Blog | Byte Productions LLChttps://byte-productions.com/blog/2024-03-28T13:43:30+00:00Blog
Keep an eye on our blog for great tips regarding working on your website, getting your website to show up in the search engines, what's going on at Byte, Byte's new clients, etc.Why you Shouldn't Use WordPress for your Small Business2018-12-17T17:57:35+00:002024-03-27T20:10:07+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/why-you-shouldnt-use-wordpress-for-your-small-business/<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">WordPress is the most commonly used content management system in the world. That being said, we encounter many small businesses who may have had a web developer setup a WordPress website for them that they are unhappy with. We find that WordPress is not suitable for small to medium businesses; it is complicated to set up, expensive to maintain and continuously having to update plugins us a huge pain. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because of these reasons, Byte has gone in a different web development path. Historically, we have custom built our own tools and our latest CMS and e-commerce platforms now utilize a customized version of some very popular and easy-to-use online tools. This is a platform that we enjoy working in and from watching the web trends it seems to be where the future of development will go.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve heard numerous horror stories of small businesses working with WordPress. They're ready for a change, but not really sure if there is a better option out there. Fortunately, Byte has worked with hundreds of businesses to build a new website, and find that the businesses we work with are more successful and productive with their website. Instead of worrying about code, maintenance and getting hacked, these business owners can focus on marketing, sales and growing their company.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the 28 years in business, we’ve never chosen to build a website using the WordPress platform. Here are some of our reasons why.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>1. WordPress Developers will take you down a dark path of coding & customization</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even though developers may say that WordPress plugins are plug and play, a lot of times they need to be customized to do exactly what your business needs to do online. This is still custom development which can get pricey. Many businesses choose WordPress because it sounds like a more inexpensive option, but in the end, it can end up costing MORE money!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><strong>2. WordPress sites are expensive to maintain</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you get your website up in WordPress you make think the costs are over, but that is the opposite of the truth. WordPress sites break down often and plugins stop working or become obsolete. We’ve seen this cause bad blood between businesses and their WordPress developer, which causes them to look elsewhere and having a website becomes expensive and stressful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><strong>3. The editing tools are difficult to learn and use</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We find that most small business owners do not want to deal with the complexities of the WordPress editor. They may not need to make updates often, but when they do, they want the process to be simple. WordPress was not designed with the end-user in mind and instead it was made for coders. WordPress may be fun for developers to code with, but it isn’t fun when business owners can’t manage their own website.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><strong>4. It's prone to hackers</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve dealt with our fair share of hacked WordPress websites when businesses come to us in desperation when their website is down and they can’t get a hold of their WordPress developer. If your website is not being managed and updated on a monthly basis, your website is prone to be hacked. Hackers enjoy WordPress because it is open source and try to and break your site to use it for their own purposes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all of these reasons, WordPress isn’t the right choice for a small business. It will take up a lot of your time, energy and resources to maintain and keep you from running a successful business. We see so many business owners who have had their website rebuilt a year ago in WordPress and are desperate for a change already. Don’t let this be you! Your website is one of the most important marketing tools for your business, so choose wisely because a lot of developers can be all smoke and mirrors.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you choose to work with Byte Productions, you will get a great looking website that is hacker-free and is easy for you to manage to grow your business.</span></p>
<p><br/><br/></p>Now Offering Punchout Support Services!2018-10-08T16:58:00+00:002024-03-27T20:10:28+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/now-offering-punchout-support-services/<h4><span>Are you or your client looking for assistance with PunchOut? We can help!</span></h4>
<p>We are pretty excited to add a new service to our list. We are now offering support with PunchOut catalogs which can also be called PunchOut websites. </p>
<p><span>Our team at Byte Productions has taken a strong interest in developing Punchout catalogs and EDI (electronic data interchange) using cXML and OCI standards. We've worked with customers such as Britten & Graphic Resource Group to support these complex systems.<br/><br/></span></p>
<h4><span>What is exactly does a PunchOut system do?</span></h4>
<p>When you use a PunchOut system, a buyer leaves or "punches out" of a procurement application and enters the supplier's web-based catalog. This act launches the supplier's own website and products within the buyers browser. The buyer will then be able to browse the products and add items to an online shopping cart while both applications maintain their connection. Once the user is ready to checkout, the products are brought back to the procurement application. The order is then submitted to the supplier when the buyer adds the line items to a purchase order and the order is approved and sent to the supplier. <br/><br/></p>
<h5><span>We have experience with multiple B2B procurement systems such as:</span><span><br/><br/></span></h5>
<ul>
<li><span>Ariba</span></li>
<li><span>Coupa</span></li>
<li><span>GEP</span></li>
<li><span>Basware</span></li>
<li><span>SutiSoft</span></li>
