The post The Client’s Guide To Tidy Content: Swish, Streamlined, Sane! appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>There is a caveat, however: editing content shifts some of the design responsibility to you.
In this article I’m going to encourage tidy, consistent formatting when you update your website. I will also discourage practices that lead to off-putting and unsightly results. The result is a website that lasts longer, looks sleeker and fares better against future updates.
It will also put a smile on your web developer’s face!
I’ve spent years making, observing and correcting website DIY. Needless to say, you weren’t expected to know this so don’t be discouraged at my nagging. A lot of bad habits seem logical and wouldn’t be obvious if you didn’t have a pedantic web designer to point them out. That’s me! Pedant at your service.
Headings (or headlines) are so prone to mistakes that they get their own section! To be clear, we’re talking about the big titles that separate content: from H1 (or Heading 1) all the way to H6.
H1s (or Heading 1) are generally used once: to indicate what the page is about. If your website automatically generates the page title at the top, that’s likely to be the H1. While it’s fine to use multiple H1s, be sparing with them. Don’t plaster them across the page just because they’re the biggest option.
When a new topic is introduced, use a H2 tag. If that section contains a subtopic, use a H3. This creates a “nested” hierarchy of related headlines that makes sense to the reader and the search engines. Your website will probably be designed so that headings trickle down in size. Make use of this!
If you want to emphasise a point, it is tempting to wrap an entire sentence in a heading tag. Don’t do this. At best it looks weird and at worst it looks spammy. Many times I’ve logged in to a website to find the owner has wrapped an entire paragraph in a H1 tag (see above).
If there’s a need to bolden or enlarge font for a particular effect, use large paragraphs, quotations or specially made blocks. If those options aren’t available, ask your developer to make it so.
It’s understandable that you might write headings in block capitals. Block caps indicate importance and are an inherent part of certain designs.
The thing is, upper case is generated by your website’s style guide, not by what you type. If you want a headline TO STAND OUT, that should happen automatically the moment your theme sees H1, H2, H3 etc. This applies whether you type it Like This, like this or LIKE THIS.
WHEN YOU WRITE LIKE THIS search engines might display the block caps in their listings. This looks spammy to visitors and might reduce click through rate from the search results.
Block caps also make it harder for people with visual impairments that use screen readers; they may be incorrectly seen as shouting or acronyms.
Needless to say, if you genuinely want your content to SHOUT, have at it! Just avoid block capitals if they’re a part of your design. I say this as someone that regularly has to retype headings sent to me in uppercase. Grrr…
In paragraphs, a font’s weight can be increased by wrapping it in bold or “strong” tags. No problems here.
<p>I am a <strong>strong and mighty</strong> paragraph!</p>
However, people often apply this to headings.
There is no need to put headings in bold. Like block caps, your theme should automatically convert headings to a predefined weight that works with your design.
<h2><strong>Heading</strong></h2>
uses more HTML than
<h2>Heading</h2>
To the pedants who (rightfully) care about keeping things streamlined, these kind of errors stack up. The example above wouldn’t impact you in any meaningful way, but over time things will get messy.
Writing headings in bold might also render them as:
<strong><h2>Heading</h2></strong>
Semantically speaking, this is illogical; the strong tag should really sit inside the h2. While it won’t tank your site, it’s nice to keep things consistent.
Finally, if you make headings bold you add another variable into the mix. Some headings will be thick, others thin. That’s one extra layer to your website’s consistency that could be avoided.
Adding links to a heading can confuse your readers; it’s not often obvious that the headline is clickable. Links tend to work better as part of paragraphs, or as eye-catching buttons. As with all things there are exceptions – blog cards come to mind. But in general, keep links to paragraphs and buttons.
Bold, underline and italic are no problem. In some cases, content requires different colours. This is fine, and you can stylise your text within the content editor.
What’s not okay is changing fonts. The typography on your site should be decided long before you’re handed the logins. To change fonts mid-page makes things look ugly and inconsistent.
Furthermore, when you load an alternate font family, that puts extra resources on the server. This leads to an increase in loading speed, which makes for a negative user experience.
If parts of your content require an alternate font, those should be predecided and available under strict conditions in your editor.
When you copy content from one place to another, it’s not just the text that gets transferred. You might also paste formatting rules, font choices and raw HTML code. This can result in an absolute mess that bloats your page size and breaks up important site layouts.
When you paste content into WordPress, check the “Text” tab of your editor. If you see a horrific heap of code like the above, you should go back as paste “as plain text”. Other CMSs have a similar tab, often shown as a little rubber icon.
When you prepare an article in Microsoft Word, you don’t have the option to open links in a new tab. However, it’s important your website does this when you refer to external websites. If it doesn’t, visitors will leave your site entirely and you’ll lose a valuable lead.
Web content is different to writing for the printed page. People read from a variety of device widths, most of which are backlit and more irritating to the eyes.
Whereas books and essays contain longer paragraphs, websites generally benefit from shorter, snappier sections. It’s important to make regular paragraph breaks to avoid readers hitting the dreaded “wall of text” and becoming overwhelmed.
Make your sentences as lavish as you like – just make sure their paragraphs are short and succinct.
Very seldom do topics demand text, text and only text.
Unlike ancient scrolls, websites have an arsenal of different content types. At the very least, these include:
Depending on your website, you might also have access to advanced layouts like:
Used wisely, these features make an enormous difference to the legibility and effectiveness of your content. 1000 words of plain text is a chore compared to 1000 words of cleverly planned blocks, rows, image captions and lists.
You might have a web designer or marketer to help you with this. If so, great – take their advice and observe how they’ve formatted other pages on your website.
In this article we’ve learned:
I hope you’ve found this article useful. If you stick to these guidelines, you’ll ensure that as the website grows, it remains faithful to the original design and stays uncluttered.
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]]>The post The Great Blog Checklist: What To Do BEFORE You Click Publish appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>To hit that sweet spot, it’s important to have a clear checklist that guarantees your work is unique, eye-catching and genuinely useful.
Before you click publish, pore through this list and ensure your content ticks the relevant boxes. Don’t punish yourself completing every last item, just do what will reasonably improve the piece for your readers. They are your goal; please the user and the rest will follow.
These behind the scenes tweaks give search engines a vital understanding of what your blog post is about. They have a big influence on what shows up in search results and how users could be persuaded to click your link. Sadly, they are often ignored or misinterpreted.
~50-60 characters (source) isn’t a lot, but it’s enough that you can write a descriptive title that’s enticing, entertaining and prompts the user to click your page. See some examples below:
The meta description is an opportunity to hail searchers and excite them into visiting your search result. With that in mind, make your meta descriptions something a human being will want to click.
