Transforming Spaces with Virtual Staging: From Cluttered to Chic

Introduction

In the world of real estate and interior design, first impressions are everything. The way a space is presented can significantly impact its perceived value and appeal. At Lightbound 3D, we specialize in using advanced technologies to bring out the best in every property. One of our most effective tools is virtual staging, a process that transforms cluttered, empty, or outdated spaces into beautifully styled environments. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the power of virtual staging, showcasing its benefits, the process involved, and how it can elevate any property. We'll also take a detailed look at some before-and-after examples to illustrate just how transformative virtual staging can be.

The Power of First Impressions

When potential buyers or renters walk into a property, their first impression can set the tone for their entire experience. A well-staged home can evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, and aspiration, making it easier for viewers to envision themselves living in the space. Conversely, a cluttered or empty room can feel cold and uninviting, making it harder for viewers to connect with the property.

Virtual staging bridges this gap by providing a realistic, visually appealing representation of what a space could look like when furnished and decorated. Unlike traditional staging, which can be time-consuming and expensive, virtual staging is efficient, cost-effective, and highly customizable.

What is Virtual Staging?

Virtual staging is the process of using digital technology to furnish and decorate a property. It involves creating realistic, computer-generated images of furniture, décor, and other elements to enhance the appearance of a room. This technique allows for a high degree of flexibility, enabling designers to experiment with different styles, layouts, and color schemes without the need for physical furniture.

At Lightbound 3D, we leverage the latest in 3D modeling and rendering software to produce stunningly realistic virtual staging. Our team of skilled designers works closely with clients to understand their vision and bring it to life through digital transformation.

Benefits of Virtual Staging

1. Cost-Effectiveness

Traditional staging can be expensive, requiring the rental or purchase of furniture, décor, and other elements. Additionally, there's the cost of hiring a professional stager to arrange everything. Virtual staging eliminates these costs, providing a more affordable solution that doesn't compromise on quality.

2. Flexibility

With virtual staging, the possibilities are endless. Designers can easily experiment with different styles, layouts, and color schemes to find the perfect look for a property. This flexibility allows for quick adjustments and refinements, ensuring the final result is exactly what the client envisions.

3. Time Efficiency

Traditional staging can take days or even weeks to complete, depending on the scope of the project. Virtual staging, on the other hand, can be completed in a fraction of the time. This speed is particularly beneficial in the fast-paced real estate market, where properties need to be listed and shown quickly.

4. Realistic and High-Quality Visuals

Modern virtual staging technology allows for incredibly realistic and high-quality visuals. At Lightbound 3D, we use advanced 3D rendering techniques to create images that are virtually indistinguishable from real photographs. This level of realism helps potential buyers or renters better understand the potential of a space.

5. Customization

Virtual staging offers a level of customization that traditional staging can't match. Designers can tailor every element of the staging to suit the target audience, whether it's modern, traditional, minimalist, or eclectic. This customization ensures that the staging resonates with the specific tastes and preferences of potential buyers or renters.

The Virtual Staging Process

The virtual staging process at Lightbound 3D involves several key steps:

1. Initial Consultation

The process begins with an initial consultation to understand the client's vision and goals. During this stage, we discuss the desired style, layout, and any specific elements the client wants to include. We also gather information about the property, including floor plans and photographs.

2. Digital Modeling

Next, our team of designers creates a digital model of the property using advanced 3D modeling software. This model serves as the foundation for the virtual staging process.

3. Furnishing and Decorating

Once the digital model is complete, we begin the process of furnishing and decorating the space. Using high-quality 3D assets, we add furniture, décor, and other elements to create a visually appealing and cohesive look. We pay close attention to details such as lighting, shadows, and textures to ensure the final images are as realistic as possible.

4. Review and Refinement

After the initial staging is complete, we present the images to the client for review. This stage allows for feedback and refinements to ensure the final result aligns with the client's vision. We make any necessary adjustments to the staging based on the client's input.

