Everyone wants to save time and money. And when you’re busy, time is money! Spend less time on repetitive tasks, and open your schedule for more productive work. Websites can often save you more money than they cost, here are some ideas for websites that will pay off in the long run.
Digital Marketing Websites
This is usually what first comes to mind when people think of a ‘website’.
This is a website that is a brochure or advertisement for your business. It allows people to find your business using search engines and usually offers basic details and contact information. These often start with a classic 5 pages: Home, About, Contact, Services, and a news/blog page intended to be regularly updated.
In order to be effective in getting visitors through search results, this kind of website should be formatted in a way that allows search engines to understand your services. Additional landing pages geared towards popular relevant search terms may be added. Search Engines continuously update their algorithms and how they prioritise results. The aim of the search engine is to deliver useful websites to their users. Search engine optimisation should be balanced to ensure it doesn’t negatively affect the user experience on your website. Content marketing, is a way of promoting your website by providing useful or interesting content (articles or blog posts) to potential customers.
A digital marketing website is a form of advertising, and is often supported with a digital marketing campaign including paid ads on social media and google ads. This can be more affordable than advertising in traditional media. It can also allow you to tailor your advertising carefully so you are not wasting time advertising to people who do not need your product or service.
A digital marketing website is often just a starting point, and may also include any of the following.
Ecommerce Websites
Ecommerce websites allow you to sell products or services online.
Ecommerce Websites allow you to save time by accepting orders and processing payments automatically. In the case of digital products, they can also deliver the product.
Quote or Estimate Generation Websites
Save time by having an automated quote or estimate generated. You could have this integrated with your accounting software. You can have quotes sent out automatically, or keep the human touch. To save time while maintaining a personal touch, the website can generate a draft quote based on details received from potential customers. The draft is then reviewed by a staff member who also arranges a phone call or meeting with your potential customer to discuss the work.
Customer Support and F.A.Q. Websites
Save time on customer support, by making the answers to Frequently Asked Questions easily accessible. This could include an extensive FAQ list, a technical documentation library, online user manuals, forums where questions can be asked and answers made public to help others. Customer Support could also include integrating contact forms, pop-up chat windows, and chat bots.
Technical Documentation Websites
Make technical documentation and user manuals easy to search and navigate online. Many customers will check online for answers before contacting support. It can be helpful to include basic information in an easy to understand format, as well as more technical information for advanced users of your product or service.
Learning Management System (LMS) Websites
Save time on staff and customer education, by using online courses to deliver important information in an easily digestible manner.
Speed up your staff onboarding and ensure they have the technical knowledge required, by providing online courses that can be completed anywhere at any time.
You could also provide relevant learning to your customers, either for free to support your products and reduce customer support calls, or charge a fee for certification, to generate additional revenue and cover the cost of course development.
Event Ticketing Websites
An initial investment can set you up with an ecommerce website where you can sell tickets directly to your customers, with options to scan a QR code on the attendees entry to the event.
You will still pay your payment provider a small amount for processing the payment, but in most cases, this is significantly less than the per-ticket cost charged by third-party ticketing providers.
Having your own event ticketing through your website is a great option if you will be running events year after year.
QR code Websites
Websites designed to only be accessed via a QR code, usually from specific locations.
QR Code Reporting
In this example, a reporting website is used with onsite QR code posters, in a large area such as a warehouse or orchard.
QR codes are displayed in prominent places encouraging staff or contractors to report issues when noticed. Each QR code is associated with a location so the issue can be easily found by maintenance teams later.
When staff or contractors scan the QR code with their phone camera, a form comes up in the browser of their phone. This allows maintenance or health and safety issues to be quickly and easily logged without excessive interruption to workflow. An email can be generated to relevant teams, or the problems can be logged in a database, or both.
A QR code accessible site can be a simpler solution than using an app, in cases where short-term contractors or temp staff are often working. It reduces the time and effort in making a report. (eg. with some popular apps temp staff or contractors are having to download a different app for different locations, sign up for accounts, verify email addresses, and register to a location, all before a simple report can be submitted.)