<li><span>Sievo</span></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><span>We simplify the process for you to have a fully functional ecommerce website with the ability to be automatically logged in, search the catalog, configure items, add them to the shopping cart, and return the cart as a pending purchase order back to the procurement system. </span><span>Our goal is to help suppliers with eProcurement systems. We serve as a liaison between supplier and purchaser.</span></p>
<p><span>If you are interested in learning more about our PunchOut services feel free to <a href="https://www.byte-productions.com/contact-us/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" title="drop us a line">drop us a line</a> or give us a call at (231) 946-2983.</span></p>Is it time to update your website?2018-07-16T17:10:15+00:002024-03-28T13:43:30+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/is-it-time-to-update-your-website/<h2><span>Is it time to upgrade your website?</span></h2>
<p><span>As you know web technology is always changing and we like to help you keep up to speed with latest practices to ensure your website and your customers information are secure. </span></p>
<p><span><span>With that in mind, we may have notified you that your website is going to require an upgrade to it's underlying Content Management System (CMS) by the end of April 2019. We are providing several affordable upgrade paths and early adopters can take advantage of better pricing. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Customers who have started development of a new site with Byte in the past 2 years have taken advantage of our new content management system and new e-commerce. Our goal as a company is to get everyone into a CMS system with improved security, SEO & content updating benefits.</span></span><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p><strong><span><span>For some, this might be a good time to take a look at a redesign.</span></span></strong></p>
<p><span><span>Redesigning your website at this time, may be a very smart investment. Having an updated design means having the Byte team take their knowledge of call to actions and search engine optimization to make educated design choices that will improve your presence on the web. Choosing to redesign your website at the same time as the upgrade means saving money in the long run. </span></span></p>
<p><span>To learn more about these upgrades, please contact Tim Barrons at<span> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="mailto:tim@bytepro.net" href="mailto:tim@bytepro.net">tim@bytepro.net</a> or (231) 946-2983.</span></p>Google Modifies its Google Maps Developer Platform2018-06-11T10:54:42+00:002024-03-28T02:27:10+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/google-modifies-its-google-maps-developer-platform/<p>Starting June 11<sup>th</sup>, Google is launching a major update to their Google Maps API. Google will stop serving maps, both static and javascript, that do not have an API key in place.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://www.byte-productions.com/media/uploads/blog/googlemaps.jpg" width="40%"/></p>
<p>This means if you’ve linked to a Google map without an API key, in place of the map, users will see a nice big, fat error message. </p>
<p>This is Google’s way of "simplifying" Google Maps and also create the ability to start charging those that use this feature.</p>
<p>Part of this update includes combining 18 individual Maps APIs which Google currently offers into 3 products: Maps, Routes & places. </p>
<p>If you have been contacted recently by a Byte team member regarding your website and Google Maps, your website may use multiple integrated maps. We may recommend that we help you create an API key specific to your site. This update will be completed on our end by July 1, 2018.</p>
<p>If you have a website built by Byte Productions which has a simple Google Map in the footer, your website will have our API key added and will continue to serve up the Google Map to your website.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about these changes, feel free to contact us.</p>Seeking a Web Production Assistant to Add to Our Team2016-10-21T14:24:45+00:002024-03-28T03:44:25+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/were-hiring-a-web-production-assistant/<p class="p1"><span class="s1">We're hiring! </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Byte Productions seeks a Web Production Assistant to join their team. This person will be responsible for front end support within the IT, Design, and Production teams. We are seeking a well-rounded, self-starter, clever & innovative, who will thrive in a small, fast-paced environment with minimal supervision. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This individual has the opportunity to work in a wide range of digital mediums including:</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">HTML/CSS/JavaScript - Graphic Design – Web Content Changes - System Administration</span></p>
<p class="p2"><br/><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Front End Desired Skills and Experience</span></p>
<p class="p2"><br/><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">· Experience working within a content management system and/or prior web experience</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">· Very comfortable working with HTML and CSS</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">· Good understanding of JavaScript & front-end frameworks such as jQuery & Bootstrap</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">· Adobe Creative Suite</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">· <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span> Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands.</span></p>
<p class="p2">· <span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>Solving technical problems involving multiple operating systems, applications, and platforms.<br/><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p2"><br/><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Room for advancement, given the proper initiative. Salary with benefits based on experience.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Must be able to work full-time from our Downtown Traverse City office.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Send resume to <a href="mailto:jobs@bytepro.net"><span class="s2">jobs@bytepro.net</span></a> only, no in-person or phone calls accepted.</span></p>How Does Your Website Perform?2016-09-06T20:20:49+00:002024-03-25T02:45:34+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/how-does-your-website-perform/<p><img alt='poster of "ask more questions" when planning your website design elements' height="auto" src="https://www.byte-productions.com/media/uploads/website_conversion_questions.jpeg" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" width="35%"/>This is a question that is often overlooked in website design. Many people focus heavily on the design elements to suit the look and feel of the website that they prefer. This can be a mistake if you do not factor in the performance elements of a website. What are performance elements? These are on page factors that influence the user of the site to take a certain action or interact with the page in a certain way. Where these elements are placed within the overall design can make or break the user experience of the site. These page characteristics are often overlooked because of the owner's preference to showcase certain products or services in a way that does not grab and engage the user. To really understand what is needed to strike a balance, there must be a conversation about the overall goal of the website. Many people know they need a website, but have less clarity on what the website should produce. </p>
