The UK has the third largest ecommerce market in the world. With a value of over 500 billion, accounting for around 20% of total business turnover in the UK, and the highest online shopping penetration in Europe, the industry is alive and kicking. It's also highly competitive with just a few sites out of every hundred making their mark effectively.

It's clear that content creation is an essential part of an online marketing strategy, pumping out blogs, articles, videos, images and infographics frequently and consistently is only going to get you halfway. Content that isn't relevant or valuable to your audience isn't going to do much to grow your business, no matter how frequent or consistent it is. It's got to be meaningful or it won't hit home.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) isn't a magic trick and neither is it an automated process. SEO comprises several techniques and methods that are used to improve the search engine rankings. These techniques and methods are systematically implemented throughout the website by an SEO-trained professional in order to signal to the search engine that the site is relevant and credible.

If you're confused about your social media marketing strategy in the age of GDPR, data scandals and privacy laws and algorithm changes, we don't blame you. The social media terrain is always shifting and it's not uncommon to experience at least a little confusion and trepidation when it comes to exactly how your business will leverage it.

It isn't unusual that a company requires bespoke software developed. While start-ups may gravitate towards off-the-shelf solutions, more established businesses running complex operations may customised software solutions. Examples include software to streamline customer relations, bespoke CRM packages, systems to manage employee tasks or automate manufacturing processes, and many more.

To the average person, web development may seem shrouded in mystery. However, understanding what web developers do and how they work can go a long way towards helping you make better business decisions about your online presence. A better grasp of what web development services are out there will helping in decision-making and smooth the way to a website that works for you.

Mobile apps have entered their second decade and are showing no signs of slowing down. Recent statistics suggest that the market is growing at a pace exceeding all previous expectations with app store spend surpassing the $100 billion mark in 2018 and a year-on-year growth rate of 30%. In addition, in-app mobile time is on the rise while mobile web usage has remained stagnant.

Interactive marketing is not necessarily a new thing - some forms have been around for 20 or more years - but its use is increasing exponentially and fast becoming expected. Interactive marketing might seem like a complicated and expensive way to get exposure for your brand, but with the evolution of technology and interactive marketing tools, it is now more accessible than ever.

The local ecommerce industry is huge, but it is also highly competitive and generally entered with great expectations. Beguiled by slick advertising and success stories, few ecommerce entrepreneurs have a clear idea of what they're getting themselves into. Some will stay the distance, but many will fall by the wayside, wondering what went wrong when the idea was so good.

Entrepreneurs and business owners are constantly being told to 'do internet marketing' as if it is the most obvious - and easiest - thing in the world to do. The truth is internet marketing means putting in the hard yards to build your brand across platforms using a wide range of tried-and-tested strategies to put your business top of mind when customers come to making purchase decisions.

You've started a business and now you need a website. Considering the proliferation of the internet and the level of connectivity most people have today, this is a common scenario. A new business, or an existing one for that matter, simply can't afford not to be on the web. Often, the web is the primary means by which businesses attract customers and a prime source of new business.

Most people have at least heard of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), but I would venture a guess that most of them think SEO is a magic trick that web gurus do between trips to the coffee machine. That impression can be forgiven as SEO is a complex and challenging field that is often shrouded in mystery. However, unravelling what SEO is and does can be the secret to unlocking profits you may have been missing out on.

The multiplicity of web designers, web design companies, web design platforms and DIY outfits that exist today is enough to confuse even the tech savvy business owner. There will always be a product, platform or service that you're not using and should be using or are using and shouldn't be using. Opinions are about as diverse as the packages and platforms available, so how do you choose?