  • Task: Configure caching on your website to improve website speed and reduce server load.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Use a combination of browser caching, server-side caching, and CDN caching.
  • Industry Standards: No specific industry standard, but the faster the website loads, the better.
  • Impact on Performance: Reduced server load and improved website scalability, increased website traffic, and improved user experience.

Minimize HTTP requests:

  • Task: Minimize HTTP requests to improve website performance by reducing the number of requests required to load a page.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Combine files and resources wherever possible, use CSS and JavaScript frameworks, and optimize images and videos.
  • Industry Standards: According to Yahoo, reducing the number of HTTP requests can reduce page load times by 20-50% (source: Yahoo Developer Network).
  • Impact on Performance: Improved website performance on slow network connections and mobile devices, improved user experience, and reduced server load.

Use a content delivery network (CDN): 

  • Task: Improve website performance by using a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute website content globally.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Choose a reliable CDN provider, optimize website content for distribution, and configure DNS settings correctly.
  • Industry Standards: CDNs can reduce page load times by up to 50% (source: Cloudflare).
  • Impact on Performance: Improved website availability and performance during peak traffic periods, reduced website downtime, and increased website traffic.

Ways To Improve Website Security: 

Conducting regular security audits can significantly improve the security of an eCommerce business website. By improving website security, eCommerce businesses can build trust with their customers and protect their sensitive information from attackers. Here are some of the major methods: 

Conduct regular security audits: 

  • Task: Identifying and assessing potential vulnerabilities, testing security controls, and developing a plan to remediate risks.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Engage a professional security firm or hire an experienced security professional to perform comprehensive security assessments and penetration testing.
  • Industry Standards: Follow established security frameworks and standards, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO/IEC 27001, to guide the security audit process and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Impact on Performance: By ensuring that your website is secure, you can protect your business and customers from the increasingly sophisticated tactics used by cybercriminals.

Use SSL/TLS encryption: 

  • Task: Implement SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transfer between the server and the client.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Use reputable SSL/TLS certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs) and configure servers to use strong encryption protocols and cipher suites.
  • Industry Standards: SSL/TLS protocol versions and cipher suites are regularly updated, and industry standards are updated accordingly. The latest TLS 1.3 protocol is considered the most secure and recommended to use.
  • Impact on Security: Implementing SSL/TLS encryption ensures secure data transmission, protects sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information from interception by attackers, and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks.

Use a web application firewall (WAF): 

  • Task: Protection against common web-based attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and other vulnerabilities.
  • Priority: High
  • Recommended Approach: Configure the WAF to regularly update and maintain its ruleset to stay up-to-date with new attack techniques and vulnerabilities.
  • Industry Standards: The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) maintains a list of the top 10 web application security risks, which can serve as a guideline for selecting and configuring a WAF solution.
  • Impact on Security: Provide an additional layer of protection against web-based attacks, protecting against common vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and other web-based attacks.

Regularly review third-party integrations: 

  • Task: Regularly review third-party integrations on your website to ensure they are secure and up-to-date.
  • Priority: This task is of high priority as third-party integrations can introduce vulnerabilities and weaknesses to your website’s security.
  • Recommended Approach: Monitor and assess third-party integrations regularly for security updates and permissions.
  • Impact on Security: Regularly reviewing third-party integrations can prevent security breaches and protect users from cyber threats.

Opportunity & Financial Cost of Ignoring Website Issues

It is important for businesses to regularly assess their performance and security measures and take proactive steps to mitigate these issues. Conducting regular audits and updates to their systems can help minimize these risks and ensure smooth operations. Here we have assessed the major performance and security elements you should consider:

Performance- 

  • Slow Loading Speed: 

Slow loading speed can lead to a significant loss of potential customers. According to Google, 53% of mobile users will leave a website that takes longer than three seconds to load.

Example: If an eCommerce website earns $10,000 per day and 53% of mobile users leave due to slow loading speed, the company could potentially lose $5,300 per day, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.

  • Poor User Experience:

Poor user experience can lead to decreased customer loyalty and missed opportunities. According to Adobe, 38% of users will stop engaging with a website if the layout is unattractive.

Example: If an online retailer has 10,000 visitors per day and 38% of them leave due to poor user experience, the company could potentially lose 3,800 customers per day, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.

  • Mobile Optimization:

Failure to optimize a website for mobile can lead to a significant loss of potential customers. According to a study by Statista, mobile devices accounted for 54.8% of global website traffic in 2021.

Example: If a website is not optimized for mobile and receives 100,000 visitors per month, the company could potentially lose 54,800 visitors, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.

Security

  • Data Breaches:

Ignoring website security vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches and financial losses. According to a study by IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million.

Example: In 2017, Equifax suffered a data breach that exposed the personal information of 143 million people. The company’s initial estimate of the financial impact was $600 million, which later rose to $1.4 billion.

  • Loss of Reputation:

Ignoring website security issues can lead to a loss of trust and reputation. According to a study by Edelman, 71% of consumers will stop using a brand if they perceive the brand as doing something unethical or illegal.

Example: In 2020, the video-conferencing app Zoom faced criticism for its security vulnerabilities, which led to a loss of trust and reputation among users and investors.

  • Legal Liability:

Ignoring website security issues can lead to legal liability and financial losses. According to a study by Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a data breach involving more than 50,000 records is $6.03 million, with an average cost of $146 per record.

Example: In 2020, the hotel chain Marriott was fined $123 million for a data breach that exposed the personal information of 339 million guests.

Get High-End Performance & Security Support

Neglecting website performance and security can lead to lost revenue, damage to reputation, and increased vulnerability to cyber attacks. However, investing in website maintenance and security can provide significant benefits, including improved customer satisfaction, increased revenue, and reduced risk of security breaches.

If you are an eCommerce business owner looking to improve your website performance and security, consider partnering with a trusted web development agency like Galaxy Weblinks. With years of experience in eCommerce maintenance services, Galaxy Weblinks can provide expert guidance and support for all your website maintenance and security needs. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with eCommerce maintenance services to maximum performance and security.

The benefits of using Webflow for your business website

The benefits of using Webflow for your business website

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

The popular saying is applicable to books for sure, but websites? Not so much. 

