c-Seven - Web Design & Development Blog - Blog

The future of the web and the importance of having a mobile site

Several years ago, people were limited to surfing the web on their desktop or laptop, and only when they were in a place that offered a reliable internet connection.

Today, many people own smart phones and tablets with high-speed wireless internet connections that put the web at their fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The popularity and widespread use of mobile devices means you can reach people more than ever before at any time.

So, how do you reach this always online, always surfing audience effectively?

The answer is quite simple. Go mobile.

A mobile site doesn't need to be complicated. It's good practice to develop, alongside your full-fledged website, a smaller, concise and efficient mobile version. Mobile sites are websites that are designed to function on a mobile device such as an iPhone or iPad. They are usually simplified versions of your full site, offering up your key messaging, a list of services, a section for news or blog posts and a page that lists contact information.

Having a basic mobile site running side by side with your full site means you'll be accessible to anyone, anywhere, on any device.

Work with your web designer/developer to create a mobile site that targets your audience properly. Take advantage of their knowledge and experience to get your mobile presence up and running smoothly. For more information about the effectiveness of developing a mobile strategy, contact us today and we'll answer your questions.

Do you have a Wordpress site? You could be at risk!

Over the past few days, a new threat to open-source websites has been affecting websites all over the globe.

This attack is occuring against ALL – WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal sites (and possibly other open source sites) across the entire web hosting industry. All major, small, large, medium, hosting companies, and their clients are being impacted. This is by far one of the LARGEST and very EFFECTIVE Cyber Attacks in recent days.

Exposing your sites to hackers is the single largest danger that companies of all sizes face when using free, open-source software like Wordpress. It's true that many of these options are inexpensive, but does saving a few dollars really justify exposing your website to such dangers?

Below we have included a couple of news sources with more information:
Maclean’s
IT World Canada
PC Magazine
PC Pro
Smart Company
Tech Week Europe

At c-Seven, we use closed-source software, the Mantis CMS, to build all of our websites. Closed-source software is safe and secure. Updates are made automatically, our servers are secure and because the software is closed-source, only our development team has access to make changes. This means you will never, ever have to worry about hackers on the other side of the globe breaking into your site and causing inexplicable damage.

We hope your sites remain untouched by this new threat, but if you've got an open-source site built on a platform like Wordpress, we recommend you read the following articles for further information. You should also change your password to something strong, including upper and lower-case characters, numbers and special characters. Make sure you're password is between 8 - 16 characters long.

1) Brute force attacks – security essentials:
http://blog.mochahost.com/brute-force-attack-what-is-this-attack-about-and-how-to-protect-our-sites-against-it/

2) WordPress – security tips:
http://blog.mochahost.com/important-tips-on-wordpress-security/

3) Joomla – security tips:
http://blog.mochahost.com/important-tips-on-joomla-security/

The power of copy

Last time, we talked about how big of a difference you can make when using custom photography. This time, we're going to talk about taking the time and effort to work alongside a professional copywriter to take your business to a new level, both on and offline.

Taking the plunge and hiring a writer to develop your communications and key messaging is vital. It's easy to tell apart the businesses who've used a writer versus the ones who haven't.

With an experienced writer on your side, the possibilities are limitless. A good copywriter can keep your messaging and content short, concise and impactful, offering up the information you need your customers to know as efficiently as possible. Users today have very short attention spans. They don't read your content, they only skim it quickly and you only have a few seconds to grab their attention before they've left your site for good and you've lost out on a potential opportunity. Making sure your content is to-the-point while making an impact is what separates a good business from a great business.

Your writer can make sure that your messaging remains consistent across the mediums you use to reach potential customers. From websites, social media sites and email newsletters to traditional marketing such as advertisements, brochures and tradeshow booths, a good writer knows that your business needs to communicate a strong, consistent message with a similar tone throughout.

In a world where less is more, it's incredibly important to have someone on your side to keep your message simple and impactful. Consider working with a professional writer on your next marketing endeavor.

The power of custom photography

Have you ever visited a website and been utterly captivated by the photo choices they've made? Have you ever undertaken a search through stock photos sites and wondered why the search results didn't look half as impactful as the photos from a certain site?

The reason, is the use of custom photography. Absolutely nothing works better for your site, advertisements, tradeshow booths or other marketing collateral than custom photography from a professional photgrapher.

