The e-commerce category features all blog posts related to businesses and trading online. E-commerce stands for electronic commerce.

Magento fastest growing platform in Europe

Magento fastest growing e-commerce platform, Europe

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Magento fastest growing platform in Europe
Magento, most used e-commerce platform by biggest companies in Europe / Magento logo and EU flag

Magento fastest growing platform in Europe

According to Magento Commerce, the content management system Magento is the fastest growing cross-platform in Europe.

It boasts an impressive 53 clients on the Internet Retailer’s list of the 500 biggest e-commerce companies in Europe, more than any other platform.

“That’s more than any other provider and more than double Demandware’s 26 and SAP Hybris’s 24 clients,” the company stated.

In a press release from early June, Magento announced that 31pc of mid to large companies use their software. Other figures show that it powers over 25pc of e-commerce sites on the Alexa top one million list.

CEO Mark Lavelle added, “our European customers are out-innovating their competitors in mobile, unique shopping experiences, and new digital commerce business models”. Magento users in Europe include Dyson, Frankfurt Airport, Lafuma, Missguided, Orsay and Poundland.

Magento 2

The release of Magento 2 eight months ago is attributed to its fast growth: totalling over 350,000 downloads with approximately 2,400 live sites running on it. The update introduced new products like Magento Enterprise Cloud Edition, Magento 2.1, Magento Order Management and a renewed Magento Marketplace.

Magento’s rise isn’t a surprise to some: the company has been steadily growing since last year.

Translation for Magento websites

Using the Magento platform?

We translate sites running on the Magento content management system into more than 70 languages. Bring your e-commerce store to the global marketplace. Contact our sales team today.

The STAR Team

Source: E-commerce News

Web Summit 2016

Goodbye Web Summit, Hello Lisbon

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Web Summit 2016

Goodbye Web Summit

As we say Goodbye to the Dublin Web Summit, Paddy Cosgrave and the debates about the Irish Government, Wi-Fi and customer service, what’s next for Irish digital and our webpreneurs?

Am I sad to see the Web Summit go to Lisbon? Partly yes and partly no. Governments shouldn’t bow to big business, but they do need to listen – and be professional. At the end of the day – the Web is international, so it should not matter where in the world it is. As long as you have good Wi-Fi!

Hello Lisbon

Lisbon will bring many new things to the Web Summit. Firstly, it will bring us closer to Europe. It will be interesting to see if the new location brings language challenges to the teams or entrepreneurs and the Web Summit team. The summit has always been international. But now that it’s based in Lisbon, will it attract more European visitors?

What will be the default language of the show — English or Portuguese?

Will the #WebSummit ever be the same again?

Need Translation?

So Paddy and the team, if you need Portuguese translation or any language for that matter, give me a call here at STAR Translation Dublin. With offices in 44 countries, we will help you deliver in every language.

Exhibiting in Lisbon?

If you’re bringing your company to Web Summit in Lisbon, think about translating some of your marketing material, even a one-page flyer.  You will be closer to Europe, so put your best image forward with professional translation. Speak to your customers in their language.

At STAR, we help drive international sales for our customers and make the world a smaller, friendlier place to do business.

Get Ready Now:

Start planning for Web Summit 2016

The next chapter of Web Summit will take place in Lisbon in 2016. We can help translate that chapter for your success.

Here is some great resources we have for you:

Let STAR translation help you start your journey. Give us a call to discuss your plans.

Regards,
Damian Scattergood
Managing Director
STAR Translation Services Dublin

IRELAND
+353 1 836 5614

UNITED KINGDOM
+44 (0) 2036 427 459

UNITED STATES
+1 646-741-8567

Smart Business Show, Supporting National Export Campaign

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RDS building, National Export Campaign

The RDS in Dublin where the Smart Business Show took place.

Last week saw STAR support the National Export Campaign by taking part in the SMART Business Show in the RDS. Our team where present showcasing our translation services for exporters into as many as 70 languages. At the show we introduced our new translation plugin for WordPress Websites.

Before the show started, there were a number of presentations by Brian Corish, the head of digital at Vodafone Ireland; Dara Murphy TD, Minister for European Affairs and Christy Burke, Lord Mayor of Dublin.