Websites deal with the most extreme level of snap judgments. One that quickly influences the perceptions of credibility. It takes somewhat around 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website—whether they like it or not, whether they want to stay or leave.

In today’s digital age, having a user-friendly and visually appealing website is critical for any business looking to succeed in the online space. It serves as the online storefront for your brand, providing potential customers with information about your products or services, and acts as a platform for online transactions. 

In our years of experience, we have seen companies struggling to create a website that accurately reflects their brand’s vision and values. Plus, problems like limited customization options, high costs, and poor website performance make it challenging for them to stand out from their competitors. 

Webflow, with over 3.5 million users, creates a website that looks great, loads fast, and works on any device. At present there are approximately 400,000 Webflow websites which are live globally.

While there are many web design platform options for you to choose from, in this article, we will be highlighting the benefits of using Webflow for your business website. 

First of all, what is Webflow?

A lot of you who have landed here might already know about it, but for those of you who haven’t, well, read on. 

Webflow is a web design and development platform that allows users to design and build websites without coding. It’s a drag-and-drop interface that enables you to create and customize your website’s layout, content, and functionality. It has gained massive popularity in recent years with a growth rate of 79% over the past year, attracting both small business owners and large corporations. 

Now that we have established the popularity and potential of Webflow let’s dive into some of its advantages.

Benefits of using Webflow for your business website

Benefits of using Webflow for your business website
  1. Ease of use

One of the primary benefits of using Webflow is its user-friendly interface. You don’t need to know how to code or have any technical experience to use it. The drag-and-drop functionality allows you to create and edit content quickly, making the website development process more accessible and efficient.

Moreover, Webflow provides various templates and pre-designed components, such as navigation bars and forms, that you can easily add to your website. You can customize them to match your brand’s style and color scheme, ensuring consistency across your online presence.

  1. Customizability

While Webflow offers templates and pre-designed components, you’re not limited to using them. You have complete control over your website’s design and functionality, allowing you to create a unique online presence that reflects your brand’s identity.

Webflow provides a vast array of design and customization options, including typography, color, layout, animations, and interactions. You can create complex designs, such as parallax scrolling and hover effects, without needing to write code.

Furthermore, Webflow allows you to integrate with third-party applications, such as Google Analytics and Mailchimp. You can also add custom code snippets to your website, giving you even more flexibility in terms of design and functionality.

  1. Responsiveness

In today’s digital landscape, having a mobile-responsive website is crucial. According to a study by Google, 74% of users are more likely to return to mobile-friendly websites. Webflow’s responsive design feature allows you to create a website that looks great on all devices, from desktops to smartphones.

Webflow’s responsive design is based on the concept of breakpoints. You can define different breakpoints for different device sizes, allowing you to create custom designs for each device type. This feature ensures that your website looks great and functions correctly, regardless of your customers’ device.

  1. SEO-friendliness

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical aspect of website development. It helps improve your website’s visibility on search engines, increasing the likelihood of attracting organic traffic. Webflow provides several SEO features, such as customizable meta titles and descriptions, alt tags for images, and clean code structure.

Webflow also automatically generates a sitemap for your website, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your site’s pages. Additionally, you can easily integrate your website with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, allowing you to track your website’s performance and optimize it for search engines.

  1. Fast loading speed

Website loading speed is a crucial factor in user experience. According to a study by Google, the average mobile website takes 15.3 seconds to load, which can significantly impact user engagement and conversion rates. Webflow’s hosting service uses a content delivery network (CDN) that ensures fast loading speeds for your website.

How Webflow can help you create an ideal website

Webflow can help you create modern and responsive websites in minutes without writing a single line of code. It makes managing your website’s content easy without relying on a third-party content management system. With Webflow’s built-in CMS, you can easily add and update your website’s content without hiring a developer. 

In conclusion

Webflow is an excellent platform for service businesses for all of the aforementioned reasons. To summarize, firstly, it is extremely user-friendly and easy to use, even for those without experience in web design. Secondly, it is very affordable, especially compared to other market platforms. Thirdly, it offers a wide range of features and templates that allow businesses to create professional-looking websites with minimal effort. Finally, it provides excellent customer support, so businesses can get help when needed. So if you’re looking for the perfect platform to create a stunning, modern website without coding or learning complex web design principles, then Webflow is the way to go.

Looking for a webflow development company? Galaxy Weblinks is your answer. Take your business website to the next level with our webflow development services. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you build a custom website using Webflow. Let’s start building your online presence together!

Is headless e-commerce really the future?

The e-commerce sector has made tremendous strides. There was a time when eCommerce platforms were designed mainly for desktop users. Cut to the present, customers can purchase products using various devices such as wearable tech, smartphones, social media platforms, etc. The idea behind the evolution is simple: customers who engage with brands across multiple platforms tend to make more purchases.

The market’s ever-changing needs have given rise to new e-commerce approaches in recent years. Earlier methods focused on back-end configurations, but the need for personalized, customized, and engaging omnichannel experiences has prompted the development of a new e-commerce design approach – the headless commerce approach.

Headless e-commerce has gained significant popularity among digital brands, and in the last couple of years, investors have invested heavily in this domain, with over $1.6 billion being poured into such opportunities. Numerous startups and established players in the e-commerce industry have introduced new technologies or products to leverage this trend to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace

Companies are increasingly adopting headless e-commerce as it offers more flexibility, scalability, and customization than traditional e-commerce platforms. In this blog, we will explore whether headless e-commerce is the future of online retail, looking at the benefits of this approach, statistics on its adoption, and examples of businesses that have successfully implemented headless e-commerce.

Is headless e-commerce really the future?

What is headless e-commerce?

Traditionally, e-commerce platforms have been built using a monolithic architecture, meaning the front and back ends are tightly coupled. This can limit the flexibility and customization of the user interface. Headless e-commerce, on the other hand, separates the front and back ends, allowing businesses greater control over the user experience.

In a headless e-commerce architecture, the front end is decoupled from the backend, meaning businesses can use any front-end technology they want. This allows for a more customized and flexible user experience. The backend, responsible for managing the business logic and data, is usually built using an API-driven approach, enabling the platform to communicate with any front-end technology.

