What Does an ADA Compliant Website Mean?

You might have heard the term ADA Compliant, referencing the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law under the first George Bush in 1990. The bill was enacted to prohibit discrimination against those with physical disabilities to ensure fair and equal access (or accommodation thereof) to public places. Initially, the focus was on eliminating barriers and providing access for all, to all businesses, schools, and public areas. Recently, “Places of Public Accommodation” under Title III of ADA, has come under scrutiny as to whether or not websites and mobile apps are included within these laws.

The Threat of ADA Non-Compliance

Websites with significant inaccessible components can be seen as discriminatory against persons with disabilities. In the recent past, there has been an influx of lawsuits threatening the disbarment of schools, health care providers, and agencies that accept government funds for operation. These litigations have scared a lot of businesses and municipalities to update their website and make them ADA compliant, sometimes falling victim to online extortionists who charged an obscene amount of money by taking advantage of people’s fears of a lawsuit.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

While standards were provided for businesses to accommodate those with physical handicaps, we are still waiting for confirmed guidance for the internet, web-based, and mobile applications. In the meantime, guidelines have been established and are frequently referred to in court.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) who develops international web standards, originally came up with recommendations in 1999 called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines or WCAG 1. As the web and digital technology expanded, WCAG 2 was released in 2008, which also widen the range of people with disabilities it serves to include those who are blind, deaf, learning and cognitively disabled, and those with limited mobility. WCAG 2.1 was released in 2018 to fill in the gaps further and includes mobile responsiveness and other guidelines for those who suffer from poor vision. Both WCAG 2 and 2.1 have valuable principles that every business owner should abide by; however, the 2.0 version is considered a baseline for accessibility, and the 2.1 version should be used as your testing standard to improve usability for all. FYI…Another round of updates is already in the works, known as “Silver” or WCAG 3.

Grey Area in ADA Website Compliance 

Courts have come to varying conclusions whether coverage is limited to physical spaces and whether a company’s website is included in these requirements. Currently, neither Congress nor the Department of Justice (the primary federal government agency responsible for enforcing ADA) has adequately clarified the scope of ADA in terms of website accessibility compliance for private companies. While WCAG 2, Level AA (the success criteria level that most courts generally rely on) is frequently referenced in litigation, some courts have interpreted Title III of the ADA to include websites as public domains that should be accessible to all, while others have not. There seems to be no ADA web-based standard for private entities and for companies who employ less than 15 people; especially, for states like Michigan, who have yet to adopt legislation governing website compliance.

Perks of Being ADA Compliant

The most significant incentive for meeting compliance is knowing that you have done all that you could to be fair and opportunistic for all people, no matter their skill level. It’s just good business practice to have an online presence that can be received by all. Also, the WCAG guidelines have a lot of great suggestions to help make your website read and look better to the end-user, which, if it is engaging to visitors, the longer they remain on your site will essentially increase your sales. Another consideration in becoming ADA compliant is that we, Creative Programs and Systems (CPS), study the trends of Search Engine Optimization and predict that compliance will soon be a ranking factor for organic SERP placement. SERP is the natural placement of your business listing when queried in search engines, not paid advertisements. It’s a win-win!
There are no automatic or instant solutions available from a widget or a plugin to make your website ADA compliant. Updating your website to become ADA compliant is a process and you can start by breaking down sections of your website to make it more manageable. But, really getting a head start is something and CPS can help get you there. It boils down to having proper, clean coding and best practices in software development from a professional team of programmers who can interpret federal and state policies and deliver a product that not only meets compliance but is also modern and informative. If you seek to obtain a reputable website developer, such as CPS, to ensure full compliance with WCAG 2.1, contact us today. CPS also provides Managed IT services, SEO and digital marketing, and customized programming and software that meets your needs. To learn more, visit www.cpsmi.com.

The Difference of a Custom-Made Website

When owning a business, one of your top priorities is to find the best way for your customers to find your company and promote the desired appearance to provide a unique first impression to potential new customers and will create interest for them to reach out to begin working with. The way technology is today, it is important for your company website to display your company in a professional, creative, and responsive way that will set you apart from your competitors. Unfortunately, in the web design market, many phrases of “custom design” are used but not to its true meaning. What makes a website truly custom made? Let us take a closer look at web development and understand what will be the best website for your business needs.

