This is not a future trend. It is already happening.

From keywords to answers

Traditional search rewarded keyword matching and backlinks. AI-driven search operates in a distinct manner. Instead of returning a list of links, AI systems synthesise answers. They compare products, assess suitability, and check availability. They usually limit options to one or two suggestions before a customer goes to a website.

In practice, this means the shortlist is decided more frequently upstream.

To do this, AI systems rely on structured, trustworthy signals. Clean product data, consistent attributes, clear policies, fast-loading pages, and predictable URLs all matter. Platforms that can’t reliably provide these signals are hard to interpret, trust, or recommend for an AI system. Thin descriptions, broken data, slow speeds, and old URL structures hurt user experience. They actively reduce visibility in AI-mediated discovery; if it can’t read it, it can’t recommend it.

Why are legacy platforms becoming invisible?

AI-driven search is taking more attention from traditional blue links. More users are turning to AI for summaries, shopping help, and chat. Retailers that aren’t AI-friendly might experience a significant decline in traffic. These drops can be confusing and hard to explain with traditional analytics.

The risk compounds when product data is incomplete or inconsistent. AI systems do not conceal poor data. They propagate it. Gaps, inaccuracies, or ambiguities can appear in search results, assistants, marketplaces, and integrations. This repetition makes issues that once stayed on a single product page even bigger.

Messy data now travels faster and further than ever before.

The hidden cost of staying on outdated platforms.

Older ecommerce platforms were not designed for this environment. Many find it hard to support modern data standards, advanced internal search, or clear API integrations. As a result, teams compensate manually through spreadsheets, duplicated content, and one-off fixes. Operational effort increases, but outcomes still fall short of what AI systems expect.

Performance is another quiet liability. Slow load times, old security standards, and rigid checkout processes hurt trust for both AI and human customers. Over time, this lowers conversion rates, repeat purchases, and brand trust, even if daily trading seems stable.

What looks like making do, often masks a steady loss of competitiveness.

What AI-ready e-commerce looks like in practice

AI-ready platforms treat product data as a single source of truth. Product pages contain complete specifications, attributes, compatibility details, use cases, availability, delivery terms, and policies. This information uses consistent, machine-readable formats. These formats can be reused in search, assistants, and integrations.

We structure content around real customer questions, not marketing copy. Categories, guides, and help content match natural language questions. For example, “Which Castor wheels are best for rough surfaces?” or “Which router cutter is good for oak?” This gives AI systems clear material to reference, quote, and justify recommendations.

Performance, security, and updates are considered platform characteristics rather than ongoing projects. This lets teams focus on merchandising, marketing, and growth. They can spend less time on maintenance and fixing issues.

Why can this not wait for the next rebuild cycle?

AI shopping assistants are appearing rapidly on major platforms. They’re usually free for users and don’t require personal information. The window to influence discovery is shrinking from days to minutes. Retailers that delay modernisation risk a double penalty. Reduced visibility at the discovery stage is followed by lower conversion once traffic arrives.

Meanwhile, competitors operating on modern platforms are capturing both sides of the equation. They are easier for AI to recommend and easier for customers to buy from.

The question is no longer whether AI search will matter to e-commerce. It’s about whether your platform helps or hurts your visibility, trust, and appeal in an AI-driven market.

A note from teClan

At teClan, we work as technical partners to businesses navigating this shift. This means helping teams see when limitations are due to structure, not tactics. It also means knowing what being AI-ready means for their products, data, and operations.

Modernisation does not have to be rushed or disruptive. But it does need to be deliberate.

AI systems are now key gatekeepers of e-commerce visibility. So, the platform behind your store is more important than ever. Talk to us today about AeroCommerce, WooCommerce and Shopify.

The post AI Search Is Redefining Ecommerce Visibility appeared first on Digital Marketing Experts.

To celebrate the season, the team have each chosen their favourite Christmas movies – a mix of festive classics, unexpected favourites, and films that have become part of their own holiday traditions. From heart-warming stories to high-energy thrillers with a snowy twist, here’s what the teclan team will be watching this Christmas.

Although there’s no rule to say you can’t watch these classics every year, it was so hard just to pick 10 that we’ve also popped in some alternatives if you’ve seen them before!

Scrooge (1951)
A cold-hearted miser played by Alistair Sim is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve, who lead him on a powerful journey of reflection, redemption, and festive renewal. Charles Dicken’s tale has been filmed hundreds of times across the world, including dozens of major film versions. 

Fergus: “A timeless story, that underpins my optimistic view that everyone has the potential for change and towards goodness and love, and Scrooge has the good fortune to see what is almost always unseen i.e. our individual emotional wounds we each carry that hold us back from this universal truth.”
If you saw it last year: There’s a version of Scrooge from 1970 starring Alec Guinness, or Bill Murray’s zany twist on it, Scrooged.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Dickens’ festive classic gets the Muppet treatment, blending humour, music, and heartfelt lessons about kindness and generosity with Michael Caine even singing at one point.

