Alt Text

Alt Text: It's More Important Than It looks

Many publishers have a habit of just shoveling images onto their site. But by doing this they're overlooking an important component of SEO, particularly if their theme or the way they're handling those images isn't optimized. Images have a field called "Alt" text that is used by search engines to describe or provide context to the image. In essence it helps make the image searchable. Additionally, it provides important accessibility functionality by making the image visible to screen readers. Finally, if the image doesn't render for some reason, it provides text to show what the image is supposed to be. We've noticed an outsized impact on search results when Alt text is populated on images versus when it isn't, so it's important to check that your site is populating these values correctly.

Below is a brief recap of why this is important.

1. Accessibility

ALT text ensures that web content is accessible to all users, including those with visual impairments. Screen readers, which are used by visually impaired individuals, rely on ALT text to describe images. Without ALT text, these users would miss out on important information conveyed through images1. By providing descriptive ALT text, you make your website more inclusive and improve the overall user experience.

2. Improved User Experience

When images fail to load due to slow internet connections or technical issues, ALT text serves as a placeholder, giving users an idea of what the image represents2. This helps maintain the flow of information and prevents confusion, ensuring a smoother browsing experience.

3. SEO Benefits

Search engines cannot “see” images, but they can read ALT text. By adding relevant ALT text to your images, you help search engines understand the content of your images, which can improve your website’s search engine rankings3. This can lead to increased visibility and more organic traffic to your site.

4. Image Traffic

Images with well-written ALT text are more likely to appear in image search results. This can drive additional traffic to your website from users who are specifically searching for images1. It’s an often-overlooked source of organic traffic that can significantly boost your site’s performance.

Best Practices for Writing ALT Text

  • Be Descriptive: Clearly describe the content and function of the image.
  • Keep It Concise: Aim for a brief yet informative description.
  • Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Use relevant keywords naturally, but don’t overdo it.
  • Context Matters: Ensure the ALT text is relevant to the surrounding content.

By following these best practices, you can create effective ALT text that enhances accessibility, improves user experience, and boosts your website’s SEO performance.


Programmatic Advertising

Programmatic Advertising: It Requires Careful Tending

Many media clients come to us because they see declining ad revenues, fill rates or otherwise poor yields from their programmatic advertising stack. Programmatic/remnant has become a saturated space, and for a variety of reasons, keeping programmatic ad revenue stable has been challenging for publishers. In order to combat this, MIDTC works with several key vendors and has a programmatic team which directly manages programmatic yields for clients who utilize our services.

One of the biggest challenges is that everyone is using the same ad server technology which can result in slower websites, which impacts ad yields. Another common mistake: incorporating every single revenue generating platform that comes along, which can back a publisher into a corner of declining yields, but where removing one platform will sometimes generate a temporary revenue loss before the stack adjusts.

Getting high yields out of programmatic / remnant ad stacks is a science, and they require careful and active tending to generate the maximum revenue. Fortunately this is a service we provide. Below is an overview of why the market is challenging:

Recent global trends indicate a decline in revenues from programmatic ads on websites. Here are some key factors contributing to this downturn:

1. Economic Uncertainty

Global economic concerns have led to cautious spending by advertisers. Brands are more deliberate with their ad budgets, focusing on high-return investments and often cutting back on programmatic ad spend1.

2. Privacy Regulations

Stricter privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S., have impacted the effectiveness of programmatic advertising. These regulations limit data collection and tracking, making it harder to target ads accurately2.

3. Ad Blockers

The increasing use of ad blockers by consumers has significantly reduced the number of ads that can be displayed, directly affecting revenue. Ad blockers prevent ads from being shown, leading to fewer impressions and clicks3.

4. Changes in Browser Policies

Major browsers like Safari and Firefox have implemented policies that restrict third-party cookies, which are crucial for tracking user behavior and serving targeted ads. These changes have disrupted the programmatic advertising ecosystem2.

5. Market Saturation

The digital advertising market is becoming increasingly saturated, with more publishers competing for the same ad dollars. This competition drives down the prices of ad placements, reducing overall revenue1.

