Info, notes and updates

You are probably thinking that you never sign up to apps on your Facebook account. That's what I though once then I looked further. You would be horrified at how many apps appear to have access to your Facebook data and I hear you say, "But I never signed up to these".

So how do they get there?

Have you ever signed up to a website using the 'Sign up with Facebook' option?

Do you share stuff from websites you are signed into? For instance Strava. If you share you activities from there it will have installed an app into your Facebook account. I should add I believe that Strava's activities are completely innocent, many websites are not.

When setting up a new account on a website do you provide your Facebook address? In many cases this will lead to something being installed.

Quite frankly I have apps on my account that I'm still trying to work out how they got there.

You can manage this now, to a degree. If you go to settings in your Facebook account and select 'Apps and websites' you will see a listing of the active and expired apps. You can change the privacy settings a bit here. Personally I would suggest removing the app altogether if you're not sure. Check the expired apps too.

GDPR should sort some of this but I suspect it will take a while so best to watch you're opting for.

Cavespider, my interest is your interest

That is because so many of those that are currently calling themselves web developers rely on off the shelf templates. If the template won't do it then they can't make it happen.

There are still proper website developers out there if a little harder to find. So if you are a designer and you want the website to look and function like your design then you should talk to me, that is what I do and enjoy doing. It won't cost a fortune, I promise.

I have been working with designers for over twenty years. They generally want things pixel perfect and colours that look like what they had in the design. My attitude is 'yes', now lets work out how to do it.

If you want to talk to any of my designer clients I would be happy to put you in touch.

Cavespider, building what you design

Trust me, you're not alone in not knowing what to put in your website. You know you need one, you also know people need to be able to find you online and be impressed enough to want to deal with you.

I have been asked more often than I care to disclose 'Can you just do me a website?', quite literally. I do understand and as such I am prepared. Many of my clients do have a very specific idea of what they want but even they sometimes need a helping hand. So I have a couple of excellent content writers who will come and chat with you and work through what you need to say and how you want to present your business. This is what these guys do, they are the experts, so you don't need to be.

So if you don't have a clue what to say, we can definitley help you.

Cavespider, taking the block out of writers

A large part of what a software developer does is to keep your software secure. As hackers and mal-intents find new ways to get into our computers, networks and websites the developers are always going to be slightly behind the game. So it really is important to keep everything as up to date as possible, and not just for any new features.

Sometimes the updates aren't perfect and have been known to cause problems, generally minor, but annoying none the less. Some I know have a policy of delaying the update to see if any issues do arise on colleagues systems or appear in the press. I would suggest this is a bad idea. Now your hackers are looking for those that still have that vulnerability, and they'll be progressively fewer of those which means the chances of the attention being focused on you are increasing higher. I have seen the reality of this, so beware.

Websites are no exception. If you have a website based on Joomla, Wordpress and one of the other big platforms your are lucky. They have thousands of users. Many of those users are very experienced and feed back any security issues. There is a secure way of doing this. On a platform such as Joomla there are literally hundreds of developers who will immediatley get onto the matter and find a fix. That then gets published and the website owners notified.

But there are also all the widgets, templates, extensions and plugins that go to make your website function as it does. These are a bit more of an unknown but they most be kept up to date. These come from developers large and small so the amount of support they get is rather variable. This is where a support agreement with your webperson is so important as they will stay on top of this and try to ensure that all aspects of your website are kept as secure as the software available will allow.

Cavespider, right up to date

I hate it when you find yourself in a situation, say your car needs a repair, and you have absolutely no idea what it's going to cost until it's done. As for lawyers and a whole bunch of professionals that seem to think they don't have to give you a price before they start the job.

We on the other hand will give you a cost before you're committed to anything. In fact we offer a suggested budget. It may be you have a larger, or even smaller budget than the one we have suggested. Have a look at my other blog on this.

Short of any major changes to the original brief the final bill will be exactly what you agreed at the beginning of the project. That has to take a lot of stress out of the whole thing.

So don't get caught out, know what you're in for before we start.

Cavespider, stress free

As the manager of a lot of domain names I get a lot of these. I also get a lot of calls from clients asking why I hadn't renewed their domain names. Basically these come from people who, at worst, are trying to steal your domain name, it is worth money. But as far as your concerned it is the key to your website, your emails and quite possibly your business.

If you lose control of your domain name it can be almost impossible to get it back. I learnt my lesson in 1994 when I lost a domain name. The thieves didn't want to use it, they did want to sell it back to me for a very large sum of money. The domain name involved is protected by Trademark worldwide, but that doesn't stop them trying to extort money from me. They haven't succeeded, nor will they, and it is still available for me to buy back from these people even now.

I should add, that was the first and last time anything like that has happened to me.

