Category Archives: business

Each link validates your website

Search Engines consider a number of factors when ranking a website. One important factor is ‘links’ from other websites each link validates your website. The more ‘clicks’, the larger the perceived trust and importance your website implies. This in theory, will increase its ranking.
The links between designing a world beating web page and delivering content are closer than you think. Words are the building blocks of all great websites. By selecting the best words available you stand a better chance of creating a world beater. By using the best combination of words and web optimization techniques you may end up creating a successful website. There is no need to be subversive if the content of your pages are good – you have no need to use illegal methods. Read More…

If you want us to give you a Quote for a ‘Green’ web site or want us to consult on your SEO matters, please contact us via email.

SEO – a business con?

SEO is no longer the cryptic crossword puzzle for those who indulged in Internet geekdom but the get rich technique for the opportunist and charlatan. Some optimization companies charge ridiculously large amounts of money for a lot of their optimisation services. These same businesses then try to explain their rates by attempting to convince prospective clients that by paying ‘extra’ they get a better deal in the long term. This technique reminds me of double glazing salesmen, who all say that by spending more with ‘x’ you get a better deal than with ‘y’, when in reality they all get their materials and manufacturing equipment from the same suppliers. Any businessman or businesswoman can intelligently work out that the reason for their inflated prices are due to a combination of greed and over staffing.

I agree that optimisation is important and that there are excellent companies out there offering value for money but don’t let that optimiszation contract you have signed be the expense that makes you jump from a tall building. Shop around ask other web site owners for advice – just be smart and try to implement simple stratigies for yourself.

The links between designing a world beating web page and delivering content are closer than you think. Words are the building blocks of all great websites. By selecting the best words available you stand a better chance of creating a world beater. By using the best combination of words and web optimization techniques you may end up creating a successful website. There is no need to be subversive if the content of your pages are good – you have no need to use illegal methods. Read More…

Search Engine Optimization is big business in an age when the rest of the worlds’ business community is tightening its belt. The expression ‘Ambulance Chasers’ comes to mind. I will accept that good SEO requires hours and hours of hard work, involving research and then analysis and scrutiny but what is the acceptable cost? Is this task worth solicitors’ rates?

Festival website goes green

West Buckland Festival website is powered by 100% wind energy. The machines hosting their site and e-mail are fully eco-friendly! As energy awareness continues to grow, people are not just looking to make lifestyle adjustments, they want to make environmentally responsible decisions, this site is powered by renewable energy. Contact North Devon Web for details on how to make your business website more in tune with today’s responsible business (moral and environmental) obligations.

The Festival will start on Thursday 8th and end on the late evening of Sunday 11th September 2011

Thursday evening:

The Festival will commence at 7p.m on Thursday when The Gallery Exhibition will be open for viewing in St Peter’s Church. There will be a Special Preview, between 7 and 9pm; and this year we shall have another innovation – a series of Mini Master Classes, when visitors will have the opportunity to listen to and discuss with some of the Artists and Crafts people (with easels or craft tools and equipment). They will be in attendance to talk about their work to small groups of people in different parts of St Peter’s Church. We shall publish details of who will do short talks/ demonstrations of their work at a later date. First class refreshments will be available as well as wine and soft drinks. Many Works of art will be for sale.



Friday evening:

This year we shall have a special Classical Concert featuring well known music composed in the 19th and early 20th century – Paganini, Bizet, Ravel, Grieg and maybe a touch of Elgar. We shall, as always feature some young musicians near the top of their skills. Many will come from North Devon but will be at Music Schools around the UK.

Saturday evening:

In 2009 we had Music Hall, in 2010 it was Cabaret and this year the Show will be pure Variety.We have already booked three favourites from past years – Louise Lloyd – the beautiful Soprano, who two years ago led a packed audience in Land of Hope and Glory, is back and will be as great a pleasure as ever.

Sunday evening:

On Sunday 11 th September the West Buckland Festival will have the first really well known international STAR that we have booked. We cannot say who that will be yet; the Contract has been signed, but there are still a few i’s to dot before we can make the announcement; this will be in March. So, stand by to buy your tickets – space is limited and we know that so many of you will WANT to come. Enough said – for now!
During the run up to the West Buckland Festival (North Devon, UK) we will be sending out information and special offers to people who receive our Newsletter. If you would like to receive our Newsletter please enter your email into the form here.

Browser wars

When building a website it is important to make sure your website works in different browsers:
Quote:
Firefox overtook Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) to become the number one browser in Europe in December 2010 according to StatCounter, the free website analytics company.
The firm’s research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that in December, Firefox took 38.11% of European market share, compared to IE’s 37.52%.
“This is the first time that IE has been dethroned from the number one spot in a major territory,” commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. “This appears to be happening because Google’s Chrome is stealing share from Internet Explorer while Firefox is mainly maintaining its existing share.”

WordPress – a small business tool

Small businesses need to increase their web presence effectively and cheaply. There are a lot of free, and exceptional efficient tools out there and some are more powerful – getting your products into search engines – than expensive branded software and tools. This little step will help you stay in business.
One of our favorites is  WordPress which delivers a mighty bang when optimising a website. WordPress appeared in 2003, with a few users who were looking for a way to  enhance the typography of writing on the Web. Since then it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, used on millions of sites and seen by tens of millions of people every day.
WordPress is in principle a blogging tool but, with the new updates, can be used to create a dynamic business website. It does require a bit of technical knowledge to set up, like creating and linking to a MySQL database – but we can help you.
MySQL is a database that is frequently used for Web applications. It’s fast and reliable and can store large quantities of data; several high-traffic Web sites use MySQL for data storage, including Google, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube and Wikipedia. When you install an application, such as WordPress, you need a MySQL database.
North Devon Web can help you with setting up a small business website powered by WordPress. North Devon Web  belongs to a network of websites that host in a green way.  North Devon Web is helping to prevent the release of 2,660 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year by hosting on ‘Green Servers’ – as a result,  the network’s energy efficiency is equivalent to planting approximately 2,390 acres of trees, not driving 6.1 million miles, or removing 510 cars from the road.