Latest news with #webdesign
Hospitality Net
26-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Conversion-First Design: What Every Hotel Website Must Fix in 2025
Intro In today's highly competitive hospitality market, a hotel's website is far more than a digital brochure. It is a key sales tool, brand ambassador, and often the first impression a guest has of your property. This article covers common web design and content mistakes and offers practical solutions to improve conversions of your website and boost your online presence in 2025 and beyond. Technical Foundations: Speed, Mobile, and Security Ensure Fast Loading Time Studies show that websites loading longer than three seconds experience significantly higher bounce rates. Many hotel sites still use large, uncompressed images or outdated booking engines that slow them down. Compressing images using modern formats like WebP and implementing lazy loading can speed up your site and improve guest retention. Ensure Fast Loading Time— Source: Exely Optimize for Mobile Devices Over two-thirds of bookings in Asia come from mobile devices. Websites that are not fully responsive or hard to navigate on small screens lose potential revenue. That's why mobile-first design, with thumb-friendly buttons and simple booking steps, is extremely important. For example, some hotel groups saw nearly 20% more mobile bookings after making navigation easier to use. Optimize for Mobile Devices— Source: Exely Secure Your Site with Certificates Security warnings scare off potential guests. Still, many hotel websites in CIS countries don't have proper SSL/TLS certificates. By automating certificate renewals and ensuring all third-party widgets use secure protocols, hotels can prevent browser alerts and build trust with visitors. Secure Your Site with Certificates — Source: Exely User Experience: Navigation, Booking Engine, and Scarcity Signals Create Clear, Intuitive Navigation Confusing menus make visitors give up. Research shows many hotel websites bury crucial information like room rates under multiple clicks. Using sticky menus with persistent 'Room Rates' and 'Special Offers' tabs helps guests find what they need fast and without hassle. Integrate the Booking Engine Booking engines that redirect guests to external pages or look different from the main site lead to lost bookings. Embedded booking widgets showing real-time availability and matching the website's style make the process smoother. For example, some hotels managed to increase booking by more than 30% after investing in a booking engine. Use Genuine Scarcity Signals Messages like 'Only 1 room left!' when plenty of rooms are available hurt trust. Synchronizing scarcity cues with PMS data makes urgency credible and encourages bookings without pushing guests away. Content Strategy: Localization and Visuals Localizate for Markets Many travelers want to see prices in their local currency and read content in their local language. Offering geolocated content that switches currency and provides payment info based on where guests come from significantly improves user experience and boosts conversion rates. Leverage High-Quality Visuals Professional photos matter. According to the study, hotels that show more than 20 high-quality photos per room see up to 136% more bookings. Pictures help guests imagine their stay and often make them willing to pay more. Adding video tours and virtual walkthroughs further immerses visitors and deepens their interest. How to Make Your Hotel Website Special Even with a fast and easy-to-use website, standing out in crowded markets requires creativity. Here's how to make your property different. Create Location-Specific Guides Build free practical guides that solve guest pain points. City hotels: Offer downloadable PDFs like '5 Hidden Cafés Locals Love' or 'Weekend Walking Tour Map.' Beach resorts: Share guides on snorkeling spots, sunset views, or family activitie. Example: A hotel in Baku increased bookings by 18% after adding a '24 Hours in Baku' guide with metro tips and restaurant highlights. Highlight What Makes You Different Most hotel websites use the same words like 'luxurious' and 'excellent service.' Instead, highlight what makes your hotel special. Heritage properties: Share the building's history in a video. Eco-resorts: Show certifications like Earth Check or Green Key and explain how guests support local communities. Boutique hotels: Introduce staff, for example, with a 'Meet Our Chef' activity Leverage Local Partnerships Guests often book tours through others that you can offer yourself. Work with local businesses and share special deals. Mountain hotels: Promote private hiking guides with lunch packs. City hotels: Partner with museums for skip-the-line tickets. Resorts: Offer discounted spa packages combined with nearby restaurants. Conclusion Improving your website's technical performance matters, but true success comes from creativity. Unique content, personalized experiences, and genuine local partnerships turn your site into more than a booking tool. They help you engage guests, build excitement, and earn loyalty. Focus on these elements to make your hotel stand out and attract more bookings. At Exely, we specialize in creating hotel websites that combine effective conversion strategies with memorable branding. Whether you choose a template site or custom development, we make sure your website captures the unique spirit of your property. Anna Belash Chief Marketing Officer Exely
TechCrunch
20-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Stitch is Google's AI-powered tool to help design apps