So if you get an email suggesting you're overdue for your domain renewal, DON'T click on it anywhere, even if you think it is genuine. Go to your browser and log into whoever hosts your domain name using the details you already have and check. If you're not sure ask whoever manages your IT or website. Just, please, don't click on that email.

Cavespider, keeping you on the right path

Come May 2018 the rules are changing, you can no longer assume that just because someone completed your contact form it gives you permission to get in touch with them. It sounds like madness and I would struggle to argue it. The issue here is the difference between implied consent and specific consent. The action of completing a 'contact' form is implied consent, if they tick a box labeled 'Please contact me' then that is specific consent.

As I said it seems a bit nuts as some completing your contact form generally does so because they want to make contact, what can I say?

However this is just one very small aspect of the rule changes and you will have to tread carefully as the penalties can be draconian. We are looking to provide a complete reveiw package of your website and policies to ensure you're getting it right. This will include a technical, practical and legal review of your site and possibly a review of your data useage practices.

Get in touch if you are interested, and don't forget to tick that little box.

Cavespider, helping you tick boxes

This was not a company that had lots of spare cash to chuck around but they were concerned that their comparatively new website really wasn't doing it for them. They were trying to make the decision as to whether they should invest the cash they had into a new website or put it towards a new building they desperately needed.

I'm not going to start giving anyone business advice but, after taking a look at their website, I was able to tell them that in principle they didn't need a whole new website. Yes, the one they had did need work to get it performing better and there was a lot they could do that wouldn't cost them a penny though it would need a little of their time.

Can you imagine a Sofa company suggesting you didn't need a new sofa and there was nothing wrong with the one you had? I always try and find the right solution even if it doesn't make the greatest profit for my company in the short term. I like to treat others the way I would like to be treated.

Cavespider, working for you

In the meantime your website is still up there doing it's stuff. The chances are it will be fine and there won't be anything to worry about. But, what if...?

This is where having your website managed can make all the difference. Sadly the hackers and bots that roam the internet won't be taking Christmas off. So if your website software is right up to date it will make it safer.

If for any reason the website goes down then there'll be one of the team on hand to deal with it. Most issues can be dealt with without distracting you from the mince pies and mulled wine.

So though there may not be any production work going on over the Christmas break, we are looking after your websites, it's the least we can do.

You can find out more about website management here.

Cavespider, always here

I recently attended some training on the new GDPR rules courtesy of SESCA

There are now plenty of online guides to help you through the details of GDPR and I'm certainly not going to replicate that here. The new rules come into force in May 2018.

There are some straight forward steps you can take however:

Does your website have a contact form or any other form of data collection?

Even asking for a person's name and email address is data collection

Register with ICO (The Information Commissioner's Office)

This is not expensive, and quite frankly probably a lot cheaper than having defend yourself if you thought you didn't need to register.

https://ico.org.uk/

Ensure your website is on SSL

That's where you website address starts with HTTPS rather than HTTP. It will also show a green padlock next to the website address. This will be a requirement in the new rules. It's also worth noting that Google have threatened to display warnings on websites that have data gathering without being secure. So if your website is not HTTPS then nab your web person and get it sorted.

Ask for consent

This principle is at the heart of the new rules. If you plan to use the details you have acquired for anything other than the bleedin obvious then ask. More to the point ask on the same form that you get the details because you won't be allowed to email them after to ask permission. You will need to ask specifically for each of the uses you plan to use their details. To use the details to email them marketing messages, ask. If you plan to use them for research, ask. If you want to sell them on, ask. If you're going to invite them to your Facebook account, ask. You get the idea, a single consent box won't be enough in many cases.

Sending out emails

We all do it, send out an email CCing everyone involved in. This will now be dangerous territory. You are in effect sharing all those email address with all the other recipients. Do you have permission to share their email address? Probably not specifically, so if in doubt use BCC, not CC.

And there is more of course

I would suggest if you have more than a simple contact form you get advice. You will probably need to update to privacy policy and even your terms and conditions.

Nothing scary really and it is for all our benefit.

Cavespider, pointing you in the right direction

When reviewing a new project with a new client it is a real challenge to know where to set the budget. At Cavespider the focus is on bespoke websites so there isn't a price card as such. No menu to look up the price for the job, maybe there should be.

When discussing the clients requirements with the client I also try to assess their expectations. I have lost projects quoted at what I considered a very reasonable price to only find the developer that won the project charged, quite literally, ten time as much. Of course I have won websites even though in one example I though the budget a little high, only to find a local competitor had quote a great deal more.

On balance, fortunately, I win more than I lose, so I must be getting something right. If you are talking to a designer or a web developer, remember they are to a degree trying to read your mind. So help them along a bit. If your think they're going to take you for a ride then maybe you should be talking to someone else.