Photographs are a very powerful and effective means of conveying your message. They're usually the first thing a visitor to your site will pay attention to and it's important to use appropriate photography to get your message across quickly before you lose the visitor's attention.

Have you ever visited a site with a photo, then a few days later you see that same photo on someone else's website? That's no way to stand out from your competition. With custom photography, you're calling on the experience of a professional photographer that can cater to the unique needs, services and products of your business. From product shots, to photos that capture your subject matter, to team headshots, it's always a pleasure to come across a site with great photography that people won't see anywhere else.

Next time, we'll discuss the importance of working with a professional web copywriter, which, when combined with the work of an experienced photographer, will help take your marketing to a level many businesses never reach and leave an impact on your visitors that will keep them coming back to you over your competition.

The dangers of open-source

Today, most websites, large or small, are made with content management systems. Some of the most popular options out there are open-source, such as Wordpress, Joomla or Drupal.

You may be wondering just what 'open source' means.

Basically, open source solutions, like Wordpress, mean that the source code that the system is built on is accessible to anyone and everyone, anywhere in the world.

There are benefits to this type of CMS. Having the system source code available to everyone means that talented developers can contribute powerful and effective plug-ins, components and features to the overall system and many can be installed separately onto each site, or they can be combined and used as part of an overall 'theme'.

One of the drawbacks to this method of adding features onto your site is that these plug-ins developed by contributors often require version updating, at least several times a year. To someone with little to no experience in managing a website, updating these plugins can be an intimidating task. What happens when your update isn't compatible with your version of the CMS? What if you needed to update the whole system before upgrading a specific plug-in? What if the update breaks a part of your site?

Who do you call to help update and manage your open source website? The difficulty in keeping everything working properly is that many times there's no support available for the CMS you're using. Even if you hire a company to manage your open-source site and deal with these problems for you, they may not be able to resolve the problem if the original developer who built your theme or plug-in is unavailable. Many times support emails will sit in someone's inbox for months going unanswered.

The other significant issue that arises with open source solutions is that many plug-ins or entire systems can be exploited. Not every coder out there has the best of intentions and sometimes they can find security holes in your site, thanks to having access to the source code. Once they find these holes, your site is left to the mercy of developers who can install malware, or carry out other harmful actions that can affect both you, and more importantly, your customers. If someone is affected by malware they caught from your site, chances are you've lost them for good as a potential customer.

What's the solution?

One of the best things you can do to avoid problems is to choose a closed-source, proprietary content management system. CMS' like these are much more reliable, because the teams who built the system can maintain it for you. Any updates or plug-ins are added on behind the scenes, on a secure, restricted system that only the creators of the CMS have. You'll never need to worry about having to upgrade anything or risk someone hacking into your site with a closed-source CMS and many proprietary systems can easily offer the same kind of tools that any open-source system can, only much more safely and securely. Also, the teams behind these CMS' are always available to field support emails and phone calls.

Want to find out more about the benefits of a closed-source CMS? Contact us today and we'll answer any questions you may have.

The power of the redesign

Have you ever considered redesigning your website? It might be time to start.

Statistically, the average life-cycle of any website is between three to four years. That's more than enough time for new trends, better techniques and newer technologies and user expectations to change and develop.

It's important that your business is able to keep up with and survive that life-cycle. It's your responsibility to remain forward-thinking and prepared for the future when it comes to your business and that includes your online presence.

A website redesign can help your business attract new customers with an improved user interface, streamlined content and an effective, modern design.

While you may not need to start from scratch, considering how to simplify your site and serve up the content your users are looking for most is a worthwhile task.

Do the colors in your logo clash, does your logo no longer truly convey the services and products you offer? Consider re-working it to better reflect your business.

Do you have your services spread across a dozen pages? Maybe they can be simplified. Perhaps it's time to set up a blog and integrate the dynamic content generated with it across the site.

Does your current home page properly direct traffic to the pages that matter most? Never underestimate the power of your home page. It's typically the first page a visitor will see and, when properly designed can help a user quickly access the information that matters most.

Redesigning your site can help improve your site's usability and improve overall user experience, and it doesn't have to mean changing everything. The RIGHT changes - different colors or fonts, new photos, simplified content and page structure can have a positive impact.

Turn to c-Seven for your design, development and consultation needs today. The benefits of relying on a single team for your design, marketing and development

There are many benefits to working with a single agency to design, develop and manage your online and offline marketing and promotional efforts.