Remember, meta descriptions are not a dealbreaker to your SEO. In fact, Google may pick a different excerpt entirely and use that on the results page. So write for the people, not for the robots.
The page permalink (or URL, or slug) should be concise and descriptive.
Avoid superfluous ‘stop’ words:
example.com/such-as-article-titles-that-go-on
Instead, go for something punchy that looks good in a tight space:
example.com/easy-guide
For my money, a shorter URL looks neat and makes me happier to share the link. The address is legible on more devices, search engines and makes future organising a lot easier! If only I picked a shorter domain name all those years ago…
Large file sizes are unwelcome in 2021. A free and very effective tool for compressing photos can be found at tinypng.com. Use it on your article’s images and your website will be grateful.
This is easily overlooked. Every image has an “alt” tag buried somewhere in your website builder or CMS. Alt tags help search engines and screen readers understand what the photo is. They’re great for image search SEO as well as context and accessibility.
Go through every image in your article and make sure it has properly written “alt” tags that accurately describe it.
When you share your piece across social media, the link preview may display a photo thumbnail. Have you made sure that yours is properly cropped and displays the right information? Do so, now! I believe in you.
Whether you’re writing about garden furniture or quantum mechanics, it’s important that your article engages its readers. Varied layouts and a splash of colour add interest and avoid the tedium of a wall of text.
Images are a great way to illustrate your point and break up long blocks of text. It’s not hard to find free photos that complement your writing, so have a look online and sprinkle some in where appropriate. Don’t forget to resize or compress the photos before you upload them; nobody likes a slow page.
Can YouTube explain your topic further? It doesn’t have to be your video; embed something relevant and useful, giving the reader a variety of ways to absorb what you’ve put forward. What’s more, you can reach out to the owner of the video and alert them of the shoutout.
Not everything has to be laid forth in chunky paragraphs. Consider splitting content into digestible bullet lists. This adds an ebb and flow of the piece, don’t you think?
Some like to read, others are visual learners. If your post is a “how to” guide, consider adding an infographic that summarises the whole piece. This makes great material for Instagram, Pinterest and Google Image searches. It also allows people to print your resource and pin it to their notice board – like this!
So you have a beautiful blog post armed with meta tags and descriptive images. At this point I like to scan through it with a fresh perspective, looking specifically at the quality of writing.
Blog posts can get so lofty they fail to quickly answer the question. However detailed your article, you should include a short, succinct summary at the top of the page. This is especially important if you’re writing a “how to” guide and readers just want a quick answer. Recipe websites take note!
Whatever your article is about, there are plenty of similar pieces online.
Google terms about your article and examine the top 10 results. Ask yourself:
So, go back and tweak your piece until it exceeds the very best of your competition. This isn’t rocket science —tally what you like about your competitors’ articles, and use that to jet-propel your work to that high standard.
Hopefully you did some keyword research before you began writing. If not, no sweat…
Scan through your article and identify its most prominent phrases and keywords. What problems is it solving, and what kind of language would people use to query it?
Open several tabs and type those phrases into Google. Now scroll to the bottom of the search results…
Do you see those phrases in bold? People are looking for these too! See if your piece can contain natural variations of these keywords.
Does the article speak with authority and convinction? If it’s an opinion piece, stoke the emotions that fuel what you’ve written about: joy, passion, fear, pride. Just a sprinkle of choice words can transform a vanilla article into something that excites its readers. My modus operandi? The calm, collected enthusiast, mostly formal with a dash of mischief.
Who doesn’t love an expert? It would be ludicrous not to trust them, don’t you think? If you have contacts in the field whose input would add value to your blog, reach out for a quote! Their contribution will add authority to the piece, and it will give that person the incentive to share.
There should be a natural flow between sections in your website. Where it feels relevant, include a link to other pages on your website. These will nudge readers to articles they’ll like, which gets them better acquainted with your content and encourages repeat visits.
Internal linking also helps search engines understand your site structure and give pages their due relevance.
No blog is an island. In writing your piece you’ll have drawn from previous posts and other writers’ work. Consider adding external links to sources that readers will appreciate.
Don’t be precious about linking to other websites. If you help the user and link to genuinely useful resources, you’ve done your bit in the great ecosystem of internet.
Personally, I like linking to a range of websites: from the big hitters to the smaller-scale bloggers and hobbyists. The latter are particularly grateful for the shout out and often come back with a response.
Longer pieces such as this can benefit from anchor links aka the table of contents you saw above. This makes it much easier for your readers, and they’ll be inclined to bookmark/share specific areas of your post.
Some might say there’s a sweet spot to hit with word count, keyword density or other vague metrics like text to HTML ratio. Me, I think you should stick to pleasing the reader. If your post helpfully and conclusively fulfils its purpose, it has the right word count.
It’s easy to get stuck in and view your article through a narrow lens. Ask friends and colleagues to read it from a fresh perspective. They might have suggestions and ideas that you’ve overlooked.
You can also run your article through tools like Yoast SEO or Grammarly. While not always accurate, they’re good at spotting grammatical flaws, overused words or keyword opportunities.
Finally, make sure the headings make sense and the text is free from unnecessary html, div tags and accessible. Not sure how to do this? Here’s a guide to keeping content neat and tidy.
This demonstrates how to take a near-finished blog post and push it to top-tier territory. It’ll be larger, juicier and much more helpful to your readership. In turn, this makes it a better asset for your website.
To ignore these steps and blog for the sake of filling space is a waste of time. There are enough shallow, 300 word articles on the internet without further contributions. Take a little time to make yours stand out – it’s worth it!
What’s your pre-publish routine? If you think this list is missing anything let me know. Happy writing!
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]]>The post Listen Up Devs! My Favourite Podcasts for SEO, Web Development & Internet Marketing appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>To combat this, I spend my free time absorbing SEO and marketing tips in the hope that some of it sticks.
In other words, I listen to loads of podcasts.
In no particular order, here are some of my favourites…
Episode Length: 30 – 60mins
Dubbed “Unknown Secrets of Internet Marketing”, I love this podcast because it’s so lively and high-spirited. Hosts Matt Betrum and Chris Borroughs talk about SEO with an energy you’d expect in sports punditry.
In each episode Matt and Chris dissect a popular SEO article on the Internet. They can stretch a 20 point checklist into 60 minutes of in-depth analysis, with plenty of jokes along the way. PITF to you guys.
