by : Priscilla Ng Security & Hacking, Software, Software Customization

How to Create a Scalable Software and Scalable Database System?

Is no secret that sustainable growth is the ultimate goal of every business. Therefore, whether you are a software giant corporation or just a startup, the scalability of your software is a matter of life and death for your business.

Why? Well, because a messy software that is riddled with bugs and lags will disrupt your operations. This is a huge turn off for users that keeps businesses from growing.

That said, there are ways to make sure that the software you develop is scalable and can handle increased user traffic without breaking a sweat.

Tips to Improve Software Scalability

Software scalability is in direct relation to the scalability of the database system at the backend. So, you can’t have a scalable software without having a scalable database. This is where beginners often falter. They fail to realize the importance of database optimizations.

Once you have a scalable database in place, all you need to do is follow some industry standard practices to ensure your software is also scalable.

Improving Database Scalability

There are quite a lot of things you can do to improve database scalability. From horizontal scaling to optimizing the schema, database scaling is a cluster of optimizations that work hand in hand.

The following are some of the things that you can do to design a scalable database.

Optimized Schema Design

A database schema is the most performance-affecting part of database design. Database schema refers to the way a database is structured. In other words, a schema is a blueprint of the entire database. It describes how tables are structured, the way relations work between tables and the associated constraints.

You can now see why schema design is so important. A database with a poor schema will be flawed from the very beginning.

Here are a few things to consider to develop a good schema design:

  • Shorter tables are almost always preferred
  • Normalize database tables
  • Don’t request more information than necessary e.g. refrain from using select *
  • Operators like ‘%’ are a bad idea
  • Stay away from using Join as much as possible
  • Don’t perform individual queries if you can. Put off queries of similar type and perform them together to save resources. For instance, if you are doing delete on every page, put off doing deletes until all the pageviews are done and then perform them in a batch
  • In the case of ORMs, beware of the N+1 problem
  • For further performance gains, slightly denormalize data

This is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to schema design optimizations. So, if you want to go deeper there are a lot of resources online.

Horizontal Scaling

One of the biggest issues software programmers face during maintenance is the lack of resources. Most, if not all, of the performance-related issues, happen because the software has hit the server’s upper limit. That means the load/demand for resources is more than a single server can handle. So, to mitigate this situation two solutions exist:

  1. Vertical Scaling
  2. Horizontal Scaling

In vertical scaling, you increase the resources of a single server. For instance, you swap HDDs for SSDs, increase the number of CPU cores and increase the amount of RAM, etc.

On the other hand, horizontal scaling means adding more servers rather than increasing the resources of one. This way you can distribute the database over a network of resources and serve the visitors based on their geographical location. Not only this reduces the load on one single server, but it also does away with a single point of failure (which is the biggest problem with the Vertical Scaling).

Improving Software Scalability

Like I’ve said before, software scalability depends on database scalability. So, if you have a scalable database at the backend, there is very little that you need to do to make your software scalable.

Use the Right Technology

The first step in creating a scalable software is to use the right technology. When I say technology I am referring to the actual programming language that will be used for your software development.

So, choose wisely. For instance, C is a poor choice and so is C++. On the other hand, Java, C#, and Lisp are pretty great choices.

Implement Caching

Hitting the database, again and again, is a performance bottleneck. It takes a lot of time and resources for a server to retrieve data from a database. And if you are retrieving the same information over and over again then it is a waste of server resources.

Therefore, implementing caching is an excellent way to save resources. In caching you make a copy of the most requested data in RAM. And whenever a visitor requests that data, your software serves up the cached copy rather than hitting the database. In short, caching can save you a lot of performance overhead.

Implement Security Features

Finally, upon expecting a surge in the number of visitors, you should implement security features to make sure this surge doesn’t bog down the whole system. Because there are instances where a sudden increase in the number of visitors can be a DDoS attack. Setting up firewalls, and CDNs, etc. can save you from a possible DDoS attack.

Conclusion

In the end, software scalability is largely dependent on database scalability. The more scalable your database system is, the more scalable your software system will be. So, focus more of your efforts on making your database as scalable as possible and the software will follow on its own. This will also help you minimize software maintenance as the fundamentals will be pretty solid.

by : Priscilla Ng Digital Marketing, Ecommerce Tips, Software Customization, Website Design

Benefits of Having Own eCommerce Website Instead of selling on Lazada and Shopee

Thousands of businesses are still selling on their own eCommerce websites instead of online marketplaces like Lazada and Shopee, ever wondered why? This is because there are plenty of benefits of having your own store instead of depending on eCommerce platforms. So before you get a development company’s eCommerce website package in Malaysia, you should know why you even need to have one in the first place. That being said, let’s start:

5 Benefits of Your Own eCommerce Store Instead of Selling on Marketplaces:

Build Your Brand

If you abandon online marketplaces and have your own eCommerce store designed with the help of a company offering eCommerce website package in Malaysia, you will have freedom of branding yourself. Your brand will no longer be overshadowed by the stamp of the marketplaces like Shopee or Lazada.