Working with a single firm promotes greater brand consistency, the team that designs your website will be the same team that communicates your brand into other works. You'll get to know, and come to rely on the team that's helping your business grow and at c-Seven, you'll never be treated like just another account number like you would at a larger, more expensive firm.

c-Seven is a full-service agency, capable of working with you to achieve your business goals, through traditional methods such as brochures, advertising, or tradeshow booths to highly effective custom web solutions via custom design and development work. Couple these services with over 13 years of consulting experience and you've got an incredible resource available to you for all of your business needs. There truly is no reason to turn elsewhere.

Take some time to view our ever-growing portfolio of satisfied clients here, or if you're looking to get started on your next project feel free to contact us today, we'd be happy to hear from you.

Are you using Internet Explorer 7? It's time to upgrade

Internet Explorer 7 was launched by Microsoft over 6 years ago.

6 years ago, there weren't that many browser alternatives for users. However, that's no longer the case. Today, users can choose from many popular and more functional browsers, including Internet Explorer 9, Firefox and Chrome.

These new browsers offer increases security, more functionality and ease of use. They also allow web designers and developers more flexibility when it comes to designing and building web sites.

Currently, it's estimated that IE 7 usage is down to 4% worldwide. It's only a matter of time before support for it is discontinued. As an example of that dwindling support, Facebook's new Timeline feature (soon to mandatory for all users and businesses on the popular social media site) will not function properly on Internet Explorer 7.

As more and more developers stop working with IE7, the number of sites that work and display properly with it will continue to drop.

So, what should you do?

Well, it's simple really, just upgrade to a more recent browser. When it comes to ease of use, nothing beats Firefox or Chrome. Users may also choose to stick with Internet Explorer, upgrading to version 9.

Below are links to download the most recent versions of these browsers.

Internet Explorer: download here

Firefox: download here

Chrome: download here

4 Tips for web content that will capture site visitors

Is your website saying everything it should? Your website’s purpose is to attract, inform and inspire visitors and customers to keep coming back. Many times, too much attention is placed on visual design and functionality, that the actual content of a site is often overlooked. In the end, positioning your company as the right choice for your customers all comes down to what you say, and how clearly you say it. Is your site content achieving all it can? There are four key ways to tell.

Is it short and concise?

Studies show that cutting the content of a website in half increases readability and reader interest levels by about 60% - being concise pays off! Since most web readers scan websites (79% of readers in fact) vs reading the complete page (just 16% of readers) it’s vital that information be presented in a clear, direct manner, and any information not vital to the reader be removed. So, how do you tell if your web page copy needs a trim? If the majority of your pages will require scrolling to accommodate text, it’s time to start the editing process.

Is it organized?

Content organization is another factor that can hinder or help a reader’s ability to understand your message. Ensure readers find the information they need by organizing your web content using headings and sub-headings, bullet points, highlighted key words. Use short paragraphs containing only one theme or idea to keep content easy to digest and scan over. Try the inverted pyramid writing style – start each page or section with the conclusion to tell readers upfront what the page is about, then focus on how to go about achieving those end results.

Is it up to date?

The key difference between the internet and almost every other form of communication method is the speed at which it changes. Web visitors expect information to be relevant to the moment, and can easily find more up-to-date information from one of your competitors, if your own content is outdated. Your web content should reflect current facts about your services and products, your industry and your business - no prospect will come to you with their business based on outdated pricing, service offerings. If a potential customer dismisses you as an option based on your outdated website content, you will have lost business that could otherwise have been yours.

Is it perfect?

Visitors can find hundreds of alternatives to your business – in an instant. If your website appears outdated, has poor spelling and grammar or links that don’t work properly, it communicates sloppiness and a lack of professionalism. There’s no excuse for a website that doesn’t meet acceptable communication standards. Proof read, spell check, and edit - then do it again to make sure each web page reflects your company’s unique expertise in your industry.

Your website is a 24-hour business card, always available with the ability to attract or repel prospective customers at any time of day, anywhere in the world. Not only does it need an attractive design, intuitive navigation and functionality, web readers need the right content to makes decision-making easier. Review your website, then give us a call to make the most of your online business investment!

Your website is your most important marketing tool that will always be evolving – you shouldn’t think of it as a one-time investment but rather as a chance to connect with customers look for you and your services, every day.

Is Your Website On The Radar?