Using Templates

One of the most common ways to start a website is by using a simple site such as WordPress or other companies such as Wix or Squarespace that provide a theme that allows a person to choose different templates that can be purchased and edited with their personal business information. These type of website creations are chosen mostly due to the low startup cost aspect as well as development times are much shorter. However, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for as it's always said. There are disadvantages that should be considered when using these website creators as well. Many other businesses could be using the very same templates that you have chosen so this will remove the uniqueness and will not stand out as much from competitors.

Choosing A Custom Design

Quality web design is an art and science incorporated together. The placement of pictures, videos, shortcuts, etc is all arranged in a specific format that has been analyzed for industry trends and to better target a business audience. The main goal of a customized website is for the visitors to gain a complete visual representation of a company and what they have to offer. Having a custom website will also allow the possibilities for specific features to be utilized as well whether you are needing to incorporate e-commerce capabilities or be able to utilize CRM software to input data from a website. Another large aspect that will impact a custom-designed website is your SEO placement. Google can recognize a site’s uniqueness and in turn, will promote a higher rank than a standard template website.

Weighing the Options

Making business decisions is not always easy and of course, everyone is always hoping they are making the right choice based on the facts that they are presented with. A company that is just starting out and needs to get a website up fast and inexpensively may get away with a template or website with starter sites available. Keep in mind, these templates should be used as just a simple stepping stone and the only way to reach the top of your business’s potential is by choosing a custom design. Several websites will state that custom website design is dying however that is far from the actual truth. There is no doubt, as time continues on there are more templates being used each day but this will only give a custom-designed website even more of an advantage, it’s better to stand out than to blend in with the rest!

Creative Programs and Systems is an all-inclusive tech company that specializes in Custom Development, Managed IT Services, and Digital Marketing.  All work is done in-house, we never outsource services from custom server builds and workstations, custom software programming, and phone app development, to search engine optimization and paid advertising, our professionals provide results.  For more information on CPS check out our website at https://www.cpsmi.com.

iPhone Apps: Why Do They Seem to Perform Slower After Every iOS Update

I am not sure if I am the only one that notices but every time an update to my iPhone occurs my phone acts like a dinosaur.  It seems so much slower than before the update, each and every time.  Why?

Even though I have not downloaded any new mobile apps and am not using my iPhone any more than I previously was, the phone is downright slow.  I have heard it repeatedly from many iPhone users, but it seems to continue.  That leads me to wonder if it’s happening, is Apple doing it on purpose.

Battery Issues?

Some investigating into the health of the iPhone has been done over the years by several different outlets.  Some truth has been found to the claim as some users have found that once the batteries of older iPhones are replaced the phones seem to speed up.  What was found is that Apple’s iPhone processor seems to slow down after the battery hits several recharge cycles.
The issue in the past with iPhone batteries is that they have said there was life left on the battery, but the phone still shuts down without warning.  It was found that the same processor is used in in a variety of iPhones and the issue occurs throughout.  Apple also stated that they use Lithium-ion batteries which become less reliable in colder temperatures, when the battery has a low charge, or it is an older battery.
When an iPhone battery or processor ages it naturally decreases in efficiency and apps perform slower.    To combat this known defect Apple released a feature that helps to level out peak instances.  The new feature prolongs the battery by slowing it down over the lifetime of the phone.

Solutions To Speed Problems

If the speed of your mobile apps is affecting the way in which you interact with your phone there are a couple of things that users have offered as solutions.  One is to replace the batteries in the phone.  This simple fix allows the phone to basically function as new.  The battery life is set back to one.  Now, this process is not as simple as changing the batteries in your television remote.  To update the battery in your iPhone you will need to make an appointment at one of many Apple stores.  Having the battery replaced at an Apple store also help to avoid voiding the warranty.
Users can also choose to upgrade their phones.  Most note that IOS updates always seem to occur around the release of a new model iPhone, coincidence?  I think not!