<p></p>
<p>In a recent article for css-tricks.com - <a href="https://css-tricks.com/right-time-think-web-performance/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://css-tricks.com/right-time-think-web-performance/</a></p>
<p>The author - <a href="https://css-tricks.com/author/robinrendle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robin Rendle</a> discusses the importance of this conversation. The author says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>"So what sort of design topics impact performance? Well, any question that a designer might ask themselves. Like these:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>How many fonts should we use?</em></li>
<li><em>What sort of imagery should we apply?</em></li>
<li><em>What kind of analytics scripts do we need?</em></li>
<li><em>How does a user scroll through our app?</em></li>
<li><em>How does this complex component affect our CSS?</em></li>
<li><em>How should we even write CSS?</em></li>
<li><em>What kind of frameworks should we choose?</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>More often than not, these questions will lead to more code, more complexity and more bloat in a design system since…</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>The more fonts we add the longer we ask our users to wait.</em></li>
<li><em>The type of imagery we choose for a project will impact what image formats we use.</em></li>
<li><em>If we pick a crazy number of analytics tools then that can slow the whole app down, too.</em></li>
<li><em>Adding a complex component in CSS, that will only be used once in the app, will lead to code bloat and it’ll further slow down the time to first render (if only marginally).</em></li>
<li><em>Deciding which framework we use will have an enormous impact on the critical path.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>In short, design teams should measure their success against key web performance metrics because every decision they make will eventually lead to drastic changes in what gets sent down the pipe to the end user."</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>These types questions help focus the development of a great goal oriented website that will produce the desired results. Some more specific and common examples of performance producing elements are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Contact Forms</li>
<li>Expandable Content Boxes (<g class="gr_ gr_47 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" data-gr-id="47" id="47">FAQ's</g>)</li>
<li>Contact Information Placement</li>
<li>Video and Image Placement/Content</li>
<li>Popular Products</li>
<li>Related Products</li>
<li>Coupons and Special Offers</li>
</ul>
<p>All of these elements allow the user to engage in different ways that can lead to or produce <g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" data-gr-id="48" id="48">are</g> <g class="gr_ gr_49 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" data-gr-id="49" id="49">result</g>, in most <g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" data-gr-id="52" id="52">cases</g> the desired result is the purchase of a <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" data-gr-id="51" id="51">product,</g> or a phone call to the business. </p>
<p></p>
<p>On a great hubspot.com article - <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/landing-page-examples-list#sm.00153pzag1ac8f3i1025nri5sudsi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/landing-page-examples-list#sm.00153pzag1ac8f3i1025nri5sudsi</a></p>
<p>The Author - <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/author/ginny-mineo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ginny <g class="gr_ gr_38 gr-alert gr_spell gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" data-gr-id="38" id="38">MIneo</g> </a>Talks about many different conversion factors on many different websites, here is one that I really like. </p>
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/unbounce-landing-page-example.png?noresize&t=1473191292842&width=660&name=unbounce-landing-page-example.png" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: right;" target="_blank">Image Credit</a>
<div></div>
<img alt="Partial image of unbouce's website landing page template" caption="false" height="auto" src="https://www.byte-productions.com/media/uploads/unbouce-image.png" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" width="30%"/></div>
<blockquote>
<h3><em>"2) Unbounce</em></h3>
<p><em>It's no surprise Unbounce is near the top of this list -- they've actually written the book on creating high-converting landing pages. Although there are lots of amazing things about this landing page, the two that I absolutely love are: <strong>1)</strong> The directional cue from the supporting images to the CTA button, and <strong>2)</strong> the detailed -- but well packaged -- information below the form. </em></p>
<p><em>The first helps direct attention to the goal of the page -- for you to fill out the form -- in a way that's unobtrusive. The second gives this page an SEO boost (search engines will have more content to crawl) and assuages any worry from folks who need to know more about a piece of content before handing over their information, all while not distracting people from the form. "</em></p>
<p></p>
</blockquote>
