Working with people you like is more important than one may realize. Besides easy communication, it will be a more pleasant experience. Working with a company that you are comfortable with, and having access to a person to contact directly, who will be there to help with any of your needed web services, is a game-changer. Some of our clients have been with us for many years, and that is because we made a good connection. Not to mention the good work, of course!
Good Communication
When you like the person you’re working with, communication can be so much more effective and efficient. You may be more open to sharing ideas and feedback, which can lead to better collaboration and problem-solving. Many people don’t understand a lot of the technical aspects of their website project, and feeling comfortable with their contact will really help them feel much more at ease.
They get back to you
This sounds like the obvious and what people in business should do, but unfortunately, many don’t. Not everyone is conscientious and that has been an advantage to those of us who are. It’s important to be kept in the loop on your project’s progression, no matter how large or small it may be. They call you back and respond to your emails quickly. This is really of utmost importance when working with anyone.
Motivation
When you work with someone you like, you may feel more motivated and engaged in your project. You both will be more willing to go above and beyond to achieve your shared goals. On a side note, as a business, we deliver good service and good work to all of our clients, whether we make a deeper connection or not. We treat everyone like they are our only client.
Satisfaction
A web company that you have a good rapport with is more likely to produce even higher-quality work. This is because they will hear you more clearly and will be able to create a product that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.
Increased trust
When you enjoy working with a web company, you may develop a higher level of trust in their abilities and expertise. You will feel more confident in their ability to deliver on their promises and to create a website that meets your needs. This is also critical when you have a monthly maintenance relationship, since you want them to understand your requests clearly.
A web company that you like and trust will provide easy-to-follow project management and timelines. This will give you confidence that they will work hard to ensure that your project is completed on time and within budget.
Long-term relationship
When you find a web company that you like, you can develop a long-term relationship with them. This can lead to a deeper understanding of your business needs and goals and can result in a more effective and efficient web development process for future projects or ongoing maintenance. If anything web-related comes up, you just need to make one phone call! Ours! 916-917-5604
You can see what some of our clients have to say about Grateful Web Services here
Any of our clients will be happy to agree that Grateful Web Services gives them great customer support! If you want to reach out for a recommendation, please feel free to get in touch with them.
Our oldest client
We have delivered three websites over the last twenty-plus years. We also do ongoing maintenance, as well as hosting and email support. https://trucksmart.com/
Social media is any kind of online communication platform that allows users to create, share, and exchange information, ideas, and content with others. Social media platforms enable users to interact with each other.
There are many different platforms, including Facebook, Twitter – X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. Each has its own unique features and user base. These platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives, with billions of people around the world using them to connect with friends and family, share news and information, and discover new products and services.
Digital Marketing
Social media platforms also play an important role in digital marketing. It allows businesses to reach new audiences, build brand awareness, and engage with customers. Social media marketing involves creating and sharing content on social media platforms to achieve marketing goals such as increasing website traffic, generating leads, and driving sales.
Post as often as you can and minimally once a month.
Content promotion
Platforms are great for promoting your website content, whether it’s a blog post, video, or infographic. By sharing your content on social media, you can reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your website.
When someone clicks on a link to your website from a social media platform, it’s considered referral traffic. By sharing links to your website on social media, you can increase referral traffic and attract new visitors.
Social media advertising
Advertising is a cost-effective way to drive traffic to your website. By creating targeted ads and promoting them on social media platforms, you can attract new visitors to your website.
Do you need help with your social media? Get in touch and we can discuss your needs.
Responsive and mobile design is an approach that allows websites to adapt to different screen sizes and devices, providing an optimal viewing experience for users on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Every modern website should be mobile-friendly. More than 55% of website traffic now comes from mobile devices, and 92.3% of internet users access the internet through a mobile phone or tablet. This makes responsive and mobile design more important than ever.
Better User Experience with Responsive and Mobile Design
Websites are optimized for the device being used, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience. This includes simple navigation, easy-to-read fonts, and properly sized images. A consistent design across devices builds trust and makes it easier for users to find what they need.
For more about user experience, the Nielsen Norman Group offers excellent research on why UX matters.
Increased Mobile Traffic
With mobile browsing on the rise, having a responsive website is essential for reaching a wider audience. Responsive and mobile design ensures that your website is accessible and user-friendly for mobile visitors. According to Statista, mobile devices account for more than half of all global web traffic.