Example: 6 SEO Tactics for Maximum Customer Acquisition
Episode Length: 45 – 60mins
I have a penchant for the straightforward “expert talking into a microphone” format. From Dan Carlin to Farnoosh Torabi, there’s something reassuring about one person drilling into the detail: no flash, no gimmicks.
Week after week, Marie Haynes puts out SEO industry news, case studies and her personal theories on Google’s ever-changing algorithm.
Example: Inferred Links Theory & Google’s Use of Machine Learning
Episode Length: 30 – 70mins
Longer in length and studious in tone, SEO 101 gives listeners a thorough catch-up of industry news and Google core updates. Listening to SEO 101 is like tuning in to the 10 o clock news: it’s reliable, thorough and leaves you feeling up to date with current affairs.
Example: Examining Google’s December 2020 Core Update
Episode Length: 25 – 45mins
SEO wizard Mark Williams Cook seems to be everywhere at once. When he’s not organising Search Norwich, running a successful agency or imparting unsolicited SEO tips to LinkedIn, Mark hosts the ever helpful podcast Search With Candour.
Recorded in Norwich, my home turf, Search With Candour is both authoritative and relatable. Content ranges from guest interviews, discussion with Mark’s colleagues and selected highlights from Search Norwich’s guest speakers.
Example: Wix SEO with Mordy Oberstein
Episode Length: 15 – 30mins
The interview format done properly. Each episode host John Jantsch invites a different guest to talk about marketing and managing a business. Topics are broader than other podcasts on this list: hype, hiring, business growth and trusting your gut. At 15 – 30 minutes a pop it’s a good listen for short breaks and getaway cycle rides.
Example: 2021 Trends for Small Businesses
Episode Length: 25 – 70mins
Probably my favourite of the bunch. Instructors Scott Talinski and Wes Boss talk about the day-to-day challenges of being a web developer: from learning new scripts and workflows to running your business, staying healthy and managing clients.
I find this podcast hugely relatable; Syntax FM has been my companion through many afternoon slogs.
Example: Mental Health & Dev
Episode Length: 4 – 8mins
At under 10 minutes per episode, this podcast is easy to put on while you brew a coffee. Not all of it is relatable and some of the advice is a little “SEO guru” for my tastes. Nonetheless, there are still plenty of useful tips in these bite-sized episodes.
Example: How to Get More Search Traffic in 30 Days Without Paying for it
Episode Length: 10 – 35mins
To sleep easier, I like to keep abreast of website security news. Wordfence’s “Think Like a Hacker” podcast unpacks the latest in malware, plugin vulnérabilités and WordPress exploits. It’s a timely reminder to limit plugins and harden WordPress to avoid hacking attempts.
Example: WPBakery Plugin Vulnerability Exposes Over 4 Million Sites
Well, that’s it so far! If you host a podcast or have a recommendation then do let me know.
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]]>The post Time management for remote workers: how I plan my week’s projects appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>As more people work from home, refining one’s office hours has taken a renewed importance. While freelancers and remote workers have different demands, we all benefit from a good ‘system’. Here’s mine. I think it’s pretty effective — maybe others will too.
My calendar is split into client-sized chunks. Each chunk represents roughly 2 hours of work on that project. That’s enough time to make a good dent and report progress:
The chunks are colour-coded according to the work required…
Where possible I’ll spread chunks evenly so there’s a variety of things to work on every day.
When I finish a chunk, I change it to the green “completed” category. Like a dog learning to poo, this gives me a sense of achievement as I progress through the day. An ideal week ends in a lush field of green, completed tasks.
The great thing about this system is that chunks can be flung about the place and rearranged. If feedback isn’t delivered or I’m awaiting material for a project, I drag and drop that chunk a few days ahead, prioritising something else in the meantime. This means I’m never left twiddling my thumbs as a result of delays.
I deliberately leave space each day for the unexpected — see the grey “blank space”. If a client comes to me with an urgent task, that grey chunk provides the wiggle room needed. Invariably, these grey slots get filled with one request or another.
If urgent work is particularly time consuming, I push chunks back and remove the grey slots from the following days. As long as the red deadlines are honoured, everyone’s happy.
Some remote workers like to arrange meeting back-to-back. I can see the benefit in this, as it allows you to have an intense admin session followed by a long period of productivity.
Personally, I schedule meetings so they lead directly into a client’s allotted chunk. I find it helpful to work on something when the feedback is fresh in mind. For me, too many meetings in one go leaves a big queue and a frazzled brain.
Emails are by far my least favourite part of freelancing. There’s no-one but me to deal with them, and many come laden with followup tasks and unexpected odd jobs. Though I’m guilty of emails overrunning from time to time, I am getting better. Here’s how to stay on top of emails while making use of this chunk-based system.
Many emails just require a simple acknowledgment and the creation of a new chunk. I answer these first thing in the morning, after lunch and before dinner. Three waves a day usually tempers the storm.
Messages that demand a time-consuming action are flagged. These are addressed on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, with a small smattering on Wednesday for good measure. Urgent requests are of course seen to immediately (see above).
Ideally, I finish the week with zero flagged emails. This is, of course, easier said than done.
So that’s the bird’s eye view of how I manage my time. It doesn’t always go that way, but it’s the best I’ve got so far. What do you think? If you have workflow hacks that improve on this I’d be grateful to hear them.
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]]>The post Lock down the distractions! Screen time productivity hacks to help you concentrate appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>Many have praised the Pomodoro method aka Tomato Timer. It’s an age old productivity hack that involves:
The cycle is repeated 3 or 4 times, then rewarded with a longer break for lunch or Morris dancing.
You can download Pomodoro timers on your computer (Windows/Mac) or run them from the browser. They ping merrily when your cycle is up, and bong ominously when you have to get back to work.
It only takes a few cycles to develop a dutiful, Pavlovian response to these cycles. Combined with the steps below, the Pomodoro method splits your day into efficient and manageable chunks.
Taken as they come, emails wreck havoc on productivity. Studies consistently show that the average office worker receives dozens of emails a day. Dozens! Some require your attention, others go to the bin, but all wobble your concentration.
If the Pomodoro method is to work, it must be done on a strict task-by-task basis. Emails should be treated as their own chunk, to be dealt with in one fell swoop rather than measly pieces.
The same goes for phone calls. Unless you have an extraordinary need to answer calls immediately, make use of voicemail and the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature.
We’ve all caught ourselves blithely scrolling through Facebook. Much as we kid ourselves that we have the willpower, we return to unproductive websites again and again. It’s a bad habit we’re better off without.
