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Responsive web designs automatically adapts themselves to a particular viewing environment such as desktop, tablet, or mobile - without the need for separate layouts for varying platforms.

 Why is this important?  When someone looks up your business online in the near future - it probably won't be on a traditional computer.  Finding businesses and products online is commonly performed on smart phones, tablet computers, and computer displays of a wide array of sizes and shapes.  23% of online users are now viewing the internet on something other than a computer.

The web designs that Interweaving uses modify themselves in real time to the consumers needs - so that the experience is ideal regardless of what appliance they are viewing on.

The future is here and we are building it!

So you own a website, now what?

There is an old adage - "If you're not living you're dying".  This is also true of websites.  Websites require monthly maintenance as a rule, enterprise websites are monitored daily, and almost all websites need to be reactive to security threats and upgrade warnings.

Web Hosting

Web Hosting is commonly talked about as if it was all the same.  The reality is that there are vastly different types of web hosting.

The most common form of hosting is low cost shared web hosting.  This form of hosting typically has several hundred and more commonly several thousand websites all using the same bandwidth, computer processors, hard drives, and RAM.  The cheapest ones are located in the USA and some third world countries. These web hosts allocate a single shared IP address (its like a post office box that everyone uses), a limited amount of hard drive, and a fragment of RAM and processor power.  The servers that host these websites severely restrict the RAM, harddrive, processor threads your website can use..  If your website is expected to be more than a brochure website and you don't want it to be very slow then cheap shared hosting or overseas web hosting is not for you.

Interweaving shares its dedicated servers across a very limited number of clients based on their monitored resource needs.  The servers are optimised to be used with our content management systems with support for database hungry applications.  The specification for the servers we share with our clients is extremely high by industry standards.  These servers are located in Australia. This means that organisations with customers primarily in Australia will have the fastest service possible with virtually no lag.  Your clients wont have long waits to be allocated a processor, struggle with RAM, or bandwidth.  These are new top of the line servers which are over-configured to ensure that websites are served in the optimum conditions.

Having a unique IP address located in Australia is essential to your organisation.  You cannot properly secure your website for e-commerce and privacy unless you have your own unique IP address, and search engines will give you preferential listings on searches coming from Australian residents if your IP is also in Australia.  Interweaving has 60 unique dedicated IP addresses which are available for clients that believe Search Engine Optimised Hosting is important.

Website Maintenance

The Internet is a still quite a wild place.  It has frequent security threats and the working environment changes constantly.  Various web browsers and software companies often change their systems and many of them don't follow established web standards.  Microsoft with the Internet Explorer 6 web browser chose to ignore most of the established web standards in order to try and monopolise the browser market a few years ago.  They failed but this has led to many web applications not showing up properly in Internet Explorer to this day.

Web Hosting is generally well maintained within professional web hosting companies.  However, they are not responsible for keeping your website up to date. Typically, once a web developer turns over a website to a client - that responsibility is up to the client for ongoing maintenance. There is one disadvantage with having access to so much technology within a CMS system and that is that each and every programming component needs to be maintained.  Each program actually has its own security vulnerabilities and upgrade issues which need to be individually monitored to keep up with the changes in the Internet.  This creates quite a burden for most website owners which is why Interweaving believes that website maintenance should be an integrated part of managed hosting.

Interweaving monitors all of the program upgrades and security alerts, and then upgrades, maintains, and repairs as required.  One added benefit is that a single upgrade can potentially disable your whole system if done incorrectly.   Interweaving controls a wide variety of websites that all use the same content management system. As many of the same modules are used between websites we have developed, it is cost effective for us to maintain everyone's system as a service - so they don't have to.  Most maintenance by nature is reactive maintenance and cleaning up system artifacts.

Optimisation

Optimisation comes in many forms.  It is creating proactive change to improve, rather than maintain a website.  It involves search engine optimisation of website content; security optimisation to prevent commerce and privacy breeches; server and database optimisation to improve speed, performance, and reliability; and content editing to groom new content as it is added to the system.  Optimisation also offers the development team a chance to review and recommend installation of new technology or upgrades of technology that are already used on your system.  Most of the time these upgrades, as part of a management program, cost very little to keep up to date.

