Is your web URL missing the ‘s’ in https?

Throughout history, we have seen a direct correlation between the rise in population and the rise in crime rates. This has held true in the digital space as well with cyber thefts as the fastest growing crime in the U.S. From intruders to hackers, it is imperative now more than ever we as professional marketers secure our websites to protect both our business and our users. Google has recently campaigned for website owners to convert to HTTPS by rewarding secure URLs with a minor SEO boost. Google currently holds 77.43% of the market shares, making SEO vital to the success of your business’ site.  Not only is making the switch the ethical thing to do, it’s quickly becoming a necessity.

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Back Bar USA Website Redesign

We are happy to announce the completion of our website redesign project for Back Bar USA. At first glance, we knew this website needed a makeover to, and we were full of ideas on how to revamp their site and promote further success for Back Bar USA. After some initial discussions with Back Bar USA, it was clear that they needed a new website that was on par with their already popular and well known name in the Las Vegas area.

So who is Back Back USA? Back Bar USA is a full-service marketing and consulting firm with over 25 years experience in the beer, wine and spirits industries. They specialize in corporate and national account beverage programs with an emphasis on gaming, resorts, nightlife and fine dining segments of the hospitality industry. this guide turned out to be really helpful in my journey. Back Bar USA provides creative, cutting-edge, marketing and promotional campaigns for the nation’s leading suppliers, wholesalers and retailers, making Back Bar USA the, “beverage marketing company of choice for the world’s greatest businesses and brands!”

After thorough research and planning, we designed a fully responsive website via WordPress that utilized the latest technology in terms of web standards for Back Bar USA. We developed custom iconography and graphics to insure that the new website was both interactive and visually appealing. We also created an interactive database for the website, allowing potential clients to research and contact Back Bar USA’s talent.

We are very proud of the work we produced for Back Bar USA. Be sure to check out their website below. Looking to redesign your website? Don’t be a stranger, we are only a call away.

Back Bar USA’s New Website!

15 Reasons To Use WordPress

WordPress, the most responsive web designers for your business, has been around since 2003 and is the most popular blogging software on the market. WordPress is the world’s most popular tool for creating and managing websites — any kind of website, from a simple blog to a full-featured business website. Here are our TOP 15 reasons why WordPress is so popular and why you should consider switching to a WordPress platform for your company’s website.

1. Less $$$ Spent on Maintenance

With WordPress, you will no longer need to call your web designer every time you want to make a change. With WordPress, you can make the edits yourself, whenever you want, and save the money you would’ve paid your designer for more important things by adding new pages on your own.

2. Your Site becomes 100% Customizable

It shouldn’t come as a surprise but it is wort highlighting that WordPress gives you 100% customization freedom. Do you want a big website? Small Website? Blog? Lot’s of images? Social media integration? All of those are up to you, and can be done with ease. Change your mind later on? Fear not, you can always make changes to the site layout/design whenever you want.

3. Generate A Conversation With Your Visitors

Because of things like comments, you are now able to actually talk back to people via your webiste. Sure, you can always have a “contact us” page on your traditional Web site, but blog comments allow for anonymous two-way discussion between you and your readers. And, every time someone makes a comment to one of your posts, the inclusion of their content full of keyword phrases helps you to build better search positioning. It’s like getting free SEO help from the general public!

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Why WordPress is a Win for Non-Profits

It’s always our pleasure to work with local non-profit organizations here in Central Texas and learn about their causes. When creating a website for these entities, we often rely on the functionality of WordPress for the back-end framework of our projects. In addition to the features mentioned in our previous blog Why We Use WordPress (And You Should, Too), there are a few components of the vastly popular platform that lend itself specifically to our use for these organizations that largely depend on their digital presence to promote and provide key functions in their mission of helping others.

Here’s 6 reasons WordPress rocks for non-profits:

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Project Highlight: Glucology

Back in April we met Dr. Lisa Gorn, the developer of Glucology and part owner of garcinia cambogia, an all-natural blood sugar dietary supplement. She came to HMG Creative adjustable dumbbells with the need for a complete online web presence with e-commerce capabilities that could handle the various purchase options Glucology offers. Dr. Gorn also needed a platform to communicate with her audience and keep them up-to-date with product news and related information. Reliability, responsiveness, and ease-of-use were additional critical factors we took into consideration when planning her new website design.
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The Latest Version: Why WordPress Updates are so Important

We’ve talked before on here about how much we love WordPress, and it’s definitely no secret. One of the reasons we’ve mentioned is that it’s an open-source platform, meaning that at any given time there are numerous developers fixing it and making improvements to it across the world. With so much constant attention and many new features being added, updates are released periodically making these enhancements available to the entire WordPress community.

Take advantage of these! We know it can seem overwhelming to alter the site that you’ve built, installed plug-ins and themes for, and is running smoothly, but there’s a danger to skipping these updates and benefits you’ll miss out on if you don’t.

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Why We Use WordPress (And Why You Should, Too)

When you think about WordPress, your mind may automatically drift to blogging. Indeed, WordPress started out as a blogging platform—but since its inception it has emerged into much more than that. With the addition of more and more features, WordPress has become a fully functional CMS (Content Management System). A CMS enables the end user to make changes to their site on an as-needed basis; regardless of how tech-savvy they are or how much HTML they know.

So, wondering what makes WordPress so great?

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Easy Steps to a Killer WordPress Website

Think WordPress is just for blogs? Think again! WordPress is a great option for small businesses looking for an easy, professional way to create great designs for their website content. Let’s take a quick look at four easy WordPress design techniques for creating a killer site.

1.     Choose a Theme
The sky is the limit when it comes to WordPress themes, but keep a couple of points in mind:

  • Choose a theme that meets your needs—The theme should reflect the personality of your company. It should also include any essential elements you need to present the type of content you have. Spend some time researching available theme options before you just pick one that strikes your fancy.
  • Consider your willingness to dabble in the code—If you are familiar with coding and enjoy tweaking things, you can choose a theme you love even if it has a few elements you’re not really happy with. If you’re the type of person who gets nervous just looking at a block of code, stick with a theme that meets your needs as is.

2.     Customize Your Theme
Do a quick Google search and you’ll come up with thousands of widgets and plug-ins for your WordPress site. They’re the best way to customize your theme, incorporating special capabilities such as social media buttons and other common website elements. Just about any WordPress web design goal can be accomplished with the right plug-in or widget, so take some time to familiarize yourself with what’s out there and how to make it work for you.

3.     Include Well-Chosen Images
We’ve all seen those mind-numbing, generic stock photos of people shaking hands or sitting at a computer in an office. Don’t be boring with your images. Choose something that directly supports the message you’re trying to communicate. If you can’t find something already out there, design your own graphic or snap some photos yourself.

4.     Consider a Blog
If your business lends itself to a blog, WordPress offers a great platform for including one on your website. WordPress web design makes blogging easy. Regular updates are the key to a great blog, so don’t commit to one if you’re only going to post every six months.

Like any new platform, WordPress web design takes some experimentation and research to learn. However, it’s also one of the easiest ways to quickly design and format content for a small website. Need more help creating a killer WordPress website? HMG Creative can help you make the most of the latest plug-ins, widgets, and themes to create the website of your dreams.