Successful businesses that leveraged the benefits of headless e-commerce

Many businesses have already adopted a headless e-commerce approach, with some seeing significant improvements in their online shopping experiences. Here are some examples:

👟 Nike: Leveraged headless to optimize every aspect of their website to suit small-screen interactions, including visuals and call-to-actions. They utilized React SPA and Node.js backend for frontend (BFF) to ensure consistent user experiences across all pages. As a result, Nike gradually gained market share and became a leading player, surpassing their competitor Adidas.

🧼 Lush: Handmade cosmetics became even more accessible thanks to Lush’s faster, more intuitive mobile app with personalized recommendations and real-time inventory updates.

🎯Target: The retailer faced stiff competition from retail giants like Walmart and Amazon, with customers frequently switching between brands. Through thorough analysis, they discovered that almost 80% of their customers begin their buyer’s journey on one device but finished it on another. To capitalize on this opportunity for growth, Target adopted a headless commerce approach to unify the customer buying journey across various devices. As a result, Target experienced an increase in its site’s conversion rate as more users found it easier to finish their purchases with the new unified experience.

📎Staples: The UK-based office supplies behemoth grappled with a massive product catalog that was often siloed and required frequent updates, depending on inventory and promotions. Adopting headless architecture allowed them to update their product catalog quickly and efficiently, and to optimize their website for various functions. They can now offer features such as registering/login in, ordering by item number, or reordering previously purchased items, significantly enhancing their customers’ shopping experience.

💄Lancôme: The French luxury perfumes and cosmetics powerhouse and one of the world’s most valuable brands made the switch to Progressive Web Applications. The decision paid off, with Lancôme seeing a 17% boost in their conversion rate. The headless approach made it much more convenient for their target audience to purchase items even while on the move.

Why is headless e-commerce gaining popularity?

There are several reasons why headless e-commerce is gaining popularity among businesses. Here are some of the key benefits:

Flexibility: Headless e-commerce allows businesses to use any front-end technology they want, which means they can easily customize the user experience to meet their specific needs.

Speed: Because the front and back ends are decoupled, developers can work on them simultaneously, speeding up the development process.

Scalability: Headless e-commerce is more scalable than traditional e-commerce platforms, allowing businesses to add new features and functionality without impacting the user experience.

Integration: Headless e-commerce is designed to work with other systems, making integrating with other technologies easier.

Future-proofing: Headless e-commerce is future-proof, as businesses can easily swap out the front-end technology as new ones emerge.

Headless e-commerce trends 

There is a growing trend towards headless e-commerce, with more businesses adopting this approach. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the headless e-commerce market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.5% between 2021 and 2026. The report also notes that North America is expected to be the largest market for headless e-commerce during this period.

Another report by Digital Commerce 360 found that 43% of e-commerce decision-makers are planning to adopt a headless approach in the next two years. This indicates that headless e-commerce is becoming more popular among businesses as they look for ways to improve the customer experience and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A report by MarketsandMarkets predicts that the global headless commerce market size is expected to grow from $1.4 billion in 2020 to $3.5 billion by 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.8% during the forecast period. The report notes that the adoption of headless commerce is increasing due to the growing demand for a personalized customer experience, the need for omnichannel marketing, and the increasing focus on improving customer engagement.

A report by Acquia found that 77% of organizations plan to adopt a headless approach within the following year. The report notes that headless commerce offers greater flexibility, scalability, and customization, which is particularly important for businesses looking to provide a differentiated customer experience.

Digital Commerce 360 found that 43% of e-commerce decision-makers plan to adopt a headless approach in the next two years. The report notes that headless commerce is becoming more popular among businesses as they look for ways to improve the customer experience and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A survey by BigCommerce found that 76% of e-commerce businesses plan to invest in headless commerce in the next two years. The survey notes that headless commerce is a way to differentiate from competitors, enabling companies to offer a more personalized, seamless, and engaging customer experience.

So, is headless e-commerce really the future?

Yes, headless e-commerce is the future of online retail, as it offers a more flexible, customizable, and scalable approach to e-commerce. Decoupling the front and back ends enables businesses to use any front-end technology they prefer, allowing for a more personalized and intuitive user experience. This flexibility, coupled with the speed and scalability of headless e-commerce, makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to improve their online shopping experiences and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. With the headless e-commerce market expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.5% between 2021 and 2026 and an increasing number of businesses planning to adopt a headless approach in the next two years, it seems that headless e-commerce is set to become the future of e-commerce. 

Want help with adopting headless for your business? Let’s talk. We can help.

Build Better Apps in Less Time: 5 Reasons to Choose Low Code MVP Development

As of 2022, nearly 3 million apps are available for download on the Google Play Store. And of all people, millennials are the most active app users, with 21% opening an app 50 or more times per day.

Your analytics will reveal that most website traffic comes from mobile users. That’s why startups today want to ensure their presence on the mobile platform as long as their idea and the problem they intend to solve are feasible with a mobile app.

But here’s the catch, a growing app market can mean something other than that your new app will succeed. Especially for startups, you will know if your application will grow once you test it. Does this imply that you should invest in full-fledged development? Not quite.

There is another solution that is quite a buzzword in the industry! Many startups and app market legends, such as Spotify, Uber, Instagram, and Dropbox, have succeeded through the MVP approach. And Low-code MVPs can be especially beneficial for mobile startups working on a limited budget or timeline.

If you’re considering this approach for your startup, we recommend reading this post to learn more about it.

Build Better Apps

Why is Low Code MVP essential for mobile-based startups?

Before we get into the details, let’s talk about what an MVP and a low-code MVP are.

MVP is the primary product version you build to understand your audience better. It helps the audience know the product and what to expect from it. On the other hand, it helps businesses realize the actual value of the product and its feasibility.

MVPs allow you to determine:

  • if your users are ready for the product,
  • if they’ll be interested in using your solution, and
  • what the scope is for scaling the product.

If you get enough insights from the users of the no-code MVP, it may be worth investing in a full-fledged solution.

A Low code MVP performs the same function but involves less to no code in its creation, which comes with additional benefits for startups and small businesses since they are more efficient and cost less.

In fact, it is considered one of the quickest and most established routes to success, whether a new product or a feature upgrade.