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive  IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residentia

Custom Mobile App Development vs Template Designs

A single mobile app concept can literally change the way we operate in the world today. App ideas like Facebook, Uber, and Pinterest are extremely popular today, not because they have been initiated by famous people but rather the innovative approach of these mobile applications that has surprised the technological world.
What is the difference between custom-built apps and template-based apps? In nutshell, an application programmer for mobile devices creates a custom application from scratch, to fit perfectly to your specific needs, by writing the code for each function. And they will create new codes to give your application the unique features that you and your team recognize are appropriate to meet the goals of your own application.
On the other hand, a template-based mobile application is when a designer uses existing models as the basic framework on which to import and "copy-and-paste" their designs. What are the practical disadvantages of template-based applications?

1. Custom apps are tailored to your specific needs

Template-based applications are limited in terms of functionality, both now and in the future. Basically, what you get with a template is limited to the features that come with it.
However, with a custom built application you can edit, refine and modify according to your needs, where you only pay for "adding" or "remodeling" without having to eliminate everything.

2. Custom app development is unique and authentic

Unlike Custom-built, application templates are not originally designed to attract many end-users. They, therefore, combine several characteristics recognized by designers to attract a general market instead of adapting to the unique nature and needs of their specific features.

3. Templates are outdated

Template-based mobile apps are usually based on older code designs because they were developed a long time before you realized them: Therefore, might not conform with the latest running OS on the IOS or Android.

4. Troubleshooting

Using Android as an example. There are thousands of different Android smart devices. with varying sizes of screens, operating platforms, and manufacturers. Proper coding of an application to run on so many devices is a very complex task, requiring a high level of experience that only the best code developers have. No mobile app template can guarantee the possibility of creating an application compatible with all available Android devices.  Therefore, the average mobile app template normally works properly between 3% and 8% of Android devices. On the contrary.

5. Templates are not usually optimized for search engines

A major disadvantage of a mobile app designed with a template is that they cannot normally be "SEO" (search engine optimization, also known as "app discovery"). Without proper SEO, search engines do not place the app in the appropriate categories. So, when you look at different categories of applications, you will see that many applications appear that have nothing to do with your searched results, even when you do a search with the app name.

You must evaluate the costs and benefits of each type of application. If you do not understand what is needed it is easy to end up with an app that doesn’t meet your need.  A personalized, custom designed mobile app, with appropriate "SEO", is one of the best commercial tools and/or marketing investment that any company can achieve. It is an investment that will yield desired results over and over. Whereas a template-based designed app will offer a much lower return on investment.

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive  IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residential computer services, custom programming, website design, iphone & android app development, and more.  More information can be found at https://cpsmi.com.

How Does Custom Website Design Affect Search Engine Rankings?

Many people do not think that having a custom website design is going to improve their search engine rankings.  However, with all the changes that Google has made in recent years, there are many things that factor into the search engine placement of any website, and custom web design is one of the major ones.

A website that has not been designed properly may prevent a person from staying on the site for any length of time, and once a person goes back to their search results, it will mark the first website as being not helpful.  Any website that continuously gets marked as unhelpful will automatically have their ranking level dropped.

A few mistakes that every website owner will not want to make include having too many pop-ups, text that is difficult to read (whether it is the size of the text or the font that is being used), images that are too large, and videos that automatically play as soon as the website opens.  All those things create a poor experience for readers, especially those who are visiting the website for the first time, and they can make a person continue onto the next website they found much faster.

Website Mobile Friendly

Every website should also look amazing on all types of platforms, which means that the custom web design that a person chooses should work well on both mobile and desktop platforms.  After all, in this day and age, more and more people are browsing the internet on their mobile devices or smaller tablets.  If a website is not easy to use on those platforms, a person is not going to want to stay on the site for too long.  Not being mobile friendly can affect the search engine rankings of any website even more than a website that isn’t user friendly on a desktop platform.

The Correct Amount Of Information On Home Page

A custom web design is also necessary to ensure that a person has the proper amount of content on their first page, so that it ranks accordingly for search engine placement.  A website that has a photograph and a few words is going to rank a lot lower than a custom designed website that has enough pertinent information available to get it higher in the search engine rankings.

