The Importance of Responsive Themes

 Every business’s website needs to be able to respond to the screen of its users.  Whether the business is a small, local business or an international conglomerate, it is important that their website is easily viewable by all their potential clients.  There are many dangers that businesses expose themselves to if they fail to integrate a responsive design.  They may lose market share, decrease conversion rates, and fall further down in organic search results.  Businesses need to understand just how drastically a responsive design can influence the success they can develop from their online presence.

If a user has trouble finding what they need on a business’s site, 61% of them will immediately move on to the next site (Ewer, 2016). And worse, more than half of them say that it decreases the odds of them doing business with that first company in the future following a bad user experience (Ewer, 2016).  Businesses cannot afford to risk losing 61% of any market share.  This is especially true of the mobile market because having a responsive design increases conversion rates.  Local businesses need to be mindful of this because nearly four in five local, mobile searches end in an offline purchase at a local business (Hill, 2015).  And 63% of shoppers make purchases based on research that they’ve done on their mobile devices (Ewer, 2016).  And for online purchases, nearly half of all smartphone users have made purchases on the phone that they use to research products (What is importance, 2016). 

The way that internet users have been accessing the internet is moving more towards mobile and has recently overtaken desktop usage (Ewer, 2016).  Mobile internet usage has increased by 16% since 2010 (What is importance, 2016).  And though users were visiting sites on their mobile devices in a vertical view at a rate of only 5% in 2010, that rate increased by 24% over the course of 5 years (Ewer, 2016).  In 2014, 25% of internet users only accessed the internet through mobile devices (Rampton, 2014). 

Another point that businesses need to keep in mind is how the internet itself treats responsive designs.  Most of a business’s site traffic comes from search engine results and social media (Hill, 2015).  Search engines prefer sites that have responsive designs and the way they display search results reflect that, with “Mobile-Friendly” designs having priority over other sites (Ewer, 2016).  It is also important that the business’s website description itself is mobile-friendly because 25% of all searches are done on mobile devices (Hill, 2015).  Having a responsive design is one of the easiest ways to increase a business’s placement in organic search results (Rampton, 2014).  The other major source of traffic, social media, also leans heavily on responsive sites.  Since 80% of Facebook users only use Facebook through a mobile device (Hill, 2015), if they travel to an advertised site they will expect that site to be responsive as well.   

Every business’s website needs to be responsive.  Without a responsive website, businesses expose themselves to the danger of losing many potential customers, decreasing conversion rates, and losing ground in search results.  By adapting a mobile-friendly site, businesses can increase their ranking in organic search results, increase their conversion rates, and retain and gain new customers.

Does a Small Business Need to be Online?

Every business needs a website.  This is not the first time that this has been said (Visser, 2015; Burgoyne, 2007; “8 Reasons,” n.d.”) and it is unlikely to be the last time either.  But business owners still resist with arguments on why their business doesn’t need an online presence (Okyle, 2016).  A few of these arguments are that it costs too much, that their customers already know them, or that they don’t have room for the additional growth that an online presence would bring.  This paper will work to counter those arguments.

One of the first discussions that business owners have about whether to establish an online presence is the cost to do so (“How Much”, 2014). While it is true that there are several costly avenues to creating, and maintaining a website (“Domain Name Pricing”, n.d.).  However, there are many free options to creating an online presence as well.  A common method is to set up a business page on Facebook.com or Twitter.com.  Both these methods cost nothing to establish a quick and easily accessible online presence.  Business owners do have the option to upgrade to include additional information or further advertise, but that is entirely at their discretion (“Buying Facebook Ads,” n.d.; “Twitter Ads Pricing,” n.d.).  This can be a very lucrative option because a 152% return on investment is considered typical for Facebook advertising (Grabowski, 2015).