Now let’s discuss the benefits!

Benefits of Low code MVP in mobile-based startups

Higher efficiency

As we saw earlier, No-code and low-code platforms appeal to startups because they offer ready-made tools, reusable code, pre-built integrations, and templates for various development scenarios.

According to Gartner, by 2024, 65% of development functions will be low-code.

Some solutions include in-depth analytics, monitoring, and A/B testing features to optimize system performance. Plus, they support integrations with third-party services and comply with various industry standards.

Sounds terrific, right? But wait, there is more.

Cost-saving

Efficient and costs less? What can be better than this combination?!

Low code development tools help enterprises reduce their costs by up to 84% by allowing them to spend less money hiring professional development teams, cloud specialists, and other technical jobs. Businesses also don’t need to invest in expensive hardware infrastructure, development software, and licenses.

On top of that, these tools let you build your low-code MVP with less effort.

Faster deployment

IDC found that these organizations have reduced their development lifecycle for new applications by 62% and new features by 72%, respectively.

Low-code solutions improve your company’s agility by making it easier to reuse modules and code templates, create your MVP, and get feedback from users more quickly.

All of this means that you can attract potential investors faster than your competition and get a head start on solving the issues that are holding you back, and you are all set for launch in less than half the time. Now that’s exciting!

MVP helps you identify the market demand and evaluate the customer experience.

Being a startup founder, you prefer to test and validate your product idea by creating an MVP. The concept may seem promising regarding projections and visual designs, but the actual proof of concept interacts with a tangible application.

Customer feedback is crucial, as it allows you to identify your product’s most and least appealing sides.

The reversibility, or being able to go back to make changes, is one of the key reasons why MVP development is popular among startups. If any functions are unnecessary or have bugs, fixing them or adding new features during the quality assurance testing process is much easier. This flexibility helps to implement updates smoothly and bring the release date closer.

Limitations of Low code MVP & Setting the right expectations

Like all tools, despite their benefits, developing MVPs has limitations concerning drawbacks.

Here are the primary things you must consider:

  • Technical constraints

No-code and low-code platforms might not support the features you want in your app. You might need to resort to custom development tools to overcome some restrictions.

  • Vendor lock-in

Your app can become locked into the vendor’s proprietary technology stack and lack access to the source code. So, migrating your MVP to another low-code platform will become too costly.

The most typical and crucial mistakes startups make during MVP development are fixating on minor imperfections, needing more feedback, ignoring analytics, and needing more time for release.

Developing an MVP using no-code and low-code platforms does not guarantee affordability and timeliness unless you keep the limitations in mind and stand clear of any mistakes that might happen.

DIY vs. Professional Services: Which is better?

If you are a startup, low code should assist you in delivering an MVP to market with as few resources as possible. And if you are an established brand and want to try out a new feature on your app, low code MVP can also benefit you.

On the other hand, just building an MVP does not guarantee success. Business owners must remember that creating a no-code or low-code MVP is a quick way to test their business idea, not a magic switch that improves everything about your app.

Your apps rely on coding methodology and management practices to succeed. Furthermore, your team may still need to do some custom coding to overcome the limitations of low-code technologies.

If you believe you require the assistance of an experienced software development company’s assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’ll make your MVP development truly affordable.

Unlocking E-Commerce Success: 05 Essential E-Commerce Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

Whether you are considering beginning an e-commerce business or already have one, some actions must be taken before launching your e-commerce website to ensure its success. One influential aspect of your e-commerce business is conversions. All online stores work diligently to increase their conversion rates. Every team knows how difficult it is to raise the e-commerce conversion rate by even a tiny percentage. 

Low conversion rates are sometimes the only thing keeping your company from achieving a certain level of success. Marketing initiatives that emphasize conversion rates are more effective than those that do not. 

Data from Outgrow. co show that companies typically spend 92 USD to acquire customers but just 1 USD to convert them. Therefore, it should be easy to believe that just 22% of firms are convinced of the return on their investment from conversion rates.

According to e-commerce Guide, e-commerce currently accounts for almost all retail growth in the US, which is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. That should be enough reason for you to put your business at the forefront with cutting-edge technology via the best-optimized website and user experience. 

How Is CRO Beneficial to the Business?

The unifying objective of all marketing initiatives is to improve results. Furthermore, the pursuit of innovation and development must be continuous to seize growth possibilities, regardless of the KPIs used to gauge the effectiveness of these processes.

Therefore, when addressing how to focus the lead or visitor’s attention and guide them to a specific action on the website, focusing on approaches such as CRO Marketing or Conversion Rate Optimization is beneficial.

While increasing e-commerce conversion rates is the primary goal of CRO, it also has the following extra benefits:

  • CRO enhances the user’s experience. By removing obstacles, you streamline and hasten the consumer experience. It therefore benefits your business’s bottom line and its standing in search engine results pages (SERPs).
  • CRO uncovers marketing possibilities: CRO identifies marketing opportunities that were previously prohibitively expensive, helping them to get a large number of new consumers.
  • CRO Adds Business Momentum: It boosts your capacity to spend money cost-effectively and helps you obtain more value out of every dollar invested. Momentum is crucial for recruiting further investment, so it also has that secondary advantage.
  • CRO uncovers your target audience: Since CRO calls for ongoing research and hypothesis testing, it provides a thorough insight of the target audience.

05 E-Commerce Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

01- Use high-quality images and videos on your product pages

According to MIT research, the human brain can process a picture in only 13 milliseconds, giving your customers a quick first impression of your brand and goods caliber. According to research by Shopify, only 0.52 percent of customers prefer to see a single product photo, 33.16 percent like to see many shots, and almost 60 percent prefer images that allow them to get a 360-degree perspective of the product.

When someone purchases anything online, high-quality photos & videos clearly show them what they will receive. They give an overview of texture, shape, shades, etc. Additionally, they assist customers in understanding the product’s size and the variety of its uses.

Key Takeaway- It’s no secret that visual marketing is crucial for developing a brand online. High-quality visual content, such as product photos, can make or break an e-commerce brand’s online visibility and consumer experience. Your images must provide information and help the consumer distinguish between various products. 

02- Be competitively priced.