Cavespider, doing the best to get your budget right

Probably not, chances are you would start with a blank sheet. So, would you consider a website designer who relies on website templates where they need to merely fill in the blanks a designer?

Probably not, which is why we focus on genuinely bespoke website design. You get what you want. You won't be told what the template will allow or not allow. 

What more is there to say?

There isn't a colouring book in sight, and that is a guarantee.

Cavespider, design without crayons

So what happened to your website? Were you told the 'The template can't do that"? So you have your logo stuck in the top left corner and as far as the branding goes that is about it.

It really doesn't have to be that way. Cavespider, over the many years we've been doing websites, have worked with some very demanding designers and companies who have an absolutely precise idea of what they require. Achieving that can never be argued as being easy, far from it. But we work through the designs and create a website that everybody involved is happy with. That is why we continue to get this kind of demanding work, and we love it.

We can do this because we don't use templates. The design is not governed by what the template can or can't do but rather what the designer wants. More can do, not can't do.

It doesn't have to be that expensive either. So if you're a designer or a marketing company that values the brand you have developed then call and find out what can be done.

Looking forward to hearing from you on 01932 506408

Cavespider can do it

So what are the advantages of a single page?

The statistics do show a generally larger conversion rate, in non-lingo this means more people are making contact as a result of visiting the website. It also provides a way of presenting your offering in one easy to access page, providing of course it hasn't been designed so that the user has to scroll through a lot of stuff they aren't interested in to get to where they want. Good navigation can resolve this.

Google will match search phrases in similar in your content, but context here is important. So careful use of h2 text or sub heads is needed to define the sections of your page. Normally you would use the main heading or H1 text to define the relevance of the page. But as Google generally only expects to see one of these on a page.

If you have a story to tell the the single 'scrollie' page is great. This leads the user through your story and builds the image you want to set in the user's mind.

Why should I avoid the single page?

The first thing is it severly limits the opportunites for key searches. This is fine if you have a very well defined target group. Most of us don't have that.  So the contrast with a multi-page website is all those opportunites it presents to target different searches and target groups. It also has limitations if you have a more complex offering. There is a practical limit to just how much you can put on a single page.

Google likes to see an active website. One that has new or changed content on a regular basis. It does not favour static websites that once built never change. The easiest way to tackle this is via a blog, news pages or such. Somehow a blog just isn't going to work on the single pager.

Making it work

In reality it really does need to be an either or. There is clear evidence that the single page format does get results. But you don't have to limit yourself to the one page. The solution I believe is to have the home page in the style of a single pager. Offer a brief introduction to the various aspects your offering but with the added opportunity to explore more about any particular part. This would go to a separate page to discuss further. Then you can add the extra content such as news or blogs or information that is relevant only to a particular group. Two birds, one stone comes to mind.

Cavespider, giving it some thought.

First of all is it doing it's job; i.e. getting you business? If it isn't then it may well be time to look at why not. The answer to that is a bit more involved and probably extends beyond just how the website looks. I have to ask as so many business don't do it. When you get a new enquiry do you ask how they found out about you? Next, do you keep a record of the answer? If you don't ask then how do you know how well your website is performing. We can look at the stats, see how many are visiting your website, what they do on your website. Maybe they filled in the contact form, great. But there is a good chance they just picked up the phone. So, did they see the website, check the telephone number and call, or did a mate tell them about you because they saw your website? Working out the effectiveness of your website is far from straightfoward.

Having your website look smart, contemporary and standing out from the crowd is definitely going to help. We also have to tick quite a few other boxes as well, primarily to do on how well the site will do on searches. Do a general search that might involve the business you're in, you'd be surprised at how some dreadfull looking websites perform on Google. Doing well there is one factor, once you get the visitor on your website are they going to get in touch with you?

Cavespider would be more than happy to take a look at your website and have a discussion with you, it's really is quite possible that it's doing fine and nothing needs to be done. Either way, the consultation is free.

Cavespider, keeping things in proportion

Fair question really, a bit like why hire a solicitor to do your divorce when you can download all the paperwork off the internet? Could save you loads, though will probably end up being very expensive.

The answer is experience, there's more of course, but it does eventually come down to experience. It is what you are paying for after all. Experience tells us what will work, and what won't. Experience is what will give you the edge on the internet. Something that is essential on such a competetive platform. 

So, please, feel free to go do it yourself. But if you are looking for success on the internet you might want some experience on your side. 

The other bonuses are would be getting a result that stands out from the crowd. Strangley this becomes increasingly easier as so many are tempted by the same old look, over and over. It's an easy one to fall into and it takes a designer to pull you out of it.

So, DIY runs the risk of drowning in a sea of sameness or getting it done properly and really standing out.