Some business owners may argue that their customer population already knows them (“Small Business Websites,” 2016).  They may argue this because they’ve been a part of the community for several years, or because their traditional advertising seems to be successful.  But, the reality is that over 3 billion people are active internet users today (“Year-On-Year,” 2016).  While their billboard may draw a lot of attention on the local highway, adding an online presence that would be accessible to those 3 billion users would surely find a few potential customers that would not have known about the business otherwise.  Twitter alone has reported over 300 million monthly users (“Twitter MAU,” n.d.) and Facebook carries more influence with over 1.8 billion monthly users (“Number of Facebook Users,” n.d.).  Business owners looking at long-term success should not ignore the potential marketability that these two websites offer them through completely free accounts as mentioned previously.

            Some businesses may look at this potential market and think that they have enough clientele already.  They may feel that they are operating at capacity and can’t possibly take on more clients as it is.  The thought of an additional potential 300 million clients could be overwhelming on its own.  However, an online presence does not always need to be used for marketing purposes.  A website has several other uses (“18 Benefits,” 2017).  One example is customer service.  Herschel Supply Co. used their website to address customer service needs and increased their customer satisfaction by 20% (Cisnero, 2014).  Creating this avenue for customers to reach out can also improve brand loyalty because customers can see that the business is publicly acknowledging their complaints or positive reviews.

Every business needs a website.  Even those businesses that feel that they can’t afford an online presence have avenues available to them to at least get their foot in the door at no cost.  Businesses that feel like they’re already well-established are missing potential market share that could be accessed through a quickly built website.  And those few businesses that don’t feel a need for additional growth can use a website as an additional tool to better serve their customers and maintain brand loyalty.

References
1.      Visser, P. (2015, January 15). Why Do I Need a Website? Here are 21 Reasons. Retrieved February 17, 2017, from https://bigmouthmarketing.co/why-do-i-need-a-website/
2.      18 Benefits of a Website for Small Businesses. (2017, January 18). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.ecotonedigital.com/content-marketing/18-benefits-of-a-website-for-small-businesses/
3.      8 reasons why your business NEEDS a professional website! (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://kazdesignworks.ca/8reasons.html
4.      Buying Facebook ads. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/how-much-facebook-ads-cost
5.      Cisnero, K. (2014, July 03). 3 Small Businesses That Found Social Media Success. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/small-business-social-media-success-stories/
6.      Burgoyne, M. (2007). Does Your Small Business REALLY Need a Website? (2007). Retrieved February 17, 2017, from http://www.soswebdesign.com/webpackages/website-10-reasons.cfm
7.      Domain Name Pricing. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://my.bluehost.com/cgi/help/pricing-domains
8.      Grabowski, P. (2015, March 18). 5 Ways to Generate More Ecommerce Sales with Facebook Ads. Retrieved February 17, 2017, from https://adespresso.com/academy/blog/5-ways-more-ecommerce-sales-facebook-ads/
9.      Year-On-Year Growth How The Digital World. (2016, January 05). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.slideshare.net/happymarketer/40-inspiring-social-media-case-studies/2-YEARONYEARGROWTHHOW_THE_DIGITAL_WORLD_HAS
10.  How Much Does It Cost To Build A Website In 2014? (2014, December 04). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.executionists.com/cost-to-build-websites-2014/
11.  Number of Facebook users worldwide 2008-2016 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/
12.  Okyle, C. (2016, February 19). It's 2016, But Nearly Half of U.S. Small Businesses Still Don't Have a Website. Retrieved February 17, 2017, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/271068
13.  Small Business Websites in 2016: A Survey. (2016, February 17). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://clutch.co/web-designers/resources/small-business-websites-2016-survey
14.  Twitter Ads pricing. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://business.twitter.com/en/help/overview/ads-pricing.html
15.  Twitter MAU worldwide 2016 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/282087/number-of-monthly-active-twitter-users/

I cannot change the winds...

It has been (once again) a very long time since I have bothered sitting down and penning my thoughts.  But, a thought struck me and I felt that I should at least get it out into some medium before it left me.  Here is what has been going on.