Support

Once your website is created - then what?  What if you have questions? Something breaks? Ghosts start showing up in the machine?  Even great website administrators need help on a regular basis.  That's ok Interweaving is here to help.  Although generous timed support is part of each web development package eventually you may run out of support time.  That isn't really something to worry about we honestly want to help.  Here is a good tip: if you save a number of queries you have then discuss them all at the same time - your support hours will last much longer than a long series of single queries.

We will call you to see how your going on a regular basis too.  Feel free to ask us any questions you would like for free when we do!

For questions about managed web hosting and professional web maintenance please book a free consultation.

Is it about the business, technology or the design?

Actually it is about the customer!  It doesn't matter if you are a business or a non-profit organisation - it is always about who you serve.  How do they feel and what do they want?  Technology and web design are about serving the end user.  Building the website is about combining all of the factors of development to produce a website quickly with all the technology at a price which offers a great return on investment.

Building websites is a concert of a wide array of elements that need to come together in a very precise way to deliver a prescribed outcome.  Shorthand - it needs to work!  Users need to enjoy your website - even if the source of that enjoyment is just highly usable functionality.  Can you imagine going to a website and actually enjoying paying a parking ticket because it was so hassle free?

There are four major areas of web development to consider:

• Presentation layer - look, feel, style, assignment of screen real estate, navigation
• Logic layer -performs calculations, offers technology to present content (slide shows, lists, galleries, forums), user interaction mechanisms, user input
• Data layer - the database stores almost all the information for a website.  Its only purpose is to serve and store information in most cases.
• Administration layer - in modern content management systems the administration layer gives instructions to the presentation, logic, and data layers.  This includes adding, editing, and deleting content; configuring technology used; and controlling things like time and administration functions.  It sits between the website presentation and the logic & the data layer.  In essence everything is stored in the database and the administration layer gives all instructions on how it will present and behave.

Build Process

Building a website starts with creating a vision, plan, creative elements, specifications - and then finally building it.  The building part of development is actually one of the least important activities as the majority of work that is preformed has already been defined and carefully thought out.

Standard Technology

•     The content management system is installed.
•     A temporary design structure is implemented so that the presentation layer can function
•     Menu structure schema is implemented
•     Technology modules and existing components are applied
•     Sample content is uploaded to the database

Custom Technology

•     Forms are developed with their business logic validation of fields
•     Custom applications of modules and extensions are created
•     Application interfaces are created
•     Processing technology specific to unique content needs are implemented

Administration Controls

•     Applications that manipulate content which cannot be managed in the administration back-end are applied and tested
•     Administration controls based on access levels are assigned
•     Backup, security, and website optimisations are installed and configured
•     Back-end configuration of quotations, invoices, project management, customer management, and others are applied
•     Time controls for automated functions are inserted

Creative Design

•     Style sheet is created and applied
•     Custom structures and screen elements are installed
•     Graphical content are tailored to the website
•     Client is involved in pre-delivery modifications and approval process
•     Final graphics are optimised for web

Database Development

•     Database engineering commences to create custom tables and structures
•     Database is checked for integrity
•     Sample data is discarded
•     Database is optimised for speed

Standards Testing

•     Website is checked for compliance to the relevant standards
•     Alterations are made for instances of failure to achieve best fit
•     Dead link and 404 testing is preformed

Technical Specification

•     Documents specific to development are written
•     Code is commented as modifications are made
•     Database structure is documented if required
•     Previous documentation is checked against the build

Every web development is unique.  Sometimes even what appears to be simple changes can be very labourious, and things that may seem complex are very simple.  During a development build changes can be very costly.  Interweaving tries diligently to make clients aware of the cost of changes during construction before any work is preformed.  The work performed during a build is very much like the framing of a house.  A lot happens all at once, and it begins to look very much like a house - but there is a lot to be done before you can move in.