Additional interactivity at an exhibit
Another example for a QR code accessible website is using a QR code next to features at an exhibit or event, providing additional information to attendees who are interested in learning more. This can save on sign printing costs, as QR code posters can be reused and the linked webpage adjusted to the occasion. The web page can also display a larger amount of information than is practical to print and can include video and audio media.
Requesting Donations
A frequently seen example is requesting and processing donations on entry at some art galleries, museums, and even hiking trails. This is because it is more affordable to set up a QR code poster linking to an ecommerce website, than it is to provide payment processing hardware or staff to process payments, at the location. Obviously, if entry payment is compulsory this isn’t a good option. But for collecting optional donations in an increasingly cashless society, it’s the perfect solution.
Online Booking Websites
Online booking saves a lot of time for people who use bookings when providing services. Spend less time on the phone, and have less back and forth over email. Link it up to your calendar so you don’t get double-booked.
You often see online booking websites for hairdressers, car servicing, vets and pet groomers, customer support services, and accomodation providers, pretty much if your business ever uses appointments, you can benefit from an online booking system.
Community or Social Websites, and Blogs
This includes classic online forums, social media, and blogs that allow discussion and comments.
These may require dedicated community managers to avoid spam and unsavoury content making it online.
However, in some cases community interaction can be invaluable for providing support and solutions to customers with technical problems.
Software as a Service (S.a.a.S.)
Software As A Service, is software provided over the internet, usually via a cloud-based service. It may look like a website and may involve a website, but behind the scenes, it often involves complex infrastructure and functionality beyond what the previously mentioned websites offer.
Another difference is that SaaS is intended to be your service product, and earn revenue. The previous websites I’ve mentioned are intended to support a core business (though of course, the core business could still be SaaS!)
Software as a Service usually uses subscription-based models. This supports the creators to continuously improve their product, (and replace it with something better at the end of the products lifecycle).
Examples of SaaS include Xero, Netflix, Salesforce, Microsoft 365, Zoom, and many many more.
SaaS products are also often integrated into other websites. Examples include booking systems like Calendly and payment processors like Stripe.
Use a Website to solve a Problem
The line between a ‘website’ and ‘software’ has blurred more and more over time. The benefit of technology moving online is that it can be accessed from anywhere, from any modern internet-capable device. You can automate things, or deal with work on the go, spending less time tied to an office.
Think about your repetitive tasks. Whether it’s picking up the phone to answer the same question 20 times a day, or manually creating 20 similar quotes.
Talk to us today about your ideas. We can help you put together a plan, and figure out a way to save you time and money in your business.
Read More
Happy New Website...
Happy New Website day to The Christmas Country Fête!
The new website for The Fête is up and running, with Early Bird tickets now available for purchase.
What we've been up to:
It has been a busy month here, and I missed writing a June update. (Though, as I write this on the 1st of July in New Zealand, it is still June in some parts of the world. So I’m definitely counting this as the June update!)
Getting the new website online for the Christmas Country Fête was a real highlight this month. The event runs on October the 26th this year, and it looks like a lot of fun!
Mosaic the Office Cat has neglected the Easy Web Things Social Media a little, again. She gave no excuses, and simply admitted she just prefers snoozing in the sun.
It was exciting to see some snow appear on the mountains this month, then disappointing to see the rain wash it away, and then exciting to see it come back again.
Douglas Adams and Elementor AI
Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.
This quote is from an article written by Douglas Adams in 1999, titled “How to stop worrying and learn to love the internet.”
I’ve always harboured this quote in the back of my mind, and I may be showing my age but this year it’s been launching to the forefront of my mind on a regular basis!
Specifically around the subject of A.I. (Which I’m sorry so many of my updates have mentioned, but it’s been a much-discussed topic this year.)
Elementor, which I use daily, now incorporates AI text and image generation right there in the page builder. It’s just there, awaiting an easy click of a button to fill a page with content.
But, whenever I’ve been tempted to use it I’m disappointed that it doesn’t do my job for me and I still need to engage my brain. Maybe more so than usual. I spend too much time rolling my eyes at it, fixing it, huffing and puffing at it, and then I usually delete what it writes and I go back to the old fashioned way.