6. Shift to Direct Ad Sales

Some advertisers are shifting their budgets from programmatic to direct ad sales, where they can negotiate terms and placements directly with publishers. This shift is partly due to concerns over ad fraud and brand safety in programmatic channels1.

7. Technological Challenges

Technical issues such as latency, slow ad loading times, and errors in ad delivery can lead to lower fill rates and reduced revenue. Ensuring a seamless ad experience is crucial for maintaining high revenue3.

Strategies to Mitigate Revenue Decline

To counteract these challenges, publishers can adopt several strategies:

  • Diversify Revenue Streams: Explore alternative revenue sources such as direct ad sales, sponsored content, and subscription models.
  • Enhance User Experience: Improve website performance and reduce ad clutter to enhance user experience and ad viewability.
  • Leverage First-Party Data: Utilize first-party data for ad targeting to mitigate the impact of third-party cookie restrictions.
  • Adopt Privacy-Compliant Solutions: Implement privacy-compliant ad technologies that align with current regulations.

By understanding and addressing these factors, publishers can better navigate the evolving landscape of programmatic advertising and work towards stabilizing their revenues.

 


Offshoring

Keep your Developers close: The argument against offshoring

One of the most common issues we encounter when a client asks us to correct stack issues are inconsistent development practices, fragmented or poorly integrated third party platforms, and no overall architectural vision. This is often caused by outsourced development work - it's tempting because of the lower expense, but it almost always comes with issues that can show up months or years later.

Here are some reasons why companies might choose not to offshore their development work:

1. Communication and Collaboration Issues

Effective communication is crucial for successful project management. Offshoring can lead to communication barriers due to language differences, cultural misunderstandings, and time zone discrepancies. These issues can hinder collaboration and slow down project progress1.

2. Quality and Security Concerns

Maintaining high-quality standards and ensuring data security can be challenging when working with offshore teams. There may be differences in work ethics, quality control processes, and security protocols, which can lead to subpar deliverables and increased risk of data breaches1.

3. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Different countries have varying legal and regulatory requirements. Navigating these complexities can be difficult and time-consuming. Companies must ensure that their offshore partners comply with relevant laws and regulations, which can add to the overall project cost and complexity1.

4. Hidden Costs

While offshoring is often seen as a cost-saving measure, there can be hidden costs associated with it. These include expenses related to travel, training, and managing offshore teams. Additionally, the potential for rework due to quality issues can further inflate costs2.

5. Loss of Control

Managing a team that is geographically distant can lead to a loss of control over the project. This can result in delays, misaligned goals, and a lack of accountability. Companies may find it challenging to enforce their standards and practices effectively2.

6. Impact on Employee Morale

Offshoring can affect the morale of onshore employees who may feel threatened by the outsourcing of jobs. This can lead to decreased productivity and a negative work environment2.

7. Time Zone Differences

Working across different time zones can complicate scheduling and lead to delays in communication and decision-making. This can slow down the development process and make it difficult to address urgent issues promptly1.

Conclusion

While offshoring can provide certain benefits, it is essential for companies to weigh these against the potential challenges. By carefully considering factors such as communication, quality, legal compliance, hidden costs, control, employee morale, and time zone differences, companies can make more informed decisions about whether offshoring is the right strategy for their development work.


Requirements

Requirements: A Necessity When Designing A Website or Software

Often when a client contacts us for a project, be it a site redesign or customized software development, they have a single objective: "We want it to do 'X'". Whatever that elusive 'X' may be, it's often far more complicated than simply delivering a widget that performs the task. There are often a lot of other components in the mix, some of which the client's top-level stakeholders may not be aware of. That is why when MIDTC is contracted, we will work with the client to come up with an in-depth roadmap for the final project, so everyone from users to leadership is satisfied with the outcome.

The success or failure of a project depends on the clear articulation of the goals and expectations of the final product.  For software or a website that has many touch-points (look and feel, user experience, what the admin experience will be like), this is absolutely critical, particularly when a hard deadline exists.