At the Google I/O 2025 developer conference, Google launched Stitch, an AI-powered tool to help design web and mobile app front ends by generating the necessary UI elements and code. Stitch can be prompted to create app UIs with a few words or even an image, providing HTML and CSS markup for the designs it generates. Users can choose between Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash AI models to power Stitch's code and interface ideation. Stitch lets users choose between Gemini 2.5 Flash and Gemini 2.5 Pro models Image Credits:Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch Stitch arrives as so-called vibe coding — programming using code-generating AI models — continues to grow in popularity. There's a number of large tech startups going after the burgeoning market, including Cursor maker Anysphere, Cognition, and Windsurf. Just last week, OpenAI launched a new assistive coding service called Codex. And yesterday during its Build 2025 kickoff, Microsoft rolled out a series of updates to its GitHub Copilot coding assistant. Stitch is a bit more limited in what it can do compared to some other vibe coding products, but there's a fair amount of customization options. The tool supports directly exporting to Figma and can expose code so that it can be refined and worked on in an IDE. Stitch also lets users fine-tune any of the app design elements it generates. In a demo with TechCrunch, Google product manager Kathy Korevec showed two projects created using Stitch: a responsive mobile UI design for an app for bookworms and a web dashboard for beekeeping. '[Stitch is] where you can come and get your initial iteration done, and then you can keep going from there,' said Korevec. 'What we want to do is make it super, super easy and approachable for people to do that next level of design thinking or that next level of software building for them.' Soon after I/O, Google plans to add a feature that'll allow users to make changes in their UI designs by taking screenshots of the object they want to tweak and annotating it with the modifications they want, Korevec said. She added that while Stitch is reasonably powerful, it isn't meant to be a full-fledged design platform like Figma or Adobe XD. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Stitch lacks the elements that could've made it a full-fledged design platform Image Credits:Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch Alongside Stitch, Google has expanded access to Jules, its AI agent aimed at helping developers fix bugs in their code. Now in public beta, the tool helps developers understand complex code, create pull requests on GitHub, and handle certain backlog items and programming tasks. In a separate demo, Korevec showed Jules upgrading a website running the deprecated version 16 to 22. Jules cloned the site's codebase in a clean virtual machine and shared a 'plan' for the upgrade, which Korevec was then prompted to approve. Once the upgrade was completed, Korevec asked Jules to verify that the website still worked correctly — which Jules did. Jules currently uses Gemini 2.5 Pro, but Korevec told TechCrunch that users will be able to switch between different models in the future.
Globe and Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Houston-Based Agency Jeremy McGilvrey Launches AI-Driven Conversion Optimization Service for Businesses
Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2025) - The Houston-based digital marketing and web design agency Jeremy McGilvrey has announced the launch of an AI-powered conversion optimization service. The new offering uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to help businesses improve website and funnel performance through data-informed decision-making and real-time user behavior tracking. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Developed over several years of applied work in web strategy and UX optimization, the service is built to help companies identify user drop-off points, bottlenecks, and missed engagement opportunities across their digital ecosystems. Unlike traditional split testing or standard analytics platforms, the system continuously monitors user behavior and provides adaptive performance recommendations as data evolves. "Most businesses don't have a traffic problem, they have a conversion problem," said Jeremy McGilvrey, founder and CEO of the agency. "This new service goes far beyond standard testing. It gives clients a dynamic system that learns, adapts, and improves, without relying on guesswork." Applied Behavioral Data Meets Automated Decision Support The conversion optimization service leverages AI and predictive modeling to analyze how users move through websites and funnels. With real-time insights into engagement patterns, load times, and form drop-off points, clients are able to pinpoint exactly where user experience is breaking down, and how to fix it. This approach enables updates to: Page structure and visual hierarchy Headline clarity and call-to-action performance Checkout and form flow design Device responsiveness and mobile optimization Personalized user targeting based on live segmentation The agency reports that clients using the service have seen improved on-site retention, increased lead quality, and measurable lifts in average order value, without expanding ad budgets. Tailored for Growth-Focused Businesses Jeremy McGilvrey's conversion optimization service is designed for companies generating traffic but experiencing underperformance in key conversion areas. The program is particularly suited to e-commerce brands, consultants, SaaS firms, and education platforms focused on scaling their digital performance. Included in the service are: Full-funnel performance audits and diagnostics Clickstream heat mapping and behavior analysis Machine learning-powered optimization roadmaps Real-time A/B testing support