Loading Speed and Performance
Responsive websites are designed to load quickly on all devices, including mobile phones. This is important because mobile users often rely on slower connections and may have limited data plans. A fast-loading, mobile-friendly website keeps visitors engaged and reduces bounce rates. Free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help test and improve your site speed.
Improved Search Engine Rankings
Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search results, and responsive and mobile design is a key factor in determining mobile usability. A responsive site can improve your search rankings, leading to higher visibility and more organic traffic. For details, see Google Search Essentials.
Cost-Effective and Scalable
A responsive website eliminates the need to build a separate mobile site, which can be costly and difficult to maintain. Instead, responsive and mobile design allows you to manage one site that adapts across devices. This reduces development costs while making updates more efficient.
Staying Relevant with Responsive and Mobile Design
With the constant growth in device variety, from smartphones and tablets to large desktop screens, responsive and mobile design ensures that your site will remain relevant and accessible. It future-proofs your online presence, keeping your business competitive in a mobile-first world.
If your website is not mobile-friendly, please contact Grateful Web Services to change that!
Website loading speed is one of the most important factors for SEO and user experience. A website that loads quickly makes a great first impression, while a slow site can cost you visitors, sales, and even search visibility.
Why Website Loading Speed Matters for User Experience
Users expect websites to load almost instantly. If a site takes too long, they often leave before it finishes loading. According to Google research, one in four visitors abandons a site if it takes more than four seconds to load. On the other hand, a fast-loading website improves engagement and encourages visitors to stay longer.
For more information on usability, the Nielsen Norman Group explains how speed directly impacts user satisfaction.
Ways to Improve Site Performance
Search engines consider website loading speed when ranking pages. Google prioritizes sites that deliver a smooth, fast experience because speed is tied to usability. By optimizing your site’s loading speed, you can improve search visibility and attract more traffic. See Google Search Central’s SEO Starter Guide for best practices.
If you’re looking for hands-on help, check out our website maintenance services, where we make speed improvements part of ongoing care.
The Impact of Loading Speed on Mobile Devices
With mobile browsing dominating global traffic, website loading speed on mobile devices is critical. Mobile users are often on slower connections, which makes delays feel worse. A fast mobile site reduces bounce rates, enhances SEO, and boosts conversions. A tool like Google PageSpeed Insights is great for testing mobile performance.
How to Improve Website Loading Speed
Improving your site’s speed involves several strategies, including:
Overall, website loading speed impacts user experience, SEO rankings, and conversions. A fast website helps your business grow, while a slow one can frustrate visitors and harm visibility. Taking steps now to improve speed will deliver long-term benefits for your online presence.
Payment Service Providers (PSPs): PSPs such as PayPal, Stripe, and Square offer easy-to-integrate solutions for accepting online payments. They handle the payment processing and security aspects, allowing you to focus on integrating their APIs into your website.
API stands for Application Programming Interface
It is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. An API defines the methods and data formats applications can use to request and exchange information.
Merchant Accounts
You can set up a merchant account with a bank or financial institution to process credit card payments directly. This typically requires more effort to set up and may involve compliance requirements, but it provides more control over the payment process.
Payment Gateways
Payment gateways like Authorize.Net, and Braintree act as intermediaries between your website and the payment networks. They securely process credit card transactions, handle the communication between your website and the payment networks, and often provide additional features like fraud detection and recurring billing.
E-commerce Platforms
If you’re using an e-commerce platform like Shopify, WooCommerce (WordPress), or Magento (now Adobe Commerce), they usually have built-in payment integrations that you can activate. These platforms often support multiple payment gateways, making it easy to start accepting payments.
Cryptocurrencies
Some websites accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum as payment. You can integrate with cryptocurrency payment processors like BitPay or CoinGate to facilitate these transactions. This may be the wave of the future, so it may be a good idea to learn more about these options.
Mobile Payment Solutions
Mobile payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay have gained popularity. Integrating these payment methods into your website can provide a convenient checkout experience for mobile users.
When choosing a payment method for your website, consider factors like transaction fees, setup and maintenance effort, security, supported countries and currencies, and the user experience you want to provide.
SSL
It would be remiss not to mention the need for an SSL. This is important for any website but even more so for a website taking payments, We have all of the info in this SSL blog.