Custom Website For SEO Benefits

The bottom line is that search engine rankings incorporate a lot of the smaller details and it is easier to place all those small details on a custom web design than on a website that is ready for a person to fill in the blanks with their own information.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Website Trends For 2018

Search engine optimization was, still is, and will continue to unequivocally be one of the most effective ways that a business can use to ensure that their online marketing initiative and presence remains relevant. Search engine marketing is a growing practice that gives organic channels the proper attention that all businesses can’t afford to ignore as far as using Google or other search engines to push quality over quantity for users.

With an emphasis on a more experience-centric web, businesses are more aware of user behavior trends, which has forced them to create novel experiences through various product and content innovation. Therefore, for your website to do what you intended it for and for it to be functional, but most importantly, convert visitors, the following are website design trends that may help you accomplish this goal:

Mobile-Friendly Website Design

Mobile browsing has become more popular than desktop, therefore, minimizing the menu to fit mobile screens as well as using responsive designs, as well as including a viewport meta tag and condensing your font and button sizes will make your website more mobile-friendly.

Using Animated or Particle Backgrounds

Using eye-catching animation or movement as part of your background as opposed to the traditional photos or videos is huge this year, particle animation being the most popular choices in website design. It livens up your dull site and often static background to give it a 3D feel that provides users with an exciting experience while on your website.

Bold Typography

Your typography of choice can be an effective tool to use that will both garner attention and pull visitors in. The oversized, interactive, and visible text is the first thing that users see, and it is a simple website design that will not only provide a clear message, but also an easy navigation that leads your visitors exactly where you want them to be and see.

Bold Color Schemes

Bold colors are known to communicate with a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus, which has a direct influence on our mood, emotion, behavior, and user interaction. Utilizing brighter tones in web design is more likely to entice users to interact with content and respond to calls to action (CTA).

Grid-Based Web Design

Utilizing a grid-based website design allows for a clean, well-organized design and user-friendly navigation, which basically portrays balance and symmetrical layout that users are likely to interact longer with.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Custom App Programming Vs. Platform App Development

Anyone that tells you that they aren’t dependent on technology to fulfill virtually every purpose in their daily life is probably lying. It is quite evident that software development technology is rapidly growing and it’s not pausing for a breather anytime soon because the demand for it is on the increase. In fact, almost every electronic device, machine, or equipment that we use is a by-product of some software development.

Each app development company: custom or platform follows a series of steps known as the software development life cycle.  This includes planning, analysis, design, development & implementation, testing & deployment and maintenance. Each of these steps is vital for the success of app development. Once the software pass through all the stages without any hiccups, then the apps can be placed in the market place for our daily use.

Custom app programing entails designing software applications for a specific user or group to address their needs. For example, customized software development can be tailored to a single or specific entity such as iPhone app development, to be used by that company for which it was designed, in this case iPhone. Companies that require custom app programming work done for them are in control of how the app is configured, which can be anything from the look, feel, functionality, dashboards, etc. to match their businesses’ unique needs and operations.

When it comes to platform app development, there are businesses that need a space where they can not only manage multiple projects within the organization in one central place, they need a platform where they can also monitor their team. A platform app can also have features where a business can upload vital documents within the organization. Such an app can also allow them to keep track of their customers, including tracking the performance of the team and the time they spend on their tasks.  A platform app is designed to be an app that can be used across multiple platforms.

Designing a custom application with an organization’s needs in mind can increase levels of productivity because it provides features that an off-the-shelf software probably wouldn’t. Also, some of mobile apps we use every day have changed the way we conduct business and enabled us to engage in more interesting and innovative ways than ever before. Additionally, the Android app development platform is open source, dynamic and collectively enriching, which simplifies the job of the users and can be used by multiple people in ways that are dynamic to their needs.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Growing Your Business with Custom App Development

When it comes to helping your company grow it is very important that you give your employees the best tools in order to do their job in the most effective way. To accomplish this, you have only two real options buy cookie cutter off the shelf software or custom-made software that is developed specifically for your business.