Your customers will know that they are directly buying from you which gives you opportunities to increase brand loyalty and own the customer. You can do many things to position your brand in your customers’ minds without any restrictions.

Such as adding your social media handles at the store’s pages, branding the boxes your products arrive in, and even asking for customer’s personal emails to create an email marketing system. These things will help you solidify your brand’s name, increase customer loyalty, and establish personal contact with them.

No Risks

One of the most painful and discouraging parts of selling on platforms like Shopee, Lazada, or Amazon is that you are totally reliant on them to keep your store running. They can shut it down whenever they want, and that will result in you losing your bread and butter. These platforms don’t allow sellers to have customers’ personal data, so you won’t have any customer-base to market your new store to.

On the contrary, if you get some professional web design services in Malaysia and have your own store built, you will be the boss! You won’t have to worry about getting banned, plus, you can divert your customers to your social media and have a separate fan base in case anything happens to your eCommerce store.

Increased Opportunities for Marketing

One of the best parts of having your own eCommerce website is that you can cross-promote. If your store is getting traffic, you can contact brands selling products related to your niche and ask them to promote your store, and you will give their customers a % discount on every purchase.

For instance, if there is a brand selling coffee machines and you sell coffee filters, you can ask them to send their customers your way, and you will give everyone a 20% discount. This is an awesome marketing strategy that boosts both revenue and customer loyalty.

However, you cannot engage in cross-promotions on online marketplaces like Lazada or Shopee because they have their own set of terms and regulations you need to follow to avoid getting banned.

No More Heavy Commissions No More Heavy Commissions:

Selling on marketplaces like Lazada or Shopee means you will not just have to abide by their rules, but you will have to pay a fixed commission on every sale. Plus, there’s also a fee for keeping your stock in their warehouses. These expenses can eat up a big chunk of your profits. However, this is not going to be a problem with your own store.

You won’t have to pay any commissions, which will leave a good amount of money for you or for your marketing/expansion purposes.

Control of Traffic

When you are selling on a platform like Lazada or Shopee, you cannot really rank your listing in Google. This means you will have to create a landing page that redirects people to your listing and then rank that page on Google. But if you are doing that amount of work and spending heavily on ranking a landing page, then why not rank your own separate store?

You will have extra profits from the money you don’t pay in marketplace commission to support the SEO of your store and get massive amounts of traffic to your store. Since 93% of the web traffic is originated from search engines (SearchEnginePeople), you can expect a good amount of people coming in organically.

Parting Words:

There’s no doubt about the benefits of using big marketplaces like Lazada and Shopee, but the advantages of having your own eCommerce store outweigh them. Simple things like having your own email or WhatsApp marketing system based on your customers are not permitted by these platforms, which leaves you with nothing in case they ban your store.

So it is better to get a professional development company’s eCommerce website package in Malaysia and have your own store up and running in days. You will have more profit and scaling opportunities this way.

by : Priscilla Ng Software, Software Customization

How to Find the Best Software Development Agency?

Hiring a professional software company in Malaysia is easy if you know how to look for one. In case you end up with a beginner or unprofessional company, you might face loss of time and of course money. So being one of the top companies that offer software development in Malaysia, we can help you look for the things that can give you an idea of how good a company is. So if you are excited and want to get the absolute cream of the crop then here are 9 tips for you

1. Get Referrals or Hit the Internet

First, you need to ask in your circle. See if anyone has ever hired a software development firm and how their experience was with them. If you find a good company, then move on to the next tips.

However, if you don’t, then search for one on the internet using keywords like “software company Malaysia” or “software development Malaysia” to get the service providers within your vicinity. Open the top 10 search results and get their contact details.

2. Discuss Coding

The quality of the code behind your software will directly impact how it is going to turn out. Make sure to discuss this with them and ensure they do lean coding, which allows them to make real-time changes in the project to meet your needs.  Also, they should write neat and clean codes without leaving any bugs or errors behind.

3. Check Portfolio and Credibility

This is one of the most important parts; you need to see the software they have already design, check their functionality, UX, and UI. And if possible, ask for references of their previous customers.

Those who don’t have a good portfolio, and those who are reluctant in giving references do not use their services.

4. Don’t Let Low Prices Compel You

Yes, we all want to save as much money on our purchases as we can but that saving should not come at the expense of quality. There will be several companies that will claim to bring the moon to you in just a few bucks, don’t let them persuade you into making a purchase.

The low price usually doesn’t mean quality, which is why you need to keep your budget broad and your eyes wide open to spot the gems of the industry.