Recently, I took a position as a car salesman.  Admittedly, this was far from the career path that I had in mind, but it has been educational.  I've learned many lessons that I never thought I would learn from a car lot and some that I could learn nowhere else.  From the mundane and trivial to the essential.

Some of the things I have learned, as stated before, are not of too great value.  I can back into almost any parking space.  I can differentiate a Camry from a Corolla by sight almost effortlessly.

Some things have some small value to them, but only at certain times.  Those times being, when you are shopping for a car.  I can tell you the engine size of most of Toyota's models, along with horsepower, torque, and towing capacity.  I can explain the benefits of a VVT-i transmission.  I can elaborate on the Hybrid versus a regular gas engine.

Other things carry much greater weight even beyond the car lot.  I have learned how important it can be to maintain a good credit history.  I have learned that identity theft is still a very real thing and have seen it dash someone to pieces.  I have seen how practical a good understanding of basic math can save a person, in some instances, thousands of dollars.  My understanding of interest and money factors have expanded far beyond what I thought I had gained from my classes in school.

I have learned about treachery, but not from the source I expected.  I have watched people, who most would consider to be "good" people, lie, back-stab, and undercut others over dollars and cents.  I have seen far too many promises go unhonored.  I have seen friends cheat each other.  Surprisingly, I have seen this happen far more often at the hands of customers, than salespeople.  All in the name of "getting a good deal."

I have learned about honesty, integrity and respect.  Their value cannot be overstated.  I have watched as people have tossed these aside to save a few dollars, or to earn a few more.

I have learned about communication.  It is astounding how quickly a relationship can shatter because of some small information that goes unsaid, but is assumed to be understood.

However, there is one thing that surprised me to discover in a Toyota dealership.  The importance of attitude.  I have watched salespeople who have been successful, crumble from exhaustion and burnout.  I have seen the opposite, as well.  I have seen people who struggled and stretched everyday just to gain a mastery of product knowledge become great salespeople because every time they saw a new person walking onto the lot, they saw a car buyer.

Though I cannot change the winds that blast me, I can move my sails.  Though I cannot stop the waves that thrash me, I stand at the helm.  Though the sea may rage all around me and toss me to and fro, only I steer the ship. And I am unsinkable.

Thinking again

I haven't had much of a chance to just sit down and start typing in a while. I haven't had something specifically that I've wanted to talk about either. Right now, I'm just letting my mind wander and letting my fingers do the work. If my fingers were a little faster, I guess you would have substantially more to read on this page.

Something that struck me just a few days ago was in a class that I had on the New Testament. I want to preclude this with the fact that I think my professor in that class is amazing. All too often, teachers feel that they must stick to the curriculum that they've laid out and are terrified of deviating lectures from anything besides the material that they've planned. This professor is just the opposite. He comes in with a small handful of things that he wants to get across, but instead of dictating the course of the lecture, he merely directs it. He is more than willing to just step aside and let the students discuss what they think something means.

Last week in class we were studying somewhere in John or Matthew, I'm no longer sure which, but as is par for the course, we deviated onto something else. That's when a very different feeling entered the room. This professor is a bit of a prankster and definitely mischievous, but he quickly recognizes moments where it isn't appropriate and acts accordingly. We were talking about forgiveness, and someone had brought up a personal experience that led to them forgiving a friend for something, and asked something along the lines of why it is difficult for some people to forgive others.

My professor paused, and you could tell that he was seriously debating whether or not to share something. And he started his story with something like this. I'll paraphrase as I don't have an ideal eidetic memory. He said, "Let me tell you what my biggest challenge with the Gospel is now."

I want to clarify something here. This man has served in several callings throughout the church. He served a mission in... I believe Japan, but I'm not sure. He has been a bishop at BYU and had several other positions of leadership within the church. So when he said that, his normally jocular attitude disappeared.

He said, "One of the things that I am struggling most with is learning to believe that the Atonement applies to everyone. That God really does love everyone."