5. Final Delivery

Once the staging is finalized, we deliver the high-resolution images to the client. These images can be used for marketing materials, online listings, and other promotional efforts.

Before and After: A Closer Look

To illustrate the transformative power of virtual staging, let's take a closer look at some before-and-after examples from our recent projects.

Example 1: From Cluttered to Chic

In this first example, we transformed a cluttered living space into a stylish and inviting environment. The before image shows a room filled with personal belongings, cluttered surfaces, and an overall lack of cohesion. This setup makes it difficult for potential buyers to see the room's potential.

Before:

The after image, on the other hand, showcases a beautifully staged living area with modern furniture, coordinated décor, and a clean, organized layout. The transformation highlights the room's best features and creates a welcoming atmosphere.

After:

Example 2: Hallway Transformation

In this second example, we tackled a narrow, cluttered hallway. The before image shows a space filled with miscellaneous items, creating a sense of disorganization and making the hallway appear cramped.

Before:

The after image reveals a sleek, clean hallway with minimalistic décor and strategic lighting. The transformation not only improves the hallway's aesthetic appeal but also makes it feel more spacious and inviting.

After:

The Impact on Real Estate Sales

Virtual staging isn't just about making a property look good; it's about driving real results in the real estate market. Studies have shown that staged homes sell faster and for higher prices than their unstaged counterparts. By providing potential buyers with a clear vision of what a space can look like, virtual staging helps them form an emotional connection with the property.

Faster Sales

Properties that are virtually staged tend to spend less time on the market. This speed is particularly valuable in competitive markets where time is of the essence. Buyers are more likely to make quick decisions when they can easily envision themselves living in a beautifully staged home.

Higher Offers

Virtual staging can also lead to higher offers. When a property is presented in its best light, it creates a sense of value and desirability. Buyers are often willing to pay more for a home that feels move-in ready and aesthetically pleasing.

Broader Appeal

Virtual staging allows for customization that can cater to a broad range of tastes and preferences. This broad appeal increases the likelihood of attracting multiple offers, creating a competitive environment that can drive up the final sale price.

Conclusion

Virtual staging is a powerful tool that can transform any property into a stunning, market-ready space. At Lightbound 3D, we are dedicated to helping our clients showcase their properties in the best possible light. Through our advanced virtual staging techniques, we create realistic, high-quality images that highlight the true potential of every room.

Whether you're a real estate agent looking to sell a property quickly, a homeowner wanting to present your space in the best way, or a developer aiming to market new construction, virtual staging offers a cost-effective, flexible, and impactful solution. The examples we've shared demonstrate just how transformative virtual staging can be, turning cluttered and uninviting spaces into stylish and desirable environments.

If you're interested in learning more about our virtual staging services or seeing additional examples of our work, please visit our website or contact us directly. Let us help you make a lasting impression and achieve your real estate goals with the power of virtual staging.

Call to Action

Ready to transform your property with virtual staging? Contact Lightbound 3D today to schedule a consultation and discover how our services can elevate your space. Visit our website at www.lightbound3d.com/virtual-staging-made-easy or call us at (437) 775-9000. Follow us on social media for more before-and-after transformations and design inspiration!

Revolutionizing Commercial Design Showrooms with 3D Virtual Tours

In the ever-evolving landscape of commercial furniture, staying ahead of the curve means embracing technology that enhances the buying experience and streamlines operations. At Lightbound 3D, we specialize in providing cutting-edge Matterport Real Estate and Virtual Tours. This year, we’re thrilled to participate in the NeoCon 2024 show in Chicago, supporting the commercial design industry with our augmented and virtual reality experiences. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the numerous benefits of 3D virtual tours and how they can elevate your showroom to new heights.

Enhanced Customer Engagement

One of the most significant advantages of 3D virtual tours is the unparalleled level of customer engagement they offer. Traditional showrooms require customers to physically visit the location, which can be a significant barrier. With 3D virtual tours, potential buyers can explore your showroom from the comfort of their homes or offices, at any time that suits them. This convenience translates to increased engagement, as customers can take their time to explore and make informed decisions.

