The color is Pantone Color 16-1456, or Coral Craze. Last year was Ultra Violet. I saw this color used on a website matched with a alight retro aqua green and it was very eye catching. A definite new color to consider for 2019! Optimistic and a hope for better things to come. When you are tired of the same old colors on your website, month after month, a switch to a new color can be refreshing. Photo credit: Pantone.

I recommend Robert to clients who are impressed with his work. Check out his new site at https://schoenphoto.com.

Not noticeable but important

An HTTPS connection guarantees three things

• Confidentiality. The visitor’s connection is encrypted, obscuring URLs, cookies, and other sensitive metadata.
• Authenticity. The visitor is talking to the “real” website, and not to an impersonator or through a “man-in-the-middle”.
• Integrity. The data sent between the visitor and the website has not been tampered with or modified.

Here are those points explained by Kayce Basques, technical writer at Google.

1. HTTPS helps prevent intentionally malicious attackers snd legitimate but intrusive companies from inserting their ads into your websites or onto your users’ browsers. They also like to trick your users into giving up sensitive information or installing malware that will negatively affect user experiences and create security vulnerabilities.
2. HTTPS is not only for those that handle sensitive communications. Every unprotected HTTP request can potentially reveal information about the behaviors and identities of your users.
3. HTTPS doesn’t just block misuse of your website. It’s also a requirement for many cutting-edge features and an enabling technology for app-like capabilities.

HTTP will soon be considered non-secure
And it’s also important to know that Chrome and Firefox security teams are working on gradually marking plain HTTP as non-secure. Ultimately, the goal of the internet community is to establish encryption as the norm, and to phase out unencrypted connections. This means that not have https, will negatively affect your seo and that having it improves a website’s own SEO and analytics.

Can an HTTPS connection be attacked?
There are only three ways for attackers to get through the https security wall and they are very difficult and require significant expense. In addition, they would all have to be targeted attacks, and not feasible to execute against any user connecting to any website. By contrast, plain HTTP connections can be easily intercepted and modified by anyone involved in the network connection, and so attacks can be carried out at large scale and at low cost.

I was surprised that getting an https on your website is fairly easy and inexpensive to do. Ask your service provider to set it up for you. You can set it up yourself on the control panel at your hosting company. Be sure the https shows up in the url of your browser. If it doesn’t, call your hosting company and ask them to help you out. There might be some settings they need to set on their end. and then rest assured, your visitors will have a better experience.

1. THE WEBSITE IS BROKEN

Which of these can break your website?
(a) You did not renew your domain
(b) Your hosting company went out of business and dropped your site
(c) You have malware and Google has blocked you
(d) All of the above

If you purchased your domain or domains from a different company than where you are hosted, be sure to stay on top of when they need to be renewed. I had a client lose a domain only to have it snatched up by a web shark who held it ransom for thousands of dollars.

2. NO ONE CAN FIND YOU

Reasons why people can’t find your website?
(a) Your site is broken (see above)
(b) You never submitted your site to search engines
(c) You have not added keywords or used a Search Optimization Plugin
(d) All of the above

It’s important that your website is built with content that includes many of the keywords people use to find you. This is called “on-page” search engine optimization. It should be included in the fee for building the website.

3. NO ONE STAYS ON YOUR WEBSITE

Reasons why people don’t stay on your website
a. People can’t read the text
b. The menu is confusing
c. The map was set for the wrong address.
d. All of the above

These days, attention spans are short. If your content does not catch the eye of the visitor, they are gone within seventeen seconds on average. Work with your web designer to create “Purposeful User Flow” and good visuals to beat your competition.

4. YOUR WEBSITE IS STATIC

Reasons why you should be able to edit your site
a. It costs less if you can make small changes
b. Being able to write blog posts increases traffic
c. Your webmaster went on a long vacation
d. All of the above

You should be able to edit blog posts and/or add new ones to keep your site fresh. Ask your webmaster to give you editor status so you can make changes and additions on a regular basis.

5. YOUR WEBSITE IS OVER THREE YEARS OLD

Why should you update your website every three years
a. The internet and software that supports it changes
b. Your brand is in need of an update
c. Your text and graphics are not attracting new clients
d. All of the above

The plugins and even some themes have a shorter lifespan than you may think. If they don’t keep up with the WordPress updates, they may even be inviting malware.

6. YOUR WEBSITE IS NOT RESPONSIVE

Why Should Your WordPress be Responsive?
a. Over 70% of visitors access the web with their cell phone
b. You will lose business if it isn’t
c. People will think you are not paying attention to your website
d. All of the above

If your website looks great on a laptop but fails to adjust for tablet and especially mobile, then you are missing a lot of opportunities to find new customers.

7. YOUR WEBMASTER IS NOT RESPONSIVE

Why you might need a new Webmaster
a. They graduated from high school and moved away
b. Your site is written in a code that only they can understand
c. Your webmaster is not updating your website
d. All of the above

Make sure you hire a professional who is in this business to stay. Custom websites may make the web developer feel accomplished but if they fail to update the code, then your site will quickly fail. A well established theme company with Premium Themes is a safer bet.

8. IT’S NOT MADE WITH WORDPRESS

Why is WordPress the most used CMS?
a. The software is open source
b. The software is free
c. It is the most widely used CMS Worldwide
d. All of the above

There are thousands of web developers and web designers around the world who use wordpress. New plugins are constantly coming on market so that you can find all the functionality you need.

P.S. Did you guess “d” on all the questions? You are correct!

Now you can buy their cards too right here on my site! (See left sidebar.) Moo cards are offered in regular size as well, and also with the option of many unique (up to 100) designs in one order or multiples of several designs. It’s up to you. Just upload your artwork or use their cool designs. Full color on one side and one color on the other, the small cards are also good for many other uses. Punch a small hole and use as a tag. Make a coupon or a place card for your wedding reception. The possibilities are endless! And it’s great for all businesses: showing off a product, word-smithing or a mini-portfolio. Have fun!

My career has spanned 30 years of incredible change in the graphic design industry; the web design being a culmination of only the last 10 years. From drawing in India ink for illustrative map panels at Logan International Airport to designing diagrams of the immune system on one of the first Macs and finally to web design on a laptop…

My web work takes me on many journeys. I’ve worked with lawyers, therapists, artists, museums, playwrights and authors, accountants and caterers to name more than a few! If you know anyone who wants to update their site or needs a new site, have them give me a ring. I’m always ready for the next journey.

The September issue of the newsletter features Stuart Sandler, who co-directs no less than five foundries: Font Diner, Sideshow, Breaking the Norm, Tart Workshop and Mister Retro. “He is enamored with the lettering and typefaces of the 1920s through the 1960s, a period when letter-making was a very different craft indeed.”

The book, available from Amazon, is only $23, but you can access the interviews at the MyFonts online archive. Enjoy!

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According to Discover Small Business Watch, 47 percent of consumers surveyed say they are more likely to use a small business that has a Web site.

Despite the fact that so many customers put stock in a Web site, many small businesses don’t have one with a Discover Small Business Watch survey of small business owners indicating that only 45 percent had a company Web site.

The Better Business Bureau recommends that these business owners ask themselves four questions to help decide whether building a Web site should become a top priority.