I’ve developed a special loathing for the generic AI style of writing. It’s stuffed with mindless filler. And if you choose any of the ‘personalities’ on the Elementor AI, it’s stuffed with cringe*. The only good news is, if you try it, you may start to value your own natural writing style a little more. And you will certainly appreciate writers who can get their point across neatly. (Not me. I use more than the Yoast recommended amount of passive voice don’t you know.)
Listen up, fellow humans! According to the wise words of someone, somewhere, anything invented between fifteen and thirty-five is the cat's pajamas! Like, totally awesome! And you know what? You've still got plenty of time to jump on that bandwagon and make a name for yourself. But beware, my friends, after age thirty-five, apparently it's all downhill from there. It's like the universe says, "Sorry, you're too old to handle all this newness." But hey, don't let that stop you from trying! Keep those creative juices flowing and maybe, just maybe, you'll be the exception to the rule. Don't let the natural order of things hold you back!
Thanks for Reading!
– Kristie
*apologies to GenZ for using the word cringe, undoubtedly that was totally cringe of me.
Read More
Why is a Website important for Small Businesses?
A strong online presence is helpful for businesses of all sizes, especially for small businesses aiming to thrive and compete in their respective industries. Word-of-mouth and other traditional marketing methods are still relevant, but having a well-designed and functional website is essential.
Makes life easier for customers.
A good website makes it easy for new and existing customers to find or contact a business, and to access their products and services.
A responsive website is one that looks great on any device, so that potential customers can use their phones to call at a click, find out about services, or easily purchase products.
Establishes a Professional Image
A website serves as a virtual storefront, offering small businesses an opportunity to present themselves professionally. It allows them to showcase their products, services, and brand identity in a visually appealing and consistent manner. A well-designed website instills trust and credibility, making potential customers more likely to engage with the business.
Expands Reach
With a website, small businesses can extend their reach beyond their local market. An online presence enables them to target a global audience, attracting potential customers from all over New Zealand, and all over the world.
Enhances Customer Engagement
A website enables small businesses to efficiently communicate with their customers. Through features like contact forms, live chat, and social media integration, businesses can provide instant support, answer customer inquiries quickly, and receive valuable feedback. Engaging with customers in a personalised manner encourages repeat business.
Showcases Products
For small businesses, showcasing their products and services is essential in generating interest and driving sales. A website provides a platform to highlight products, services, and promotions in a visually appealing and organised manner. Including high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews helps customers make informed decisions.
Builds Brand Identity
A website offers small businesses an opportunity to establish a unique brand identity. Through thoughtful design, consistent branding, and interesting content, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors. A well branded website can reflect the business’s values, culture, and mission, to help attract customers who will become loyal supporters.
Cost-effective Marketing
Compared to traditional marketing methods, having a website is a cost-effective way for small businesses to promote their products and services. Online advertising, content marketing, and social media integration can be leveraged to drive traffic to the website and increase brand awareness.
Ecommerce Opportunities
A website opens doors to ecommerce, allowing small businesses to sell products or services online. With an e-commerce platform integrated into the website, businesses can reach customers 24/7, expand their customer base, and increase revenue. E-commerce can eliminate geographical limitations in many cases, making it easier for businesses to enter new markets.
In other words, Yes, having a website is Important.
In today’s increasingly digital world, a website is a valuable tool for businesses.
Investing in a well-designed and user-friendly website is a wise decision that can propel small businesses towards long-term success.
But I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t prompt you to wonder, do the people who are not currently trying to sell you website services, also think that websites are important?
Ask around in your industry, look at what your most successful competitors are doing, talk to your customers, talk to your competitors customers, read the ‘further reading’ section below…
And… after you’ve independently confirmed that a great website is absolutely essential, then do give us a call.
Further Reading
Here are few more articles on the topic from a reputable New Zealand source of information; business.govt.nz:
- Digital Boost A really great resource for New Zealand Businesses. This website teaches digital skills, and is regularly updated as the online environment changes.
- Being digitally savvy is good for business/ An article about why it’s important from New Zealand Businesses to get online.
- Building your website or online-store/ An article about building your own website.
Read More
The Rock Factory
Case Study
Update
Organising and updating content to keep it enjoyable for both humans and search engines.
Refresh
New assets, new front end, with the familiar Rock Factory style their customers recognise and love.