He told us about his daughter, who had happily married the man of her dreams. This man was, seemingly, perfect for her. He had served a mission, had a strong testimony and was getting a good education. They had been married for a few years with a daughter and had a son on the way.

He told us that everything about them seemed wonderful.

Then one day, his son-in-law came home from work, looked at his wife and told her flatly, "I'm done. I don't want to be married to you. I don't want to be a part of the church. I don't want to live here. I don't want to have kids. I don't want to see you again. Tell the kids that I'm dead, because they'll never see me again." Grabbed a few things and left without another word. A few weeks later, his son was born.

I'm not sure how long ago this happened, but it must have been recently based on the pain you could see in my professor.

At this point, he paused. He wasn't looking at the class. He slowly raised his head.

He continued to talk about his daughter. He said that he has never met anyone as strong as she is. She has handled this better than he could have imagined. Although she is hurt, she has been a great example for him and loves her children dearly and is doing all that she can for them.

He doesn't understand why this man did this, or what could have led him to this decision. He hasn't seen him since. He admitted that there have been times where he wished that he could bring physical harm to this boy. To take revenge for the pain that this boy has caused his daughter. I noticed that not once did he say that he hated this boy or even disliked him. I could tell from his demeanor that he had loved the boy and had been glad that his daughter had chosen him.

He transitioned from this back to God's love for all of His children. He testified that he knew God loved him as well as this man. He talked about how he didn't know why God had let His daughter marry this man, but he mentioned that he believes that God gives all of us our best chance for happiness, where we are most likely to make the best choices we can. He said, "Maybe he needed a woman as strong as my daughter to have that chance to choose to be happy."

Now, I started writing this yesterday but didn't have time to finish, so I'm just getting back to it. I'm sorry if my thoughts don't seem as organized, but that will just have to be how it is.

When he finished this story, I could feel the empathy pouring out from his students. Not one of the students in my class, myself included, have breached the age of 30, and none of us have daughters who have been left by their husbands, but love transcends experience. I also imagine that many of the people that were there had at least been close to someone who had been hurt in the same manner.

I have.

He finished the story just as the class was ending, and we left with a much more somber attitude than usual. I kept reflecting on his story and just why he had shared it, as well as my own experiences. I know that my life has not been one of extreme difficulty relative to those who truly suffer, but I would not ever say that it has been easy either.

I have watched friends descend into madness. And when I say madness, I don't necessarily mean so in a psycho-pathological sense. Rather I mean so in watching them fall from standards that they had set for themselves and others. I saw some who openly scorn activities that they saw those close to them perform fall into the same practices. Some examples include drinking to excess, sexual promiscuity, actively attacking what others believe, and others that I won't continue to list here.

I have seen some who have done the opposite. Rising above the activities that shamed them and escaping. The trail is often arduous, but of those that I have seen that were able to conquer these vices I have watched as their misery became joy and their shame faded. These people amaze me.

I'll admit that I've had a lot of trouble forgiving people, and not just those that have directly attacked me, but those that have influenced my friends to choose poorly. I feel like I've actually had more trouble with the latter. But the chance to listen to my professor the other day really helped me. As I heard him talk about how difficult this was for his daughter and for himself, and to see the real effort that he's been putting into letting go of what this son of God did to his daughter, it has helped me let go of what others have done to my friends.

Admittedly, this has not been easy for me. I have been dedicating more of my prayers to letting go of things that I know I had no control over and no influence on, but that have still affected me. I tried indifference at first, but I was incapable of that. I tried to just ignore it, but I could not. I got angry, and that did nothing but to agitate the situation. I tried joking about it, but that felt hollow. I've found that the only way I've been able to deal with this is through real forgiveness. I know I'm not done, as at this moment the wrong thought can still bring a spike to my pulse and blood into my arms, but I am progressing.

I am striving to understand that God loves those people who have hurt me, and that he understands where they are coming from and why they did what they did. Not gonna lie though. odds are that I'll never like these people. I'm still at the point where I wish that I could just punch them hard enough to wipe out their influence, as nonsensical as that may sound.