While both have good points, it is truly the custom option that provides your business with the absolute best opportunity to get the most bang for your buck. Custom made programs offer a lot of benefits and we have included five for this article.

Top 5 benefits of using customs programs for your business

Custom programs are designed to work then you need them to work:

Unlike off the shelf software, all custom-made programs are made to work exactly like you need to.

Reduced number of problems:

When you have the custom software, you are less likely to have issues with it running properly, as your requirements are going to usually be addressed when the software is being developed.

Cost is normally lower:

When you compare the cost of off the shelf software and custom-made software you might be surprised to know that sometimes custom software is cheaper because it will not often contain extra features that would add extra cost when developing it.

Ability to keep business processes safe:

The fact that your software is custom made, no one else is able to gain access to the software and possible steal your company secrets.

Unequaled technical support:

Generally, when you have your business software custom made you will have full access to the team of software developers that actually created your software. This isn't always the case with off the shelf software.

Why should you have iPhone Apps for your business?

When it comes to having mobile phone apps for your business you must always look into iPhone app programming and only hire a developer that is able to create apps for your business that is able to run on Apple's iOS operating system. With so many people using Apple iPhones these days it is highly recommended that you always have any mobile apps that you are wanting to be made for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch's.

If you do not have business apps developed for your business that is compatible with iPhones, you would be seriously restricting the ability of your employees to carry out some of the tasks that they are responsible for doing on a daily basis.

Why should you have Android Apps for your business?

The Google Android operating system is used by more of the smartphone handset makers and tablet makers in the world. So, if the smartphones that the majority of your employees use to run on the Google Android OS and you fail to have any of your business apps designed to run on Android OS you would be severely limiting what your employees would be able to. So, when it comes to business software, you want to be sure that Android App development is always taken into consideration.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

7 Reasons Why Your Company’s Website Needs Professional Search Engine Optimization

In order to get your website coming up in the first few pages in Google when someone searches for services or products your company provides, you’ll need to have it optimized. These are certain keywords that will get your company’s website to the top of Google’s searches so that customers find you faster. Here are reasons why your company’s website needs professional SEO services:

Increased Reach online customers

Online shopping is huge right now and in order to get potential customers to your website, you’ll need the right keywords on your site so that when they enter one into a search engine, your website will be one of the first to come up.

Increased Organic Traffic

By optimizing your website, you will be able to increase your sites organic traffic, which is the number of visitors that come to your page without having to spend money on advertising. To do this, you’ll need to know what keywords to use for best search engine optimization.

Increased Return on Investment

By hiring SEO professionals, you’ll be able to get more eyes on your website, which will mean more ROI.

Increased Advantage Over Competition

To have an advantage over your competitors, a professional SEO company will make sure your website is SEO optimized so that you rank before your competitors.

Increased Online Presence

With the help of an SEO specialist, you’ll have a stronger online presence and become a preferred brand when users are looking for services or products that you offer. The right SEO help will put you front and center in the eyes of consumers and helps your brand become more credible.

Professional Results

Even though you might attempt to do your site’s SEO yourself, you might not know how to properly do it which is why you’re not getting the results you want. It’s best to have a professional SEO company do it since they know the ins and outs of all things SEO related.

Dedicated Online Marketing

The right search engine placement is important for your business and having a professional do all your SEO needs is like having your company’s very own dedicated SEO person on staff.
Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

The Importance of a User-Friendly Website Design

Your website is one of your company’s biggest asset. It’s the one place where anyone from across the globe can come across and see what your company has to offer. A website is essential for business these days and the importance of that website rests upon its design. The average person has a short attention span and with so much competition on the Web, your site needs to have an eye-catching design and be user friendly to really grab someone’s attention enough to make customers navigate to other pages.
This means it’s practically essential that a company’s website provides an easy-to-use and positive experience for customers.  A user-friendly website will convince potential customers to navigate into the site away from the initial landing page. If your website doesn’t feature a user-friendly design, your web-sites bounce rate will be high, meaning clients will be looking elsewhere.

What does a user-friendly website consist of?