The brutal but best way to avoid distracting websites is to censor them entirely. Make it impossible to access them during working hours. Unless you’re a social media marketer, this will do wonders to your productivity.
Desktop apps like Focus (Mac) or FocusMe (Windows) take control of your browser and stop you visiting unwanted websites during working hours. Install this on your computer and add EVERYTHING that’s not directly related to work:
Be unforgiving. The procrastinator is a cunning foe; don’t give them an inch. The computer of 9-5 should be a beige and brow-beaten assistant, programmed to help with work and nothing else.
Today’s computers are too powerful for their own good. Dozens (dozens!) of idle apps do little to streamline your productivity. Like social networks, it’s easy to flick back and forth between programmes instead of focusing on the task at hand.
Before you begin a chunk of work, close down ALL OTHER APPS. Hum the Imperial March as you do it; give the process a sense of gravitas. When you open Excel to do your number crunching, those spreadsheets will feel extra meaningful.
Tweets, slack messages, newsletters… it’s nice to be alerted, but not when you’re in the zone. Studies have shown it can take up to 25 minutes to recover from distractions. Your experiences may differ, but one can’t deny that notifications are a huge thorn to productivity.
Take meaningful steps to shut down computer notifications. Dive into your settings and disable them in the operating system and in the browser. Now let’s turn our attention to the worst notification culprit of all…
Airplane mode isn’t enough. The procrastinator is a master sneak, able to unlock a phone and cycle through 2 or 3 WhatsApp threads before its host realises what’s happening.
Lock your phone out of arm’s reach. Do not retrieve it unless you are having a genuine break. I can’t tell you how many times I still reach absent-mindedly for my phone.
Look for music that aids concentration – Spotify have dozens of playlists dedicated to focus and study sessions. You’d be surprised at how effective this abstract mode of listening can be.
For a deep dive into focus music, check out Brain.fm. Their science-driven approach boasts of…wait for it… ‘strong neural phase locking’. They offer a 10 hour free trial so you can test these claims yourself. Let me know how that goes.
I keep a spray bottle full of water by the desk. When I need to perk up, I’ll give my face a quick spritz. This is magic when you’re about to begin a demanding task.
Last year I bought a £15 clip on desk fan. As the summer got hotter the fan and I became inseparable. I clipped it to my computer, took it to bed, even made use of it at weddings. Seriously, get yourself a portable desk fan. Combined with the spray bottle above, it makes for concentration heaven.
I was late to the scene on this, but boy was it worth it. If you’re able, invest in some noise cancelling headphones. There is something ceremonial to putting on a big pair of mufflers and entering a vacuum of study. Combined with the thudding beats described above, they work wonders on your focus.
These inexpensive lenses give the screen a warm, yellowy look, not unlike your phone’s ‘night mode’. If you spend hours staring at a bright screen, computer glasses are undeniably useful. I wear mine religiously, taking them off only for Zoom calls to avoid being mistaken for Bono. Since I began wearing them, I’ve noticed a marked reduction in fatigue, headaches and general eye strain.
Many have found themselves working from home without a proper workspace. The dip in comfort is in itself a distraction, not to mention the adverse effects on posture and physical well-being.
If your budget allows, consider upgrading your office to improve your lower back and comfort. Examples include:
That just about covers it. Like I said, these tips are based on my personal attempts to boost desk time efficiency. Got anything to add? Let me know!
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]]>The post Got malware? How to fix, clean and secure a hacked WordPress website appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>Below is your comprehensive checklist on how to fix a hacked WordPress website. If it looks intimidating, don’t worry! This is my overly cautious “leave no stone unturned” approach. It might not be necessary to follow every last step. Just do what you can and reach out to a professional if you get stuck.
Some support agents are happy to get their hands dirty, while others tell customers to fix it themselves. In any case, it’s worth flagging the issue in case the hosts have a breach on their end.
Take a bulk download of your website files, the affected database, and any error logs. This will be your snapshot of what went wrong and could help diagnose the problem later. If you resort to hiring a security expert, they’ll ask for this upfront.
You might have a backup plugin like UpDraft Plus or WP BackUp Buddy. Or, your hosting company might run scheduled backups. If either of these are available, download a copy of the website from before it was infected.
Use an online scanner like Sucuri, Wordfence or Anti-Malware Scanner to pore through your files and give an initial diagnosis. A malware scan might provide an early signal of where the breach occurred.
With the backups ready, it’s time to patch up your website piece by piece. Your host might offer a one-click restore feature. If so, you are welcome to do that and skip to section 2.4.
If your backups contain a database from before the hack, reinstate it using PHPMyAdmin or the equivalent tool on your control panel. Later, I will advise you to change the database name, user and password entirely.
Your website is made up of hundreds of files and subfolders. If malware spreads into the system it can be very difficult to manage. Instead of weeding out specific files and folders, replace everything in your wp-content folder with the clean equivalent from your backup (step 1.3). Don’t just merge files, delete the old wp-content folder and add the new one.
Although we just replaced wp-content, we want to know your theme is still the real deal. If you bought it online, download the latest version straight from the source. Replace the version you had with this clean copy. Again, don’t merge the files, delete and reupload them.
If your theme was developed by an agency, ask them for their source copy.
You plugins might have become compromised, or a vulnerability in older versions may have given the malware a back door. For each plugin in your website, download a clean and up to date equivalent from the official WordPress.org repository.
Unzip each plugin folder and temporarily rename it. Upload the lot, delete the old plugins then quickly rename your clean versions so the file paths are correct. Do this via the file manager/SSH and NOT via WordPress. If you delete plugins via WordPress, you might wipe valuable settings.
WordPress websites runs on a common foundation. Like your themes and plugins, WordPress is made of many parts that might have been compromised during the hack. To be safe, we’re going to strip your site of WordPress core and replace it with the vetted version straight from the source.
Head to WordPress.org and download a fresh copy of its latest version.
Remove the following files and folders from your website directory:
Unzip your clean WordPress folder and add the files and folders above to your website directory.
By now, you should have:
You’re doing great! Now let’s sniff around the server and make a few extra tweaks…
.htaccess is a file in your root folder that performs vital functions. Besides basic WordPress setup, it can control firewalls, site caching, redirects and more.
Look through it carefully and flag any code that looks unfamiliar or suspicious. Google that code. It may be something perfectly harmless such as gzip compression, in which case a quick search should confirm its purpose. If forum posts suggests it’s something suspicious, make a note of the code then remove it from .htaccess. If searching doesn’t yield any results, ask a professional.