Dara Murphy TD, National Export Campaign

Dara Murphy TD giving the opening speech to kick off the Smart Business Show in association with Vodafone Ireland

Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke, National Export Campaign

Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke with Damian Scattergood of STAR Translation. And Minister for European Affairs & Data Protection, Dara Murphy TD (left)

For our professional sales team it was a busy two days of customer focused engagement and, of course, a little fun  as well.

Damian, Bryan and Eoin at the company's stand for the event, National Export Campaign

Left to right: Damian, Bryan and Eoin at the company’s stand for the event at the RDS in Dublin

Smart Business Show Stands, National Export Campaign

An early morning start for us and many others at the Smart Business Show, The RDS, Dublin

Many thanks to Innov8 Office Interiors for the supply of coffee on that early morning start!

STAR Partner Profile: AboutFrance: The French Trade Solution

We met up with some of our partners and discuss how we can help exporters together. If you’re developing your business in France you could benefit from our partner About France. Charlotte Jehanno, owner of About France, advises companies in Ireland looking to expand their horizons and stretch their legs in France. We have been actively engaged with About France as a business partner for many years now.

About France provides hands on business solutions in:

  • Researching commercial partners
  • Sales outsourcing
  • Exhibiting at trade fairs
  • Managing events and clients’ visits
  • Translating websites and legal material
  • Communicating with the media

Considering exporting / importing to or from France? Call About France on +353 (0)1 442 9093

The STAR Team

Smart Business Show, Calling all Exporters

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Smart Business Show

Smart Business Show: RDS, Dublin, 22nd to 23rd of April 2015

Smart Business Show for Exporters

If you are exporting or simply thinking about it then this is a great opportunity to learn from the experts in the industry.

The team at STAR Translation are attending the SMART Business Show. Our knowledgeable sales team will be on hand to give advice on best practice for translation and how to make the most of your translation projects. We translate into more than 70 languages, helping you reach out to new markets around the world.

Come visit us at the world-class event of the year, the Smart Business Show, as it comes to the RDS in Dublin from the 22nd to the 23rd of April.

We’ll be at STAND C6, exhibiting over the busy two-day show. Come and say hello!

The event boasts a great line-up of keynote speakers. There are talkzones delivered by industry experts presenting insightful advice in the areas of

  • cloud technology
  • online security
  • e-Commerce
  • digital marketing
  • social media
  • SEO and PPC
  • intellectual property

Visitors can engage with potential customers and suppliers, network and become inspired by world-class business leaders.

Smart Business Show is about engaging, discovering and being inspired. It’s about doing business.

The STAR Team

Black Friday, Explained

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What is Black Friday?

What is Black Friday?

Just what is Black Friday?

To understand it, we need to look at the American national holiday of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving takes place on the fourth Thursday of November and marks the beginning of the holiday season in the U.S.

First Coined

The term “Black Friday” was first coined in Philadelphia by the State Police Department there and was used to originally describe the heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday had been used before the 1960s and its use spread throughout the U.S. around 1975 and onward.

Another Explanation

It had been seen as busy shopping day during the 1960s and stretching into the 2000s. Thus, over the years, another explanation was offered: retailers operated at a financial loss from January through November or “in the red” as it was known. And “Black Friday” indicated when they turned a profit or “in the black”. A term that started off with a negative connotation eventually went on to become a positive. This is the “Black Friday” we’ve come to hear about as we browse online stores.

Shopping Craze

Many retailers in the States were commonly known to open as early as 06:00 in the morning. But since 2011, stores such as Macy’s, Walmart, Kohl’s, Best Buy and Bealls went even further by opening as early as 05;00, even 04:00! Offering deals and promotions to early shoppers hoping to grab bargains for Christmastime has become something of a tradition in America. Even UK and Irish retailers, both on the streets and online have adopted this shopping experience craze.

Have you been affected by “Black Friday”? Let us know what you think in the comments box below.

Graham,
The STAR Team

2014 Irish Exporters Association Awards

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Irish Exporters Association Awards 2014

Irish Exporters Association Awards 2014 — sponsored by Enterprise Ireland

Irish Exporters Association Awards 2014

If you’re an exporter here’s a great opportunity to have your company recognized.

Enterprise Ireland is one of the sponsors of the 2014 Irish Exporters Association Export Industry Awards, which is now open for nominations.

There are 11 categories covering different sectors and a range of stages of development and size of a company. One example is for early stage Irish companies that have surpassed export expectations over the last two years.