5. Delivery Times

Next up is the timeline of the whole development process. You need to ask them and their previous customers about their ability to meet deadlines. The company will obviously make promises, but it is their previous customers and their testimonials that will tell you if they can actually deliver in time.

Always decide the timeline during the initial phase of negotiation because if you have already settled on most of the things, then you won’t have much breathing room.

6. Check Communication Skills

You must have gotten an idea of how well the candidate companies are communicating by now. So if most of the factors among them are equal, then we suggest you go with the one that has excellent communication skills.

You do not want to work with some geeks sitting in a dark room, punching keys. You need a team that can keep you updated on the progress and answer as many questions as you ask.

7. Ask About Privacy and Security

Your software or app will be your asset, and to protect it, you need to ensure that the company you are hiring for PC or mobile app development in Malaysia keeps it private. For this, you need to ask them to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) to ensure your asset’s secrets like its backend codes, concept, and design.

Moreover, they should also legally agree to finish your project on the desired deadline and do not drop it halfway. Sometimes companies do this, which can result in your money and time loss.

8. Talk About Support and Maintenance

Will they offer support after the development of the software? Some companies charge for further support right after they deliver and some give a few days or weeks for checking and testing and then they charge for further support.

Whatever you decide with them, you need to make sure that they do offer support for things like software orientation, configuration, customization, and backup, etc. so you don’t have to search for any other software maintenance Malaysia company.

Parting Words:

Every developer will have some strengths and weaknesses; no company is perfect. So you need to keep an open mind when talking to them. However, you need to hire the developer that has strengths in the areas you need. By doing this, you can reduce your risk of getting bad and unprofessional service and ensure maximum value for your money.

by : Priscilla Ng Digital Marketing, Software, Software Customization

Social Media Marketing Strategy for App Promotion

Are you wondering how to give wings to your app downloads and see the numbers fly high via social media marketing? Well, then the good thing is that you have discovered this page.

Once you have found the company offering top mobile app development in Penang, and have created a perfect application, your next step is marketing.

We will tell you some of the best and most practical tips for getting your app noticed by your audience and increase your revenue. So with that said, let’s move to the real-deal below:

Effective Social Media Marketing for Your App – 5 Practical Tips

1. Identify The Platform For Your App:

Yes, you can promote it on all platforms, but if you are on a limited budget, you should start marketing with the platform where a majority of your audience hangs out. If your app resonates with youth, Snapchat, and Instagram are your go-to platforms.

Similarly, if the app is for the general age group, Facebook is best, and if it is for professionals, LinkedIn and Twitter will be more suited.

By starting with the platforms where the majority of your audience is present, you will be able to reach more people in less budget.

2. Leverage the Power of Paid Ads:

According to the Think with Google; 49% downloads for mobile apps come through social media ads, astonished? Well, that is true and works for most companies as long as they have a well-designed app by a top software company in Penang.

You can make an attractive video ad showing the use of your app for solving a particular problem. And if you target the right audience, they will definitely be interested in at least trying the app out and see if it really helps them.

Just keep in mind that you need to have solid app design and a precisely targeted campaign to be able to get people to install and love your app.

3. Influencer Marketing Works Wonders:

Collaborating with influencers allows you to present your software or app to their audiences and get it positioned in their minds. According to Twitter, 40% of users purchase things directly recommended by an influencer they follow.

However, we suggest that you select and vet the influencers carefully because some can have artificially inflated followers and you might not get the level of engagement you were hoping for. Secondly, the influencers should resonate with your app; for instance, a fitness app should only be promoted by fitness influencer, not by a chef.

Ask the influence regarding the proof of engagement, and once you are satisfied, then ask them to endorse your app via videos based on its real-life uses. Just make sure that your app really does what it claims, and a good company offering mobile app development in Penang should help with that.

4. Promote User-Generated Content:

Now that we are done with the advertisement part, you should start seeing an increase in your app users, and people will start following your social media profiles. This is the time to leverage UGC (user generated content), and you can do that by encouraging people to send you photos and videos of them using your app.

You can run a campaign where the most liked UGC will receive a gift and that will motivate them to make content. As per the report by a marketing firm, Neilsen; a whopping 90% of the customers listen to recommendations made by peers making UGC one of the best ways to get more downloads.

The main goal of the user generated content is to show how your app has improved people’s lives or solved a problem they were facing.

5. Get More Reviews and Ratings:

According to Think with Google; 60% of people believe ratings and reviews are very important when deciding on downloading an app. So we suggest that your app should be designed by a top company offering software development in Penang.

This way, there will be no bugs in the app, and its interface will be very user-friendly. These things will compel your users to leave positive reviews on your Google/Apple store pages as well as social media profiles.

And the higher number of positive reviews and ratings you have, the more credible you will appear, leading to more sales.