Immersive Experience

A 3D virtual tour provides an immersive experience that photos and videos simply cannot match. Using advanced Matterport technology, we create a realistic, interactive 3D model of your showroom. Customers can “walk” through the space, zoom in on details, and even see products from different angles. This immersive experience helps customers visualize how the furniture will look and feel in their own spaces, bridging the gap between online browsing and in-person shopping.

Cost-Effective and Efficient

Setting up and maintaining a physical showroom can be costly and time-consuming. Rent, utilities, staffing, and maintenance all add up. A 3D virtual tour, on the other hand, is a one-time investment that can be used indefinitely. It allows you to showcase your products without the need for a large physical space, reducing overhead costs. Additionally, updates to the showroom can be made digitally, saving time and money.

Increased Reach

A physical showroom limits your reach to the local area, but a 3D virtual tour is accessible to anyone with an internet connection. This expanded reach means you can attract potential buyers from all over the world, increasing your customer base and potential sales. For businesses looking to expand into new markets, this is a game-changer.

Interactive Features

Our 3D virtual tours are not just about walking through a space; they include interactive features that enhance the customer experience. Embedded tags can provide detailed information about specific products, including dimensions, materials, and pricing. Customers can also view videos, read reviews, and even see how different pieces of furniture look together through virtual staging. These features provide a richer, more informative shopping experience.

Improved Sales and Marketing

A 3D virtual tour is a powerful sales and marketing tool. It can be easily integrated into your website, shared on social media, and included in email campaigns. Potential customers can explore your showroom at their convenience, which increases the likelihood of them making a purchase. Additionally, analytics from the virtual tour can provide valuable insights into customer behavior, helping you refine your marketing strategies and improve sales.

Time-Saving for Customers and Sales Teams

A 3D virtual tour saves time for both customers and sales teams. Customers can explore the showroom at their own pace, without the need to schedule appointments or travel. This is particularly beneficial for busy professionals or those located far from the showroom. For sales teams, virtual tours can pre-qualify leads by allowing customers to do their research beforehand, making in-person visits more productive.

Sustainability

In today’s eco-conscious world, sustainability is more important than ever. A 3D virtual tour reduces the need for physical travel, lowering your carbon footprint. It also minimizes the waste associated with maintaining and updating a physical showroom. By choosing a virtual showroom, you’re making an environmentally friendly choice that resonates with today’s consumers.

Supporting Furniture Manufacturers at NeoCon 2024

At Lightbound 3D, we’re excited to support furniture manufacturers at the 2024 NeoCon show in Chicago. NeoCon is the world’s leading platform for commercial design, where industry professionals gather to see the latest innovations. This year, we’re bringing our augmented and virtual reality experiences to the event, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in our 3D virtual tours.

By partnering with furniture manufacturers at NeoCon, we’re enabling them to showcase their products in an innovative and interactive way. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore virtual showrooms using VR headsets, providing a firsthand experience of the technology’s potential. We’ll also be demonstrating how our 3D virtual tours can be integrated with other technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and Building Information Management (BIM), to create even more engaging and informative customer experiences.

Conclusion

The benefits of 3D virtual tours for commercial furniture showrooms are clear. From enhanced customer engagement and immersive experiences to cost savings and increased reach, this technology is revolutionizing the way we showcase and sell furniture. At Lightbound 3D, we’re at the forefront of this revolution, providing state-of-the-art virtual tours that transform the customer experience.

As we prepare for NeoCon 2024, we’re excited to share our innovations with the world and demonstrate how augmented and virtual reality can elevate your showroom to new heights. By supporting furniture manufacturers at the event, we’re helping them embrace the future of commercial furniture showrooms.