Cavespider, doing it properly

Well the answer is yes, of course you should. But there maybe some extra costs involved as you may need a certificate. You will need to talk to your hosting company to see what they are offering.

So what does this HTTPS mean? Well if set up correctly it means all data to and from the website is encrypted. If you didn't already know if you're accessing the internet on some public wifi connections it is quite easy to intercept your connection and see what you are doing. So entering passwords, filling in forms or whatever could all be seen by persons unknown. On a Secure website as this data is encrypted it would be much harder to see or track what you are doing on the website.

Google are starting to flag up 'not secure' websites. A warning that the website is not secure is displayed on websites that haven't got HTTPS. Currently this appears to be limiuted to websites that take secure information such as credit card details, though it could be a login with a password.

Eventually Google apparently wants all websites to be secure, so you have been warned.

Cavespider, helping you stay safe

We can design and create the website, make something that really catches the eye. The designs are done, templates are built and tested but we don't have the content. If there is a hold up in the production of the site it is nearly always due to content.

We are not experts in your business, so ultimately what is written on the website has to come from you. We can put you in touch with excellent copywriters who can sit with you and talk you through what you want to say and turn it into something really magical. Or photographers who can take you business or products and turn them into images that make you look really good.

In principle the content of the website should be settled before we start designing it, the design is content led. Unless we know what you're trying to say, we're only guessing as to how the design will work.

So when you're planning you next website, talk to us at the start, we'll put you in touch with the best people to support creating your content. You'll be amazed at the difference it can make to the design and production of your website.

Cavespider, helping you build content

Mobile phone users were being offered 'unlimited' data packages. Some customers justifiably made full use of their 'unlimited' data package only to be hit by a nightmare bill at the end of the month. A bit late to discover the 'fair usage' policy which is a sort of secret cap on how much data is 'unlimited'.

It turns out a policy of 'Fair usage' had been applied by the mobile companies on their 'unlimited' data package. Amazingly when this was legally challenged it was considered legal, the the Advertising Standards Authority did eventually get involved. Now a mobile phone company is unlikely to promote unlimited data in the UK unless it really was unlimited.

It has come to my attention that a number of hosting companies have been promoting packages with 'Unlimited' bandwidth. For me this raised a warning light or two.

First, what is bandwidth?

It has generally referred to the volume of information per unit of time that a transmission medium (like an internet connection) can handle.

This is how much data can or has passed to and from your account in a given period of time. The same term can be used to refer to capacity of an internet connection, say your home connection maybe 50 megabytes per second.

In this item I am referring to your hosting package. You hope, I expect, that your website will be really popular. This will mean that the amount of data going to and from your website will be greater the more traffic it gets. You probably couldn't even guess how many gigabytes that might be per month. Ok, so your website has be working fine on your 'unlimited' package. The bills are as you expect, no problems...

So what could go wrong? A nice thing would be an article of yours goes viral and people are flooding to your website to check it out. The less positive possibilty is that your website suffers a DDOS attack. This is where your website is gets thousands even millions of hits from a network of bots with the intention of shutting the website down.

There are a few issues here but lets focus on the bandwidth. Your usage will be much higher than you might expect and the chances are the hosting company will take your website offline, primarily to protect their network but also because they also have to pay for their bandwidth. On occasions the website has not been taken offline and the customer received a very big bill at the end of the month.

So what should you do? To be fair 99% of websites will never have a problem and it probably isn't worth worrying or paying for extra bandwidth. It is worth checking with your hosting company what their policy is should the traffic to your website exceed any set limits and what those limits are, unlimited isn't a useful answer as it is very unlikely it really is.

Cavespider, asking the questions you may not have thought of 

Emails have never been secure, they were never intended to be. Your emails pass through various servers, those managing the servers, amongst others could, if they so wished, read your emails. The person managing your business server probably has full access, they have to so when you call them when you email goes down they can sort it out.

So currently your emails really are no more secure than your holiday postcard sent from Mallorca. So if you want to send your emails more securely you need to consider encrypting them.

This is one of the best systems around https://gpgtools.org/. PGP has been around since the 90's, though it's come a long way since. It stands for Pretty Good Privacy.

How does encryption work?

In this case it is what is called end to end encryption. This means only the sender and the ultimate recipient should be able to read the content.

Each person will have two encryption keys, one public the other private. You can share your public key with whomever you like. It can only be used to encrypt emails going to you. It cannot be used to read any emails at all. It's purely to encrypt emails.

You will also have a private key. Don't share this one with anybody. It will need a password to access it, so make it a good one. This key will decrypt emails encrypted using your public key.

Sound complicated but once set up it generally looks after itself, though you will have to enter your password each time you want to read an encrypted email.

Cavespider, where private should mean private