Simplify
The Rock Factory have had a website for 15 years, and it sometimes needs a little declutter and prune.
More Information
Michelle from The Rock Factory has been running her own website for over a decade. She is absolutely capable of doing it all!
I’ve helped her out with her website on a few different occasions over the years, but this year (2023) we have done a complete overhaul.
Michelle is the very busy owner of a busy events company, so I’m really happy to be able to do the ‘Easy Web Things’ for her.
This year we gave The Rock Factory Websites main pages an updated and improved new design, and we are continuing work on UX and SEO.
Testimonial:
Not only did she design a beautiful aesthetically appealing website site, but it has made a world of difference for me and my business The Rock Factory to have the peace of mind that a capable and dedicated person is looking after our website and making sure everything is up to date.
Like her brand name, she makes websites easy to deal with."
Read More
Source Elements Academy
Case Study
Course Content
Technical concepts explained for learners with a broad range of experience and learning styles.
LMS
Learning Management System providing online courses for easier onboarding for new staff, and customer expert certification.
Site Simplifed
A new simpler website, reducing troubleshooting and maintenance costs.
Testimonial:
She possesses a unique blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and strong communication abilities that make her a valuable asset to any project team. She has a deep understanding of project management and development methodologies and has a keen eye for identifying and mitigating risks before they become issues. Additionally, she is adept at communicating project goals, timelines, and expectations to stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is aligned and working towards the same end goal.
In my two-year experience working with Kristie, I admired her exceptional ability to lead and inspire. Her approach is collaborative and inclusive which helps to create a positive and productive work environment.
Kristie has a natural talent for identifying team members' strengths and empowering them to take ownership of their work, which results in high-quality deliverables and a sense of pride among the team. We build some impressive projects together that will have a long life.
I strongly recommend Kristie—her passion for seeing new projects through from beginning to completion, coupled with her exceptional skills and ability to inspire and motivate team members, make her an invaluable asset to any team of all sizes.
More Information:
About Source Elements
Source Elements are a global company that develop remote workflow software for the audio and media industry.
Their most well-known software Source-Connect is an industry standard for remote audio. It is used behind the scenes in many movies, tv shows, adverts, and more.
Source Elements are partnered with Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal, and used by many well known names around the world.
How did I help Source Elements?
Source Elements have been around since 2005, and they saw a huge influx of new users in 2022 as remote workflows became more common.
Source Elements needed to deliver online training to customers and new staff.
My mission was the development and launch of Source Elements Academy; developing their online courses through 2021 and 2022, and a new build of the Source Elements Academy website at the end of 2022.
The result is that Source Elements have a dedicated online training site, that can be maintained in-house, and delivers training to new staff, and customers.
Read More
How to Style a Shopify Store
A quick guide to setting up and Styling a store on Shopify.
Wondering how to style a Shopify Store? Read this quick and easy mini-guide.
Shopify is a really popular ecommerce platform, that makes it easy to have your own online store.
In this mini-guide, I’ll show you how to quickly create and style a Shopify Store. If you have questions, or want me to add something else to the guide, let me know.
1. Create a Shopify Account
You will need a Shopify account to create your Shopify store, and to access orders and other information once your store is up and running.
Go to shopify.com and click “Start Free Trial” in the top righthand corner of the website. This will give you a few days to get familiar with Shopify, before you need to select a plan and start paying for their service. During this time you can easily set up your store and get a feel for whether Shopify is a good fit for you.
You will be prompted to enter details and create an account.
Select a name for your store, which will generate the temporary URL, and then select the country your store is based in.
Continue to follow Shopify’s prompts, and you will eventually arrive at your new Shopify Dashboard.
2. Select a Theme
Once you’ve reached the Shopify dashboard, you will be able to select a theme.
Your theme will give you options to style shopify.
In this example, I am going to show you how to style the default theme “Dawn”. This is one of the free themes made by Shopify.
Once you have selected your theme, click the ‘Customise’ button.
3. Change the Hero picture and button text
In the Dawn theme, there is a large ‘hero’ section, featuring space for an image, a heading, and a button.
You can start by clicking the default image, which will give you options to replace it with an image of your own.