When it comes to price, consider not just the product you’re trying to sell online but also the value it provides and your e-commerce USP. A company must first conduct some research to determine the pricing using a competitor-based strategy.

You must conduct market research on your competitors offering products that are incredibly similar to or identical to yours to develop this pricing plan for your online business. This should include high-end and low-cost retailers to give you a thorough market overview.

Let’s imagine you run a business selling sports footwear and looking forward to adding new designs. Even if the sports shoes cost you $20 to manufacture and advertise, the average cost for a sports shoe is $40. You can start your pricing slightly over the market average of $45, giving you a $25 profit.

Key Takeaway: The cost-based strategy is extended by e-commerce market-based pricing strategies that take into account your niche competitors. This is crucial if your products are identical to or highly comparable to those offered by other online retailers, allowing buyers to compare prices.

03- Clear navigation menus

Homepage navigation is one design feature that gains from familiarity and convention. However, many design website navigation as a last-minute addition after considering pages and content. In a recent poll, just 50% of internet users could anticipate where relevant content will rely on typical page navigation.

Users want to save time figuring out complicated, almost buried menus and strange iconography. The use of a traditional navigation structure improves usability. Navigation is made more efficient by placing the most crucial pieces in well-known places.

Key Takeaway: A simple navigation menu makes it easier for customers to understand your website’s many product categories. You must categorize your products using generic terms. For instance, a yoga brand can categorize its product line into “Bestsellers,” “Women’s,” “Men’s,” “Maternity,” and “Sale.”

04- 3-30-3 rule for creating content

In today’s fast-paced environment, capturing a potential customer’s attention can be challenging, even if your content is excellently crafted and highly relevant. The “3-30-3” formula can help you create content that engages readers and has an impact. The 3-30-3 rule lasts three seconds, thirty seconds, and three minutes.

  • 3 seconds- This implies that you have just three seconds to convince a website user that they are looking for the right product and are in the right place. Ensuring your title is intriguing, compelling, and grabs the reader’s attention is crucial.
  • 30 seconds- You only have 30 seconds to make your pitch after a visitor has chosen that your website is the best place for them to be. Therefore, your product introduction and opening H2 ought to be excellent. At this stage, you should grab their attention with eye-catching industry figures, quotations, or a fact that sets your product apart from the competition.
  • 3 minutes- At this point, users start to show a desire to understand more about your products. You must now choose what will convert the best for you, whether a short story, a demo, a client review, or infographics.

Key Takeaway: 

The “3-30-3” rule states that you have only three seconds to get a reader’s attention, thirty seconds to keep them engaged, and around three minutes for them to read the entire content. Here, it’s crucial to succinctly explain what they will gain by reading your content and how it will impact them.

05- Maximize the Mobile Experience

According to Statista, 93% of Millennials have used a mobile device to compare online deals, while 82% of Internet users in the United States have used a mobile device to shop online. Furthermore, Marketing Land says mobile app conversion rates are three times greater than mobile website conversion rates.

Businesses that have adapted to the popularity of mobile experiences in e-commerce are reaping the benefits in a very diverse business environment, while those that still need to commit to this area are inevitably losing out on a growing segment of the customer base.

A mobile-optimized website will automatically alter its size to accommodate different screen types, depending on the device used to view it. A non-responsive website will not display correctly on all devices, interfering with the user experience. This is particularly damaging for online stores as it could increase bounce rates and worse conversion rates.

Key takeaway:  With direct communication with customers, the mobile experience gives away an opportunity to reach a broader range of customers and access valuable customer data. All it requires is to create a mobile experience with a slick appearance, fluid operation, and everything in its proper place.

Final Thoughts

E-commerce has become a crucial component of the global retail landscape in recent years. As modern life is increasingly digitized, online shopping has become essential for retail and e-commerce businesses. A well-designed website that checks all the above-listed points is necessary for immediate and long-term success.

As boosting e-commerce conversion rates should be the number one priority for businesses, Galaxy Weblinks can offer more specialized solutions with streamlined processes that drive growth and encourage customers to do what is most important, buy your products. To continue serving your people, you must be ready to make the next move. If you need us to help you with anything related to e-commerce website/app design and development, contact us! We’re happy to help.

What will happen if I don’t migrate to GA4?

Google Analytics (GA) has been a go-to tool for collecting and analyzing website data and user behavior. With the launch of GA4, many people now have to decide whether to switch over or stay with Universal Analytics. This article will provide an in-depth overview of the potential repercussions of not switching to GA4. You will gain insight into the risks associated with this choice and its consequences.

Migrate to GA4

Why migrate to GA4?

The latest version of Google Analytics, GA4, was introduced in October 2020, and it is equipped with some exclusive features/benefits unavailable with Universal Analytics. These features include:

1. Enhanced User Analysis: GA4 gives you more accurate and in-depth insights into the behavior of your website visitors, allowing you to understand how they navigate and which pages they view.

2. Automatic Data Collection: With GA4, you don’t have to manually set up tracking codes to monitor user interactions on your website, like clicks, scrolls, and form submissions. It automatically collects this data for you.

3. Machine Learning Capabilities: GA4 utilizes machine learning algorithms to review your data and predict how users will act. This helps you make more educated decisions about your promotional tactics.

Risks and Consequences of not migrating to GA4

Failing to migrate to GA4 could have numerous consequences, such as

1. Limited Data Analysis: GA4 provides more detailed and accurate data, which helps to understand user behavior. Without GA4, you may not have access to new analysis tools, making it difficult to make effective decisions about your website or business.

2. Inability to Access New Features: You must upgrade to GA4 as many features are unavailable on Universal Analytics. This includes automated data collection, machine learning capabilities, and much more. You will benefit from all the advantages these extra features provide without migrating.

3. Loss of Data Access: Google has revealed that they will be phasing out Universal Analytics and will only provide technical assistance to those who still use it. If you switch over to using the GA4 version of Google Analytics, you could avoid a situation where your data and tracking information become inaccessible.

Conclusion

The switch to GA4 might appear intimidating, but its new functionalities and enhanced reporting make it worth considering. That being said, if you don’t migrate to GA4, your website will miss out on valuable data that can be used to optimize the user experience. Our team of experts at Galaxy Weblinks helps businesses like yours to make the transition of your data from existing Universal Analytics to GA4 easier and more efficient. With our help, you can rest assured that you will get all the essential insights and data.