It’s a combination of things like easy-to-use navigation tools, readability, load time, and mobile-optimization. These are all aimed at allowing users to efficiently and quickly navigate a website and locate what they want or need to find without any challenges or delays.

Readability

A site’s readability refers to it’s easy scan, meaning they can easily and quickly look for a keyword to see an answer to a question they have about your brand, site, offerings, etc. To achieve this, it’s best to use spacing, bullets, short paragraphs and subheadings, as well as play close attention as to what fonts you use.

Navigation

Navigation is how easy it is to move around in your site, providing organized content that and menus so that they can find what they need. Organized menus help users go through your site to see what it’s, how to purchase or contact you for more information.

Mobile-Optimization

And since many users are using their mobile phones it is important your site is mobile friendly and optimized for use on a smart device.  Mobile-optimization refers to where your website ranks within mobile search engines.  Much of where your site will land on a mobile search engine has to do with how is easy your website is to see while on a tablet or smartphone.   If your company’s site takes too long to load it is not considered user friendly.  A websites mobile upload should take no more than five seconds.   Anything over this and your site needs to be updated.
Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

How Frequently Should I Make Changes On a Website?

Everyone who owns a website is always questioning how often their site should be updated but website updates are not created equal. When it comes to types of updates you have content updates, application updates and site revises, and then the mother of all updates the site re-launch. I will say it and say it again the importance of refreshing your website design with new content and upgrades and, yes, every so often you should redesign and re-launch your business website.
The amount of updating depends on various considerations.

How frequent to add new content to your website or blog

The updating requirements are very different from each to each website since the purpose of a website is so diverse. You can’t expect a corporate blog to be updated as often as a regular blog or a regular blog as often as a news or sports blog. We have separated websites into 4 categories when discussing website updating and blog management.

Outdated web design

If the design of your web site is stuck in the past from a decade or more ago, then you should consider a refresh. We live in a world with web technologies changing as fast as smart phones and TV’s. There are new ways to speed up your website and even rank better with Search Engine Optimization. The best route for a website is using a custom coded website you can implement all your ideas and new tech to reach your target audience.

Category 1 - Sports / Fashion / Celebrity / Tech / Lifestyle / Financial / Newspaper / Magazines
For Websites or blogs that work with popular topics in relation to sports, fashions and this category, updating with new information several times per day is crucial for their success. There is no limit to the number of updates and generally the more the better. This is because most of their visits are coming from repeating visitors, Google news and social media. Postings are usually short and to the point and contain a lot of images.

Category 2- Normal Websites / Blogs
In this category you expect to find personal web development blogs, how-to style blogs, informational blogs, wiki, marketing, weight loss, studies, analytics, travel tips, reviews and many more. In this, 3 updates per week are a qualified amount; there is no need to update daily unless of course you have the time and energy to fulfill the task.

Category 3 - Corporate Website / Blog
A website that displays a company and the products/services it is offering are called business websites. They are among the most difficult types of websites to update frequently because once the initial setup has been made and information about the company is published, you don’t really need to publish anything again, unless new products get released. Then in this situation, you would want to blog about it.

Category 4 - eCommerce Store
Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to promote your online store and it is more simple than it sounds. You can publish Articles / Videos on how to use a product online, or detailed product reviews, announcement about new products, changes to existing products, special offers and any upcoming events.

The easiest thing to remember about this type of blog is that the best time to do updates is everytime you have new high quality content to publish.

the reason you should update your website frequently

It drives your SEO
Search engines enjoys content and especially new content. They want you to have long quality posts in their index to satisfy their users. A website that is updated regularly is crawled more often, has more pages in the index and more chances to boost SEO.

It amplifies social media
If you are using social media marketing to promote your blog, often times the problem that destroys your effort is lack of content. Updating a website on a regular basis will give you fuel for your social media promotions.

It’s good for your users
Websites are meant to serve users and giving users fresh content makes them happier. A happy user will most likely come back, convert, register, buy or recommend your website to other people.

Updating your website for users shows your business is still active.

