Author: Melissa Priest

Digital Outsourcing

Posted on by Melissa Priest

Outsourcing Digital and IT work is smart for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Outsourcing offers many benefits:

  • access to a variety of skillsets and qualifications
  • flexibility in scaling resources up and down when you need to
  • cost effective
  • resources that are up to date with the latest trends and technologies
  • a fresh perspective for your business solutions

Small businesses are often too small to justify an in-house digital resource so outsourcing as and when you need to is the way to go.  We don’t recommend trying to do everything yourself as it’s probably not the best use of your time or why you got into your business in the first place, so outsourcing to an expert is a much smarter idea.

Medium businesses still want to maintain a fairly lean team and depending on the type of business you probably also can’t justify having a digital resource.

Outsourcing allows a business to draw on external resources when they need them, thereby being a cost effective and flexible solution for your business.

Larger businesses may also look to outsource to an external team if their internal teams are stretched, they have a large project that they need more resources for, or they require access to a different skillset not available internally.

We can help you in all of these situations with a range of services:

  • website design, development, maintenance and support – WordPress, Big Commerce, Shopify and more. We can also deliver bespoke web applications and e-commerce facilities.
  • graphic design – logo creation, marketing collateral (business cards, pamphlets, banners etc etc), social media graphics, online banners and more
  • user experience and technical reviews of your site
  • consultation / guidance on your digital presence
  • e-newsletter design and development
  • social media – profile creation, organic posts, paid advertising
  • website hosting and more

Whether you’re a small business trying to do everything yourself, or a larger business in need of some extra help please Contact Us and we can slot straight into your team for as many hours as you need.

One Page Websites – a great solution for small business

Posted on by Melissa Priest

Recently we have designed and developed quite a few “one page websites”. A one page website is one long page that provides a professional overview of your business.

One page websites are useful for new businesses starting out (especially small businesses), for businesses that don’t have or want a lot of content on their website and also for those on a budget and looking for a cheaper alternative to a multi page website.

A one page website gives you the opportunity to have a professional presence online for a much smaller investment than a typical website. It gives a great first impression for your business and allows potential customers to build trust in your business, so much better than not having a website.

Our one page websites typically include 4 sections:

  1. a top section which includes logo, social media icons / links, navigation and a header graphic with intro caption
  2. second section which generally includes an about us introduction to the business or owner
  3. third section which gives an overview of the services of the business, this could also be switched out for products depending on the type of business
  4. then finally a contact section which includes a contact form and contact details of the business.

A website of this size allows you to introduce your company and it’s products or services and for the user to gain a snapshot of who you are and what you do.

You can add other sections for a small additional cost such as a gallery of images, a section to introduce your team, a social media feed and more.

Some of the recent one page websites we have designed:

Here is some feedback we received from one of these website designs.

Just starting a small business and I had no idea where to start with website design and associated social media links. Melissa at Scrolling Digital was amazing to work with establishing a website that not only met but enhanced the brief. Mel’s professionalism and communication throughout the process resulted in the process being efficient and stress free. I would highly recommend Scrolling Digital. Brooke

Contact us if you would like to discuss designing a one page website for your business.

One Page Websites

Web Design Project – Safe Gauge

Posted on by Melissa Priest

Safe Gauge - new website Newcastle web design
Safe Gauge, an exciting new business kicking major goals and about to take on the world!

Safe Gauge have developed a range of products designed to safely test the hydraulic systems in mobile plant machinery, keeping workers at a safe distance from the machinery and thus reducing injuries and saving lives.  The plan is for Safe Gauge’s products to be used in mining and heavy industrial sites all around the world.

Luke from Safe Gauge was recently featured in the Newcastle Herald, AND listed as a finalist in this year’s Hunter Manufacturing Awards, very impressive! Congratulations Luke and good luck!!!

We are excited to follow Luke’s journey and wish him all the very best in what is shaping up to be a sensational career!

About the project
The Safe Gauge website is a WordPress website with woo-commerce e-commerce integration, as well as integration with Safe Gauge’s external accounting software, the Stripe payment gateway and an external leads management system.

Luke was happy with the finished product and was a dream client to work with.  We will now maintain the website for Luke on an ongoing basis allowing him to focus on what he does best – innovating and designing products to make workplaces safer in Australia and around the world.

Safe Gauge Luke Dawson Newcastle Herald

 

Safe Gauge Newcastle Herald Article

Why is my website showing as Not Secure? SSL and website security..