Image of Scrabble wooden letters that spell the word Keywords
When adding content to your website, it is important to write and publish copy that will help with search engine placement. Using Keywords in your written content is one thing that can be done that helps with the effort. More info on Wikipedia
SEO Friendly Content
Writing Search Engine friendly content for your website is important to improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic. Below are some tips.
Keyword Research
Identify relevant keywords related to your topic and use them throughout your content. You can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find relevant keywords.
Use Headings and Subheadings
Use headings and subheadings to break up your content into sections and make it easier for readers to scan your content. Also, use your target keywords in your headings and subheadings to help search engines understand the structure of your content.
Optimize Meta Descriptions
Write compelling meta descriptions that include your target keywords and provide a brief summary of your content. This will help search engines understand the content of your page and attract more clicks from search engine users. This can be edited every 6 months but best to keep the same meta descriptions to build authority on the subject matter.
Write High-Quality Content Using Keywords
Focus on creating high-quality content that provides value to your readers. This includes using proper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, as well as writing engaging content that is easy to read and understand.
Use Internal and External Links
Use internal links to link to other pages on your website and external links to link to relevant, authoritative sources. This can help improve the user experience and provide additional value to your readers.
Optimize Images
Use descriptive alt tags for your images that include your target keywords. This can help improve your image search rankings and make your content more accessible for users with disabilities.
Overall, writing SEO-friendly content requires a combination of keyword research, high-quality content creation, and on-page optimization. By following these tips, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic to your website.
If you are thinking about a new website or updating your old one, congratulations! This is one of the most important steps in showcasing your business to customers and potential customers. A well-designed new website not only improves credibility but also helps you attract more visitors and convert them into leads.
The Process of Building a New Website
The website development process typically involves several stages. The steps below outline a general framework, but keep in mind that every new website project is unique.
Planning
The first step is careful planning. This includes identifying the purpose of the website, defining your target audience, creating a content strategy, and determining the site’s structure and navigation. For best practices, check out Google’s guide to planning a website.
Design
Once planning is complete, the next step is design. This involves creating a visual layout, choosing color schemes, selecting typography, and adding design elements that align with your brand. Good design plays a major role in building trust with visitors — according to Adobe, design can make or break first impressions online.
Development
The development phase is the actual coding and building of your new website. This includes creating HTML and CSS files, integrating design features, adding functionality, and testing across devices.
Content Creation
Content is what drives users to your site. This stage involves writing text, adding images, embedding videos, and publishing multimedia. In addition, this is where keyword research comes into play — adding the right terms to your content helps improve search engine placement.
Testing
Before launch, every new website needs thorough testing. This ensures forms work correctly, links are functional, and the site displays properly across browsers and devices.
Launch
Once testing is complete and everything is approved, your site goes live. At this stage, it’s also important to submit your website to search engines to improve visibility.
Maintenance
A new website is just the beginning. Afterwards, ongoing maintenance keeps it secure, up to date, and optimized for performance. This includes updating plugins, monitoring traffic, and regularly posting fresh blog content. See our Maintenance page for more details.
Why Your New Website Matters
A modern website is one of your most valuable business assets. It helps customers find you, learn about your services, and engage with your brand. Investing in a new website ensures that you stay competitive in today’s digital marketplace.
We wrote a blog on this subject last year — you can read it here: New Website Blog.
E-commerce, short for electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. With the rapid growth of the internet and the increasing use of smartphones, buying online has become a popular way for businesses to reach customers around the world.
Benefits
One of the most significant benefits of e-commerce is that it allows businesses to reach customers anywhere in the world. With an online store, businesses can sell their products and services 24/7 without any geographical boundaries.
E-commerce eliminates many of the expenses associated with traditional retail stores, such as rent, utilities, and staffing. This translates into lower prices for customers and higher profits for businesses.
E-commerce allows businesses to gather customer data and use it to personalize the shopping experience. By analyzing customer preferences and behavior, businesses can recommend products and services tailored to individual needs and interests.
E-commerce offers convenience for both businesses and customers. Customers can shop from anywhere at any time, and businesses can easily manage their operations and inventory from a single platform.
Challenges
With the rise of e-commerce, competition has become more intense, with businesses vying for customers’ attention and loyalty. This means that businesses must continually innovate and differentiate themselves to stay ahead.