It is open to Irish companies in any sector

  • who export goods or services developed in Ireland
  • who have been in business for at least two years
  • who are between one and three years into their export journey
  • and are able to demonstrate a clear export strategy

Judges will consider both criteria

  • Product Innovation
  • and Disruptive Innovation

View all the details of the awards and criteria on the Irish Exporters Association website.

Closing date for applications is the 30th of October 2014.

The STAR Team

Killer Landing Pages By Google

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Google Breakfast Briefing: landing pages by Google

Landing pages by Google

Web designers and marketing gurus are always on the lookout for the next killer design for landing pages or home pages.

Getting new customers to your site and then having them buy, or convert […] is a tough challenge. Recently, Google held a presentation in the Foundry, part of Google’s EMEA HQ called Breakfast Briefing to share their best practice advice for website design.

Damian Scattergood, our managing director, attended and here’s what he learned…

Landing pages
Interestingly, the most important point about landing pages is that “Every page on your website is a landing page”. In terms of SEO and the copy on your website, you should consider every page as a landing page. People often consider a few pages as actual landing pages though. The logic is that at some stage, someone will land on any page of your website. What will they do when they get there? Every page should be a landing page and have a call to action on it.
Keep it simple
Google advised that all web pages should be simple and to the point. Don’t talk about how brilliant you are. Nobody really cares. They came to your page for a reason; if they want to buy a washing machine, they’ll need to know the price, credit terms and how to buy it. That’s it! They can drill down into other pages if they want more information. Don’t overcrowd your pages with text either. We were shown an example of a dentist’s website that talked about where they were located and how great the clinic is however, the site didn’t mention anything about teeth.
Use simple graphics
When it comes to web design, keep the images strong but limited. On an obvious note, it takes ages to download lots of images which makes users frustrated. Design your site yo be simple, giving a general idea means that it’s clear and easy for users to find what they want and how to do it.
CTA (Call to action)
Make sure all your pages have clear call to action buttons. Just one is sufficient. Two at maximum. Make it easy for your customers to read your text by keeping it short and straightforward. Make the site easy to navigate so that they can find the next step in the process. Do you want them to call , email or send something to you?
Short web pages
In today’s busy world, people don’t have time to scroll down 2 to 3 pages to get to the information they need. It should always be visible. On smartphones this is even more important; keep your pages short and to the point.
Use bullet points
Bullet lists are easy to read. If you have lots of information on features of the products / services you sell, then list them as 1, 2, 3… It’s easy to read and to the point. Long descriptive passages aren’t read anymore. Keep bullet points on one line. Don’t turn them into “bullet paragraphs”.

We hope this helps you on the way to improving your landing pages and getting the conversions you need.

The STAR Team

Top 10 Sites, 2012

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Top 10 Sites, Global Players

If you are doing international business, then you have to make sure your website is visible to everyone — you need to understand the competition. Everyone knows Google is the number one site in the world, but who are the other big players?

Top 10 Sites of 2012

  1. Google Search: As expected, Google is the world’s number one search engine
  2. Facebook: The world’s most “liked site” and social platform of choice around the world. And still growing at an amazing rate!
  3. YouTube: The site replacing our TVs. More video content is uploaded every day to YouTube than the entire global TV production output. YouTube is the new TV!
  4. Yahoo!: Despite all you hear about Yahoo it still commands a massive audience
  5. Baidu: The number one Chinese search engine. If you’re doing business in China, then you need to be sure your site is visible on Baidu
  6. Wikipedia: If you need to know everything about anything, then Wikipedia is the website of choice for information
  7. Windows Live: Microsoft’s communication engine
  8. Blogspot: Free blogging site hosted by — yes you guessed it — Google!
  9. QQ: China’s largest Internet portal
  10. Twitter: For all those people in the world that need to communicate in 140 characters or less

Just outside the Top 10, but still in the top 20 are Amazon, LinkedIn, Google India, TaoBao, Yahoo Japan, MSN and eBay

The STAR Team

Source: Alexa March 2012

How to Create a Social Media Policy

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Captain Pat O'Connor and Damien Mulley, how to create a social media policy

Captain Pat O’Connor and Damien Mulley discussing Social media policy.

How to Create a Social Media Policy

On Friday, we attended Enterprise Ireland’s Social Media club  at the EI’s Headquarters in East Point Business Park.