<p>She has captured the essence of marking online. In my opinion, getting users to interact in a specific way involves drawing focus and narrowing the immediate decisions people can make on the page. This creates space in the <g class="gr_ gr_43 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" data-gr-id="43" id="43">users</g> mind to understand and comprehend what they are seeing. It is easy to understand and they can immediately gauge their own interest in the content of the page. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Here is another great source of information to help you answer these questions before you commit to an over design. </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zTDmmtzWh-0" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>If you have looked through all this information, and you still feel like you need some help, please feel free to reach out to us, we are happy to help you identify the goals of your website, as well as incorporate your ideal look and feel. </p>Ways To Choose The Best Web Design Company2016-02-17T18:44:55+00:002024-03-27T19:44:29+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/ways-to-choose-the-best-web-design-company/<p><img alt="Website on computer, phone and tablet" caption="false" height="auto" src="https://www.byte-productions.com/media/uploads/casestudies/envlaw-screens.png" style="width: 35%; height: auto; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 2%; float: right;"/>Taking the plunge to hire a web design company is a step in the right direction for your business. Not only does this service take the burden off your hands, but also when you choose the right company you can depend on quality workmanship. Having an excellent website makes your business more marketable, and it gives your clients a positive impression of your professional skills.</p>
<p>You should consider a <a href="https://www.byte-productions.com/traverse-city-web-design/">web design agency</a> to either create your website from scratch or at the very least, soup an existing site up if you don't have much experience in the marketing and advertising realm. The way you word your thoughts, the verbiage you use, and the images you add to your website mean everything as they create the first impression for your customers.</p>
<h3>Know What You Want Out of a Website</h3>
<p>When it comes to your bottom line, be as particular and precise as you can with the company you choose. Detail exactly what you expect to achieve regarding internet marketing and make sure the designer you are going with can deliver these results. When you paint a clear picture of what your goals are, the design team can better help you accomplish them.</p>
<p>Ask the company you are considering to provide proof of their certifications. Anyone can claim to be the best in the business, but the true testament is if they can prove it or not. You will want to see samples of their design talents, previous work, and read customer feedback. Don't hesitate to request case studies or examples of how the company has approached issues in the past and the solutions they provided.</p>
<h3>Consider Cost Versus Value</h3>
<p>Nobody wants to discuss cost right off the bat because money matters are always uncomfortable. However, your budget is indeed a huge part of the equation so bringing up this subject right away is a wise choice. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, so don't necessarily look for the cheapest designer in town. In another word, if you pay for a $2 site, you're going to get a $2 site.</p>
<p>As a business owner, make sure to have your ducks in a row regarding your expenditures. How much money have you spent over the past year in ad campaigns? What are those same figures over the previous five years and beyond? Have your marketing efforts brought a reasonable profit to your investments?</p>
<p>Inquire with the agency if they can provide reliable evidence of the value issued by way of functional outcomes. Keep in mind that you are after value, not cost alone. If the company can validate their ability to bring your business return on investment, they are a winning ticket. Sure, you'll have to pay a pretty penny for these results, but won't it be worth it when you increase your profitability?</p>
<h3>Identify a Solid History</h3>
<p>It is great to know how well a business fares amongst the masses. What you are looking for is a company with a solid reputation for exceptional workmanship, Unbeatable customer service, and a record of accomplishment of greatness.</p>
<p>The company should have a clear understanding of a variety of businesses and should provide proof of web design for these industries. You want the agency that you choose to understand your business, what makes it tick, and how to catch the eyes of your clients appropriately. This is where proof of case studies and stellar customer testimonials come into play.</p>Customer Spotlight : Grand Traverse Tennis Camp2015-06-22T13:47:39+00:002024-03-28T06:22:23+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-spotlight-grand-traverse-tennis-camp/<p>Fast, easy and affordable. Byte Productions builds websites quickly, efficiently and within your budget! </p>
<p>For the past three years, Byte Productions has offered $500 template-based websites to our customers. In the past year, we have improved these templates to be fully responsive and include great homepage rotations and photo gallery features. </p>
<p>We are excited to continue offering our<a href="http://www.bytepages.com/" target="_blank">bytePage template-based websites</a> which start at $500 in 2015.</p>
<p>We recently launched a new website for <a href="http://www.gttenniscamp.com/" target="_blank">Grand Traverse Tennis Camp</a> using <a href="http://responsive2.bytepages.com/" target="_blank">template #2</a>. {<a href="http://www.gttenniscamp.com/" target="_blank">Check it out!</a>}</p>
<p>We were able to use new photos and style the website up to look professional and fun for the client. </p>Customer Spotlight : The Hotel Frankfort2015-06-22T13:43:05+00:002024-03-22T06:27:07+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-spotlight-the-hotel-frankfort/<p>Byte Productions owners Tom & Tim Barrons grew up in Benzie County so when the opportunity arose to design and build a new website for The Hotel Frankfort, they jumped at the opportunity. </p>
<p>The Hotel Frankfort nestled in the must-see town of Frankfort, MI, has hosted thousands of vacationers from both near and far throughout the years. The hotel owners wanted a website that not only looked great, but was also completely functional for those looking to book a Northern Michigan vacation. </p>
<p>Our Content Developer, Sue Nolff and I were fortunate enough to visit the remodeled facility in December when the hotel hosted the Benzie County Chamber Business After Hours.</p>
<p>We were amazed by the unique rooms, bustling restaurant and wine cellar (of course!). The hotel has special room rates during the off-season and encourages even Northern Michiganders to take a visit during a "stay-cation". </p>
<p>We feel the new website captures the look and feel of downtown Frankfort & the Inn. We hope visitors will use the website as a guide of special events and happening in the area as well. </p>