By leveraging 3D virtual tours, commercial furniture showrooms can not only stay competitive but also offer a superior shopping experience that meets the needs of today’s tech-savvy consumers. At Lightbound 3D, we’re committed to helping you achieve this transformation, ensuring your showroom stands out in a crowded market.

The Benefits of Virtual Tours in the Retail Environment

We have all been hit by the consequences of the pandemic, one way or another. Many of us have adapted quickly and created a nook that they can call the home office. Others, especially small businesses, had to go through a fast digital transformation to survive the many restrictions.

Among these, grocery stores, supermarkets, and local shops have been at the mercy of lockdown measures for months, which have not played in their favour. However, when used well, technology can represent the bridge to connect your business to your audience, locally and globally, independently of what the current restrictions are.

As this type of technology has been developing fast over the past months, the shopping experience has become better and more real. Today, projects such as the one brought forwards by Lightbound 3D, in a partnership with Inabuggy and The McEwan Group, allows your customer to stroll through real supermarket’s aisles.

Whether you are the proud owner of a small local shop or a larger supermarket, the Matterport 3D technology, alongside the virtual shopping tours it enables, allows you to build real relationships with your audience.

Streamlined Service for Your Customers

One of the most significant challenges for larger supermarkets and small shops alike is the management of personnel. The question of whether it makes more sense to stay open for longer or increase efficiency during peak times has always been there. However, today, you won’t need to compromise between the two. Virtual shopping tours are the closest technology has ever been to offering a real experience to customers. At the same time, it gives you the chance to keep your virtual shop open at all times to best suit the needs of your customers.

Making Your Products More Accessible

While an astonishing number of small businesses still don’t have a website, the ones that do just offer a small eCommerce store. While this can help your business display some products, it might still be a very different experience than the one of walking through the aisles of your supermarket.

Matterport 3D technology and systems, instead, offer a real-life experience that allows you to display all of your products in the best way possible. Customers are also able to zoom in and pick their favourite - which is something that no other technology can offer today. 

Giving Your Customers a Real Experience

During the current pandemic, we have all become more aware of how much we rely on technology. However, we have also discovered how much some systems make us notice the difference with real-life experiences. For example, eCommerce sites give us the chance to order goods and get them delivered to our doorstep. All this with minimal interaction.

However, we all love going to the local store and feel part of the community. This is where technology has failed us until today. With the new virtual tours, you can have all this while still enjoying a safe and personalized shopping experience.

A Clean and Safe Environment for All

The pandemic has had a substantial impact on the way we conduct our jobs, interact with others, and even go about simple actions in our lives. While some restrictions and lockdowns are slowly lifting, the consequences of how we have lived the past months are not bound to disappear any time soon.

Therefore, many shoppers and buyers will still be skeptical about visiting any store during the busiest times of the day. Some might even prefer to keep socialization to a minimum for weeks to come to preserve their health. So, businesses have to adapt to this new way of operating while still offering the services they have been so successful for in the past.

Virtual shopping tours can be the solution to start creating a safe environment for your customers - while still operating as usual.

Creating a Relationship with Your Audience

Going to a supermarket or grocery store is not only about convenience or comfort for many families. It is also about being in a familiar place, where to interact with the community. These are aspects that the pandemic has affected the most. However, now is time for local businesses to start mending those relationships and, if in-person interactions are still not so safe, technology can help.

Virtual shopping tours can be an excellent occasion for your audience to go back to their familiar and comfortable routines while having access to the products they have always loved from a safe environment.

While this technology has started to revolutionize the global retail environment, we only know the few benefits it has yielded so far. However, it is developing fast, and new advantages and experiences are always around the corner.

Virtual Tours for Schools

The current pandemic has influenced several aspects of our daily lives, including the way we build relationships or live our professional lives. One of the hardest aspects of the hardest is the educational environment, including schools, universities, and campuses. However, nobody's education, career, or goals should stop because of the pandemic!

Today, technology is on our side, and with exclusive virtual school tours, it is possible to explore every nook and corner before getting there. Moving to a new campus or joining a new classroom can be an intimidating moment for any pupil. Virtual tours can help them prepare at their best and join the new environment with unparalleled peace of mind. Here's how.