Does it really matter how great your website looks if nobody sees it?

Planning and implementing a search engine optimization strategy is a key part of the design, development and maintenance of your website. It may seem confusing, but it really just means designing, writing, and html coding your website so that it’s more likely to appear at the top of search results when potential customers type in keywords and phrases that relate to your business when they conduct online searches. This can be accomplished by considering the search engines and directories that offer the greatest amount of potential traffic, like Google and Yahoo, and creating the proper setting and meeting the right conditions to get their attention.

1. Keys to Success

Search engines and directories identify and index your website’s content by comparing and matching keywords frequently used in your site to those entered by an individual doing an online search.

However, a mishmash of keywords at the expense of a good, clear sales message isn’t going to help. You need good marketing copy that sounds great, emphasizes benefits and uses keyword phrases. Proper online copywriting and site structure is an art form unto itself, so be sure to get professional support.

2. The Right Tags

If you want to promote sales of your product or service, it’s safe to say your competitors want to also — and they’ll probably use a lot of the same words and phrases as you. So, how will a search engine or directory choose which site to list above the others?

They’ll look beyond your keywords to each of the html tags on your site, things like alternate text placed on images and the text within your website. These “tags” are markers that contain keywords in the actual source code of your website that search engines crawl (read) through to support prominent ranking on search engines and directories.

3. The First Impression

Directories such as Yahoo categorize websites. When your website is submitted to the various search engines and directories it is vital that the site description clearly identifies a type or classification that best represents your business so prospects will look for it in their online search. So, the site description for your men’s clothing store might read, "quality men’s clothing, shirts, pants and high quality suits, retail, Toronto, New York and Montreal".

4. Directing Traffic

Creating an XML or HTML Sitemap will ensure that every page on your website can be found and indexed, particularly those that are located deeper down in the website as these are not as easily reachable by direct linking or navigation. Today’s new web tools enable SEO specialists to organize and prioritize site content, insert appropriate title tags, and recode web pages to make them increasingly search engine friendly.

5. It's Who You Know

When someone is famous, a lot of people know about them, when a website is important, more pages on the web will link to it. Reciprocal web page linking between websites is a very important part of the search engine optimization process. Google, for example, uses various link popularity algorithms to rank website relevance. It‘s important to build as many quality links to your site as you can, through link exchange directories or by exchanging links privately.

6. Reaching Out

Reaching out to prospects and customers is a must, no matter how well executed your search engine optimization campaign is. Online marketing tactics like newsletters, press releases, articles, blog posts and taking advantage of social media sites will aid with search engine optimization because they contain a wide variety of keywords to be picked up by search engines and directories, each of which can and should link back to your website. They may also be passed on and forwarded to other people easily, exposing your business and your website to numerous new prospects with whom you otherwise would not have connected with.

In addition, frequent changes and updates to websites (such as the posting of a new blog post or press release) create greater visibility as search engines continually seek out new information.

As important as it is, search engine optimization is simply another means of helping potential customers find your web site. It isn’t a substitute for solid content, the right messages, great design and a well planned online and offline marketing strategy. The most important thing is to ensure your website has the basics:

Simple, cleanly coded design that loads quickly and is organized well
User-friendly, intuitive navigation
Unique Titles and Meta tags to help search engines identify relevant keyword phrases, and
Internal and external links that accurately describe what can be found in the site

With all of these elements in place, your site has the chance for high rankings for a variety of keyword phrases in major search engines and directories. Because search engines and directories look for the same things you do when you search online: easy-to-access information in a clear and concise language.

The process of ranking highly in the search engines can take a significant investment of your time, and, because your competitors are striving for the same positioning that you are, your search engine strategy will require constant adjustment in order to maintain and improve rankings.

Are you trying to get more out of your website? Let c-Seven Media help you set and achieve your online goals, to help you get the most out of your business!

Working with a Content Management System – Usability Tips

This post is meant to serve as a basic guideline for website managers or anyone responsible for updating or creating content for their CMS-based website. These tips are for people with little to no experience working with a CMS, and will ensure that your content translates gracefully onto the web, while still maintaining a maximum level of usability and ensuring consistency across all of the pages on your site.

The web uses the RGB color model. CMYK and Spot colors typically translate well, however website managers must be aware that the web uses only the RGB color model, and translating CMYK and Spot colors (from a print project for example) to RGB might change the look of your website or not achieve the color or look you may have been going for.