Monthly reporting tied to revenue outcomes Clients may choose between advisory implementation or full-service execution delivered by the agency's internal optimization team. Agency Expertise in Strategic, Conversion-Focused Design Jeremy McGilvrey agency has worked with over 1,000 businesses worldwide across multiple verticals, combining high-level strategy with data-driven execution. The firm's reputation is built on user-first design, digital trust architecture, and a commitment to marketing systems that convert without gimmicks. The launch of the AI-powered service is part of the agency's broader initiative to combine psychology, automation, and performance data into scalable infrastructure that helps businesses grow smarter, not louder. About Jeremy McGilvrey (Agency) Jeremy McGilvrey is a Houston-based digital marketing and web strategy agency specializing in high-conversion website design, sales funnel development, and behavioral optimization. The firm's work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and NBC. Led by founder and CEO Jeremy McGilvrey, the agency supports clients through ethical, system-based solutions to long-term growth.
TechCrunch
07-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Figma releases new AI-powered tools for creating sites, app prototypes, and marketing assets
Design company Figma today announced multiple features, including AI-powered site and web app creation, a way for marketers to create assets in bulk, and a new drawing tool. With this launch, the company is taking on other creative solutions such as Canva and Adobe, along with AI-powered website and prototype creators such as WordPress, Wix, Hostinger, and Replit. The company's website creation tool is called Figma Sites. The startup said that often designers build prototypes of what a site should look like within Figma. With the new AI-powered tool, they can easily create websites and even publish them. Once the site is generated, collaborators can easily change elements of the site through an editor without prompting. Users can also add transitions, animations, and scroll effects while making the site responsive. Figma is adding the ability to directly generate blog posts from its site. That means the Sites will have a content management system (CMS), which is an upcoming feature, baked in that lets users edit posts within the design of a blog and also manage other assets such as thumbnails and slugs. For interactive elements like stock tickers, you can add custom code or use AI to generate code for you. Figma Make, on the other hand, is a similar AI-powered tool, which is geared more towards ideation and prototyping. Users can input a prompt to create a web application. The prototype app is collaborative, and users can prompt the assistant to change or add certain elements. Plus, if there is a developer on the team, they can directly modify the code to make necessary changes. Users can also generate small interactive elements, such as a clock, and embed them in the pages published through Figma Sites later. Yuki Yamashita, chief product officer at Figma, said that both products share a lot of features and underlying technology. Techcrunch event Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | BOOK NOW 'We want to enable high-fidelity prototyping with Figma, especially with Figma Make. You can add more data to it and try to see how viable an idea is in terms of final implementation. Whereas Figma Site is useful for a marketing and design team when they exactly know how a site should look and take full control of that,' Yamashita told TechCrunch while describing the differentiation between these products. Image Credits: Figma Multiple companies in different sectors are looking for a way to create interactive experiences using AI. Website hosting providers such as Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and Hostinger have released tools to let users easily create websites through AI. On the other hand, tools like Replit and Lovable are pushing users to create apps or prototypes without coding knowledge. Last month, even Canva released a way to create interactive experiences within its designs with Canva Code. This isn't the first foray for Figma into prototyping, though. Last year, it released a Make Design feature, which had to be pulled after users accused the company of heavily training the tool on existing apps. What's more, Figma is releasing a new tool for marketers called Figma Buzz. With these tools, marketers can easily use templates created by designers with brand-specific designs to make new creatives. They can also use a tool to insert AI-generated images or change the background of certain assets. Marketers can also create assets in bulk using data from sources like spreadsheets. The startup is also launching a tool called Figma Draw for vector editing and illustrations. Yamashita said that designers often had to export their vector designs outside Figma to make edits. The company is now adding features like text on a path, pattern fill, brushes, multi-vector edit, adding noise and texture, and a lasso selection to its Draw product. Image Credits: Figma Figma launched its Slides tool for creating presentations last year. With the new asset creation and drawing tool, the company is directly competing with creative suites such as Adobe and Canva. Yamashita denied that the company is directly competing with these creative tools. He said that Figma is in the business of building digital products, and a third of the company's users are developers, thanks to tools like Dev Mode. The company is announcing a new plan called a content seat starting at $8 per month, which will give users access to Figma Buzz, Slides, FigJam, and Sites CMS.