<p>If you haven't already, check out the live <a href="http://www.thehotelfrankfort.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and be sure to visit the Hotel Frankfort next time you are in the area!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the Month of February, The Hotel Frankfort will be serving their 5 course <a href="http://www.thehotelfrankfort.com/local/upload/file/Valentines%20Day%20Dinner%202015-2%20(1).pdf" target="_blank">Dinner for Two</a>. Please call to make reservations 231-352-8090.</p>Google Sending Mobile Usability Warnings2015-03-22T13:45:07+00:002024-03-27T10:05:53+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/google-sending-mobile-usability-warnings/<div class="post">
<p>There has been a lot of buzz about “responsive” and mobile-friendly websites in 2013 & 14, but now, its hitting home for a lot of small businesses who haven’t made the update yet.</p>
<p>Google is now alerting <a href="https://www.google.com/webmasters/" target="_blank">webmaster</a> clients if their website is not mobile friendly and prompting web admins to update or “fix” the problem immediately.</p>
<p>The message has a subject line of "Fix mobile usability issues found on http://www...."</p>
<p>Typically, Google notifying webmasters about crucial issues is a sign of BIG changes to come in terms of Google's Algorithm (which ranks websites in search results). </p>
<p>Although nothing is confirmed, experts are estimating drops in traffic to those who do not update their website to be mobile-friendly.</p>
<p>If you have received this email and are unsure how to proceed, <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/contact-us" target="_blank">contact us</a> and we can help you assess your website and assist in making the best decisions regarding your online presence.</p>
<h3>Not sure if your website is responsive or mobile-friendly?</h3>
<p>There is a nifty tool to show you how your responsive website looks on all devices called <a href="http://ami.responsivedesign.is/" target="_blank">Am I Responsive</a>. *** Please note if you have mobile pages they won't be shown here. </p>
<p>Simply type in your URL (including the http://www) into the search bar to see how your responsive website looks to online visitors. If you see something that isn't formatting correctly, you may be missing out on potential business. </p>
<p>If you have mobile-pages built into your site, you will see yourdomain.com/mobile in mobile search results and also the term "mobile-friendly" before the meta description.</p>
<p>Be sure to <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/contact-us" target="_blank">contact Byte Productions</a> ASAP to make sure mobile visitors are able to find and access information on your website. These updates will affect you if you do not update. Don't miss out! </p>
</div>Partnering Functionality and Design - The H Residence2015-02-22T13:38:15+00:002024-03-27T11:31:34+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/partnering-functionality-and-design/<p>In the web world, functionality and design go hand in hand to create highly successful websites. A stunning design loses its pizzazz when slow response time, broken images and poorly written code sinks in. </p>
<p>That's why Byte Productions partners with many marketing and design agencies to be their web and technology partner. Our content managed websites are built and supported by us and not only do we provide great customer service, we build a superior product that is optimized for a great user experience. </p>
<p>One of our latest partnership projects was building a new custom-designed website for luxury condominiums called the <a href="http://www.hresidence.org/" target="_blank">H Residence</a>. <br/><br/>Trapani is a great company to work with and we greatly appreciate their eye for design! We partnered with <a href="http://www.trapanicomm.com/" target="_blank">Trapani Communications</a>, in Midland, MI. They designed the layout and interior pages of the site and we built a responsive website using our easy-to-use content management system.</p>
<p>If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about using Byte Productions as a web and technology partner, feel free to <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/contact-us" target="_blank">contact us</a>. </p>Thank You for a Fantastic 20142014-12-22T13:39:01+00:002024-03-24T15:29:42+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/what-makes-us-different/<p>As 2014 comes to an end, we (like many other businesses) are able to reflect on our company as a whole and the direction we would like to take for the next year. </p>
<p>It's been quite an amazing year with many highlights which include, but are not limited to participating in the Traverse City Chamber's Small Business Awards, handling over 2400 registrations in 19 minutes for the Bayshore Marathon, adding a great Developer, Rob Vezina to the team, volunteering at the VASA ski race and overall producing great work for multiple projects. </p>
<p>We often get the question, "What makes you different than other web design companies?". The answer sometimes fluctuates but it always stems from the fact that everyone here is truly passionate about the work they produce. We set ourselves apart by answering and returning phone calls and emails, training customers how to use technology to end up saving them money and also providing simple solutions for sometimes complex situations. </p>
<p>Every client is different, and it always amazing us how much we are able to learn everyday. Every project that comes through our door has our team researching for best solutions and brainstorming new ideas. </p>
<p>I'm excited to announce that 2015 will hold new developments for our <a href="http://www.byteevents.com/" target="_blank">Online Event Registration System</a>, byteEvents to make it even bigger and better and we will continue to offer our <a href="http://www.bytepages.com/" target="_blank">small business websites</a> for only $500! </p>
<p>Thank you for all of your continuous support and keeping this small business rolling for over 23 years.</p>
<p> - The Byte Productions Team</p>Customer Spotlight : Lee Studio2014-10-22T13:32:48+00:002024-03-25T05:01:06+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-spotlight-lee-studio/<p>Lee Studio, located on 400 Cass Street in Downtown Traverse City, MI, is where you can find the books and fine art reproductions by Leslie Lee are available. </p>
<p>We recently launched a new website for Lee Studio which features the ecommerce ability to purchase Leslie's two books online (and more merchandise on the way!)</p>
<p>Her first book, <em><a href="http://www.leestudiotc.com/books/backcountry-ranger/" target="_blank">Backcountry Ranger</a>, The Diaries and Photographs of Norton Pearl in Glacier National Park 1910-1913 </em>is the history of early Ranger, Norton Pearl, at Glacier National Park’s beginnings. </p>