Online transactions involve sensitive customer information, such as credit card numbers, which can be vulnerable to theft and fraud. Businesses must take steps to ensure that customer data is secure and protected from cyber threats.
E-commerce involves shipping and delivery, which can be challenging and costly. Businesses must manage their supply chains and partner with reliable logistics providers to ensure that products are delivered on time and in good condition.
The rate of returns is much higher than in traditional retail, as customers may not be able to see or touch, or try on the products before purchasing. Businesses must have a clear and fair return policy and be prepared to handle returns efficiently.
The Future
The future of e-commerce looks bright, with continued growth and innovation in the industry.
With the increasing use of smartphones, mobile commerce is becoming a significant part of everyday life. Businesses must optimize their online stores for mobile devices and offer mobile payment options to meet customers’ needs.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to personalize the shopping experience, improve search results, and offer personalized recommendations.
With increasing concerns about the environment, businesses must prioritize sustainability in their operations. This includes using eco-friendly packaging, reducing waste, and partnering with sustainable suppliers.
Future Growth
E-commerce has revolutionized the way businesses sell their products and services, offering benefits such as global reach, lower costs, and convenience. However, it also poses challenges such as intense competition, security concerns, logistics, and returns. With continued innovation and trends such as mobile commerce, artificial intelligence, voice, and sustainability, e-commerce is set to continue its growth and transformation of the retail industry.
Website Updates: Why 2023 Is the Year to Refresh Your Online Presence
Happy 2023! Warm wishes for a happy and prosperous new year! As you set new goals for your business this year, don’t forget your digital storefront. A professional website is often the first impression potential customers have of your brand. That’s why regular website updates are essential. Search engines like Google reward fresh content, and customers are far more likely to trust a company whose website looks current, relevant, and easy to use.
Why Website Updates Matter
If your website feels outdated, it may be hurting your credibility without you realizing it. In fact, Google uses the freshness of your content as one of many factors in ranking your site on the search results pages. Therefore, regular website updates not only make your site more engaging but also improve your visibility online.
Moreover, keeping your site up to date ensures that your business information, services, and products are accurate. Visitors who land on a site with old content or broken links are more likely to leave immediately, which increases your bounce rate and decreases your chance of converting them into customers.
Common Challenges with Website Updates
Perhaps you have tried doing the updates yourself. Or maybe you’ve handed the task to an employee who already has too much on their plate. As a result, website updates get pushed aside, leaving your site stale and behind the competition.
On the other hand, working with a professional ensures that your site is consistently maintained, secure, and aligned with the latest web standards. At Grateful Web Services, we are attentive, responsive, and easy to work with. We take the stress of updates off your shoulders so you can focus on running your business.
Partner with Grateful Web Services
When you choose us as your website partner, you won’t look back. We provide:
Regular website updates that keep your site fresh and search engine friendly.
Security monitoring and technical fixes to prevent downtime or hacks.
Content and design refreshes that improve user experience.
SEO-friendly practices that boost visibility.
Don’t let another year go by with an outdated website. Contact us today to discuss your needs. See what our clients have to say in our Grateful Web Services Reviews.
Make 2023 the year your website finally gets the attention it deserves!
It’s pretty uncommon these days to find any business without some kind of web presence. If you are old school and just haven’t taken the plunge, it’s time. Maybe you think having a Facebook business page is enough, but it isn’t. Most new clients come to us because they need to upgrade their current website. Perhaps you have been putting it off and you know that it’s long overdue. It’s easy to forget about your website since it’s out of sight, out of mind. Although, this is likely the first impression that you give to potential customers.
Not knowing where to start or maybe feeling overwhelmed about the process is natural. Grateful Web Services is here to help. It’s always recommended to go with a professional who has the experience and can hold your hand throughout the process.
Domain name
Unless this is a brand-new website, you most likely already own the domain name that you want to use. It’s best to keep it simple and use the name of your business. There are a lot of extensions out there like .com, .net, and .store. etc. It’s usually best to stick with the most used .com if possible. This is the industry standard and what most people expect. If this is a brand-new venture and you do not own your domain name yet, go to GoDaddy or another domain registrar and search for your desired name. Once purchased, save the username, password, and 4-digit pin. We will need this information to launch the website.