Drew: “Fergus picked the 1951 version but this might even be a superior version of the story.”
If you saw it last year: Try another classic family musical that may not be Christmassy but is a staple of the festive TV schedules, Singing in the Rain.

Die Hard (1988)
On Christmas Eve, a lone New York cop finds himself battling terrorists inside a Los Angeles skyscraper, turning a holiday reunion into an explosive fight for survival. Crooner Frank Sinatra was offered the lead role, having starred in an earlier film based on the same source novel.

Stephen: “We always love an action movie and it has been a staple viewing around Christmas every year.”
If you saw it last year: Lethal Weapon – also a Christmas movie, it has a fight in a Christmas Tree market! Or Die Hard 2 which has more snow!

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Separated from his family once again, hapless Kevin McCallister enjoys a Christmas adventure in New York City while cleverly outsmarting two familiar villains. Features a cameo from the current president of the USA, whose acting skills are as you’d expect.

Joel: It’s ridiculous, funny and undeniably a classic for many people. Grew up watching it on repeat, even if it came on TV at random times of the year!
If you saw it last year: The first Home Alone or Deck the Halls both offer similar festive slapstick.

Elf (2003)
Raised at the North Pole, Buddy the Elf heads to New York City to find his real father, spreading cheer, chaos, and Christmas spirit wherever he goes. One of the more modern films to become an instant Christmas Classic and shot Will Ferrell to stardom.

Axel: “It’s my favourite Christmas movie!”
If you saw it last year: Try Kurt Russell as the world’s coolest Santa Claus in The Christmas Chronicles.

The Family Man (2000)
A high-flying executive played by Nicholas Cage is given a magical glimpse of the family life he might have had, discovering what truly matters at Christmas.

Jackie: “I like it because it’s about what could have been.  We all make various choices in our lives that lead us down certain paths – a different choice may mean you don’t marry the person you were with at college, you may work as a hot shot banker instead – in this film the main character has a glimpse of the life he could have led if he had made a different choice (plus it’s set around Christmas!).”
If you saw it last year: Go back to the source for alternative reality Christmases, It’s A Wonderful Life.

The Polar Express (2004)
A magical train whisks a young boy to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, taking him on a heart-warming journey of belief and wonder. Almost all the characters are animated versions of Tom Hanks.

Caitlin: “My favourite Christmas film is Polar Express cause it’s tradition to watch it every Christmas Eve and it has that hot chocolate scene which is the best scene ever!”
If you saw it last year: How The Grinch Stole Christmas is another tale aimed at kids but where it’s not all presents and goodwill.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Amid the bustle of a Budapest shop at Christmas (and made as Europe was at war), two sparring colleagues unknowingly fall in love through anonymous letters. This was the inspiration for the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan film You’ve Got Mail, but don’t hold that against it.
Rory: “It’s like a little black and white hug by the end, with Jimmy Stewart doing Jimmy Stewart things at Christmas time. Plenty of snow and Christmas cheer, but a slight dark edge too.”
If you saw it last year: try The Bishop’s Wife, where Cary Grant plays an angel sent to help David Niven repair his crumbling cathedral and his crumbling marriage.

Love Actually (2003)
A series of interconnected stories unfold in the lead-up to Christmas, exploring love in all its forms as lives cross and emotions collide across London during the festive season. Richard Curtis at his heart-on-sleeve best with a cast of British and Hollywood stars.
Mags: “It is my favourite or The Holiday, but I’ve watched Love Actually more in the last few years. I used to work with Wes Butters who is the radio presenter telling Billy Mac he’s made number one! I love how it tells different stories that are loosely connected, Hugh Grant is so good in it, and we’re all #TeamEmmaThompson obviously.”
If you saw it last year: For another Christmas romance it has to be The Holiday, obviously!

Black Christmas (1974)
During the Christmas holidays, a group of sorority sisters find their festive season turning into a nightmare as a sinister presence stalks their house, making anonymous phone calls and striking without warning. One of the earliest slasher movies from the early days of the genre.
Adrian: “Christmas things didn’t need to be snowy in Australia so I didn’t pay much attention to the classics growing up, but this one has a festive flavour. The remake is not as good!”
If you saw it last year: This film is so obscure it’s unlikely, but you could try Violent Night where Santa dispatches the baddies with his own brand of vicious justice!

The post teclan’s Top 10 Christmas Movie picks appeared first on Digital Marketing Experts.

Way back in 2014 we wrote about our favourite plugins. As it is Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be fun to take a look and see if our expert web design team still love them in 2020, along with some tips on getting the best from them.

It turns out things have changed a bit.

Please Note: All the plugins listed below are free, although some do have premium versions with advanced features.