Book a Free Consultation or Production Time

We Build Business...and your website

Building great websites can be difficult, but we make it look easy. Interweaving includes all of the technology you will need as part of the first package. Your foundation development has your website up and running with a custom design, e-commerce shop, online service bookings, client management, communications, and self-administration in a matter of weeks. It really is that easy!

Websites are a lot more than what they used to be. It is no longer "good enough" just to have a website. Your customers want real-time information, interactive communication, immediate support, and up to date content. Your website needs to improve efficiency, create a stronger brand, provide immediate communication, and reduce your marketing costs. Most of all it should create stronger profits.

It's not just about marketing - what about information, service, and efficiency? Research shows your customers prefer to receive online quotations, invoices, project documents, and communication over more traditional mail which is much slower. It's all about meeting your customer's immediate needs.

Interweaving engages with you to create efficiency and growth using a rapid development process. There are no rude shocks, just pleasant results at excellent value. Each stage of the process is planned and delivered according to defined goals while remaining on time and budget. Small or large the process is the same - producing measurable results at surprising value. You can accomplish almost anything online with Interweaving.com. Book an appointment  or Call 1 300 304 314

Click on one of the specal packages we currently offer:

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What do you think Web Design really is?

Most people probably think that creative web design is all about the creation of new fresh ideas - while sitting on red valour lounges with a sketch pad.  Well, sometimes it is but most of the time its about researching, adopting, and modifying.

Creative design, just like programming, frequently takes existing ideas and uses them as inspiration for something new.  Although the original design may have been the start - the end product usually looks very little like the originating idea.  In programming the same is true and probably more so.  Programming follows the rule of "build it really well once and use it a thousand times".  Interweaving reuses elements of technology, programming and design every time we build a website.  In fact one of the untold truths of web development is that most projects are largely about putting existing design, programming code, and ideas together to shortcut the process.  Why?  To build completely original applications and designs from scratch is REALLY expensive.  There is no point in constantly reinventing the wheel.

What this means in real terms is Reuse.  Reuse saves you an enormous amount of money, time, and avoids risk.  Through reuse we can now deliver web projects that would have cost tens of thousands a few years ago for only a few thousand dollars now.  Most of the building blocks of web development are already available if you know where to find them.

So what does that mean?  In simple terms that means that 90% of everything you would like to do in any web project can be done quickly, simply, and cheaply.  It also means that the other 10% of what you may want is typically impractical or unnecessary.  If enough people in the world have wanted what your looking to build before you - the world of programming has probably built it already.  You will be surprised how much is available right off the shelf to meet your needs.

What is very important is your organisation's brand and style.  Web design takes your brand and formalises it into a style specification. The style sheet describes the logo, image elements, fonts, colours, textures, and format for your website.  Sometimes this is just an extension of an already well defined offline style.  Although frequently it requires significant interpretation or stylising to make the transition to online.

In summary, a website is a combination of a large share of reused technology & design; some custom applications and creative design; and a liberal amount of stylising to interpret your business brand online.  After that all you need is a self-administered content management system with original content (information) and you have an extremely usable and valuable website.

That last thing to understand may be counter-intuitive to you.  Most of the custom creative design happens just before delivery.  With modern technology websites are built using a content management system.  First you create a website map that defines the size and shape of a website. Then we create navigation, visual elements, web technology, and everything that shapes each web page.  After that the style sheet is applied, and the website becomes fully functional with all the technical elements required.  This is when the truly creative element of web design is applied.  It is taking a functional and usable website and making it attractive - infusing your organisations look and feel in the process.

Every website is different.  Some end up being all about the technology and others are only about the design.  Interweaving understands that both elements are important and we can customise your website to represent how important each element is to you.