Posted on by Melissa Priest

You may have noticed recently that there has been a shift toward browsers (Chrome, Safari etc) showing “Secure” or “Not Secure” next the website url in their address bar.
SSL Certificate Not Secure

If a website is showing as “Secure”, or more recently showing a closed padlock, they have what is called an SSL certificate.

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client, for example a a web server (website) and a browser, or a mail server and a mail client (e.g., Outlook). Having an SSL certificate also means that the start of your url is https:// rather than http://.

So for websites without an SSL certificate unfortunately the words “Not Secure” will now be shown in the browsers address bar before your website url and this can be a concern for businesses trying to build trust online.

Traditionally only websites that had an e-commerce facility (online stores etc) needed an SSL certificate and it was thought to be overkill for everyone else. However Google announced that having an SSL certificate would become part of their algorithm of ranking websites and with SEO top of mind a lot of people jumped on board.

Now with “Not Secure” being the first thing many users see when visiting a site, and trust being so important when doing business with a company – especially online, there is a shift toward more websites adapting SSL.

If you would like an SSL certificate set up on your website we can help you, just Contact Us and we will get it organised for you.

The Benefits Of A MindBody Website – The Dance Fitness Studio

Posted on by Melissa Priest

A while ago we were approached by new Brisbane based business ‘The Dance Fitness Studio‘ to design and develop a website for their new dance and fitness business.

When doing research for a client we look at all possible solution options for them, not just pushing them to a WordPress site which is what we specialise in, instead we look at the best holistic solution for their business.

After weighing up a few options our client decided on having us set up a website for them using the MindBody platform.

It was our first experience using MindBody and we were pleasantly surprised with MindBody’s offering. (note this is not a sponsored post). From a clients perspective, MindBody offers an established platform where you can fairly quickly and easily set up a responsive website with loads of features, including the ability for your clients to book and pay straight away, you can set up timetables, set up employees and their profiles, special offers, discount codes, reporting, email notifications, integration with payment methods such as paypal, and more……

However the biggest bang for your buck is the existing audience of MindBody app users that you instantly tap into. MindBody is an app where as a health, fitness and wellness lover you can type in your location and discover a range of relevant services in your area. As MindBody had gained significant popularity in the Brisbane market it made sense for The Dance Fitness Studio to jump on board. A key challenge for any website is having people find them, so to be able to tap into an existing and relevant customer base was extremely useful and has definitely paid off for them.

The Dance Fitness Studio website

 

Visit The Dance Fitness Studio.

If you’re thinking of creating a MindBody website and would like our help customising and setting up the site for you please contact us and we can help you get started.

Here is an extract from the glowing testimonial we received from The Dance Fitness Studio:

“We found Scrolling Digital to be very professional and client centric. Their service was outstanding and far exceeded our expectations. They were very good with being organised, understanding what we were after and taking us along the journey of understanding what would work best for our needs. Their patience and the support they provided was second to none. We will continue to work with Scrolling Digital and have recommended them to other businesses based on the exceptional service and results they have provided us.”

Hands up if you want your website to appear first in Google?

Posted on by Melissa Priest

You aren’t alone there.

Google is the most popular search engine in the world, so naturally everyone wants their business to appear first, but not everyone can be on the first page of Google search results can they (well they can if they pay to be in certain areas but that is another topic for another day)?

As a google user, when you type your search words and hit enter, what do you want to see in your results? Any old business that ‘wanted’ to appear first, or the very best websites that match your search?

Google has to sort through billions of webpages (via their very specific and complex ‘algorithm’) to come up with a set of websites that are the best match to your search, and by best match I mean great quality, up-to-date, relevant websites.

So instead of focusing on trying to get to the top of google, businesses instead should focus on creating the best website they can for their visitors.

Here are some things we think you should spend your time and money on to ensure your website is as good as it can be, to potentially be ranked well by google:

  • have a well designed and easy to use website
  • make sure your website is mobile and tablet friendly, or ‘responsive’ as it’s called (read our post on how to tell if your site is mobile-friendly, and also why your business will be losing business if you don’t have a responsive website)
  • add useful, informative (well-written) content to your website about the products and services you provide, about your skills, experience, credentials to demonstrate your credibility and gain trust
  • add your contact details (email, phone, address, google map if possible) and try and be as transparent and personal as possible
  • and if you are really serious about ranking well – have a blog. A blog offers you an opportunity to add value to your website on an ongoing basis with interesting and relevant content, and allowing you to further demonstrate your products / services / skills / knowledge / expertise in your given area

If you think your website is lacking in any of these areas we can help you, give us a call or send a message via our Contact Us page to discuss how we can help your website be the best it can be.

