If you currently have a working website but want some changes made to it then you will need to be able to brief your web developer on exactly what it is you want in order for them to be able to cost it for you. The more specific you can be the more likely you are to get an accurate cost and the end product that you need. Make a note of everything that you want changing (sometimes it’s cheaper to have multiple changes done at once). Once you have this, go through in detail writing down exactly what it needs to do and how it should look. If you can find an example of it on another website then this will really help the programmer be able to understand exactly what it is you are looking for. Never assume that they will know the ins and outs of your business. Something that may seem obvious to you in your industry may not to them... Read More »

If you have a business in the retail sector then you will already have started the Christmas countdown. Many businesses change the look and theme of their website over the festive period, this may include banners, the countdown to Christmas or showcasing Christmas themed products. One idea that works really well for retailers is to have a Christmas advent calendar on your website. Each day someone visits they get to click on a door and reveal a new offer. The offer may be a discount code, a freebie or entry into a prize draw. Not only does this make your site fun and more interactive it entices people to come back to your site every day. It may be worth also having daily deals as another way of encouraging people to come back to the site. Many websites in the retail industry see a rise in traffic as they approach Christmas so you need to be sure that your current hosting package can cope with... Read More »

WordPress is one of the, if not the most popular free open source content management system. It is based on PHP and MySQL and is very easy to use and adaptable. Many web developers use WordPress to develop websites for their clients due to its flexibility and the opportunity to expand over time. It also offers a very user-friendly interface for the client to use when updating content, adding products or managing orders. The basic WordPress install comes with a number of themes. These themes are very basic and are often not used unless purely to create a very simple blog site. Most web developers create their own theme or find one that they can purchase to use for a project. There are literally thousands of different WordPress themes on the market, some are free (often for personal use) and others are charged for. When searching for a theme you need to make sure that it can be adapted in a way that will suit... Read More »

If you are developing a website then you may wish to sue WordPress. It is very popular amongst beginners and fully fledged web developers sue to its flexibility and easy to use content management system. Once you have installed WordPress on a website you can then start to personalise it. It does come with a few themes installed but these may not be sufficient for what you need. When looking for a theme to use you need to do plenty of research. Read reviews and look at demos of a live site that uses the theme to see if it is right for you. If you are going to have to pay for then theme then be sure to get in touch with the developers of it to ask any questions you may have before you make the purchase. Checking things such as, how many menus it supports and if it is compatible with other devices is a must. Plugins can be added in to... Read More »

Many business owners are scratching their heads over if they should develop an app for their business. More and more of the larger firms now have apps that can be easily downloaded from places such as the Android or ITunes store and it often gets business owners wondered if they should be offering their customers the same. Some companies will benefit immediately from having an app, it is an easy way to not only allow your customers to access content and products on your website but it will  also mean you can easily send them notifications if they have agreed to turn them on. Those who think they don’t need a mobile app because their site is mobile friendly are often unaware of the huge potential apps can have over websites. The potential for apps is massive and with much more functionality being available in apps than in HTML websites, the possibilities are endless. Apps can be a fantastic marketing tool and can be tailored... Read More »