Many clients and end users (the ones making the updates to their sites using a CMS) are not at all familiar with design principles or html and cascading style sheets (css, used for web page styling – basic and advanced). So, for example creating custom font styles (classes) for use in the middle of a paragraph would require the creation of custom classes, and while this can be done and set up initially, if the user ever needs to edit or add similar classes to other elements of a site, they likely will not know how to. Keeping the design simple is best.

Keep designs simple. Avoid different font size/color/style for one word in a paragraph; keep styles consistent. Generally, a website should have a heading style, a sub heading style, and the general text style. This way the end user editing the website doesn’t have to learn html & css to figure out how to keep the website looking consistent, and is therefore able to present a more professional online presence to anyone visiting the site. The sample below is a basic example of the efficient and standard way of formatting type for the web, very similar to print design and production practices.

Only use web safe fonts: These are fonts that are supported across all major browsers. A basic list of web safe fonts may be found here: http://www.ampsoft.net/webdesign-l/WindowsMacFonts.html

Today many new websites are built using powerful web tools like content management systems, and now people of varying skill levels are able to add new content to their sites with ease. When you find yourself in this position, keep in mind these basic tips, and if you have any questions or comments about your site, feel free to contact us to discuss them.

Don't Underestimate The Power Of Your Homepage

Your website’s home page is more often than not the very first place a user (and potential customer) will land, via a search result or referral or from any other method. It’s imperative that you fill the first few seconds of that user’s visit with a relevant message, or you’ll very likely have lost them as a potential consumer of your product or service.

Your home page can be used to effectively tell a visitor what you do, what service or product you provide, and most importantly, what your business can offer someone that nobody else can. Typically this can be done with powerful visuals and a short, compact message or tagline about the key benefits of choosing your business over another.

This special message needs to be featured as the most prominent and dominating piece of information on your home page, and most definitely needs to be placed above the fold (the area of a web page that can be viewed without scrolling, most commonly referring to a size of the screen usually no greater than 578 pixels high – based on the use of a 19” monitor. With the increase in monitor resolution this number is slowly getting larger).

Have a current special offer for a product? Display it! Use a slideshow or web sized advertisement to draw attention to your feature, and include a link to learn more about that offer where applicable. Guiding the user from your home page to the page they’re looking for with ease is what the web is all about, and it should be the goal of any business with a website.

The power of your home page doesn’t end there however. Below your feature there is prime real estate for additional services and messages. The area below your key message can be used for many purposes, from displaying a list of recent news, press releases or blog posts, to the inclusion of other featured services or products from your company that may not be as important as your main feature, but can still be used to direct web traffic to other parts of your website. Additional uses include testimonials, featuring service case studies, videos and more! The possibilities are truly endless.

To summarize, a home page has become more than a space for the simple ‘Welcome to my website’ message that is still so common. Your home page is very often the most important part of your site, and when treated as such, your business will reap the benefits and you’ll see web traffic and a better return on your online investment.

Want to learn more about creating an optimized home page for your business? Contact c-Seven Media today to find out how you can capture and keep a visitor’s attention.

Increase exposure with Facebook

Social Media sites like Facebook are not just for your kids.

Facebook has quickly become THE place on the web to socialize. Their traffic statistics are very impressive, and are growing everyday. You can start to take advantage of Facebook by creating a page for your business.

Here are the basic Facebook Applications for Business pages (things you will want to take advantage of for sure!):

Discussion Boards: Enable your fans to get their ideas out into the open. Discussion boards let you know exactly what your fans and customers think and want.
Events: Organize gatherings or let people know about your upcoming business events.
Information: Manage settings for the Information application.
Notes: Share your business news or engage your fans through written entries.
Photos: Upload photos to your page and allow your fans to share photos on your page also.
Reviews: Fans and customers can leave honest opinions about your business.
Video: A high-quality video platform for pages on Facebook.
Wall: The Wall is an open forum for your fans or friends to leave comments, thoughts, and ideas about you on your Page or Profile.

When you have successfully created a Business Page on Facebook you can link to it from your own Web site, e-mail campaigns, or encourage your own personal Facebook friends to become a fan of your page. Remember, when a personal friend becomes a new fan, that message is displayed as a notification to all of your friend's friends. Similar to word-of-mouth marketing, this is a great way to bring Facebook users to your new Business page.