I wish that I could say that that last sentence was not true, but I will not lie about this. Forgiveness is powerful, but strenuous and I am reaching for it as quickly as I can. I am seeking to understand that the Atonement can reach these people and that someday they'll stand before the judgment bar and know just as everyone else will know that Jesus is the Christ. This is hard for me to imagine as it is so distant, but when I try to make it salient and real now, it has made it easier for me to deal with people here and now.

In the end, I'm not sure why I decided to write this post at all, and I'm not even sure if I'm glad that I did. But here it is, and now it's yours.

In Amintire

O, Blaze, imi vin greu cuvintele pe care vreau sa le scriu aici. Acum, cincisprezece ani, ne-am intalnit. Te tineau in bratele mele si la moment inca nu ti-ai deschis ochii. Dar, la acel moment, i-ai deschis stand in bratele mele, si eu eram prima persoana pe care ai vazut-o in viata si de atunci stiam c-aveai sa faci o parte in familia noastra.

Sase saptamani mai tarziu, stateai in spatele masinii noastre si veneai acasa cu noi. Ce minune a fost. In prima seara, ti-era frica. Tin minte foarte bine, fiindca te vaitai si nu stiai unde sa te duci. Dar noi te iubeam de la inceput.

Erai peste tot. Si cu timp, mancai tot ceea ce vedeai. Legos, baloane, chiar si banii lui Ben.

Cand erai mic, iti placea zapada! Am face bulgari de zapada si fugeai dupe ele incercand sa le prinzi! Ce bucurie am vazut in ochii tai fugand.

Am avut vecini care au avut si ei caini cu care ai avut multe batalii prin gardul nostru. Si stii bine ca ai castigat de fiecare data. Erau mici, n-aveau nici o sansa.

Cand ne-am mutat, stateam pe podeaua noastra si era o musca care te urma. Te-ai suparat si cu o singura laba, ai ucis-o si a cazut mort. Ce m-ai minunat.

Ne jucam, mai ales cu lanterna noastra care te confundea intotdeauna. Vroiai cu tot sufletul tau sa prinzi lumina! Ce mult am ras.

Esti fratiorul meu cel mai mic. Ai fost, si vei fi in continuare preferatul meu frate cu patru picioare. Te-am iubit, te iubesc, te vei iubi in continuare. Vazundu-te azi era greu. Am plans, si n-am mai plans de peste 4 ani. Dar stiu unde esti, si cu cine esti, si asta ma consoleaza.

Pana ce ne vom mai vedea, fratiorule. S-odihnesti in pace. Domnul sa te aiba-n grija sa.

Me, according to urbandictionary

Ryan: (definition #9)

An Irish name meaning "little king". A person worthy of the name Ryan is indeed a person of true royalty.

A handsome gentleman with a charming smile. Has the greatest respect for life and people, especially women. A great sense of humor, easy going and modest. An even greater sense of adventure. But has been known to fall to grips of an adrenaline lust, often risking himself for a thrill seek.

A person that believes in all people, until they have proven otherwise, and even then might still believe in you. His mind is amazing, slightly insane but pure genius, the only force stronger is his heart. To be loved by him, is to be… Truly... Loved.

Loves a challenge, but often doesn't often accept the reward. Gives his heart and soul to the people he cares for. He is either on top of the world smiling ear to ear or underneath it trying to lift still offering an occasional smirk.

He can be explosive so don’t shake too much. But otherwise can truly accomplish anything.

Synonymous with Perfection…. Perfection is defined by its flaws.

A great Leader, consider him yours.

Wow, That was Amazing! Well, I mean I should have known, he is Ryan...

A cathartic rant that didn't help purge anything

I'm at work. So, consider yourself warned, this post may be interrupted constantly and my train of thought will probably seem sporadic but it's really because I had to stop, and I kept thinking but couldn't type it out for you. These gaps will be marked by paragraph breaks, the rest will be kept in one.