Requirements serve as a blueprint, guiding the development team and ensuring that the final product meets the needs and expectations of stakeholders. Here are some key reasons why writing robust requirements is crucial:

1. Clarity and Understanding

  • Clear Objectives: Robust requirements provide a clear understanding of the project goals, helping all team members align their efforts towards a common objective.
  • Reduced Ambiguity: Detailed requirements minimize misunderstandings and ambiguities, ensuring that everyone has a consistent understanding of what needs to be achieved.

2. Improved Communication

  • Stakeholder Alignment: Well-documented requirements facilitate better communication between stakeholders, developers, and other team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
  • Effective Collaboration: Clear requirements enable more effective collaboration, as team members can refer to a common document to resolve questions and issues.

3. Enhanced Planning and Estimation

  • Accurate Estimates: Detailed requirements allow for more accurate time and cost estimates, helping project managers plan and allocate resources effectively.
  • Risk Management: By identifying potential challenges and complexities early on, robust requirements help in mitigating risks and avoiding costly rework.

4. Quality Assurance

  • Testable Criteria: Well-defined requirements provide a basis for creating test cases, ensuring that the final product can be thoroughly tested against the specified criteria.
  • Consistent Quality: Robust requirements help maintain a consistent level of quality throughout the development process, leading to a more reliable and user-friendly product.

5. Scope Management

  • Controlled Scope: Clear requirements help in managing the project scope, preventing scope creep and ensuring that the project stays on track.
  • Change Management: When changes are necessary, robust requirements make it easier to assess the impact and implement changes in a controlled manner.

6. Customer Satisfaction

  • Meeting Expectations: By accurately capturing the needs and expectations of stakeholders, robust requirements ensure that the final product meets or exceeds customer expectations.
  • User-Centric Design: Detailed requirements help in designing a product that is user-friendly and addresses the specific needs of the end-users.

In conclusion, writing robust requirements is a critical step in the software development process. It ensures clarity, improves communication, enhances planning, assures quality, manages scope, and ultimately leads to higher customer satisfaction. By investing time and effort in creating detailed and well-


Paywall

Paywalls: It's Important to have a strategy.

Paywalls have become an extremely common way for media publishers to monetize their content.
It seems logical: if you give your content away for free, why would anyone pay for anything?

But it's important to deploy a paywall for the right reasons, and in the right way, otherwise you can permanently damage your audience, your relationship with your subscribers, and your bottom line.

There are some hard truths here that need to be confronted.

Myth: People won't buy my print product because it's available for free on the website.
Fact: People aren't buying your print product because the way people consume content has fundamentally changed over the years. A paywall won't bring your print subscribers back.

Myth: I can simply deploy a paywall on my site across the board and recover all my lost revenue.
Fact: You need to be strategic about how, when, where, and why you gate content. You need to have a marketing plan. You need to have a retention plan. You need to manage churn. You need to manage communication to end users. Without that, your end result will not be good.

Myth: A paywall is always the right answer for every publisher.
Fact: You need to have content that people can't get anywhere else, and a compelling reason for them to pay for your content.

Myth: I can just push all of my print content onto my website without curating or enhancing it and people will buy it.
Fact: You need to offer an enhanced experience to paywall subscribers. Ideally, they will consider it a premium experience.

The bottom line is that you're selling advertisers an audience, and you're selling subscribers content. You need to nurture and manage both.
If you alienate your audience, you will end up degrading both subscription revenue and audience, and historically, audience tends to be harder to recover.
Also consider that if you don't have a good e-commerce experience on your site, people won't buy your content.

There are a number of ways to have your cake and eat it too without going all-in on a hard paywall:
-You can only present a paywall to local users, or otherwise present it differently to those who are likely to sign up.
-You can offer paywall subscribers additional content, less advertising, or some combination thereof.
-You can offer different tiers to different subscription levels.
-You can gameify or reward users with content for engaging with your publication in other ways - buying classified ads, commenting, submitting content etc.

Implementing a paywall can be a game-changer for content creators and publishers, but doing it without a strategy can lead to missed opportunities and frustrated users. Here’s a brief overview of why having a strategy is crucial:

1. Maximizing Revenue

A well-thought-out paywall strategy helps in identifying the optimal points in a user’s journey to introduce the paywall. This increases the likelihood of conversions, as users are more willing to pay when they see value in the content1.

