Design trends for websites are constantly changing and improving over time, as we learn what methods of presentation work well and connect with different target audiences. The last few years have seen some real innovation appear in web, and these ideas have continued to trend for good reason, and below we will discuss our top 5 design trends we will see in 2016.

Hamburger menu
The hotly debated hamburger menu has divided Designers in it’s rise to popularity over the last two years. Some believe its an ugly and oversimplified way to indicate a menu, often lost in a corner while users are distracted by other busy content. Others believed it is an effective way of clearing up space for a more media-rich and minimalist website design.

Regardless of what you may personally feel about the hamburger menu, it’s rise to popularity, especially on mobile, has led to users understanding it as an interface standard. Users are beginning to intuitively realise that no obvious menu on a website means that it is tucked away, and that they simply need to locate that little hamburger icon in one of the pages corners.

Hero Images and Video
Better internet speeds and larger screen sizes have inspired a trend of rich media content in web and mobile. Large beautiful images welcome users to a website with simple statements and calls to action, these are called hero images and they aim to engage and encourage users to explore your website further.

Sometimes even multiple large hero images are used which scroll through and add more depth beyond just one opening statement, taking the opportunity to further update the user on big news and other enticing deals.

And yes, even video is becoming a popular choice over the last year. Whether they are simple clean animations, vibrant explainer animations, or beautifully filmed moments in life that reflect the ideals and products of your business, video is a fantastic way to enrich your website and build trust.

The Vertical Scroll
The vertical scroll was first popularised with mobile websites. Users have become comfortable with having all content on one long page that they can continuously scroll through. To break a Website up across multiple pages and menus risks users missing crucial information on such a small screen. Menus also take up precious screen space and are unnecessary if you don’t have much content.

These trends have carried over to desktop websites, more are shifting towards this minimalist layout. Studies have shown that humans process information fastest if its told as a visual story, so the vertical scroll coupled with rich media content has become more popular than ever.
fixed menus

Despite the popularity of the hamburger menu there is still plenty of love for the fixed menu. Whether it’s based at the top, bottom, or side of a webpage, the fixed menu is locked into place on a webpage and does not move. As a more user-friendly element you should choose this option depending on how well you know your userbase, this is a great option if your target audience isn’t particularly tech-savvy.
card layout interfaces

This style of interface helps a user sort through a great amount of content in a fast and organised way. First made popular by the social gallery website Pinterest, cards fit the user-friendly grid layout very well. It’s an efficient way to scan through a large amount of content.

Today, we see the card layout in other popular websites, from social media like Tumblr and Facebook, to e-commerce websites where the shopper can easily analyse each product. Card layouts have to suit many different screen sizes, from computer to mobile and tablet. They also work well with long-scrolling websites, easily breaking the information into modules.

For more information on updating your website to the latest trends, visit AdBuzz.

ERM Business Energy is on a mission to help you reduce your business’s electricity bill. Simple things like reviewing your existing contract and the rate you currently pay could see you cut dollars off the bottom line.

If you are on a standing offer for example, you could save money by switching to a market contract – which usually offers you a better rate.  Also, reviewing the cents per kilowatt hour you are paying (after any discount is applied) is another way to ensure you’re on the right plan for your business. Looking at the cents you pay after discounts are applied is the best way to measure the real cost of electricity and is an accurate way of comparing prices, rather than just looking at the discount offered.

For more tips to help save on your electricity costs visit ERM’s Bsiness Energy’s website.

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For more than six decades, The Australian Financial Review has been the essential source of news and information for Australia’s executive decision makers, sophisticated investors and business leaders.

Even amid today’s overload of information, the Financial Review provides Australia’s busy business professionals with the most reliable up-to- date coverage of important developments in business, markets, politics and the world.

Now you can give all your staff the same business edge by taking a Financial Review corporate subscription and signing up to our new innovative Site Licence. A Site Licence will give you, your colleagues and your staff, seamless and instant access to all the news and industry knowledge by removing the paywall and offering hassle free access to the AFR, SMH and the Age.

Equip your business with the right tools and find out more about the corporate subscription solutions available.

For more information visit: www.corporatesubscriptions.com.au

India – a country of immense business opportunities beckon Australian businesses to take advantage of the investment-friendly policies ushered in by the Central and State Governments.

The single-window approach of the governments for facilitating businesses and easier norms for foreign direct investments have enabled huge number of overseas companies to find a foothold in India.