TechCrunch
07-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Figma releases new AI-powered tools for creating site, app prototypes, and marketing assets
Design company Figma today announced multiple features, including AI-powered site and web app creation, a way for marketers to create assets in bulk, and a new drawing tool. With this launch, the company is taking on other creative solutions such as Canva and Adobe, along with AI-powered website and prototype creators such as WordPress, Wix, Hostinger, and Replit. The company's website creation tool is called Figma Sites. The startup said that often designers build prototypes of what a site should look like within Figma. With the new AI-powered tool, they can easily create websites and even publish them. Once the site is generated, collaborators can easily change elements of the site through an editor without prompting. Users can also add transitions, animations, and scroll effects while making the site responsive. Figma is adding the ability to directly generate blog posts from its site. That means the Sites will have a content management system (CMS), which is an upcoming feature, baked in that lets users edit posts within the design of a blog and also manage other assets such as thumbnails and slugs. For interactive elements like stock tickers, you can add custom code or use AI to generate code for you. Figma Make, on the other hand, is a similar AI-powered tool, which is geared more towards ideation and prototyping. Users can input a prompt to create a web application. The prototype app is collaborative, and users can prompt the assistant to change or add certain elements. Plus, if there is a developer on the team, they can directly modify the code to make necessary changes. Users can also generate small interactive elements, such as a clock, and embed them in the pages published through Figma Sites later. Yuki Yamashita, chief product officer at Figma, said that both products share a lot of features and underlying technology. Techcrunch event Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | BOOK NOW 'We want to enable high-fidelity prototyping with Figma, especially with Figma Make. You can add more data to it and try to see how viable an idea is in terms of final implementation. Whereas Figma Site is useful for a marketing and design team when they exactly know how a site should look and take full control of that,' Yamashita told TechCrunch while describing the differentiation between these products. Image Credits: Figma Multiple companies in different sectors are looking for a way to create interactive experiences using AI. Website hosting providers such as Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and Hostinger have released tools to let users easily create websites through AI. On the other hand, tools like Replit and Lovable are pushing users to create apps or prototypes without coding knowledge. Last month, even Canva released a way to create interactive experiences within its designs with Canva Code. This isn't the first foray for Figma into prototyping, though. Last year, it released a Make Design feature, which had to be pulled after users accused the company of heavily training the tool on existing apps. What's more, Figma is releasing a new tool for marketers called Figma Buzz. With these tools, marketers can easily use templates created by designers with brand-specific designs to make new creatives. They can also use a tool to insert AI-generated images or change the background of certain assets. Marketers can also create assets in bulk using data from sources like spreadsheets. The startup is also launching a tool called Figma Draw for vector editing and illustrations. Yamashita said that designers often had to export their vector designs outside Figma to make edits. The company is now adding features like text on a path, pattern fill, brushes, multi-vector edit, adding noise and texture, and a lasso selection to its Draw product. Image Credits: Figma Figma launched its Slides tool for creating presentations last year. With the new asset creation and drawing tool, the company is directly competing with creative suites such as Adobe and Canva. Yamashita denied that the company is directly competing with these creative tools. He said that Figma is in the business of building digital products, and a third of the company's users are developers, thanks to tools like Dev Mode. The company is announcing a new plan called a content seat starting at $8 per month, which will give users access to Figma Buzz, Slides, FigJam, and Sites CMS.