We offer Web Design services in Brighton, Michigan and around Livingston County. We are Creative Programs and Systems! We have been designing custom websites before templates or wordpress were a thing! Make your company stand out with a custom web site. Call us today for a free quote at 810-224-5252 or visit our website at www.cpsmi.com

Why Do I Need a Custom Website?

The internet has changed so much in the last few years, especially with mobile phones and tablets. In fact I only know one person with a flip phone! Everyone else is rocking a smart phone of some type. Having all these different screen sizes changes the way we build websites. This is why you need a custom website!
Responsive Web Design
If you want your web site to look good on mobile and tablets, you are going to want something called responsive design or commonly known as mobile friendly. This allows the site to “flex” to different screen sizes. This usually speeds up the development process of building websites, as we don’t have to build 2-3 different versions of the same website. If you ever seen a site and down in the footer (bottom of the page) it says “View full site” this is not a responsive site. I don’t think anything is wrong with that it usually just takes more time to build. Another good thing about this design process is Google loves mobile friendly websites. If you want to check to see if your site is mobile friendly you can use this neat little tool from Google.
Search Engine Optimization
 Custom coded websites allow you to edit meta data for better SEO. If you are not sure what SEO is here’s a description taken from wikipedia. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a web search engine's unpaid results—often referred to as "natural", "organic", or "earned" results.* A custom website also includes everything you need and nothing you don’t. Unnecessary code slows down your site. A lot of template or wordpress sites include a ton of options that you will never use, in return slows down the site. I know some people don’t think about page speed affecting anything, but Google does.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_optimization
User experience
A custom designed website gives you full creative control, allowing you to create a great user experience and usability. Customers are less concerned about a pretty design, and more about how it functions. We at Creative Programs and Systems focus on both user experience and user interface. Whether a customer is looking for products to buy, information to read, or just browsing a photo gallery, you need your site to browse easy. If your customer has to hunt around for information, chances are they will push the back button and go to a competitor’s site.
Custom web sites are fitted to your brand
No one else will have your design! This is important for brand identity and setting you apart from the competition. You don’t want your site to look like everyone else, like a template will. That’s why we custom code every site, in house!
Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Why Do I Need a Good Website Design?

A good web design is a must for a any website. Most of the businesses have online presence but among these, a few have a good design. Web-development, though seems simple, it requires attention to detail. If you’re website is designed poorly, or above all, is developed on a stock WordPress theme, this is not going to give you optimum results. Here are the reasons you need a good design on your website.

1. First Impression Lasts

No, this is not just a cliché. Just put yourself in the web-user’s shoes, learn their behavior. There are certain habits which are similar to most of the web users. A web user is not so different than a potential customer who has gotten a whiff about your store. A web user would just take a glance at a new page, skim through the text and open the link which seems interesting to him or her. He/she would not even look at most of the page. There is a pattern of an internet user’s behavior. Here it is:

• People on internet go for credibility and quality. If they find low quality content, or something which does not conform to facts, they are pretty unlikely to return to your website again.
• They would not read through your text. They will just analyze the web-page and find something which seems to be fulfilling their purpose to visit the site.
• They don’t do the analysis by considering all the available options. They would just get the first reasonable information source. So, be the link which seems to be leading them to fulfillment of their purpose.

2. You Are What You Show

Your potential client is going to look at you in the way you portray yourself. Your website is you, the client is interacting with you through your website so make sure that it leaves an impression. Also, a strong web-design adds legitimacy to your business, and people value authenticity.

3. It Is Your Chance of Branding

Your website is your portal for public branding. You have the chance to tell people from all around the world about your company. It builds the image of your business, and a poorly built website is not going to leave a good impression of your business upon your potential clients. Your website should be telling people about what kind of brand are you; it should be reflecting the tone and mood of your business.

4. A Good Web Design Brings People from All Devices

You must be aware of the fact that mobile users are increasing in figures like mammoth. So, during web-development, you should take care of the website’s design and make it responsive for all devices and screen sizes. Moreover, creating an app for your business can also help you look more credible.
Conclusively, as the web users are becoming more aware and sensible, it is imperative for the growth of your business to not just have a website, but a well-designed website.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.