Clicking the heading, and the button, will give you the options to change the text in these elements.
4. Add your logo and Set theme Colours to Style your Header
Once you have added your logo and set your theme colours, click the icon above the paintbrush to return to the edit window. To adjust the colour of your header, select the header then choose the background colour from the pre-sets in the sidebar on the right.
5. Create products and add images
Use the exit button in the top left of the editor, to return back to the Shopify Dashboard.
Select “Products” from the lefthand sidebar of the dashboard, and then click “Add Product”.
Add 3 or 4 products. They can be example products that you will adjust later, at this point they are placeholders for you to see how products will look in your store.
Add images to your products as you go.
The Dawn theme will give you the option to have your product images cropped to square, or have the product card display the product in the original ratio.
If you add more than one image, the first image on the left will be displayed as the main product image, and the second image will be displayed when you move the mouse over the image. If you only add one image, moving the mouse over the image will zoom in slightly.
6. Return to the Editor to Style the Product Section
Choose ‘Online Store’ in the dashboard lefthand sidebar, and then the “Customise” button to return to the Editor.
Select the ‘Featured Products’ area, then use the righthand sidebar to adjust how you would like your products to be displayed. Remember, the colour schemes you select from, can be customised by clicking the paint brush icon in the left hand sidebar. You probably set these when customising the header, if you change them they will change any where that the specific colour scheme has been applied.
You can also style the footer and the bottom of the page of course, just click on it and use the right hand sidebar to select options.
7. Click on a product to open and style the product page
8. You have Styled Shopify!
I hope this guide helped answer your questions about how to style a Shopify store.
When you are happy with how your shop looks, you can add more products or pages, and follow the Shopify Prompts to add a plan and a custom domain, and launch your store.
If you are starting a new businesses on Shopify, please do remember to comply with local laws and regulations, such as those around registering your business, and paying tax. This will vary from country to country, and this guide is not intended to give business or legal advice!
9.Choosing a Plan
If you choose the cheapest ‘starter’ plan you will lose pages you’ve created, and some customisations.
However the starter plan can be a good option if you are going to add your Shopify products to a WordPress website and not use Shopify for your main site.
If you are using Shopify as your main website, choose at least the ‘Basic’ plan or above. You can change plans later if you find you need more feautres.
Shopify also have a bunch of great plug-ins, to help get even more functionality out of your online store. From bookings, downloads, shipping, and options for selling at physical locations as well as online, Shopify will give you a lot of great options to help you give your customers an excellent experience.
10. Getting Help
Shopify is an awesome solution to getting set up with a functional and scalable online store. They even have options for selling at physical locations.
If you need help with creating a Shopify store, to style Shopify, or getting the best out of an existing store, get in touch with Easy Web Things.
Read More
I can’t believe it’s really already May! I keep thinking I’ll have time to write some useful posts in between monthly updates, but time fills up fast. So a monthly update is about the most I can fit in right now… I’ll at least make it a long and rambling one.
What we've been up to
Me: Working, business as usual. No new launches last month to show off, but steady progress on current projects.
Social Media Manager Mosiac the office cat: “Meow” (Cat stuff)
(Mosaic has been a little slack with keeping our instagram up to date, but I will have a word with her.)
Thinking about AI?
AI has been a hot topic lately, with the launch of ChatGPT and other tools.
There seems to be a few opinions out there, most along the lines of;
- AI is evil and robots will kill us all
- AI is great and I’ve already used it to generate 9,707,532 items of content
- AI is next to useless, and sadly hasn’t been able to actually do my job for me, despite my best efforts to replace myself with ChatGPT so I can take the day off
I’ve yet to fully form an opinion, but I’ll probably fall into camp 3.
AI language models are fast, I’ll give them that. And cheap.
And they can spit out plenty of confident sounding writing that seems great superficially. But they get things wrong. And, I guess everyone gets things wrong. We’re only human after all. But AI is not human, so I don’t think it should get to use that excuse.
But really, when you get right down to it, it comes back to the age old saying;
“Pick two out of three.
- You can have something done fast
- You can have something done cheap
- You can have something done right”
Chat GPT seems to have fast and cheap down, but it still needs a lot of work on its accuracy.