To get started with us and to learn more about our GA4 migration service, get in touch with us today!

Things To Be Considered During Design Phase For Low Code App Development

Galaxy Low Code No Code Services

Low code solutions are all the rage these days, and their popularity as general social and technological phenomena is expected to rise. It simplifies and streamlines every application lifecycle stage, promoting ongoing connectivity by splitting the conventional IT and business boundaries. They are just as remarkable and successful as those developed by highly competent experts, even though they can be built in less time and effort.

As new technologies and features are introduced to close the gap between what someone with little to no coding abilities can do and what a full-fledged developer can do, the low code and no code solution design movement is resurgent.

According to McKinsey’s “The business value of design” study, businesses with a better user experience outperform their competitors in terms of revenue by a factor of two and shareholder returns by 21%. According to Gartner, more than 65% of application development activity will be carried out using low code platforms by 2024. This indicates that low code app development tools won’t go away, and the primary focus will be on demand for better design.

Design Challenges Of Low Code App Development

You are no longer limited by drawn-out development cycles thanks to the introduction of LCNC platforms. However, a team can face a few oft-cited design challenges during the design phase for low code development.

Improper Scalability and Reusability of UI Elements.

A low code platform might have numerous small UI components spread across several devices. And as to maintain a consistent end-user experience, even the slightest modifications to one element need to be replicated elsewhere, this leads to a design barrier.

Lack of Customization.

Each platform has a different set of customization options. While some low code no code platforms restrict editing options, others provide access to the source code. Similarly, some will let you create custom applications while others won’t. These limitations often hinder you from gaining that edge in your app.

Limited Integration Options.

Operational efficiency is the main objective of no code platforms. They must work on a core user experience and connect to older systems. It limits the ways that users can integrate. Additionally, the provider forbids third-party or internal system custom integrations.

Furthermore, managing APIs when integrating hundreds of systems is the most challenging element.

Things To Consider For Low Code Platforms During The Design Phase


1- Design for impact.

Regardless of your users’ desired solution, provide the one that best addresses their problems. By setting up a shared understanding and creating solutions, design thinking approaches can assist you in identifying unfulfilled requirements.

Therefore, compile the system design specification document that represents the software requirement specification (SRS document) from earlier phases.

Key Takeaway: Ensure your design solutions align with the problems at hand to provide exceptional customer outcomes that lead to the intended business objectives. Think about using the North Star method for goal setting to direct your planning and choices during the design process.

2- Develop a system document.

Creating a document that translates the specified low code no code platform guidelines could be extraordinarily valuable. To keep the team in sync and enable them to meet the rising demand for continuous delivery, it can be informative to specify which tools and services users could use on the platform, access permission for usage based on roles, unification of project-related data, and the keeping of all policies in one place. Additionally, people can carry out the entire project swiftly if they have all the relevant information. Expanding and enhancing digital workflows aims to combine business processes while eliminating the guesswork and maintaining team cohesion.

Key Takeaway: With the introduction of the system document, you are no longer bound to spend months interacting with an app production team. The goal is to efficiently complete the software development’s design phase while accelerating the app design and delivery.

3- Define your information architecture.

Using hierarchy manipulation throughout the designing phase is a great approach to demonstrate how the elements of your work interact, highlighting the most crucial components and detracting attention from others. These should be set as parameters to inform users of information and relevance. Having this outlined makes it simpler for the subsequent UI design stage for your team members to convert this architecture into semantic code that is simpler for assistive technology to understand.

Key Takeaway: The goal of information architecture in low code app development is to organize, structure, and classify content functionally and sustainably. The goal is to make it easier for users to access information and finish tasks.

4- Put Accessibility into Play.

If accessibility is essential to your business, you should consider it from the start. Fixing accessibility issues on already-existing websites requires more time and effort than starting from scratch with a fully accessible website. When accessibility is incorporated from the start, it maximizes the outcomes and uses fewer resources. It helps consider the diverse variety of customers that utilize your services and items.

Key Takeaway: Regardless of how big or small your project is, accessibility should be considered from the beginning if it is crucial to your business. This prompts you to consider the wide range of complex individuals utilizing our designs and code. It aids in ensuring that we don’t build any obstacles for them.

5- Conduct Design Reviews.

Sometimes all it takes to shift from mediocrity to excellence is a design review. Design reviews are carried out to ensure that the functional requirements, performance requirements, security requirements, etc., are met. The review looks into implementing certain features and analyzes a project feature or user flow prototype. It’s usually a good idea to incorporate diverse roles in the process. This lets you see your design from multiple angles and create a distinctive, organic, and intuitive end result.

Key Takeaway- It’s crucial to implement a successful design review process to get insightful feedback. With an advanced design review process like the Adalo app, your entire team can make faster and more informed decisions. Even the slightest ideas and suggestions can help to improve and simplify the user experience for everyone.

Wrapping It Up

The design stage in creating low code apps is crucial to successfully completing the software project. It yields one of the project’s two critical elements: The Design and The System. The second crucial component, the system, can only be built, practiced on, put into use, or operated with a detailed design.

The ultimate shape of the software product is substantially impacted by the quality decisions made during the design phase regarding development techniques, frameworks, configuration, implementation, software and hardware architecture, etc. Using the design checklist outlined above, you can develop enterprise-level, usable solutions that advance your business.

If you’re looking for qualified software designers and architects, Galaxy Weblinks can help. We streamline the process of offering practical answers to complex business problems.

How to migrate to Google Analytics 4: A step-by-step guide

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics, which was announced on October 14, 2020. It replaces the previous version, Universal Analytics. It includes new features such as enhanced machine learning, improved data collection and processing, and the ability to analyze cross-device and cross-platform user behavior.

Migrate to Google Analytics 4

GA4 was developed in response to the increasing complexity of the modern digital landscape, which includes a wide range of devices, platforms, and interaction types.

It was designed to provide a more comprehensive and accurate view of user behavior across all of these channels and help businesses better understand and engage with their customers.