2. Balancing User Experience

Strategically implementing a paywall ensures that it doesn’t disrupt the user experience. For instance, using a metered paywall allows users to access a certain number of articles for free before requiring a subscription, which can help in maintaining user satisfaction while still driving revenue2.

3. Targeting the Right Audience

A strategy helps in understanding and segmenting the audience. This allows for personalized paywall experiences, such as offering different subscription tiers or exclusive content to different user groups, thereby increasing engagement and retention2.

4. Enhancing Content Value

By strategically placing paywalls, publishers can highlight the value of their premium content. This can be achieved by offering a mix of free and paid content, showcasing the quality and exclusivity of what lies behind the paywall1.

5. Data-Driven Decisions

A strategic approach involves continuous monitoring and analysis of user behavior and paywall performance. This data can be used to tweak and optimize the paywall, ensuring it remains effective and aligned with business goals3.

Conclusion

In summary, a strategic approach to implementing a paywall is essential for maximizing revenue, balancing user experience, targeting the right audience, enhancing content value, and making data-driven decisions. Without a strategy, you risk alienating users and missing out on potential revenue.


Digital Leadership

Technology Leadership: You Need To Be Able To Do More Than Talk The Talk

Technical leadership is one of the most crucial factors in ensuring the success of any organization that relies on it's digital presence. Because of the high degree of specialized knowledge required for technical competence, it's often difficult for hiring managers or executives to truly assess the competence of a prospective hire. Improperly matching a candidate's skillsets with your company's requirements can often have extremely expensive  -or truly catastrophic - consequences for an organization.

Vetting a candidate's technical capabilities needs to go beyond the recruiter. If you're running a media site for example, skills in e-commerce or marketing are extremely useful, but media-specific expertise is a must-have since these sites have unique requirements.

1. Ensuring Technical Competence

Technology executives need to have a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends. Proper vetting ensures that they possess the necessary technical skills and knowledge to make informed decisions that can significantly impact the company’s technological direction1.

2. Leadership and Management Skills

Beyond technical expertise, technology executives must exhibit strong leadership and management abilities. They need to inspire and guide their teams, manage projects effectively, and foster a collaborative environment. Vetting helps identify candidates who can lead by example and drive the team towards achieving strategic goals2.

3. Cultural Fit

A technology executive must align with the company’s culture and values. This alignment ensures smoother integration into the existing team and promotes a cohesive working environment. Vetting processes often include evaluating how well a candidate’s values and work style match the company’s ethos2.

4. Security and Risk Management

Technology executives play a critical role in safeguarding the company’s data and infrastructure. Vetting helps ensure that candidates have a strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and risk management strategies, which are essential for protecting the company from potential threats3.

5. Strategic Vision

Effective technology executives should have a clear vision for the future and the ability to develop and implement long-term strategies. Vetting allows companies to assess a candidate’s strategic thinking and their ability to foresee and adapt to industry changes2.

6. Reputation and Integrity

The reputation and integrity of technology executives can significantly impact the company’s image and trustworthiness. Thorough vetting includes background checks and reference calls to ensure that candidates have a history of ethical behavior and professional conduct1.

7. Adaptability and Innovation

The tech industry is constantly evolving, and executives must be adaptable and innovative to keep up with changes. Vetting processes can help identify individuals who are not only capable of adapting to new technologies but also driving innovation within the company2.

Conclusion

In summary, vetting technology executives is a critical process that helps ensure the right leaders are in place to drive technological advancements, maintain security, and align with the company’s strategic goals. By thoroughly evaluating candidates, companies can mitigate risks and set the stage for long-term success.


Self Hosting

The Pitfalls of Self-Hosting Websites: An Overview

Many of our clients come to us because they have a self-hosted tech stack, either hosting important business systems or websites on internal servers or on their own cloud stack. In almost every case, there are significant issues with these platforms - either in terms of cost, reliability, or ROI. Below, we outline some of the high level issues with self-hosting platforms. Part of MIDTC's expertise is migration and systems architecture - we can efficiently develop a right-size solution that fits your budget and maintains your reliability.