Got a Great Idea for An App Or a Website But Not Sure What To Do Next?

Posted on by Melissa Priest

It seems people are racking their brains trying to think of the next big app or website, great, get those creative juices flowing we say! But what do you do when you think you’ve got a great idea and want to get it off the ground? You talk to people about your idea that’s what!

Website and app ideasMost people actually do the opposite of this and instead hide and protect the idea, meaning they not only miss out on valuable feedback and information, but also skip on to development (time and money) without actually knowing whether anyone will use it.

Over the years we’ve been approached by many a budding entrepreneur with what they think is the next big thing, we’ve even been asked to sign NDAs (non disclosure agreements) before they will tell us what the idea is……

The thing is…your idea is something YOU are passionate about, something YOU’ve thought up, and in some cases you might be the only person who likes it.

It would be rare and unlucky if someone was to run off with your idea. Most ideas require an amazing amount of passion, drive and determination to come to fruition, which helps if you have thought it up in the first place.

If you have what you think is a great idea in the making, before you spend time and money jumping straight to development, go out and ask people would they use it.

Talk to your potential end users and see what they think of the idea, would they use it, does it already exist, what do they use now, would they use yours instead of what they use now?

In his article ‘Five Ways to Validate Your Idea‘, Matt Bell of Treehouse suggests creating a survey and sending it out to as many people as you can and get them to respond anonymously = extremely valuable information for you about your idea.

Talk to your potential end users and talk to them some more…..

…..and if you’re still certain that there is a genuine need for your idea, come and talk to us! We will happily sit down with you and chat about your idea and give you a detailed quote on what your development costs will be….and we promise now to steal your idea!

Go Girl Power – 21 Women Disrupting The Tech Industry

Posted on by Melissa Priest

I am a big fan of techcrunch.com and I am an even bigger fan of girl power (!) so was rather pleased to see this article on women disrupting the tech industry on the tech crunch site.

Yes it is very US centric but hey that is where our big global tech companies reside.

Did you know that YouTube’s CEO is a woman? Or that the Chief Technology Officer at the White House is as well?

Whilst the tech industry remains highly dominated by men, it’s great to see women carving out some amazing ground in tech start ups and huge multi-national companies, and hopefully changing the world while they are at it.

Thanks to tech crunch for celebrating these women – you can read the story here. Go girl power!

Loving these two new websites we designed – check them out!

Posted on by Melissa Priest

We get great joy out of seeing our work go live on the world wide web (does anyone say world wide web anymore….ha…anyway….) and here we have two new sites hot off the press to celebrate.

We have worked closely with these two small businesses from Newcastle and feel proud that they now have a modern, professional and informative website to help their businesses succeed!

Both sites are “responsive” which means they will respond to any device that they are accessed from, as you can see from the screenshots below.

Hunter Pro – visit the Hunter Pro website
HP

All Glass & Aluminium – visit the All Glass & Aluminium website
AGA

If you would like a modern, professional and responsive website for your small business please contact us to have a chat about your needs and your budget.

To view more of our work please visit our portfolio.

Google makes major change – is your site mobile-friendly?

Posted on by Melissa Priest

Recently Google made a major change to its algorithm or how it ranks websites in search results, and we’ve already been hearing reports of businesses feeling the pain.

In an ongoing effort to improve your experience online, Google decided to add ‘mobile-friendliness‘ as a tool to the way it ranks websites in mobile searches.

If you’re searching for information from your mobile phone, you want the websites that you visit to be presented in a clear, easy-to-use format right? Google knows this and has decided to favour those sites that are mobile-friendly or ‘responsive’, which are those sites that have been customised for multiple devices including the mobile.  Meaning that those websites that aren’t mobile-friendly will be slipping down the list.

If your website isn’t responsive you could be getting penalised on these mobile searches and you’re likely to see your search ranking take a significant hit, leading to a reduction in traffic to your site, with a flow on affect of lost sales for your business.

Do you know whether your site is mobile-friendly? If you’re not sure, contact us and we can have a look at your site and let you know whether it is mobile-friendly or not and give you a quote on bringing your site inline with these changes.