As above, cross reference any unusual looking rules with Google search. If you’re not sure, download a clean copy of wp-config.php from WordPress.org and add your database details.
Sniff around your site directory for suspicious-looking files or folders. With years of staging websites and developer leftovers, servers can become quite messy. Keep a special eye out for WordPress installations. It’s not uncommon to find these and other backups in the root directory. These could be responsible for a trojan “back door”. Remove them.
All being well, you should now have a working, uncorrupted website. Good as that feels, it doesn’t stop hackers from exploiting the same vulnerability in future. To reduce the chances of this happening, here’s a post-hack security checklist for your freshly recovered website.
Delete the old FTP login and make an entirely new set. If you were using FTP to move files, switch to SFTP/SSH for a more secure method of transfer.
Likewise, if you were using SSH for file transfer, consider resetting your logins and/or authentification certificate. You can never be too careful!
Create a new database and user account on your control panel. Export the fixed database (step 2.1) to this location. Now, update wp-config.php with the new database credentials. Once you’re happy it works, delete the old database and user.
Most hosts do this automatically, but it’s best to double check. The recommended file permissions for WordPress are:
Older php versions can slow down and compromise vulnerable websites. Switching to 7.2 or higher ensures speed, security and performance benefits for your plugins.
First, create a new WordPress administrator account and give it a strong password. If you have the option, perform a great purge and delete your other WordPress users (assigning their posts to your new account).
If this is not possible because of contributors and subscribers, take a careful look at your accounts and consider deleting those that aren’t mission critical.
Add this line of code to your .htaccess file, right underneath the WordPress code.
Options -Indexes
This stops somebody from being able to browse your wp-content or wp-admin directories and learn about potential vulnerabilities.
Theme editing via the browser is rarely a good idea. Disable this feature altogether. No need. Nada.
Add the following to wp-config.php
define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );
As we are unsure about who had access to your website, it’s best to regenerate your WordPress salts by pasting a new set from this page.
Install a trusted plugin like WP Optimise or Advanced Database Cleaner. Run a backup, then strip the database of transient settings, unwanted drafts and revisions. This will prune database of any unused settings, plus it might help to improve the overall site speed.
Create a .htaccess file in the following directories:
Next, add the following code:
<Files *.php>deny from all</Files>
This will disable hidden, malicious files from executing php scripts without you knowing. See this article on WP Beginner for more information about PHP Execution.
WordPress 5.4 introduced a Health checker that pointed out security and performance traps. Take a look at this area and make sure everything is up to scratch. If you have any errors, here’s a handy list of Site Health fixes.
Whether you used it before, install the plugin from scratch and set up its firewall, blocking limits and notification settings. After setup, run a scan. The software will pore through your files and detect anything that slipped through the cracks.
You can’t be too careful. Even if Wordfence gave the thumbs up, check again with the Anti-Malware Scan plugin. This has been a long and frustrating process; best not let it happen again, eh?
Whether through Wordfence or an authenticator plugin, make sure your site can’t be accessed without approval from a mobile device. Remember to do this for all site admins, not just yourself.
Any old schmuck can visit yoursite.com/wp-admin and begin guessing passwords. You can avoid this by changing the login URL to something less predictable.
This only applies if you and your staff work from a fixed location. If you don’t edit your site on the go, consider limiting logins to your specific IP addresses. This can be done via your security plugin or via your .htaccess file.
First of all, treat yourself to something nice. Malware removal isn’t fun work, so well done for getting this far.
Looking to the future, ask yourself the following questions about your website security…
In the pandemonium, your site might have accrued some dodgy backlinks. Keep checking Search Console and Google Analytics for blackhat backlinks or incoming traffic. If so, consider using Google’s disavow tool to disassociate your website from the internet’s dingy hideouts.
Consider the reply to the support ticket you raised earlier. Follow up with questions about the hosts’s security measures. Judge their response on its specificity; don’t accept vague answers. This is serious business and hosting companies must earn your trust.
Websites can accrue an ugly amount of baggage through their plugins. Look at yours and check that they are:
If certain plugins look dodgy, consider replacing them with a more trustworthy solution. While no plugin is foolproof, you’ll fare better with one that is regularly vetted by the WordPress community.
If your theme was bought online, check how recently it was updated. Have other users reported security complaints? If it’s been long abandoned or you’re not confident about its integrity, consider switching to a better theme.
I’m not usually one for newsletters, but Wordfence’s digest is essential for WordPress site owners. Occasionally, a perfectly decent plugin will have a vulnerability exposed and be forced to update. Should that happen, you want to be sure that your version is patched ASAP.
Well, I think that’s it! Hopefully this has helped you clean your website and arm it for the future. If you think I’ve missed anything or have suggestions then get in touch!
The post Got malware? How to fix, clean and secure a hacked WordPress website appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>The post Sell Local, Buy Local: Norfolk’s Coronavirus Trading Websites For Small Business appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>Here are those websites, all in one place, for you to refer to. Set aside an afternoon and join as many of these directories as you can. When you’re done, shout from the rafters about the lot. If these ventures succeed, so might yours!
If you’re a business owner then sign up to these websites to maximise your exposure. Many of them are free, while the paid ones offer great perks such as promotion, networking and business support.
If you’re a customer then browse these directories and support your favourite local businesses. If you don’t have a favourite yet, make a new one! There’s plenty to enjoy.
What it offers | Online directory |
Cost | Free |
Specialty | Businesses that deliver |
As the name suggests, delivernorfolk.co.uk focuses on local businesses that deliver. It’s split by food deliveries and ‘other’ (books, plants, sundries etc) letting you browse all entries via one screen. Deliver Norfolk is crowd-sourced so if you know of a business that isn’t listed, submit!
What it offers | Online directory |
Cost | Free |
Speciality | All business types |
Taking the rainbow to its heart, supportnorfolk.com focuses on ways local businesses have changed and adapted to COVID-19. Each business provides an update on how they’re doing things differently. Submissions are free, and there’s a feature to let customers donate their ‘commute’ to a local charity.
What it offers | Branded store, goods delivery |
Listing cost | Unknown |
Speciality | Food boxes & essentials |
This is a neat idea. The Goodery’s service connects grocer to customer via a fleet of zero-emissions vehicles. Not only that, but they offer suppliers the opportunity to create a mini shop within their website. Described as an ‘online Norwich market’, goodery.co.uk is the much-needed middleman for a locked down economy.