The sectors of great promise for Australian companies are railways, defence, food processing, silos, tourism, real estate, solar energy, skills training, education, mining, jewellery and carpets and urban waste management.

The country has a middle-class population of 600 million and is one of the world’s fastest, if not the fastest, growing economies. English is the preferred business language throughout the country. There is a strong and trusted network among business fraternity and access to international-class professional services.

I will be happy to be a first reference point for Australians seeking business opportunities in India. I am founder of Entrepreneurs Association of India besides having pioneered micro-finance innovations. My inbound tour company would be glad to make travel arrangements for delegates coming to India from Australia.

For more information about trade between Australia and India, please visitwww.adbuzzdemo2.com.au/sba/resources/trade-and-export.

Until next time,

KV.

KVSingh is the Founder of Entrepreneurs Association of India www.entrepreneursassociationindia.com and Founder of India Heritage & Culture Tourswww.indiaheritageandculturetours.com

With the increasing influence of technology, the written word is more powerful than ever. Sadly, that power doesn’t always pack a punch. Businesses suffer from not knowing how to best engage their audience.

Sometimes it’s best to engage a professional copywriter to at the very least to edit your musings.

There is a basic rule when it comes to writing for your business – put your best foot forward at all times. The internet doesn’t sleep.

You may be wondering how you do that with limited resources – but the answer is simple. Three pronged, but simple.

Don’t misspell words (or use the wrong word). I know it sounds obvious; although with the reliance on the red squiggly line in Microsoft products, many people are no longer able to tell the difference between your and you’re! It’s not a bad thing to own a dictionary and a thesaurus and to keep them on your desk for easy access and regular use. Your thesaurus can not only expand your vocabulary, but it will allow you to repeat your message without sounding like you’re repeating yourself.

Read aloud before you post or print. If you read something aloud you will read what is actually written, not what your mind wants or thinks is written. Don’t worry about looking silly in the office, better there than somewhere your customers can see. When you’re silently reading something you have written, your brain will allow you to read what you intended to write. Also, by reading aloud you will hear if your work makes sense and flows.

The most important step is the one that will affect you most long term.

Think before you post. This one I have said a lot to business people. Once a post goes live on the internet or into print you cannot get it back. You need to ensure that your piece of work, opinion and style reflects what you want to be known for. Do you want to be known for the dirty joke or for quality service? People will not quickly forget a mistake, even if it was meant to be funny. Just remember, some things are best kept between friends and not your business network.

Your voice in print or on the internet will be the first thing potential customers see of you and your business. As a business owner, you have the power to decide how you and your business appears in writing. Don’t let yourself down; polish your words like you would your shoes for a first meeting.

The ATO is making GST record-keeping simpler for small businesses by removing several GST labels from the business activity statement (BAS).
This will provide small business owners with significant time and cost savings by simplifying account set up, ongoing book-keeping and BAS preparation and lodgement.
The ATO’s Deputy Commissioner Steve Vesperman says a simpler BAS will make record keeping an easier process for small businesses.
“Small business owners and tax professionals have expressed concerns about the cost of GST record-keeping due to the complexity of the BAS. We are introducing these changes to reduce this frustration,” Mr Vesperman said.
1 July 2017 , small businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million will only be required to report GST on sales, GST on purchases and total sales.
Information will no longer be required on labels (G2) export sales, (G3) GST free sales, (G10) capital purchases and (G11) non-capital purchases, making record-keeping much simpler.
The ATO has been working closely with small business owners, industry associations, intermediaries, and software developers and will be conducting user testing with 2000 small businesses from 1 July 2016 .
The simpler BAS will be available to all small businesses from 1 July 2017 . More information about the simpler BAS is available at ato.gov.au/SimplerBAS

Earlier this year Servcorp joined forces with Roy Morgan to uncover the Secret Killers of Australian Business. The resulting research from this joint project proved surprising as well as informative for business owners. For example, many businesses today don’t realise that a CBD address is 8 times more likely to generate a lead for your business vs. other typical address options. And having a local landline in addition to your mobile number will mean that prospects are 6 times more likely to contact your business. However, what is the situation today? Nearly 6 in 10 do not have a recognisable CBD address. 1 in 8 only have a PO Box address or no address at all. 1 in 8 only have a mobile number as their main point of contact. The good news is that these Secret Killers can be overcome! Download the FREE WHITEPA-PER for more.