A distant memory

Due to the big changes in the main WordPress interface in recent years (known as Gutenberg) and updates to the software itself, some of these plugins are no longer needed.

Now that WordPress offers more control over visual layouts, we’re actually not using as many widgets as before. The WordPress Customiser (Appearance > Customise) allows for tight control over a lot of aspects of the header and footer, and page builder plugins have taken over where something more complex is needed. If you gave up on WordPress because you couldn’t put things where you wanted, now could be the time to give it another look.

It’s not you, it’s me

There are a couple of plugins on the list that we’ve replaced with something more advanced.

Handling images within WordPress is much improved these days and we’d recommend you now use a plugin like Smush which will optimise your images on upload — it can also rebuild your thumbnails but it does so much more than the plugin we’ve replaced. Website performance has become so important and you really need to keep on top of it. Taming image sizes is a big first step.

All in One SEO is still an active plugin but we switched to using Yoast SEO — now just called WordPress SEO — some time ago as it offers a better feature set for our customers. It’s great to help you work on the search rankings of your website, and gives you feedback on your writing and content quality which has overtaken things like meta tags in importance as Search Engines get cleverer.

Our love will never die

Revision Control

Every time you update a post in WordPress, it saves a new copy in the database that powers the site. This plugin puts a limit on how many times it does that, to avoid your database getting bloated. It’s great, you can install it at the start of your build and forget about it while you enjoy streamlined performance.

Contact Form 7 & BWP ReCaptcha

This is probably the plugin we use most, as letting your customers get in touch is vital for every business. We don’t need to use the ReCaptcha add-on any more as that feature is now built in to make sure your form is protected. It’s not the most user friendly interface to edit your actual form if you need something advanced, but it just works, and works well.

Advanced Custom Fields

Advanced Custom Fields is our favourite plugin. It adds so much versatility to WordPress and allows you to extend the features of a website without making things difficult for your users to keep up to date. Since we last put it on our list, they’ve added great new field types like datepicker fields and open ended ‘repeater’ fields to really improve the types of data you can add to your posts or pages without making it hard on the end user.

Love’s Young Dream

With some of our former loves dropping out, there is room in our hearts for a few new entries into the list.

Elementor

Although WordPress’s Gutenberg editing system is great, when we need really tight control of a layout we use Elementor, a page builder plugin. It allows you to drag and drop content, and adjust almost all the styles of each element. The range of content types can be extended with a range of plugins.

Autoptimise

Since 2014 a lot more emphasis is placed on site performance and pagespeed. The problem with all these plugins is they each come with files for style or function that need to be loaded separately. This nifty plugin is a big help in that regard, with options to combine these files together as well as remove files you don’t need, load your fonts more quickly and a lot more!

If you’d like to talk to teclan about setting up a WordPress website for your business, please get in touch. If you do have plugins on your site, you must keep them up to date for performance and security reasons. If you don’t feel able to take that on, why not take a look at our Website Support & Maintenance solutions to take the hassle away from you so you can focus on your business. Prices start from the equivalent of just £50/mth +VAT.

The post 7 WordPress Plugins We Love appeared first on Digital Marketing Experts.

We’ve mentioned before that having an SSL for your website is vital if you have an e-commerce website, or want to use tools like Adwords or Google Shopping. Now it is important even if you aren’t selling online. Your email probably says something like this:

Starting October 2017, Chrome (version 62) will show a ‘NOT SECURE’ warning when users enter text in a form on an HTTP page, and for all HTTP pages in Incognito mode.

The following URLs on your site include text input fields (such as < input type=”text” > or < input type=”email” >) that will trigger the new Chrome warning.

So that means a text box like the ones in an email subscription form – or even a site search form where you aren’t really capturing customer-specific data – should now be protected in Google’s eyes.

Making your customers feel safe does, of course, make good sense.

Chrome has been doing this for password and credit card fields on non https:// sites since April but now Google is stepping things up to cover a broader range.

If you don’t have an SSL, they are going to warn users about it by adding security warnings in the browser toolbar when users land on the page. Chrome is the most popular browser worldwide¹ by some margin and automatically updates itself on most systems. This means that most users are on or close to the current version.

In short, many of the visitors to your site are likely to be affected when the new version appears in October. Look what happens at the top in the address bar when a customer starts typing in a text box, in this case a search field:

What do I need to do?

We know how important security is on the internet, which is why we recommend you address this sooner rather than later. At teclan we host over 1,000 websites and are constantly working on security optimisation. This is why we are working on a new range of security and optimisation packages based on customer demand to help you keep your websites in peak condition.

To fix this particular issue you’ll need to get an SSL certificate protecting your site. If you are a teclan hosting customer we can arrange an SSL for you including installation and setting up your website to use it. Contact teclan today or call us on 01463 898043.

Ask teclan about an SSL

¹ http://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share

The post Browser security warnings will appear in October – are you prepared? appeared first on Digital Marketing Experts.