5. Get More Reviews and Ratings:

We not only offer the top services for web system development in Penang. Our spectrum for services includes lots of valuable offerings. Here at Maple Creation, we also offer superior class service for mobile app development in Penang.

From easy to use UI to a satisfactory UX, we can handle everything so your app can crush it in the marketing phase. Get in touch with us today to get started on crafting your masterpiece.

by : Priscilla Ng Digital Marketing, Software, Software Customization, Website Design

9 Easy Ways to Help Small Businesses Through Social Distancing

Amongst these wild and dire times of COVID-19, from every corporate individual to high-end businesses, life has seemed to become a cascade of complication. However, the ones hit most due to the pandemic are small businesses that seemed to strive already. Arriving in on the scene as a guardian angel, Maple Software Creation, which is a web customization service, and a software development company based in Malaysia, accommodates struggling businesses that have just started out, in a way that makes everything easier.

This article concentrates on how Maple Software Creation from Malaysia is helping small-scale businesses during these tough times through their broad, and flexible techniques of effective software development, and web operation modification, and all while maintaining social distance.

Website Design

The first and foremost that Maple Software Creation could do for small businesses is to help them go online, and create a website dedicated to their store only. This attributes to zero physical contact, and closely follows the safety code of conduct.

With their alluring templates, prompt and engaging design, the website is sure to attract customers like no other.

This is exactly how a small business can boost sales and generate a decent revenue with the help of Maple Software Creation.

Website Maintenance

A website is needy of the latest information, and regular updates. It’s nothing but an essential part of making a business grow.

Maintenance involves a wide variety of things to look out for. This includes keeping the website free of malware, and sustaining a thorough security check. Moreover, maintaining a website is all about its system customization. With a modified visual experience that’s engineered from the ground up to boost traffic, website maintenance is a true aspect to consider when a business needs a growth spurt.

Software Development

Maple Software Creation is a team of highly-skilled professionals whose expertise lies in the field of software development.

The brilliancy from Malaysia delivers a tailored service that focuses delivery according to the business needs of one specific client.

Why it’s an absolute necessity is because of the competitive age that we live in. A customized software is a must-have for entities to stand out in the marketplace, and provide something none could compare to.

Web App Development

For small businesses to establish themselves on a new level, a website application is inevitable to have.

Unlike a proper website, web applications offer a different user-interface experience. These are highly attractive, very gripping applications whose primary focus revolves around the focus of the audience.

These are as important as the business itself when it comes to the publicity and marketing part. Additionally, a web app comprises a competitive edge as it makes it easier for the business to reach its targets, and goals.

Mobile App Development

Everyone in today’s world owns a smartphone that they need for their everyday convenience. Using this fact as an advantage, Maple Software Creation proposes a terrific service of mobile application development.

Featuring both platforms- iOS and Android, the service develops applications for mobiles that amount to a great marketing strategy.

Anything that flows on a phone is considered more accessible, more driven, and more up to speed.

An app uses the smartphone’s own features to gain a convenience boost. With prompt push notifications, and a design that’s optimized for the device itself, the engagement increases by leaps and bounds which are certain to attract potential long-term customers.

Moreover, people sometimes refrain from availing something due to the difficulty involved. A mobile app holds the power to display all the services of a business in a matter of few taps here and there.

MLM System

Multilevel Marketing System abbreviated as MLM, is a combination of extensive plans of advanced marketing.

This includes Unilever Plan, Binary Plan, Matrix Plan, Board Plan, Stair Step Plan, and Generation Plan for a business.

Each plan is determined to form an organized system of distributors for the business to attract customers and gain income.

These are beginner-friendly, easy to use, and manageable plans that not only benefit the whole business, but the hired team members as well.

CRM Solution

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a software made typically just for the customers’ accommodation.

Maple Software Creation, being a software development masterclass, believes that a stronger collaboration with clients means a more successful business. That’s why storing the customer’s information, making appointments, analysing their behaviour, and easy contact techniques form a terrific business base.

Marketplace API Integration

API Integration is one of the most important yet basic tools that small businesses can quickly take advantage of to gain an upper hand.

With a product inventory all ready to go, E-Commerce API Integration enables the same products to be listed on other marketplaces as well such as WooCommerce Integration. This goes a long way in increasing overall reach, and yet again, generating a lot of leads using this method.

Web Scraping

Web scraping, also known as data scraping, is a trick applied online to impart useful data and information from other websites onto spreadsheets such as the ones featured in Microsoft Excel.

Maple Software Creation is diligent in this regard to provide well-detailed research for content, finding potential leads, and examining the competition.

All in all, this Malaysian software development company that also happens to branch out web system optimization, is the jack of all trades when it comes to reinvigorating small businesses while social distancing.

This concludes the article, “9 Easy Ways to Help Small Businesses Through Social Distancing.”