Exploring Campuses Without The Rush

Open houses and tour visits before the first day at a new school or university are a must for any student. These are important moments when they have the chance to explore the place that will be their second home for the months or years to come.

Visiting a campus or building is undoubtedly the best way to become familiar and comfortable with it. However, because of the current pandemic's consequences, this is not always possible to do in total safety. Virtual school tours are ideal for giving your future students a chance to explore the premises at their own time and without a rush.

Getting Familiar With Your New Home

The first day at school or university is among the most intimidating and overwhelming for everybody. One of the aims of open houses are to allow the students to become familiar with this new environment. However, now that these are not as safe anymore, it is necessary to find an alternative way to facilitate this important introduction. Virtual school and campus tours allow students to get to know the names, facilities, and routes. So, the pupils your school is about to welcome can focus on what's important during the first days in the new environment.

Finding An Easy Way To Get Around

Covid-19 has made it difficult to move around safely and made it necessary to minimize in-person interactions. Giving your students the chance to familiarize themselves with the premises can help you manage people's flow in a building or campus in a better way, thus protecting your pupils and teachers.

While this should not be the only precaution taken to contain the spread of Covid-19, it can help you welcome students who are already comfortable with the premises, at ease in the new environment, and ready to learn and build life-long relationships with others around them.

Contact us to learn more about our Virtual Tours for your school, community centre, church, business or real estate listing.

email: info@lightbound3d.com
tel: (437) 775-9000

Virtual Shopping and The Retail Environment of the Future

Walking around the aisles of a local grocery store is an experience that is part of our lives. You might do so in a rush of getting home after a hard day at work, in the company of your family dunning a Sunday shopping trip, or looking for a ready meal to enjoy while catching up on your favourite TV shows. 

In any case, going to the supermarket is an important event which has been impacted by the consequences of the current pandemic. While ordering your food online can do the job, there is nothing quite like walking around your local grocery store. 

Today, thanks to the partnership between Lightbound 3D, InaBuggy and The McEwan Group, you can go back to stroll through the snacks aisle and take your time looking at your favourite products.  (Want to experience it first hand? Skip to the bottom!)

Matterport 3D and Virtual Shopping systems have brought us back the enjoyment of visiting the local store - but it is only the beginning of how virtual tours are changing the retail environment. 

Indeed, supermarkets have started to catch up with the idea that online shopping and retail - as well as the consequences of the pandemic - are not going to disappear soon. So, they have started to invest in systems that can offer their customers a real, social experience. 

Here is how, encompassing small startups and larger supermarket chains, virtual tours are becoming the way forward. 

A Safer Experience for All

The covid-19 vaccine is becoming a lot more than just a distant mirage, and some of the restrictions are lifting across the globe. Nonetheless, some other pandemic consequences are still as present as always, and they are not bound to leave us for many months to come. 

Indeed, public places and gatherings still involve some risks that we don’t want to expose our families to or run ourselves. Something as simple as going to the local grocery store to pick up food for the week has become more of a mission we gear up for with face coverings and hand sanitizer. 

But what if technology can give us back a safe, enjoyable experience? Virtual shopping tours and Matterport technology offer us an unprecedented chance to browse the aisles and shelves in total safety. 

Whether you wish to enjoy this moment with your little ones or with others in your household, this powerful - yet user-friendly - technology has made it possible. 

Groceries at Your Fingertips - At All Times

Whether you are a quick-shopper or you love browsing the shelves of your local store for the best deals, going to the supermarket is almost always an event we plan for. When deciding when to go, the store’s opening times or busiest hours are something we all consider - especially when planning to buy a whole week’s worth of food. 

However, some local shops might be open only for certain hours during the day or affected so much by the local restrictions following the spread of Covid that their operating times are restricted. 