1. Technical Expertise Required Self-hosting a website demands a significant level of technical knowledge. You need to manage and maintain the server, handle software updates, and troubleshoot any issues that arise. Without this expertise, your site may face frequent downtimes and security vulnerabilities1.

2. Security Risks Self-hosting exposes your website to various security threats, including denial of service attacks, hacking attempts, and malware. Ensuring robust security measures requires constant vigilance and up-to-date knowledge of security best practices12.

3. Higher Costs While self-hosting might seem cost-effective initially, the expenses can add up. You need to invest in reliable hardware, a static IP address, and possibly a business-class internet package. Additionally, the cost of electricity and the need for backup solutions can make self-hosting more expensive than using a hosting provider12.

4. Reliability Issues Self-hosted websites are prone to reliability issues such as hardware failures, network problems, and power outages. Unlike professional hosting services that offer high uptime guarantees and redundant systems, self-hosting relies on your ability to maintain consistent service13.

5. Scalability Challenges As your website grows, scaling your self-hosted setup can be complex and costly. You may need to invest in additional hardware and resources to handle increased traffic and data storage needs3.

6. Time Investment Managing a self-hosted website requires a significant time commitment. From regular maintenance and updates to handling unexpected issues, the time spent on these tasks could be better used to grow your business or focus on other priorities2.

In summary, while self-hosting offers control and customization, it comes with substantial challenges that can outweigh the benefits for many users. For most, using a professional hosting service is a more practical and reliable solution.


Version Control

Managing your site with Version Control: Why You Need It

In many cases, multiple teams may be working on developing code for a site. Or there might be multiple sites or environments at play that reference the same code. Whatever the case, using simple FTP to manage files can be dangerous, as it's possible for people to "step on each others' toes" or otherwise interfere with each other's work. Using a robust version control system like GIT will allow your teams to work collaboratively, roll back code if there are issues, and provide tracking and commentary on past changes.

1. Collaboration and Teamwork

Version control systems like Git allow multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously without overwriting each other’s changes. This collaborative environment fosters teamwork and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

2. Tracking Changes

With version control, every change made to the codebase is recorded. This historical record allows developers to understand what changes were made, who made them, and why. This is invaluable for debugging and auditing purposes.

3. Reverting to Previous Versions

Mistakes happen, and sometimes new changes can introduce bugs or break functionality. Version control systems enable developers to revert to previous stable versions of the code, minimizing downtime and ensuring the stability of the production environment.

4. Branching and Merging

Version control systems support branching, which allows developers to create separate branches for new features or bug fixes. These branches can be tested independently before being merged into the main codebase, ensuring that new changes do not disrupt the production environment.

5. Backup and Recovery

Version control acts as a backup system for the codebase. In case of accidental deletions or data loss, the code can be recovered from the version control repository, ensuring that valuable work is not lost.

6. Continuous Integration and Deployment

Version control systems integrate seamlessly with continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD) pipelines. This integration automates the testing and deployment process, ensuring that only tested and approved code is deployed to production.

7. Compliance and Accountability

In regulated industries, maintaining a detailed record of changes is often a compliance requirement. Version control provides this record, ensuring that the organization meets regulatory standards and can demonstrate accountability.

Conclusion

Using version control in production environments is not just a best practice; it’s a necessity. It enhances collaboration, ensures code stability, and provides a safety net for developers. By implementing a robust version control system, organizations can streamline their development processes and maintain a high level of code quality.


Taxonomy

Taxonomy: Why categorizing and tagging your content appropriately can have a huge impact.

Often we find that clients' sites have an organizational structure that isn't aligned with the content they produce, or the objectives they have for their site.
This can be caused by: legacy site design, unclear internal communication or a lack of global understanding of the sites, gaps in technical knowledge, or an unclear understanding of the importance of categorization and tagging for both user experience and search visibility.

In the realm of search engine optimization (SEO), taxonomy plays a pivotal role in enhancing both user experience and search engine visibility. But what exactly is taxonomy, and why is it so important for SEO?

What is Taxonomy?

Taxonomy refers to the way content is organized and categorized on a website. It involves creating a structured hierarchy that helps both users and search engines understand the relationships between different pieces of content. This can include categories, tags, and URL structures.

Why is Taxonomy Important for SEO?