Take a quick look at some key differences between Universal Analytics and GA4.

google analytics 4

Overall, GA4 represents a significant advancement in the capabilities of Google Analytics and is expected to become the primary version of the tool for businesses worldwide.

Steps you need to take for a successful migration to Google Analytics 4

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of migrating from Universal Analytics to GA4.

Before we get started, it’s important to note that GA4 is a complete rewrite of Google Analytics, and as such, it requires a separate property in your Google Analytics account. This means you’ll be able to continue using your Universal Analytics property while you test out GA4 and make any necessary adjustments. With that said, let’s dive into the steps you need to take to migrate to GA4.

1. Set up a new GA4 property: The first step in migrating to GA4 is to create a new property in your Google Analytics account. To do this, log in to your account, click on the “Admin” tab, and then select “Create Property” from the menu on the right. Choose “Google Analytics 4” as the property type, and follow the prompts to complete the setup process.

2. Install the GA4 tracking code: Next, you’ll need to install the GA4 tracking code on your website. This code is similar to the tracking code used in Universal Analytics, but it includes some additional parameters that are specific to GA4. You can find the tracking code in the “Tracking Info” section of your new GA4 property.

3. Configure your events and parameters: In GA4, data is collected and analyzed using events and parameters. An event is a specific action taken by a user on your website, such as clicking a button or making a purchase. Parameters are additional pieces of information that can be associated with an event, such as the value of a purchase or the category of a product. You’ll need to configure your events and parameters in GA4 to ensure you’re collecting the data you need.

4. Set up your conversion goals: Conversion goals are specific actions you want users to take on your website, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. You can set up conversion goals in GA4 using the “Goals” feature in the “Admin” tab of your property.

5. Test and verify your setup: Before you entirely switch over to GA4, it’s a good idea to test your tracking code and verify that it’s working correctly. You can use the “Realtime” report in GA4 to see if data is being collected and reported in nearly real-time. You should also check that your events and parameters are being collected and processed correctly.

6. Migrate your data: Once you’ve verified that your GA4 setup is working correctly, you can begin the process of migrating your data from your previous analytics tool. This can typically be done using the “Import” feature in GA4, which allows you to import data from various sources. Be sure to thoroughly test your data after the migration to ensure everything has been transferred correctly.

7. Turn off your previous analytics tool: Once you’ve successfully migrated all of your data to GA4 and verified that everything is working correctly, you can turn off your previous analytics tool and begin using GA4 as your primary analytics solution. Be sure to double-check that all of your tracking code has been removed from your website, and consider archiving any old analytics data that you no longer need.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully migrate to Google Analytics 4 and begin taking advantage of its new features and capabilities.

Conclusion

Google Analytics 4 can make all the difference in managing your organizational digital analytics. From setup assistance, data migration, and ongoing training, you can rely on our experts for all your needs. Contact our certified Analytics expert for a free consultation today – we’ll be happy to talk!

Why you need to switch to Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics, a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. It was released in October 2020 and is the successor to the previous version, Universal Analytics.

Google-Analytics-4

One of the main differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics is that GA4 is designed to be more closely integrated with other Google products, such as Google Ads, and to make it easier for users to get a complete view of their customers across different devices and channels. GA4 also includes new features such as automatic event tracking and setting up audiences based on user behavior.

Why is GA4 necessary?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a new version of Google Analytics that was designed to better meet the needs of modern businesses and organizations. It includes several new features and capabilities that are not available in earlier versions of the product, such as:

  • Enhanced user privacy controls: GA4 includes more robust rules for managing user data and protecting user privacy, including the ability to automatically delete user data after a specified time period.
  • Improved data collection and analysis: GA4 uses machine learning algorithms to better understand user behavior and provide more accurate and detailed insights about how users interact with websites and apps.
  • Enhanced integration with other Google products: GA4 integrates more seamlessly with other Google products, such as Google Ads and Google BigQuery, making it easier to use data from multiple sources to inform marketing and business strategy.

Overall, GA4 is intended to provide businesses and organizations with a more comprehensive and powerful tool for understanding and engaging with their customers.

Benefits/Advantages of GA4

  • Customizable Interface

Google Analytics 4 has a more intuitive and customizable interface than ever before – which addresses some of the previous pain points Google Analytics users have faced.

You can now easily customize the timeframe of your data reports, making the tool more enjoyable to use. Plus, you can access important data with just a quick glance.

  • Control Over Custom Reporting

Google Analytics 4 is a powerful tool that focuses on custom reporting. And better yet, it allows you to quickly view any data of your choice and make decisions in an efficient manner!

Universal Analytics was challenging to work with before, but that’s all in the past. You can create custom reports and precise, insightful data visualizations that make it easier to understand your users in more detail.

  • Detailed Reporting

Google Analytics 4 is also capable of providing more detailed data. Allowing you to see the type of traffic that’s been coming in for the last few days, weeks, or months.

This new data model introduced by Google Analytics 4 is inspiring and has made it easier to work on reports. You can customize your events to fit your brand or business needs. For instance, you might want them to represent a specific user action that you would like to analyze, or perhaps you could use them as a means of differentiating one set of users from another.

GA4 Dashboard
  • Better Real-Time Data

There are some improvements in Google Analytics 4 that Universal Analytics doesn’t have. For example, it offers real-time reports to see what users do as they interact with your site. You can even see individual user actions!

With DebugView in Google Analytics, 4 allows checking the incoming data at a more granular level.

  • New Automatic Tracking

Google Analytics 4 has made some exciting changes, including a more robust and easier-to-use Enhanced Measurement feature. This feature automatically tracks how much time people spend on a page and how many outbound links they click. This is a powerful tool to increase engagement with your website.

Because of this, custom campaign tracking is not needed. And the actions are automatically tracked for you.

  • More Effective Data Exporting

You will get much more data with Google Analytics 4 and can export that data more effectively. Having access to more detailed and more personalized data means you’ll be able to get more in-depth data that are tailored specifically for your needs, plus much more data per export.

On top of all this, you could even send your data to Google BigQuery if you want to be in total control of the data you collect.

Conclusion

With real-time insights, machine learning, and cross-device tracking, GA4 offers various advanced features that can help you better understand your customers and optimize your marketing efforts. Plus, with Universal Analytics set to be retired in July 2023, now is the perfect time to make the switch.