<p>Leslie's newest book, is an innovative and inspiring fusion of architecture, photographs, poetry, and visionary philosophy called <a href="http://www.leestudiotc.com/books/sacred-space-pine-hollow/" target="_blank">Sacred Space, Pine Hollow</a>. Lee hopes the book will introduce the Pine Hollow property and organization to the world, and her poetry will inspire others to always strive for a better future. </p>
<p>To learn more, visit Lee Studio online at <a href="http://www.leestudiotc.com/" target="_blank">www.leestudiotc.com</a>. </p>Customer Spotlight : Granco Clark2014-09-22T13:31:59+00:002024-03-27T00:00:32+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-spotlight-granco-clark/<p>We recently launched a new custom-designed, content managed website for <a href="http://www.grancoclark.com/" target="_blank">Granco Clark</a>, an aluminum extrusion industry supplier located in Belding, MI. </p>
<p>This project had us created two websites, one in English and one completely in Chinese. The Granco Clark China site will launch shortly! </p>
<p>The Granco Clark staff were an absolute pleasure to work with especially our main contact, Scott Biggs. </p>
<p>We love when we have satisfied customers and receive great feedback.</p>
<p>Here is what Scott had to say about working with Byte:</p>
<p>"I wanted to thank you all for having these two sites move through quickly and smoothly, this is why the staff and BYTE productions has always been my number once choice as a partner for web related work.</p>
<p>Always keeping updates fresh and at the right times, quick to offer solutions and execute them. Can not say enough good things about the team at BYTE other than…Job well done!"</p>
<p> - Scott Biggs, Marketing Manager at Granco Clark</p>Customer Spotlight : Taste Bud Branding2014-08-22T13:27:51+00:002024-03-22T06:24:50+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-spotlight-taste-bud-branding/<p>Got a sweet tooth for corporate branded goodies? There's a new business in town called Taste Bud Branding here to fill those cravings with deliciously tasteful gifts & giveaways. </p>
<p>Taste Bud Branding can take your logo, photos or any image and create quality branded snacks from BBQ sauce to trail mix. These guys have the right connections to make a product you not only want to display, but also one you want to eat! </p>
<p>Our friends at <a href="http://www.idea-stream.com/" target="_blank">Idea Stream</a> produced the web design and we built the website using our <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/byteeditor" target="_blank">byteEditor Content Management System</a>. We also integrated a custom ecommerce system, which has a lot of unique and fun features like the ability to search by category, price bestsellers and more. </p>
<p>With the byteEditor CMS, the client now has the ability to upload new products and update products information and prices. This option saves money and time in the long run! </p>
<p>This was a fun project for us as we love to collaborate with local design shops as well as helping launch new businesses. (Plus, we have a mild obsession with Buddy, the Taste Bud Branding mascot).</p>
<p>Check out the new <a href="http://www.tastebudbranding.com/" target="_blank">Taste Bud Branding website</a> and keep them in mind next time you are ordering branded goodies! </p>Websites for Small Businesses2013-08-22T13:02:23+00:002024-03-21T11:02:15+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/websites-for-small-businesses/<p>I recently encountered a small business owner who asked me, "Do you work with small businesses? I've seen some of your work with the <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/cherryfestival" target="_blank">National Cherry Festival</a>, but we're much smaller."</p>
<p>The answer is YES, we do!</p>
<p>At Byte, we work with a variety of clients from a self-starting entrepreneur to a large, nationally-recognized hospital. Personally, I think it's a great mix. Our staff gets to learn about different industries and trades almost daily and bringing someone's dream website to life is an awesome feeling. </p>
<p>We aren't just a web company that you never get to meet or talk to. We're people, and we like to work with other good people, so no matter how large your company or budget is, we'll find the right set of tools for you to succeed online. </p>
<p>One of our most popular small business solution is bytePages. bytePages are template-based websites with a CMS (content management system) included in the package. The CMS gives small business owners the ability to log-in and update any information easily. Got a new logo? No problem. Want to upload photos from your last luncheon? You can do that as well. Plus, it's easy to learn. </p>
<p>bytePages sites have appealed to an assortment of clients. Below are some of our clients.</p>
<p>5K Races: <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/turkeytrot" target="_blank">Traverse City Turkey Trot </a></p>
<p>Festivals: <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/bayside-festival" target="_blank">Bayside Festival</a></p>
<p>Laundromats: <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/westbaylaundry" target="_blank">West Bay Laundry </a></p>
<p>Computers/Technology: <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/citymac" target="_blank">CityMac</a></p>
<p>Once you get started developing your bytePages site, it can sometimes be difficult to begin to write applicable content. We took this issue into consideration and now, as an added bonus we will also work with you to develop up to four (4) pages of content. </p>
<p>With a price tag of $500, it's a business investment you don't want to miss out on! </p>
<p>Visit <a href="http://www.bytepages.com/" target="_blank">bytePages.com</a> for more information and get started by building your website online. Once you purchase your site, we will be in contact with you about your next steps.</p>
<h3>Additional bytePages Information</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.bytepages.com/bytepages/website_faqs.php" target="_blank">Frequently Asked Questions</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/portfolio/tag/bytePages" target="_blank">Full Portfolio</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.bytepages.com/contactform/contactform.php" target="_blank">Contact Us</a></p>Official Web Sponsor of the National Cherry Festival2013-07-04T12:57:50+00:002024-03-21T10:41:55+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/official-web-sponsor-of-the-national-cherry-festival/<p>The National Cherry Festival is gearing up for another jam-packed week with thousands of attendees and dozens of concerts, events & festivities. While The National Cherry Festival is in the limelight of the news and press, Byte Productions works quietly from their Cherry Bend office to ensure the festivals web presence is enjoyable for viewers.</p>