  1. Improved Crawlability and Indexing
  2. Enhanced User Experience
  3. Better Keyword Targeting
  4. Internal Linking Opportunities
  5. Clearer Content Relationships

Best Practices for SEO Taxonomy

  • Create a Clear Hierarchy: Ensure your site has a logical structure with clear categories and subcategories.
  • Use Descriptive URLs: Incorporate keywords into your URL structure to make it more SEO-friendly.
  • Optimize Navigation: Make sure your site’s navigation is intuitive and user-friendly.
  • Leverage Internal Links: Use internal links to connect related content and distribute link equity.
  • Regularly Review and Update: Continuously monitor and update your taxonomy to keep it relevant and effective.

By implementing a well-thought-out taxonomy, you can significantly improve your site’s SEO performance, making it easier for both users and search engines to find and understand your content.


Bot Traffic

Bot Traffic: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

"Bot" Traffic on your website is almost inevitable, and it's not all bad. You want search bots crawling your site. Social media bots will scrape content for articles you post online.
But there are a wide variety of bots. Some are good, some are bad, some are "neutral", and it can depend on what services you use. Even good bots can behave badly, for example if they scrape your site too frequently and your server doesn't have the resources to handle the load. Bot traffic needs to be curated, both good and bad, and there are a variety of ways to do this. Almost all of our customers have protections in place to block things like AI bots or bad bots, and it's something we recommend as a matter of course.

So What is a Bot?

A bot, short for “robot,” is a software application designed to perform automated tasks over the internet. These tasks can range from simple, repetitive actions to more complex operations. Bots can be broadly categorized into two types: good bots and bad bots.

Types of Bots

  1. Good Bots
    • Search Engine Bots: These bots, like Google’s web crawlers, index content on websites to improve search engine results.
    • Chatbots: These bots interact with users, providing customer service or answering queries in real-time.
    • Monitoring Bots: Used for tracking website performance, uptime, and other metrics.
  2. Bad Bots
    • Scraping Bots: These bots extract data from websites without permission, often for competitive analysis or content theft.
    • Spam Bots: They post spam content or send unsolicited messages, often cluttering forums and comment sections.
    • DDoS Bots: Used in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to overwhelm a website’s server, causing it to crash.

Here are some common problems associated with bot traffic:

1. Skewed Analytics

Bots can significantly distort website analytics. They can inflate page views, bounce rates, and other metrics, making it difficult to accurately assess human visitor behavior. This can lead to misguided marketing strategies and poor decision-making.

2. Server Overload

High volumes of bot traffic can overwhelm servers, leading to slow load times or even crashes. This not only affects user experience but can also impact search engine rankings, as site speed is a crucial factor in SEO.

3. Security Risks

Malicious bots can pose serious security threats. They can be used for activities such as scraping content, launching DDoS attacks, and attempting to exploit vulnerabilities. This can lead to data breaches, loss of sensitive information, and damage to the website’s reputation.

4. Ad Fraud

Bots can generate fake clicks on ads, leading to significant financial losses for advertisers. This type of fraud can also damage relationships with advertisers and reduce the overall effectiveness of ad campaigns.

5. Content Scraping

Bots can scrape content from websites, which can then be republished elsewhere without permission. This not only violates copyright laws but can also harm SEO efforts by creating duplicate content issues.

6. Form Spam

Bots often target forms on websites, submitting fake information that can clutter databases and make it difficult to manage legitimate user data. This can also lead to increased costs for data storage and processing.

How to Mitigate Bot Traffic

To protect your website from the negative impacts of bot traffic, consider implementing the following measures:

  • Use CAPTCHA: Implementing CAPTCHA can help distinguish between human users and bots.
  • Monitor Traffic Patterns: Regularly analyze traffic patterns to identify and block suspicious activity.
  • Employ Bot Management Solutions: Use specialized software to detect and mitigate bot traffic.
  • Update Security Protocols: Ensure your website’s security measures are up-to-date to prevent exploitation by malicious bots.

By understanding and addressing these common issues, you can better protect your website and ensure a smoother experience for your legitimate users.

In a forthcoming article we can discuss other methods of mitigating bot traffic.