We’ve all gone “down the online rabbit hole” more than a few times. While scanning articles online, trying to get some mundane task or another done, we’ll think, “Hey, maybe I’ll just check Twitter real quick.” Or, “Let’s see what’s in the news.” “How is ***insert sports team name here*** doing in the standings, anyway?”…
DetailsA regular request when I embark on site builds for our clients is an ecommerce section where business can sell their wares online. And why wouldn’t you? Your website operates 24 hours a day, when you and your employees simply can’t. At Emphasize Design of Calgary, we provide website design services that specialize in creating…
DetailsYour business’s brand is more than just your name and logo. It’s also the feeling people get when they experience your product. Your brand should convey what they need to know about you and your business, express what should be expected in a customer relationship with you and also be flexible enough to be able…
DetailsI have used the Nielson Norman Group’s (NNG) publications for many years to help guide me in online content creation and web design. As user experience experts since the ‘90s, the folks that pretty much invented the well-known methods we use today for measuring effective websites, their opinion weighs a lot. NNG has long touted…
DetailsGetting started with a new website feels like a big job, even for us! At Emphasize Design, each member of our team focuses on a different aspect of website design and marketing. We keep the process efficient by taking it step by step, and making sure all of the necessary building blocks are in place.…
DetailsThe perks of entrepreneurship are many, but so are the challenges. A good business idea is a starting point, but it takes time, energy, and investment to turn that idea into a successful, sustainable business. The good news is that you will find plenty of help available, from both the Alberta government and other small…
DetailsThere is so much advice on how to write a great social media post that it can be easy to get overwhelmed, especially if you’re just getting started. I’ve had the benefit of hands-on experience while running our ED social accounts for years, and working with our web design team. That experience has allowed me…
DetailsWebsite security is critical for any business that wants to protect the personal data of its customers, and make a positive impression online. Cybercrime is a real risk for every type of business, whether you sell products/services online or your website is more focused on content, social media, and informational resources for your customers. The…
DetailsCreating interesting, original content is one of the most important steps you can take to make your brand shine online, and it’s something that anyone can learn to do with a bit of practice. Okay, maybe a lot of practice, but I promise it’s worth the effort. The content that fills your website is your…
DetailsOne of the easiest mistakes to make in any industry is to assume that you, the expert, experience a product or service in the same way as the end user. Web design is certainly no exception. As a tech-savvy business owner from Calgary (or beyond!) with an interest in marketing, your online skills are quite…
DetailsWhen building a website, it’s a great idea to take inspiration from the most successful, user-friendly websites you can find, which is what I do often when helping clients put together their new sites. But it’s also smart to spend some time looking at what doesn’t work, and there are no shortage of examples. The…
DetailsCyber-crime is an unfortunate reality of our connected, tech-centric world, and phishing attacks are one of the most common methods for stealing personal information. A phishing attack often begins with an email, website, or social media message that seems to come from a reliable source, like a financial institution or retailer. Phishing attacks may target…
DetailsOne of the keys to success with online marketing is understanding analytics. If you know how to make sense of the data, analytics will reveal major insights about your marketing over time. Making sense of the numbers is a big part of my job at Emphasize Design. I am the one who makes sure you…
DetailsIt used to be that a few “black hat” website marketing techniques could pretty much guarantee a spot on the first page of a Google search. But these sorts of attempts to “cheat the system” have been made detrimental – and even damaging – through a series of algorithm updates. Over the past five years…
DetailsGoogle’s Penguin algorithm has been a big story in the SEO world since it was first unleashed in 2012, and the latest update contains good news for websites that have been punished by Penguin in the past. The primary goal of Penguin is to root out and punish sites that use spammy link-building practices, either…
DetailsOne of the things I enjoy most about website design is that nearly every aspect of a website can be tested and quantified. If you want to know why something is working – or why it’s not – the answers are always lurking in the data. Usability testing is one of the best tools we…
Details