A virtual shopping experience offers you everything you have always wanted - a perfectly-presented, clean, and quiet supermarket where you can take all the time you need to select the best products. And, you can do so when it’s most convenient for you and from anywhere. 

The Matterport 3D technology is supported on most devices, including laptops, phones, and tablets. It allows you to walk around the aisle, check the shelves, and even zoom in to have a better look at what you are buying. All this has never been possible with standard eCommerce websites. 

Looking at The Future of Grocery Shopping

It is undeniable that the pandemic has had a significant impact on almost all aspects of our lives, from our jobs to how we go about our days. Some of the consequences of this historical time are not yet even clear to us. However, we do know that technology is an irresistible force that is changing our daily lives, mostly for the better. 

In this case, it gives customers a chance to enjoy their shopping trips in a safe, comfortable, and extremely convenient environment. Instead, to shop owners, this technology might mean that they can open their doors for longer and provide a much better service to their audience. 

So far, we are only aware of the tip of the iceberg of the benefits that technology can bring to the world of retail. However, for now, virtual shopping allows you to take a trip to your local store, browse the shelves, make the most of daily offers, and even let a snack tempt you! 

Do you want to experience Virtual Shopping first hand? Click here to see what we help create!

www.inabuggy.com/mcewan

Walk through a space as if you were really there with Matterport VR

Experience a space from anywhere with Matterport VR. Built-in to every tour we make!

Work Together. Anytime. Anywhere.

Providing venues with game changing Virtual Reality and 360 Diagraming. Check out our latest model at the Globe & Mail Centre in Toronto.

One-On-One Personalized Shopping Experience with Lightbound 3D

Personalized one-on-one shopping can now be experienced with Lightbound 3D from anywhere!

Cadillac Live, launching exclusively in Canada, connects online shoppers for video conversations with the automaker’s brand ambassadors at a showroom in Toronto. The ambassadors can answer questions and physically show customers around vehicles, then direct them to a nearby dealer if they’re interested in buying. Vehicles and showroom can be experienced in True Immersive 3D.

Check out the 3D Lounge

Virtual Tours get clicked 40% more than listings with no tours!

The reason for these successes is that 3D virtual tours engage buyers in a way words and photos can not. They offer ‘location intelligence’ and a visceral sense of a property that increases emotional engagement. And unlike an open house or home visit, with a 3D virtual home tour, the prospect can take their time – from wherever they may be located – to delve into any feature that would make a house or apartment feel like a home.

• Virtual tours get clicked on 40% more than listings without virtual tours

• Properties featured with virtual tours get 95% more phone inquiries

• Properties featured with virtual tours receive 65% more email inquiries versus those without

• Virtual tours generate 49% more qualified leads

All eyes are on the internet today, if you don’t capture your audience right away, it’s an opportunity lost!

Here's looking at you Toronto

We just completed our latest project for the Toronto Globe & Mail Centre. The Globe and Mail Centre’s flexible indoor and outdoor spaces can accommodate up to 400 guests for conferences, award shows, receptions, private celebrations and more.

Equipped with the latest digital AV technology and refined executive-level furnishings, The Globe and Mail Centre is purpose-built, LEED Gold certified and supports a wide range of possibilities.

The Globe and Mail Centre offers catering and rental services through carefully selected preferred caterers and suppliers who share our passion for quality and customer service.

Our Immersive 3D is now available for Event Planning Services

Showcase your venue using life-like, immersive, virtual reality technology that truly brings your property to life. AllSeated’s VR uses 360 diagramming and is a genuine virtual reality tool that is able to bring venues the highest ROI in the history of event technology!

Explore newly built Architectural Masterpiece in Toronto

Piece of Mind

Matterport is the only tool that’s going to sell your home in today’s competitive market.
We are so confident you will be impressed, our Immersive 3D Tour will be offered FREE if your home fails to sell. What do you say?

Book your Immersive 3D Tour package now or call us at 437-775-9000 We will answer all your questions!