What it offers | Branded store, online directory |
Listing cost | Free |
Speciality | Food producers, food banks, charities |
Besides offering a comprehensive directory of local businesses, communitygrocerydelivery.co.uk provides a free online store to eligible suppliers. Sellers are left with detailed instructions on how to manage their shop. Meanwhile payment is arranged privately between the store owner and customer.
What it offers | Branded store |
Listing cost | Free signup + 5% commission |
Speciality | Farm shops, butchers, bakers, cafés etc |
Another “farm to fork” enterprise, mylocalproduce.co.uk provide sellers with their own WooCommerce microstore. Their focus is farm shops, grocers, butchers and the like. If you’re in the fresh food business and need a place to sell, sign up here.
What it offers | Directory and event listings, newsletter mentions, networking, promotion, preferential discounts from sponsors and members. |
Membership offer | £50+ per annum |
Speciality | Food & Drink |
This is a specialist group that supports the food and drinks industry. With more membership perks than you can fit into a screen, proudlynorfolk.co.uk is a tempting prospect for growers, producers, caterers and retailers. Right now they’re running a #NorfolkIsOpen page that shows which members you can support, and what adaptations they’ve made to their business. Besides this, they’ve extended membership fees to cover 15 months instead of 12.
What it offers | Directory listing, networking, online promotion, discount exhibitions, online shop |
Listing cost | £120 per annum |
Speciality | Norfolk businesses |
Buy Local Norfolk is long-established in the region. Countless local businesses proudly sport the Buy Local Norfolk logo on their websites and marketing, and for good reason. It’s a badge of community spirit, mutual support and pride in this fine county. By joining buylocalnorfolk.co.uk, you’ll become a part of that, with access to networking events, social media promotion and a high-traffic directory listing.
In 2020, Buy Local Norfolk introduced an online shop to their website. This allows members to showcase their products and sell online, using BLN as an in-between. This means members of the public can support multiple local businesses, all from the same portal.
What it offers | Networking, promotion, support, training, lobbying, directory listing, B2B newsletter |
Listing cost | £265+ per annum |
Speciality | Norfolk businesses |
A stalwart of the business community, norfolkchamber.co.uk is an active and widely recognised directory of local organisations. Norfolk Chamber has a broad range of members: from small stores and food producers to regional water suppliers and of course, Aviva. While pricier to join, this is a solid long-term investment, especially if you want to get on the networking scene.
What it offers | Gift cards for closed businesses |
Listing cost | Free |
Speciality | Pubs, restaurants, cafés |
Pick, pay and enjoy later. That’s the simple 3 step process that powers give givelocally.co’s gift card directory. It’s a hub that lets loyal customers buy vouchers for their favourite businesses. The list of companies is crowd-sourced, so get busy adding your top picks!
What it offers | Online directory listing |
Listing cost | £50 per annum |
Speciality | Norfolk businesses |
Advertised as “Norfolk’s Noticeboard”, norfolkonline.co.uk is a smart and user-friendly hub of small businesses from every industry. Although there’s a joining fee, these guys have been around for longer so may attract more visitors. Besides your own profile page, Norfolk Online offer you the chance to guest blog and shout that you’re open for business.
What it offers | Online store page, directory listing, certificate, B2B newsletter, social media promotion |
Listing cost | £52 for 15 months |
Speciality | All business types |
A smart directory of businesses across every sector, allthingsnorfolk.com gives users a flexible profile page, an online shop and smart booking forms that let customers enquire directly to the business owner. Membership is usually £52 for an annual membership but currently All Things Norfolk are offering 15 months for the price of 12 months.
Last month I wrote about how to set up a popup shop and deliver remote services. That’s a first step, but these websites will help diversify your income stream and be seen by Norfolk’s willing audience. If you run or know about any other initiatives that should be featured then please let me know.
The post Sell Local, Buy Local: Norfolk’s Coronavirus Trading Websites For Small Business appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>The post COVID-19: The SOS guide to selling online (without coding know-how) appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>Assumption 1: Until now, you haven’t had the need to sell online.
Assumption 2: You lack the coding skills, time or budget to create a lavish e-commerce shop.
If you have an existing website, that’s great – more on that below. If you don’t, that’s no problem. This guide will get you selling online quickly, with or without a preexisting page.
You will create a functioning, secure and good-looking shopping experience that doesn’t break the bank. It won’t be pixel-perfect, but it’s perfectly fine in the short-term.
Real-world examples will show how your business can adapt for a market that is self-isolating or working from home. With persistence, creativity and the generosity borne out of COVID Mutual Aid, your efforts might even put you on the map!
If you had a website before: it will remain as it was, with clear signposts to your COVID-19 measures and an invitation to visit your new online store.
If you didn’t have a website: you do now! A last-minute online shop that you can share across social media.
First we’ll create a ‘popup’ online store that’s affordable, secure and won’t break the integrity of your existing website. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think!
In normal circumstances you’d sit down with a web developer and have a long conversation about goals, target market, design etc. In such cases I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this solution. However, for the purposes of speedy setup, Shopify is a solid choice.
Shopify’s customers are not coders; setup is quick and straightforward. Others have written about this in more detail, so please refer to one of these guides for how to install a basic shop:
Spend as long as you like customising your Shopify theme. I found that the default settings, with minor tweaking, were perfectly serviceable. Click ‘customise’ and whizz through the following:
For the sake of demonstration, here’s an example store I set up in an afternoon. It’s not going to win the Turner Prize, but it looks nice and sells stuff.
In a previous post, I advised on how to accept card payments on your website without an e-commerce store. Browse that in your own time for inspiration. In a nutshell, these options include:
One-off payments (suitable for most businesses)
Online appointments
Class bookings
Clinics and health practitioners
Courses and online webinars
Recurring payments
There’s more I could add here, and I will. Check back later. Suffice to say that you can ’embed’ payment processors into a website and not interfere with its look or layout.
COVID-19 has turned everything on its head. With people working from home or self-isolating, brick and mortar stores can’t trade the normal way. If you’re a business that doesn’t usually sell items online, you may be wondering what on earth you’d classify as a ‘product’.
Never fear. As we’re about to see, the business owner’s ingenuity always shines through. Here are some examples I’ve noticed in the past week.
Suitable for most brick and mortar stores that sell physical goods.
Home delivery isn’t limited to Deliveroo and Uber Eats. If customers can touch your products, take to the van and offer a ‘to your doorstep’ service.
Don’t have a delivery truck? Why not team up with a local man and van or house removals firm? With people self-isolating, these firms might have space in their calendar to transport your product. Businesses are getting creative with their services right now, so even if movers don’t list this on their website, reach out and ask!