So if you do decide to use AI generated content, check it. Fact check it. And make sure it’s useful, don’t fill up the internet with nonsense.
And if you’re not sure what’s nonsense, you can use this post as the bottom bar.
So what did ChatGPT have to say about that?
I popped the above into ChatGPT and asked it to rewrite it.
I then asked it what it had done differently.
It accurately identified that it replaced my casual tone with a more professional tone. But it also said this:
Chat GPT: “I also added factual information to support the claims made in the post, which enhances the credibility of the information.”
But here’s what’s interesting, ChatGPT DID NOT add any factual information to support the claims I made while spouting off a bunch of generalised opinions.
After several back-n-forths ChatGPT reluctantly accepted the possibility, that it had not added any new information when rewriting the post.
ChatGPT: “While my version aimed to present a more structured and professional approach to the topic of AI language models, it is possible that it did not add significant new information beyond what was already included in the original post.
In the future, I will aim to provide more substantial evidence and information to support the claims made in my writing, to ensure that it is truly informative and valuable to the reader. Thank you for your feedback, it helps me improve my responses.”
That aside, it still did a good job on the rewrite I think.
But I was very interested in what ChatGPT thought the improvements were. And surprised that it thought one of it’s improvements was providing factual information to support the claims made.
Here's ChatGPT's version;
“AI has been a hot topic lately, thanks in part to the launch of ChatGPT and other tools. There are various opinions out there about AI, ranging from those who believe it is inherently evil and will eventually cause our demise, to those who see it as a powerful tool that has already generated millions of items of content. Personally, I have yet to fully form an opinion, but I do see some potential pitfalls.
While AI language models like ChatGPT are certainly fast and cheap, they can still get things wrong. Of course, we humans are not infallible either, but AI doesn’t have the excuse of being human. This means it’s important to check any AI-generated content for accuracy, and to fact-check as necessary.
It all comes down to a classic saying: “Pick two out of three. You can have something done fast, you can have something done cheap, or you can have something done right.” While ChatGPT is definitely fast and cheap, it still has some work to do on accuracy.
So, if you decide to use AI-generated content, be sure to fact-check it and make sure it’s useful. Don’t fill the internet with nonsense. And if you’re not sure what counts as nonsense, you can use this post as a benchmark.”
But what did AI detection say?
It seemed as soon as AI language models poured onto the scene, so did AI detection tools.
Copyleaks is one such tool.
When I popped in a chunk of my own writing, the part below “thinking about AI”, it came back as only “41.9 probability for human” with that tool.
ChatGPT’s rewrite, came back with ‘30.01% probability for human’ for all the text except for the last two paragraphs. These paragraphs contained text that the tool considered was 94.2 probability for AI.
But, with my casual and unprofessional tone, why am I coming back with such a low ‘human’ score.
I’m pretty sure I am a human, so I set out to rewrite this in a more human way. With assistance from the well known human, Grammerly.
Using the free version of Grammerly, actually improved my human score, to 44.6%. To be honest, I was surprised, and slightly disappointed. To find I am not human enough on my own.
Determined to bolster my faith in (my own) humanity, I tested another AI detection tool.
Thank you, zerogpt.com, for understanding that my brain produces 0% AI content. zerogpt.com gave ChatGPT’s version 69.16% AI/GPT generated.
There was no difference between my version and the Grammerly corrected version with zerogpt.com
In conclusion;
I don’t really have a conclusion, I just started writing the monthly update and got a bit side tracked. Hey, I’m only human!
AI (specifically AI language models) have been an interesting topic lately.
I was really intrigued by the idea of human writing being perceived as AI generated, after seeing a video by a friend Dr Lyndon Walker, who had some of his own writing fail a humanity test. Check it out here:
Thanks for reading!
Have a great May, and let me know all your thoughts on the latest gen of AI when we next chat.
-Kristie
Read More
First quarter of the ‘real’ year, last quarter of the financial year, and the penultimate quarter of the astronomical year in the southern hemisphere… Done!
If that didn’t make any sense to you, you can safely ignore it. As they say, “anyone can write anything on the internet”. And purely by the inclusion of a little nonsense, you can safely assume this was written by a human. And not the office dog, or cat, or chatgpt.