Your SEO Checklist for 2018

It's the start of a new year and it's time to review your SEO priorities. Looking back over the years, we see various changes that Google make that SEO managers must follow, or face certain death. There was the Panda updates and then Penguin from Google. These updates have often sent SEO mangers into a frenzy of ‘what ifs’, ‘hows’ and ‘whens’ and indicate the constant evolution taking place. SEO is a process, not an event, and as such managers must constantly review, assess and redefine the priorities for SEO.

1. STRUCTURED DATA

Structured data markup is the technology behind the semantic web and Google’s rich search results. The semantic web is an improved web which delivers more relevant search results to users and more qualified traffic to websites. Structured data is a way of enriching content on a web page that makes it more machine-readable by linking entities together. Vocabularies like Schema.org (vocabularies are the structures you add to your data) allows search engines to create those fabulous rich snippets that contain data like star reviews, opening hours and prices. Not only do they make your search result more eye-catching, they also improve click-through-rate (CTR). Despite numerous studies showing pages that use Schema markup ranked four times higher in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), the adoption of structured data has remained slow, which means that sites that use structured data will ultimately perform better in 2018.

2. SECURE YOUR SITE WITH HTTPS

In 2014 Google announced that sites that were SSL secure were going to be given a slight boost to rankings. Adoption was relatively slow to begin with because many believed that it would only really impact E-Commerce sites. It is estimated that around 50% of sites that appear on page 1 of Google are SSL secure sites (including non-ecommerce sites), and is predicted to be around 65% by the time 2018 rolls around.If your website still isn’t secure by now, you’re basically leaving rankings on the table. Not to mention leaving your site vulnerable to spam and mock sites with your content, that is just plain annoying.

3. TARGET INTENT MESSAGING

Search intent is what the person using a search engine hopes to achieve through their search. People generally have four (depending on how you want to count them) when the use Google:

• Geographic search: Users want to go somewhere, but don’t know where it is or how to get there. The "place" they want to go could be an actual physical location like a store or it could be a specific page on a website.
• Informational search: Users want to answer a specific question, solve a problem or just find general information on a topic. These people make up the majority of search engine users at any given moment.
• Transactional search: Users want to take a particular action. In the marketing world, this is often called "commercial intent", looking for an actionable outcome, like buying a product or servie on

Optimizing your website content to match your audience’s search intent was vital to SEO in 2017, and it’s only going to get more important for SEO in 2018. 

4. SLOW LOADING WEBSITE PAGES

The biggest reason for page abandonment is slow loading websites. If you're found via a web search and your page does not load, user moves on period. They rarely if ever come back. Google also queries your site for speed, and now also evaluates site speed as part of its ranking criteria. Here are some of the biggest culprits that bog down websites:

1. Unnecessary plugins, tracking codes, advertisements and on-page widgets. These are especially bad if any of them block your main page content from loading. Load any news site and you see what I mean, annoying!
2. Bloated image resources. This has been my pet peeve since the adoption of digital cameras! Optimizing for the web is mandatory. Using HTML to change the dimensions of images is a common mistake. This doesn’t impact file size and therefore doesn’t improve speed. Instead, use your photo editing software’s compression to optimize images for the web. Many programs have "save for web" options when exporting.
3. Uncached assets: Caching tells browsers to store files to load for the next visit. This means users don’t have to wait for an image or stylesheet to download every time the visit a page. This can vastly reduce wait time for repeat visitors. Check out Google’s guide to leveraging browser caching.
4. Uncompressed assets: All modern browsers support gzip compression, which is a method of zipping files to reduce their size by up to 90 percent. Gzip compression needs to be enabled on your web server. Google’s got a great set of resources on how to do this.

Our mission is to continue to provide you with the SEO information you need to promote your brand online. Know what high value keywords your customers use to find your products and services. Be found on the web, and appear on the first page of Google and Bing SERP's (search engine results pages). Please contact us at info@lightbound3d.com or call (437) 775-9000 for a free, no obligation consultation.