Deal with it. It's my blog anyway.

Recent events have brought a lot of things to mind that I have kept back for a long time.

Forgive and forget, right? But still, that doesn't mean justice doesn't play a role. If someone hurts you, yes, you should forgive them. But that doesn't mean you have to keep them in your life. If they truly damage you, that's all the more reason to forgive them, deal with it emotionally, but you shouldn't subject yourself to being in a position where they can hurt you again.

Cutting people out of your life may seem difficult, but frankly, some people just don't deserve your company.

Why does it seem like logic is never enough for some people? You can present information soundly, with all the backing evidence. You can be objective. You can have proof. You can show them everything they ask for. You can answer their questions. And yet they leave unsatisfied, and you just get frustrated.

Why are some people so closed off to change? Life is progression. Being satisfied with where you are is ridiculous. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" only works with objects. People are perpetually broken. Unless they are perfect. And who is? I hate that I can't make someone see the truth. But at the same time, I'm grateful that they have to figure it out on their own. Even if it drives me crazy when they just choose not to.

I've never wanted to hurt someone like that before.

Ha, my mind is still racing. Half of me just wants to go on a rage, the other half wants to just walk away and the rest of me is still in control.

Why would anyone consciously choose to influence others to do something that's wrong? Fine, some people don't really know what's right all the time. But there's always that knowledge. Murder is bad. Telling a lie is bad. Hitting someone is bad. Pre-marital sex is bad. You get that sick feeling when you know you've done wrong. But here's the thing. If you do it often enough, you'll kill that feeling. You'll move past it. Doesn't make it right, just means you've gotten used to it. You won't feel it anymore. You've accepted it. And it'll take more than a freight train to knock enough sense into you for you to realize that it is STILL wrong. And needs fixing. But sometimes, and rarely, that feeling comes creeping back. Don't ignore it. Deal with it. Fix it.

How could anyone do that to someone?

That talk he gave yesterday changed my mind about some of the decisions I was on the border of making. Though, part of me really doubts that I would have done the other. That talk shoved a bit more perspective into my head. It was one that I needed to hear. That doesn't seem to happen often.

Everything's broken. But nothing is irreparable.

Just because people are perpetually broken does not mean that they are beyond repair. Some are, and I've met a few of those. But they are the ultimate exceptions. As long as you can change, as long as you want to try, you are not irreparable.

It kills me to watch people give up on themselves.

I get that people get comfortable where they are at, that they don't feel like they have change. But change is essential. And change doesn't mean moving or trying a new deodorant or taking a vacation. Change is about personal development; finding flaws in ourselves and going about fixing them, or seeing where they came from and dealing with the emotions behind them.

Too late, I'm invested.

Fearing change is normal, but normal is rarely right. Change isn't easy. But it's worth it. Change to become something better than what you are.

I hate feeling like I can't fix something.

Independence is such a weird idea. Most of it comes from pride. "I can fix it myself." Bull. No one can really be completely independent. And if there is someone out there who is that way, then they're missing out. Everyone needs help sometime.

Trust is such a weird concept. It's immeasurable, but at the same time you can say, "I trust so-and-so more than what's-her-face," without any hesitation. How is it really earned anyway? And how do people go about giving it away to some and not others? What really makes a person trustworthy?

What's wrong with seeing things in black and white? To say that things are never as clear as black and white IS saying that something is as clear as black and white. Sometimes that's just the way things are. I can be bullheaded when I know I'm right. But if I have any reason to doubt, then I'm open to listening to other opinions and ideas. But when something directly contradicts what I know is the truth, I will fight it tooth and nail.

I am unkind when I'm angry. But at least I recognize it. And I don't get angry often.

I still haven't bought the new Disturbed album... Clearly, there's something wrong with me.

I can't imagine why people think that they have to carry all of their problems on their own. That is unhealthy. Part of me just wants to grab them and show them that there are people that you can trust with your problems.

I want to break something.