Whether you need help with setup, data migration, or ongoing support and training, our team of experts has you covered. Don’t miss out on the benefits of GA4 – contact our certified analytics expert for a free consultation today!

Top 5 SAAS Trends to Watch in 2023

Top 5 SaaS Trends to Watch In 2023

SaaS in 2022 was all about growth and innovation, with a significant focus on giving customers the best possible experience. Thanks to COVID-19, the whole industry had to change radically in 2021 and 2022, but those changes were essential. If we look at the data, it’s clear that personalization, customization, scalability, and customer experience are all major priorities.

  • In 2017, cloud workloads accounted for 86% of data center workloads; in 2022, this figure has increased to 94%.
  • In 2022, 73% of SAAS business leaders believe machine learning will double employee productivity.
  • With 52% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, the mobile SaaS market has grown to $7.4 billion in 2022.
  • PaaS accounts for about 20 percent of the overall cloud services market, and the SaaS segment dominates most of it.

While these were the most impactful trends of 2022, we expect the upcoming year to be much more exciting for the industry.

Let’s get started and talk about the top 5 SaaS trends to watch in 2023.

1. Improved Personalization with Artificial intelligence

Customer expectations have changed a lot over the years. Nowadays, many consumers are willing to give up a little bit of privacy in exchange for getting relevant recommendations. They also expect brands to provide them with personalized experiences. This shift has affected the business-to-business (B2B) industry, where longer sales cycles and multiple customer touchpoints are now the norm.

According to Salesforce research, by 2023, three-quarters of B2B customers will expect their suppliers to predict and anticipate their needs before they even get in touch. With their robust pattern recognition and predictive analysis, AI and machine learning can assist SaaS companies in meeting the levels of personalization that consumers have come to expect.

Why it Matters:

Now is the time to start if you’re not already considering AI optimization for your SaaS business. AI and SaaS’s advantages in customer service, personalization, and security can translate into profits for all businesses involved. So if you’re looking for ways to boost your bottom line, this is definitely an avenue worth exploring.

2. Low code/ No code platforms for faster product development

According to reports, more than 60% of business stakeholders have implemented less than 50% of their technology solutions. In such circumstances, low code appears to be a boon because it helps to get custom apps in 50% less time and at 40% less cost.

Gartner predicts that “low-code application development will account for more than 65% of application development activity by 2024.” This will also allow startups to test their concepts and ideas in a real-world scenario faster. This will enable them to get investments sooner than the average time.

Why it matters:

Low-code development platforms are a great way to speed up development and get your SaaS product to market faster. Low-code tools are used for creating email and online advertising campaigns, as well as applications and websites. MailChimp is a popular example of a low-code tool with its email builder functionality.

Low-code platforms can be used for much more than just building custom apps. They can also be used to create apps that streamline internal business processes. For example, automated workflows can easily share data among multiple SaaS applications. This can be helpful for onboarding and recruitment, financial data processing, automated marketing, and more.

3. Multi-cloud Adoption for improved flexibility and reliability

If you thought 2022 was the year of hybrid cloud, just wait until 2023! That’s when businesses will start reaping the benefits of using multiple cloud providers. It’s called a “multi-cloud strategy,” providing increased flexibility and security.

While most businesses were still tied to a single cloud service provider in 2020, reports show that by 2023, 84% of mid-to-large businesses will have adopted a multi-cloud strategy. So if you haven’t started using multiple cloud providers yet, 2023 is definitely the year to do it!

Why it matters:

You’re no longer limited to just one cloud provider when you go multi-cloud. You can easily pick up and move your applications to a new platform if you need to. This makes life a lot easier and gives you more options for finding the right cloud solution for your needs.

4. Vertical SaaS for better service customization

More and more businesses are finding that a vertical SaaS solution is the way to go when it comes to cloud computing. This is especially true if you have a business that falls into a specific niche or industry, like retail, automotive, or insurance. With vertical SaaS, you can create solutions that are specifically tailored to the challenges your business faces. Even though the potential market and user base might be smaller, vertical SaaS is still highly effective.

For example, the restaurant industry is projected to see a 20% increase in technology adoption and upgrades by 2022. Brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ are now investing in custom SAAS solutions that match their brand guidelines and SOPs and solve critical operational challenges for QSRs.

Why it matters:

SaaS is a great way to deploy solutions quickly and efficiently. Real-time collaboration and better security make it the perfect way to scale your business rapidly. In 2023, we’ll see a significant increase in vertical SAAS, which will help businesses address specific industry challenges.

5. Unbundling and Decoupling SaaS service packages

SaaS providers are always looking for ways to improve their pricing and packaging models so customers can get the most value out of their purchases. One way to do this is by unbundling SaaS packages, allowing users to choose the features they need. This approach gives customers more control over what they pay for, ultimately leading to a better experience for everyone involved.

With nearly half of the organizations pointing to vendor lock-in as a barrier to SaaS adoption, we expect this package unbundling trend to continue. This is especially true when SaaS providers, funded so often by venture capital, become increasingly flexible to retain and attract new customers with personalized value-based feature sets, pricing, and packaging.

Why it matters:

The SaaS industry is oversaturated with thousands of products that are often barely different from each other. The future belongs to hybrid products that enable customers to create experiences tailored to their needs. And not the “one size fits all” model.

The “do it yourself” software movement will grow as the tools get more accessible and easier to use and as more and more people learn technical skills. Unbundling SaaS is just the first step in that direction.

Key Takeaways

Many organizations realized in 2022 how important it is to respond quickly to changes and uncertainties. Business process automation, or having the right digital muscles in place, emerged as the most crucial capability every organization should have to remain relevant. This enables them to provide a seamless customer experience and perform data-driven management.

In the next few years, the SaaS industry will be pretty different from what it is now. We’ll need to make a significant change to how we build things to focus on creating customized and secure outcomes instead of just owning the software. This means understanding how different organizations use SaaS products and then putting the proper controls in place for each.

We would be happy to offer a consultation if you want to upgrade or add features to your SAAS product. Reach out to us at https://www.galaxyweblinks.com/