Two fantastic presentations from Captain Pat O’Connor, Spokesperson and Media Relations, Irish Defence Forces and Damien Mulley of Mulley Communications on how to create, roll out and manage your social media presencewith a social media policy. As you can imagine for the defence forces this would be a tricky and sensitive area. How do you allow people to blog/tweet and socialise whilst protection national security interests and people’s public / private interests. Captain O’Connor spoke excellently about how they manage this balance. The defence forces have a very well thought out policy and process for publication of information. His presentation was open and he shared a great many valuable lessons with everyone in the room.

Damien spoke about how to manage your presence and policy, and the key elements you need to have in place for a successful “social” presence.

  1. It is very important to remember that in today’s world, a Tweet carries the same weight as a press release. Captain O’Connor spoke about how some of the defence forces tweets had reached the news before the official press releases, so you need to be careful about how and what you tweet
  2. You need to have a social media policy in place. Social Media Governance is a great site with lots of free examples and templates for social media policies
  3. You should assign people as social media commentators and train them accordingly
  4. You should register your social media profile on all the various systems even if you don’t plan to use them. It can be an expensive and long process to get them back if someone “cybersquats” them
  5. Have an emergency response policy for social media. This is important to ensure you respond accordingly to manage any situation that may arise. One company who had their database of clients “hacked” immediately sent out press releases about their data breach. This was picked up quickly by the search engines. Discussions were about the data breach and not about the actual hack. This was a much softer message and a great PR win for them
  6. Finally, ensure you tie your business strategy in with your social media strategy. Know your audience / customers: where they are (and on what platforms), how to communicate and publish appropriate messages for them. Just like any offline marketing strategy, you need to know who they are, what they are doing, where they are and when to target them, for each message

The STAR Team

Gareth Dunlop and Damian Scatttergood

Enterprise Ireland’s E-marketing Workshop

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Gareth Dunlop and Damian Scattergood at EI's e-marketing workshop.
Gareth Dunlop and Damian Scattergood discuss the advantages of good content online.

Enterprise Ireland: E-marketing Workshop

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin on 20th of October 2011.

Today we attended an excellent event on international Web design, marketing and communication run by Enterprise Ireland in the Crowne Plaza in Blanchardstown.

The opening address was by Jennifer Condon, Divisional Manager of EI who spoke about the importance of the Web in driving Ireland’s future success.

Aileen O’Toole director of Amas spoke about the growth of the Internet and ecommerce sales for Irish companies. Some facts included:

  • 72% of households access the Internet at home, a very high penetration
  • Your online presence will directly impact your offline sales
  • 90% of people surveyed in Europe prefer to browse websites in their local language, so translation is important
  • Bad translation will lose you business and advised against using free tools like Google Translate

Next up was Gareth Dunlop who gave an amazing presentation on how content is king!

Gareth’s presentation style is very relaxed and direct to the point. Creating good content is important. He showed us an example of a stock photograph of a group of people used on 10 different websites. “Surely these people don’t work for all these companies,” he said! Creating your own photos and content shows an honesty that comes across to your customers.

In the old days, websites just had the basics — visitors to your site now demand content they can use however, as Gareth stated “Internet simplicity, is very difficult to achieve.

Ed Field meets Damian Scattergood, Enterprise Ireland's e-marketing workshop
Ed Field, CEO of Digino Marketing speaking to Damian Scattergood at Enterprise Ireland’s e-marketing workshop.

Ed Field from Digino Marketing followed with the next step, communicating your message to your target audience. I found this very thought-provoking. Ed had a slightly different spin on the classic USP. We all talk about Unique Selling Points and Elevator pitches, but at the end of the day Ed asks “what are you brilliant at?”

It’s amazing how a simple question can result in a lack of responses. We all struggled to define what our USPs, but I can tell you instantly what we are brilliant at. “We are probably the best technical translators in the world.”  We are excellent at technical documents and technical marketing. Now, how do I get that message across on our website and marketing material. Certainly it’s a lot easier than defining a USP statement.

When customers visit your website you have to get their attention in 6 seconds and convince them in under 3 minutes. There is no space on your website for fluffy text. People just want answers. When was the last time you visited an airline website to see what planes they have? Never. You just want to buy a seat. Does this apply to your business?

Now, once you have all this sorted out on your website, can you now do it in 12 languages? That was John Coburn’s topic International Search Engine Marketing.

It was an excellent morning with plenty of thought-provoking ideas, and work for us to do on our own export sales.

The STAR Team