Example: The Fat Cat Pub
Hats off to The Fat Cat, who are delivering frightening amounts of ale to customers’ doorsteps. The good people of Norwich won’t be going thirsty in this crisis…
Aka “buy now, enjoy later”, these are suitable for businesses that require their customers to be in the premises.
Just because people are indoors doesn’t mean they won’t want your services in future. Give them something to look forward to! While some folks are tightening their belts, others are twiddling their thumbs looking for self-care, birthday presents and surprise gifts for loved ones. Market your service as the treat customers deserve after lockdown.
Example: ProActive Therapies
ProActive Therapies provide sports massages and injury rehab. Needless to say, the Corona Virus has made this increasingly difficult. To remedy this, they’ve added a gift voucher feature at the bottom of their booking page.
Suitable for service industries and those who sell their knowledge.
Whether you offer 1-2-1 or group sessions, take your knowledge to the cloud and coach people remotely. Just because people are at home doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to pay for an expert’s service. YouTube can only get you so far; those in self-isolation will be hungry for a real connection. Offer this to customers with dedicated classes, group sessions or online webinars.
Example: ETT Photography
Undaunted by the prospect of a lockdown, Mary from ETT Photography offers interactive photography lessons for home-schooled children. It’s a novel way of imparting her expertise and helps nurture kids’ creativity.
Below: A local osteopath offers virtual sessions, striking a positive and reassuring tone for customers.
Suitable for energetic, sporty and social businesses.
The video chat app ‘Houseparty’ is doing the rounds at the moment. While a lot of people are using it socially, you could use Houseparty to host group classes with all your regulars. Chats can be locked in so that only paying customers can interact. The same can be done on Zoom.
Alternatively, you could broadcast scheduled classes on Facebook Live, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch or Snapchat and make a fanfare in the run-up. Visitors can beam in as they wish, and you could leave a gentle reminder to donate if they like your content (see below).
If there’s one positive we can draw from this crisis, it’s the kindness and generosity of spirit that has come out of facing the same threat together. Your customers are decent people, earned from years of hard work and healthy connections. There’s no shame in adding a button to your website asking to “keep the lights on” or “buy us a round”. Chances are that many will take you up on it. Ask, and ye shall receive.
Strictly speaking this isn’t an online venture, but it’s worth a mention for its novel approach to selling.
Example: Grain Brewery
Grain Brewery’s distinct brand were seen and enjoyed throughout Norfolk’s pubs. With venues shutting, Grain converted their brewing premises into a Drive Thru. Customers rock up, pay by contactless, collect their beer and exit. Social distancing is honoured, the city’s beer drinkers are happy, and Grain’s forward thinking gets the brewery a spot in the local news!
By now, you’ll either have a new online store, or a website with added bells and whistles. With everything in place, it’s time to make a fanfare and GET PEOPLE ON BOARD!
I recently visited a website for a big local store in Norwich and found to my surprise that nothing had changed: no new opening hours, no announcements, no special measures. It felt stale and eery, like the site had gathered dust while the world was moving on without it.
Whatever COVID-19 measures you take, put them front and centre in your website:
If you can, signpost these announcements in a contrasting colour so people can’t help but click and read about your new store.
It’s easy to overlook the humble email signature. Update yours with information about your new COVID-19 services. Again, perhaps highlight the title in a contrasting colour to attract attention.
Fire up Mailchimp and send a quick announcement to subscribers. If you haven’t got a newsletter, now might be a good time to build a mailing list. A lot more people are online right now, and there’s a generosity of spirit about!
Goes without saying doesn’t it? Get on social media and let all your followers know about the change in service. Besides posting, slightly alter your profile picture/cover photo to entice people into clicking through.
I recently published a roundup of organisations that help Norfolk businesses advertise and sell online – you can find this guide here.
Elsewhere, there’s plenty of great information available. Whether from government or from the commercial sector, reassurance for businesses is coming in thick and fast.
Here are a handful of resources I’ve found useful that I think might be worth your time. Some address Norfolk directly, while others give out broader advice about business lockdown:
railwaymen.org: while nominally a blog about app development, this guide on how tech can assist your business is spot on. It helpfully frames problems from the business owner’s perspective, discussing everything from marketing strategy and networking to which apps can help with cost management.
newangliagrowthhub.co.uk: the go-to place for support and business advice from local experts. Includes a free “Business Toolkit” full of useful resources.
norfolk.gov.uk: ongoing updates on support for Norfolk businesses during the corona virus pandemic. A must-have bookmark if you run a business in the area – more info.
menta.org.uk: a 15-step checklist on readjusting your business to COVID-19. MENTA have themselves shifted to virtual servicing and now offer remote learning, networking and consultations.
In such a rapidly developing environment, I’m sure there’s much more out there on this subject. I’ll keep this post updated with tips, innovative products and case studies on local businesses. If you hear about novel ways people are selling their services, let me know and I’ll feature them here!
Thanks, and take care.
The post COVID-19: The SOS guide to selling online (without coding know-how) appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>The post Are standing desks worth it? A freelancer’s review (+ recommendations) appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>…culminating in the sensational exaggeration: “sitting is the new smoking”.
Hyperbolic as this is, there’s no doubt that standing correctly at your workstation might have benefits. At the very least, I thought it worth a try.
As a web developer, I have particularly cumbersome requirements for my workspace. Like many of my kind I need multiple monitors, cables, mouse, landline, keyboard – the list goes on. Add to that my notebooks and cups of coffee, and you’ve got a spread of delicate things that really mustn’t be jolted.
This precious set of objects makes me unsuitable for some of the smaller offerings such as the popular Deskmate or Papermaker. Great as they look, these solutions are simply too cardboardy for my mountain of equipment. If all you use is a laptop, this portable standing desk is probably a good match.
What I needed was a strong product, one that could bear the weight of my computer and its entanglements. After a long sleuth, I settled on the enticingly named “Duronic DM05D1 Sit Stand“. Other manufacturers were available, but this one seemed particularly solid.
Here’s what I thought of it.
The product arrives as a heavy, self-contained hunk of metal. With its complex levers and hydraulics, the lack of assembly is sensible and a relief. The only add-on is a keyboard tray that attaches underneath the main desk. This takes 5 minutes with the included screws and Allen key. Easy peasy.
The Duronic sits on top of your existing workspace. This makes it a handy setup; there’s no need for extra room, and no needless disposal of office furniture. Anyone with a chair and table can upgrade.