Would you like to talk about design?  Contact us here for your free consultation

Ready, Set, ....Stop

So you have spent your time and money developing a great website. Now people are just going to find it, use it, and buy whatever you're selling right?  Unfortunately that isn't the way it works but we can fix that.  Marketing online isn't about creating short term advertising campaigns.  Marketing online is about creating a consistent revenue stream for your products and services.  This involves a diligent effort towards marketing long term.  What would happen if you opened the doors to a new shop and just waited to be found?

The most effective way to market online is to market all the time.  Consistent marketing allows you to have a controlled advertising expenditure with measurable results.  When you try to spend money in a hurry it becomes very inefficient.   Your website needs to be visible and marketed daily - with bursts of expenditure when you need to market something time dependent.

How to Market? - oh let me count the ways!  They call it a marketing campaign for a reason.  It should involve a wide array of different marketing types to create one consistent campaign that is measurable in its outcome. 

Balanced Marketing Campaigns:

Domain Name

Why is a domain name so important?  Domains are the real estate of the Internet.  If you have one that is effective it will save you an enormous amount in marketing expenditure.  When users see a good domain name in a search engine listing they are more likely to click on the listing.  This leads to higher conversion rates and lower advertising costs for search engine advertising and seo.  Every brochure, business card, billboard, and taxi cab that you advertise will be more effective with the right domain name.  If you don't have a good domain name you will literally lose half of your marketing dollars down the drain.  Interweaving is an expert in domain selection and acquisition.  Even if a domain is already taken we have means to acquire domains that are not being actively used or will help you find a very viable alternative for high impact marketing.

Cross Marketing

Everything that your business owns or distributes should have your website address on it.  If you have a good domain name - people will remember it through repeat exposure.  The domain name needs to be prominent on your advertising material not just shoved in the corner is small font with no colour.  Try to think of every way you can push people to your website.  It will increase your revenue, provide better service for your customers, and cut your costs.

Search Engines

The big G.  Google is the 500 pound gorilla for search engines.   It has a grossly dominant market share and is a very useful utility for web users.  Yahoo is a distant second, and Microsoft an even more distant third.  Search engines are the yellow pages of the Internet.  When people search they find relevant contextual websites that are specific to the user search queries.  You absolutely have to be in the search engines to have a well marketed website.  It is your most cost effective proactive marketing solution.

Search Engine Optimisation

The best type of search engine listing is the one you don't have to pay for again and again - organic search listings.  There are three ways your website is selected to be shown is search results:  relativity to the search request, relative locations, and page rank.

Search Request

When someone types a phrase into a search engine they are looking for something.  The search engine will try to offer search listings that are the closest match to what the user is looking for.  Simple isn't it?  Not quite.  The reality is that search engines need to know where to find the right websites for each query.  They do this by indexing all the websites on the web and using an algorithm to find the best ones for each search query.  Optimisation for search requests is a science and a little art too.  Your website needs a list of search phrases that you would like to be found on in the search engines.  This list needs to be as wide and deep as possible to collect as many organic search queries as possible.  That includes typos and misspellings as well.  Then your website needs to be optimised for those terms with page titles, descriptions, and meta data all being optimised on a page by page basis to be the most specific result for search engines to serve.  Although search engines are algorithmic they still depend on website owners to tell them what each page is about, and more importantly offering descriptions that users will find attractive to click on.  If a search engine doesn't find a description to serve for the web page - it just makes one up.

Relative Location

Every user accesses the Internet through what is called an IP address.  IP addresses are assigned geographic locations and distributed accordingly.  Websites can be hosted anywhere in the world.  The IP address tells the search engine (and users) where your business is!

The most common mistake is when website owners host their website on a cheap foreign host - which is commonly the domain registrar where they originally bought their domain.  These hosts are allocated IP addresses that are for their geographic location not yours.  So if your web host is in Phoenix, Arizona USA that's where the search engine thinks your business is too.

