Different Types of Software Applications

Software development for businesses has become increasingly necessary, to assist with the smooth running of day to day processes. Software can be totally flexible – you can either purchase an off the shelf product, or create a customised software application. Fully bespoke software applications allow for a much greater – and cheaper – ability to modify further down the line, and work more easily with business expansion. Your business plan can guide you as to what would be the better option.

I’ve listed below, some different types of software applications available;

• Word Processing software
• Database software
• Spreadsheet software
• Multimedia Software
• Presentation software
• Enterprise software
• Information worker software
•  Educational software
• Simulation software
• Content Access software
• Application suites

Other Types of Software

Off-the-shelf software applications are generally licensed and not sold. This means that the user purchases a single license of the software, but not the license itself. This can work well for many businesses.

• ‘Freeware.’ Some of these applications can be downloaded, copied and used. However, their use is limited.
• ‘Shareware.’ Free to download, but you eventually have to pay for continued use.
• Need to be installed on the hard drive of your computer for use, such as a data management processor, word processor, or spreadsheet software.
•  One of the most effective software ‘Anti-virus’ runs online. No need to download, use it online.

Benefits

Software applications acquire numerous benefits.

• Cost Effective – An efficient software application saves money by carrying out different tasks simultaneously. For example, creating customer contacts, filling in time sheets, raising invoices and quotes are done by using a single business management software.
•  Keep track of progress- You can check employee’s status, project details, and updates.
• Allows Flexibility- With many software applications, you can access the reports and information about your business from anywhere, and from any device – whether it be a tablet, a smartphone, or a PC.

Software applications provide many benefits for both SMEs and large corporations. Finding the right softwaredevelopment for your business can improve processes and efficiencies, leading to an increase in productivity. Of course, you need to invest up front, but the financial return is always far greater than the initial outlay.

Types of IT support Services for Small Businesses

With ever increasing competition, every business strives to be the best in their market sector and stand apart from the crowd. To help facilitate this, they need an efficient and trouble-free computer network. Hiring IT professionals for the setting-up and maintaining of systems is more cost effective than hiring someone full-time and adding them to your payroll.

Types of IT Support

• Network Setup and Services- If you own a small business and you do not have the knowledge to set up a network, then you need a qualified network administrator service. Their main role is to streamline some of your software processes in order to achieve efficient business functionality.
• Network Security- Network security is of paramount importance for businesses, a necessity for every company. When you hire an IT support provider you can be rest assured that your network will stay up-to-date with the latest firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and latest security patches, which secure your business critical data.
• End-user and Help desk Support- For the small business owner, Help desk support can be an additional drain on financial resources, but it’s a crucial part of maintaining business stability. You need to consider what would happen if your systems crashed – what impact would it make to your bottom line? How much money would you lose while you were offline and non-operational? When you factor this in, you soon realise and appreciate the importance of having a reliable IT Support service. Some people are proactive, and some reactive – it’s like homes that get burgled; people generally only install an alarm after they have had something taken. Can your business afford to lose customer data, or details of financial transactions, or company finances that you need to keep safe for tax purposes?
• Data Recovery and Backup- This is another critical feature of IT support, which every business requires. A reliable IT Support provider can backup important files and data before disaster hits. For protecting small business data, cloud based solutions are becoming ever more popular, as they keep costs to a minimum, and you can access your data from anywhere in the world. Your business can’t afford to lose details of customer leads, or email trails – therefore backing up your information is crucial to the longevity and success of your business.
• Email Services - Email is one of the most crucial means to communicate and every business relies on it. A reliable IT Support provider can help you to manage and protect your email systems at minimal cost, and furnishes you with an efficient and responsive customer service.

Hiring a reputable IT support company can be hugely beneficial for your business. Having the right IT tech support ensures a professional diagnosis and resolution of any issues within your IT environment. 

Digital Marketing vs SEO – What’s the Difference?

Digital Marketing is a broad term that brings together all types of marketing that can function both online and offline, and as such, has transcended the original term, SEO, which now comes under the Digital Marketing umbrella. Over the last few years, Digital has become a staple requirement for many businesses, and will continue to do so. This marketing technique blends many different elements, such as SEO, On Page, Off Page, and Social Media, email newsletters, and pay per click (PPC) advertising via Google and Bing.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - You can either call it a science or an art, SEO can help your website to gain visibility on the search engines. This can be done by increasing the volume of quality keywords on a page, or ranking for a particular keyword. There are different kinds of SEO techniques available, such as, outreach, blogging, link building, on-site technical analysis and improvement.
• On-page- This is one of the most important processes and should therefore be the bedrock of your online marketing campaign. On-page goes far beyond specifying Meta tags and keyword densities. It determines the success or failure of your overall internet marketing campaign. Optimising the URL structure, the menu navigation, and internal linking improve the ranking of your website will make it easy for search engines to crawl through and file your web pages. And don’t forget to add a sitemap!
• Off-Page- Done properly, this technique can be used to improve your website’s position in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Off-page SEO includes, link building via social media accounts, directory listings and social bookmarking.
•  Social Media- A social media strategy is the process of gaining the attention of the visitors using “click bait” (a sentence that persuades the reader to click on your website link, such as a sales offer) and bringing them to your website through the varying social media channels. The main focal part of this marketing strategy is therefore content, as you are looking to encourage users to share your posts amongst their friends and family.

If you are looking for Digital Marketing services, get in touch with the team at Five Rivers today. In addition to customised marketing campaigns, we offer many web services, including, web development and design, software development, and IT Support.