The Sit/Stand’s mechanism is powered by hydraulic gas struts. To raise or lower the desk, you grab the levers on either side and push/pull in the required direction. It’s weighty, so there’s no risk of monitors flying off when you raise the desk.
Adjusting the desk feels controlled and powerful, with a satisfying *click* to indicate that your workstation has reached the desired height.
I have to admit, my first few hours on the standing desk were frightening. Pressing a lever that hoists your expensive computer equipment up and down isn’t relaxing. Letting the desk sit overnight, cranked to the highest level, requires a fair bit of trust.
My standing stint began with some discomfort, presumably from activating those poor, neglected muscles in my lower back. I would alternate between standing and sitting mode every couple of hours, with occasional leaps to the nearest wall to perform this bizarre (but effective) ‘reset’ of my ‘forward head carriage’. Make of this what you will.
While my experience began with a few wobbles, my back pulled through and I soon got very used to my trusty Duronic. One month on, and I’m pleased to announce I’m a full-time stander-upper. I feel sharper, brighter and yes, a little taller! It’s a significant cog in my greater plan to improve concentration at the workspace.
My office isn’t big. In fact, it’s tiny. It’s the kind of office Harry Potter might have occupied had the Dursleys binned those Hogwarts letters.
Because of this, I no longer have room for my beloved swivel chair. That’s not a drawback in itself, but it does mean I’m no longer able to do this:
We’re agreed that standing desks are an upgrade to the freelancer’s workstation. As for the Duronic DM05D1, there are two potential drawbacks I can think of. Fortunately, both can be solved with a bit of creativity. They are:
I am 5′ 11″. With the desk at full height the computer monitors are comfortably in my field of vision. If I were taller, I might struggle to keep the screens at eye level. Obviously the overall height of the desk is affected by the table on which it sits. With that in mind, make sure your ‘base’ table isn’t puny like mine.
I can fit 3 screens on the desktop, but space becomes tight and with a load capacity of 15kg I’ve chosen not to overdo it. Fortunately, I own an upright shelfy-looking thing that comfortably accommodates my third monitor. Nifty eh?
Edit: I’ve sinced learned that Duronic sell larger, beefier desks with more surface area. So there goes that issue.
Yes, the standing desk works.
Not only has the standing desk helped my posture, it’s also allowed me to bop – up down, up down, up down – when listening to music. Web developers will agree that dancing around like a mad parakeet is an important part of the launch process.
So, positive results all around. I *do* vouch for the standing desk experience, and I would certainly recommend it to those with cumbersome desktops, poor posture or an aversion to chairs.
The post Are standing desks worth it? A freelancer’s review (+ recommendations) appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>The post Preparing your website: how to outline a (tidy!) project for your designer appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
]]>To begin, let’s look at the broader strokes. Designers have various ways of receiving an outline from their clients. Personally, I use a detailed form that gathers the essential info. Others might ask that you submit a project brief. One way or another, these are the kind of things you’ll be required to provide…
In a dream scenario, what would the website do? Getting leads and selling products is a given; consider goals that are unique to your business. What problems would you ideal website solve? For example:
“We have two principal branches: domestic and commercial. Each caters to a completely different type of customer. We want it to be easy for visitors to differentiate between these and find the quote they need without getting distracted.”
“We’re a small, personable company with a charismatic team. By visiting our website we want customers to feel like they’ve met us in person. If the website can get them as excited as we are, we’ll handle the rest.”
“We want our website to become a hub for the local community. It should be clear and navigable for all interests and age ranges, and communicate the inclusive and friendly nature of our village.”
If there’s an enquiry form, what fields are required? If there’s an online shop, what payment system would you like to use? Point out any must-have features that users will interact with. These include slideshows, photo galleries, newsletters, shopping carts or quote forms.
Give plenty of berth between your deadline and any planned events. Make sure it’s realistic to your work schedule and how quickly you can deliver feedback to your designer.
Discussing budgets with your designer shouldn’t be a case of who blinks first. On this topic, I can do no better than to refer you to Mike Monteiro’s piece: Why I Need To Know Your Budget. It’s from 2013 but is just as relevant today. I’ll see you back here in a couple of minutes.
Is there anything out there you particularly like the look of? It can be an entire website, or constituent parts: the slideshow here, the colour scheme there. The more inspiration you can send, the better.
Research competitors in your local area, and similar industries from further afield. What is it about their websites that you’d like to match? Send links, screenshots and annotations where possible.
Or, just google {your industry} + {design inspiration} and see what shows up!
Pages are the foundation on which a website is built. You might have a clear content plan, or you might have no idea! This is where a sitemap comes in handy.
In its simplest form, a sitemap is a bullet list of pages, with occasional indents showing subcategories. They’re an important outline for your content. Your sitemap might go something like this:
Easy, right? If you submit that to your designer, they can cross-reference it with your business goals and make suggestions on which pages could be split or merged.
Consider the following information for each page in your sitemap:
Besides the broader aspirations of the website, you might have goals for specific pages. For example:
“Our History: To convey the years of hard work our charity have provided for the local community.”
“About Us: To emphasise that we are family-run and pride ourselves on the finest, homegrown produce.”
From logos and personnel to the interior walls of your restaurant – every web design project needs images. Before work begins, make sure your designer has as many photos as possible. The more they see, the better acquainted they’ll be with your business.
Logos
Polished final designs, or mere mockups you’ve knocked together in a spare evening. Ask if these can be changed/neatened accordingly.
People
You, your partnership or your staff. Think of your business’s context, and if possible try and take some of you ‘in action’ e.g. running a workshop, cooking, meeting clients. Passport-style mugshots are also great for professional profiles.
Your Environment
Whether you work in an office or in the open air, take photos of your working environment.
Products
If you sell a specific item, get some nice, clear snaps of it. Try and keep a white, clutter-free background in case the designer needs to Photoshop it for later.
Abstract
Websites are made of shapes, colours and textures. The closer these look to your business, the better. For every photo you take of your shop floor, snap another from a different angle. You never know when it might come in handy.
Remember, your designer probably has access to Photoshop, so don’t worry if photos look rough around the edges. What’s important is they receive a bunch of material that reflects your business and personality. If you’re short on stock photos, look for commercial-use photography on the internet such as The Stocks or Pixabay.
For an in-depth guide to website photos, check out this article.
Besides all this, have a chat with your designer! Nothing beats an actual conversation. The more they know about your business and goals, the better. This, alongside a clear workflow, will make for the best results.
Good luck!
The post Preparing your website: how to outline a (tidy!) project for your designer appeared first on Phase Three Goods.
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