Search engines are like dating agencies. They try to pair up the best websites with the most specific users.  Today modern search engines are weighing the websites that they list by how close a user is to the website that they recommend.  Unless you want to be selling your goods to customers in the USA or Thailand - this can be a major problem.  Your website needs to have its own SEO IP address located as close as you can to your average customers location.  If that is in Australia, then you need an Australian Hosting Company Your own unique static IP address screams to the search engine - WE ARE IN AUSTRALIA!

Page Rank

Page rank is a mysterious thing to most people but to Interweaving it is very simple.  Search engines want to list the pages that will give users what they actually want.  To get the best search rank you should do a number of things.  There are a great deal of factors that contribute but the most important ones are to have:

•     Volumes of original textual content
•     Links from other websites to yours
•     Local IP address with a local host
•     Frequent updates to website content
•     Create a good site map
•     Give it time to ferment
•     Provide clear relevant descriptions

Search Engine Advertising

If you can't beat them - join them.  Although organic search listings are the most cost effective way to advertise you can also buy advertising in search engines.  In Google these are the ads with or on the right side of the page and sometimes at the top of the organic search listings.  They also can now be found in Google maps which offer paid listings.

Search engine advertising is very effective and offers a great return on investment if you advertise consistently.  You need to target your ads to the right phrases, to user locations, and for the right price per click.  Does that sound complicated?  Interweaving is very experienced in all forms of Internet marketing.  If you would like us to create a marketing campaign for you and manage it monthly that can be arranged.  Campaigns start for as little as $50 a month.

Community Building

Community building is about building relationships for your website.  Most of those relationships will be with your existing or new customers.  Others will be through interactions and association with other websites.  Websites that stand alone and are not cared for don't do well.  They tend to be outdated quickly and users lose interest. The goals of community building are to attract users to your website, get them to interact with it on a regular basis, entangle and market to them on a regular basis, and to get links to it from other websites in the same global community.

Relationships are built through communication and interaction. Your website needs to establish a user base.  Once it has users you want them to interact with each other through forums, chat, and newsletters.  You can even enable users to create their own blogs on your website. Community software just like the facebook website can enable the exchange of messages and a real community to be built.  Communities are very useful.  You can market to them, gain market intelligence, and even some friends.

The other type of community building is link building.  The number of links you have going to your website will have a strong impact on your page rank for search engines.  One of the ways to do this is through adding your links in posts that you may make in other website forums and blogs.  Also advertising on some websites can add direct links to your website and attracts customers.  You can post news releases and articles which can receive quite wide distribution from other websites looking for content.

Building a community is hard work.  It takes patience, skill, and enthusiasm.  If you would like to learn how to do this Interweaving can teach you.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is about creating a sales team online that promotes your website.  This usually takes the form of paying for leads or sales that these third parties generate.  It also usually involves tracking those conversions so you can pay the third party sending you the leads.  This commission for leads that end in sales is usually 15%-30% of the sale price. Affiliate marketing can be hit and miss.  Certain types of offers do very well through affiliate networks.  Typically your business needs to have something very commercial to sell and enough profit to share around to make this viable.

Affiliate marketing has another advantage.  If it is done well it generates links to your website.  Affiliates place banner ads, text ads, and forms on their websites hoping to generate leads.  These all have links embedded in them if they are not masked.  Your banner ad links point at your website.  Every link counts for link popularity and page rank.

Social Marketing

Social marketing is different to community building.  Community building is about attracting users into your website.  Social marketing is how your business interacts with external websites and communities.  Typical social marketing includes Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, SlideShare, and MySpace.  Organisations use these external communities to raise awareness of what they stand for, how they are different, and what they have to offer.  This is usually done through a more passive form of marketing.  If you post articles of interest to other people, participate in forums and make friends online it all helps.  Most importantly you can build up a network of people that are also in your industry.  Many of these people will link to your website and you can link to theirs.  This form of reciprocal linking within an industry is seen as a vote of confidence by search engines and adds value.

Interweaving's managing partner has direct relationships with the strategists and market leaders in Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft.  He has managed Internet marketing through them valuing more than $10 million per year.

If you want to take your Internet marketing seriously book an appointment