<p>A few months ago, Trevor Tkach, Executive Director & Mandy De Puy, Director of First Impressions of the National Cherry Festival discuss the last minute, minor updates to the website with Tim Barrons Owner/Partner of Byte Productions.</p>
<p>This last minute, pre-festival back and forth is nothing new though. The relationship between Byte Productions & The National Cherry Festival began in the mid-90s and neither have looked back since. Tim Barrons exclaims, “We feel honored that the Cherry Festival has continued to choose Byte Productions as their technology partner for the past 15+ years”.</p>
<p>Being raised in the area, the Barrons brothers developed strong ties to the Traverse City area early on. They started Byte Productions in 1991 and soon after, wanted to give back to the community in the best way they knew how, web-work.</p>
<p>They were presented with the opportunity to become the Official Web Sponsor of the The National Cherry Festival, and the brothers decided it was the perfect opportunity to collaborate as well as give back to the community.</p>
<p>Throughout the years, the festival website has gone though many changes, the most recent in February 2012. The 2012 redesign was complete with a new look as well as new functional event scheduling tools called <a href="http://www.byte-productions.com/byteevents" target="_blank">byteEvents</a>, for event guests. In 2013, another visual change occurred and the background image changed from the Blue Angels to the cherries. </p>
<p>As The National Cherry Festival evolves, Byte Productions looks forward to creating new and improved tools to implement, as well as build and grow the sponsorship. </p>
<p>The feedback has been amazing and Byte Productions has even received this stellar testimonial from Chuck O' Connor, the Director of Marketing for the National Cherry Festival. </p>
<p>“All of the praise that the National Cherry Festival website has received over the years for its variety of features – from animations and multimedia, to the functionality of its databases – is due to the creativity and intuitive suggestions of the Byte team”</p>
<p>Make sure to visit the National Cherry Festival <a href="http://www.cherryfestival.org/" target="_blank">website</a> & join in on the event festivities! Don't forget to use #cherryfestival and share your experiences.</p>Is It Time For a Redesign?2013-04-22T12:48:54+00:002024-03-24T23:47:11+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/4-reasons-why-you-need-a-redesign/<div class="post">
<p>The typical shelf life of a web layout design is approximately three to four years. These couple of years can fly by when you have a thriving business, employees to manage and multiple deadlines to meet. However, keeping your website current and relevant is extremely important when maintaining your competitiveness in your market.</p>
<p>Instead of assuming that your website is generating leads purely because it’s live, is the wrong assumption to make. Your website may actually be driving potential customers away if they can’t find exactly what they're looking for within a few seconds. They may even go to another website to find their answers, and who wants that?</p>
<p>If it's been a while since you’ve visited your own website, you aren’t alone. Many businesses overlook this, or even forget to do it in the hustle and bustle of every day life. Do yourself a favor. Make a note to yourself to set aside a few minutes and visit your own website, and view it as one of your customers would. You may be able to answer questions about why business hasn't been going exactly the way you want it to lately.</p>
<p>Here are some design tips to keep in mind as you go through the process.</p>
<h2>Design</h2>
<p>We’ve all visited a website that just looks outdated. Styles and design trends change rapidly these days, which makes it nearly impossible to have a six-year-old web design and still look current.</p>
<p>Do some research, check out other websites and see the design choices they’ve made; see what speaks to you. Start with your direct competition and then move away to get ideas to differentiate yourself from them. Concentrate on what makes you different, unique and the best at what you do. Did you win the best small business award of 2012? Let your customers know by incorporating it into your site's design!</p>
<h2>Sizing & Resolution</h2>
<p>Do you remember how small your first computer monitor was? More and more often, people are opting for a larger monitor. (Mine for instance, is about twice the size of the one I had before.)</p>
<p>Older websites may have been designed using the 800x600 pixel resolution, which is much smaller than the 1024x786 resolution that most of the population has today. When you visit an older site on a larger monitor, you can tell immediately there is a lot of wasted space in the sidebars. This is PRIME REAL ESTATE that you are potentially wasting. Make sure your most important information fits at the top of the home page because many times, people won't even take the time to scroll down.</p>
<p>By expanding your resolution, you can add key functions such as a sidebar, blog or call to action without making the customer have to scroll.</p>
<p>Many websites are also getting into responsive design. This means the website will format itself appropriately on any device you visit from; desktop, iPad, iPhone. This way you know your customer will have a good experience no matter what device they use.</p>
<h2>Outdated Information</h2>
<p>Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find the correct information about a company. If you’ve recently relocated, changed your phone number or have outdated employee information on your website, you may be losing out on potential customers who can’t get ahold of you.</p>
<p>This is a simple fix, especially with easy to use CMS tools. Designate someone in your office to be responsible for updating the website, or if you’re a one-man-shop, set reminders for yourself to log-in and check to see if your content is still relevant. Take a step further and incorporate more dynamic content each time.</p>
<h2>Social Networking</h2>
<p>Integrating social media into your website is essential today. It shows that your brand takes an active part in networking and that you truly want to connect with your fan base. Including links to your social networking sites creates a user-friendly experience which will generate even more fans and followers. Post relevant information on your social sites to create a buzz around your brand, and you will see more loyal customers who feel connected to you and your business.</p>
<h3>A Different Approach</h3>