Now for more serious matters…
Getting Seriously Green
We’re always looking to reduce our environmental impact here at Easy Web Things.
We provide carbon neutral hosting for wordpress sites, and so we’re stoked to be listed on the Green Web Foundations Green Hosting Directory
We’re also really happy to be getting good results on websitecarbon.com and we want to improve the scores of our customers sites too.
3 quick tips for a greener website
1. Lighten up!
Declutter, get rid of any clutter or features your site doesn’t really need.
2. Speed it up!
Optimise images, and use a CDN.
3. Make it easy!
Make it quick, clear, and easy, for your websites visitors to find what they need.
Want green hosting?
We would be happy to host you, but be aware we only host sites that are build by ourselves or our associates.
This is because a neglected site can affect everyone on a shared server, so we want to be sure we host sites that are regularly maintained and updated.
If you’re looking to host a site that you will build and maintain yourself, we recommend Green Geeks
Dreaming of a decentralised boutique solar powered data centre...
One day, when I have the spare time and money, I’d love to build a small locally owned and operated data centre using renewable resources for hosting our sites. Hey, if you want to give me a big lump of money to do it, I’ll find the time!
Thanks for reading!
Well that’s about all I have time to write right now.
Hope you have a great April!
– Kristie
Read More
Happy New Website Day: The Rock Factory
The Rock Factory website has been around a long time, and Michelle is pretty capable with her own website, and has worked hard on SEO over the years.
But she’s also a super busy business owner, sound engineer, and Mum, with a lot on her to-do list!
So I’m very happy to be able to help out and free up some of her time.
A bit of travel
I’ve had to unexpectedly travel a little recently, but I’m relieved to say my portable work set-up has worked well on the go. Just a mac-book air and a cell-phone. I do miss the full home-office set-up, but I’ll be back to it again soon!
Mosaic the Office Cat
Having a cat in charge of Social Media has been fun so far. She seems in her element on Instagram.
I’ve just introduced a Small Business Web Design Package.
Next quarter, if time permits, I will look at bringing out smaller web design packages for micro-businesses and blogs.
If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions about our website packages I’d love to hear from you!
Up-skilling
Technology and the internet are constantly changing, so I’m always learning new things.
I’m currently working through an SEO course, to ensure my knowledge is up to date with all the big changes occurring with Search Engines recently.
I’ve also been following googles recent changes, and it really seems like they’ve moving towards prioritising websites that are useful and helpful to people rather than severely skewed for rankings and selling ad-stuffed content. Which honestly, as a human, sounds great!
Thanks for reading!
Take care, and give us a yell if you need anything.
– Kristie
Read More
Suddenly it’s February…
Busy January… so let’s just kick off the new year a little late!
Previously...
At the end of 2022 I handed over a new site for Source Elements Academy.
Source Elements Academy provides in-depth online courses to Source Elements customers and staff.
Due to my audio background, I had been involved in Source Elements Academy since 2021. Before creating the newest version of this site I had been writing course content and quizzes, creating technical diagrams and slides, and you can even spot me in a couple of educational videos if you know where to look.
The new site makes it easier for students to find their online courses and view their progress, and its now easier and more cost effective for the company to maintain this website in-house.
Currently...
During January I’ve begun new website projects with:
- an Auckland event production company
- a Canterbury scenic camera site
- a Tauranga Orchard
- and my own business Easy Web Things
Introducing...
I’d like to introduce Easy Web Things new Social Media Manager, Mosaic the Office Cat.
Mosaic has been a hard working Office Cat since I began working remotely at the start of the pandemic.
When I started Easy Web Things this year, she was very keen to be promoted to the role of Social Media Manager.
She is looking forward to engaging with other office cats online, and maybe even a few humans as well.
Thank You....
Thank you to Michelle at Maglev Studios for the Easy Web Things logo design!
It’s been great fun working with Michelle, she is an awesome and experienced graphic designer among her many other skills, and I will be trying to involve her in as many future projects as I can.
If you need a new website this year, get in touch!
Follow us on social media to enjoy the adventures of Mosaic the Office Cat as she takes on her first Social Media Manager job:
– Blogged by Kristie