<p>Overall layout, design and content can really make or break a website. When designing for the web, you always want to keep the customer in mind to ensure a great end-user experience. Many design and web companies run into design limitations when they are not able to properly develop the back-end code to make the design function correctly.</p>
<p>The Byte Production team has a different approach for this issue. Owner/Partner, Tim Barrons states, “The client’s design drives the code, not the other way around”, meaning if you have the design, we’ll figure out a way to bring it to life on the web.</p>
<p>We work with our customers one-on-one to achieve their web design goals. We gather your print materials, photos and ideas to create different design options then, let you choose your new, branded site. Nothing is more exciting to us than launching a website you will be proud of.</p>
<p>So, remember, take a few minutes and really assess if you are getting your message across to your customers. Maybe you just need a simple update of information, maybe you want to launch a social media account, or maybe it's time for a completely new design and when that time comes, please keep Byte Productions in mind.</p>
</div>The Pitfalls of Other CMS Sites2012-06-14T12:45:45+00:002024-03-22T05:18:09+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/the-pitfalls-of-other-cms-sites/<p>So, you've got a "second cousin" who is offering to setup a WordPress site for your business for practically nothing? Please read the following before you take the leap and make a possible lethal business decision!</p>
<p>WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal sites are fully functional content-managed websites. With these, you can download files and customize the site to your liking for absolutely free. Free is great, but there are downfalls to going this route.</p>
<p>Your cousin may know how to properly create a website in WordPress and upload the 40,000 +/- files from these providers, BUT is your cousin an experienced PHP programmer who can SECURELY re-program template files so your site looks like you want it to? Most importantly, is your cousin experienced enough to handle a hacker?</p>
<p>Once you have a free WordPress site, you will discover that every couple of weeks or so, you will get a big notice across your site management screen that tells you that you need to upgrade your system, or various plugins that you are using on your system. If handled by an inexperienced programmer, this upgrading process could take upward of an hour, and it could potentially break your website.</p>
<p>So, what will your cousin do when you wake up one morning and your site has been viciously hacked overnight? Is he or she experienced enough to be able to find and close the hole in the programming that the hacker found and exploited? Did he or she have a backup of your files and database so they can be restored? How long will your site be down, and will it even be able to be restored to its original content?</p>
<h3>Is your head spinning yet?</h3>
<p>These questions showcase the real danger of allowing just anyone to set you up with a WordPress site. You are handing over complete control of your site's security, or lack thereof, to this person.</p>
<h3>Let's talk alternatives.</h3>
<p>At Byte, our programmers are the only ones who have access to the source code. This makes it exponentially more difficult for hackers to exploit your website. Our proprietary software has successfully protected the websites of our 200+ clients and can do the same for you! Plus, unlike your cousin, we provide ongoing customer service. We're just a call away to answer any of your probing questions.</p>
<p>We’ve also developed our own fully-functional CMS (Content Management System) that is completely and securely housed on our own servers, and no one has access to those server-side programming files but us. Our CMS is available for use in our template sites for a very reasonable price, or we can completely customize the design and functions of it to your liking. The scale between the two is entirely up to you.</p>
<p>These are the standard features of our proprietary CMS:</p>
<ul>
<li>Unlimited pages</li>
<li>In-site blog</li>
<li>Searchable database (categorize and tag the posts)</li>
<li>Widgets</li>
<li>Social media</li>
<li>Event calendar (subscribe & email options)</li>
<li>State-of-the-art photo gallery</li>
<li>Password protection (public pages, or on particular site management pages)</li>
</ul>
<p>We can go beyond these standard features and create further web applications, e-commerce systems, custom database systems, etc. Just tell us what you want, and we will create it for you.</p>
<p>Best of all, you'll get the best, ongoing customer service possible from a web production company that's been in the business for 22 years!</p>
<p>Drop us an email at sales@bytepro.net or give us a call at (231) 946-2983. We'll be happy to help you assess and meet all of your website needs.</p>Customer Focus: Northern Speech Services2012-03-22T11:53:02+00:002024-03-27T07:43:23+00:00adminhttps://byte-productions.com/blog/author/admin/https://byte-productions.com/blog/customer-focus-northern-speech-services/<p><a class="bodyText" href="http://www.northernspeechservices.com/" target="_blank">Northern Speech Services & National Rehabilitation Services Inc.</a><span class="bodyText"> has been a long-term client of Byte Productions since 1997. They are a leader in providing online courses (E-Courses), seminars and products that provide continuing education for Speech Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Educators.<br/><br/>We built the last version of their website seven years ago in 2003. In our book that is a strong shelf life for web technology, especially with as many dynamic sections as their website has. Their recently launched, new website provides major updates for 2010.</span></p>
<p><span class="bodyText">The new site for the next decade incorporates many innovative features, the majority of which are happening behind the scenes, giving them:</span></p>
<ul>
<li class="bodyText">greater control for the administrators,</li>
<li class="bodyText">the automation of key tasks essential to operating their business,</li>
<li class="bodyText">eliminating many redundant tasks no longer necessary, and</li>
<li class="bodyText">helping their company to run more efficiently utilizing the newest online technology.</li>
</ul>
<p><span class="bodyText">NSS is taking full advantage of web technology to communicate with their clients and to allow their site visitors to take online courses, register for seminars, purchase products and more. Byte is proud to put them in our customer spotlight this month, and wishes them great success with their new web tools.</span></p>