Choosing a Professional
Just like trying to be your own Realtor when selling your home, it is advisable to hire a professional. Sure, you can see if your cousin’s, boyfriend’s son is available on the side. The cost he quoted sounds affordable. If this is a side hustle, then the chances of your project getting finished promptly, or even at all, is unlikely. This is a get-what-you-pay-for scenario. Many times, these people end up coming to Grateful Web Services frustrated and out some money. Hire someone that you can build a long-term partnership and whom you have a good rapport with. Someone who returns your calls and emails. We have several businesses that have used our services for over twenty-plus years. Check out what some of our clients have to say.
Initial meeting and plan
Understanding what you need your new website to do for your business is important from the start.
What is the purpose of your website?
Who is your audience?
What pages will you need?
Who is responsible for content?
What functionality does your website need?
Are all requirements spelled out and accounted for in the proposal? This is a must so that there aren’t any unforeseen charges. We often hear of companies not vetting the project thoroughly and then adding extra charges. This may be an oversight or perhaps purposeful to get someone to sign the contract. A no-surprise cost policy is what we strive for. Of course, if there are new requests then we may have to add an addendum to the contract.
Timeline
When do you need the new website? We try to work within a client’s timeline if it is realistic. It is better to underpromise and overdeliver. Some companies will promise a quick launch and when it can’t be achieved, it leads to disappointment and losing faith in the web company. We do our best to work within your timeline but we can only guarantee that we will do our best. Many times the main reason that a launch is delayed, is not getting all of the needed content from our client.
Design Phase
Once we have a logo (do you need one? If so, let us know) and basic design direction such as colors to use or not use, fonts, and the navigation (pages on your website), we can begin. An initial design will be presented to you for feedback and approval. If we need to adjust anything, we will do that and then wait for your approval. A design does not move forward until you have formally approved it. It is labor-intensive to bring the project back to the design phase after it’s been coded for development. We make sure that we have sign-off before we start development. If we need to, we can go back but this will incur extra time, which means an extra charge to do so.
Content Gathering
This is the part that the client needs to work on and send to us. We will provide a content document to help keep you organized. This tool will spell out the content that we will need for each page. It can feel overwhelming but if you start early and tackle one page at a time, it isn’t too bad. If you want to use any of the content of the current website, just let us know. Unless you want to use our copywriting services, we will need you to supply us with the content for each page that is defined in the navigation.
SEO Plan
SEO – Search engine optimization. We build all websites with SEO in mind. Certain design elements are important to keep within Google’s guidelines and we take that into account when building your website.
We will do keyword research and make sure that those words are targeted words and are included in the copy.
Streamlining the pages which are no longer necessary. We will redirect those old pages to a page on the new website. This way, if someone has an old link saved, it will still go to your website.
Setting up a Google Analytics account to track the traffic on the website. If you already have a current Analytics account, we will review and see the behavior of your users. We can see what pages are visited more often and a lot of different data that will help define the behavior of users that come to your website.
We offer monthly SEO tracking services. Please let us know if you want to add this to your proposal.
Development Phase
This is the coding process that puts your design into a working website. We integrate the approved design into the development site. Once the website is in the development phase, you will see the buttons working and the website is up and viewable but on a link that is not viewable yet to the public. This way you can track the progress but your users can’t just yet.
Testing
Before launch, we perform testing to make sure that we are ready to put the website live.
We check every button and link to make sure they are all active and working,
We check to make sure that forms are functioning and emails are sent to the right email address.
We check the website in different browsers.
We check the website in different screen sizes. It’s critical to have a mobile-friendly design separate from the desktop version.
We check the speed. Does it load quickly? This is important to retain your visitors.
We check to make sure that the copy is easy to understand. Not too long but long enough to be clear. Not too complex so that the average user can understand.
Launch
Grateful Web Services does offer shared hosting but if you prefer to stay with your current host, that’s okay too! We will need the username and password for your current hosting control panel. Once we have that, we will create a database and upload the website. Many times, it will show immediately in your browser. Sometimes, it takes a bit longer for the website to show. Once it’s showing, we will run through another series of checks to make sure that everything is working perfectly.
Maintenance
After a launch, it is customary for a client to opt-in for a maintenance plan. We can take care of any updates, changes, and WordPress updates as well as plugin updates as needed. If you decide to host with us, we do require mandatory quarterly WordPress/Plugins updates. When you sign up for a maintenance plan, updates are included. It’s super important to keep your website up to date to help against breakages or intrusions. If it’s not kept up to date, it leaves your website vulnerable.
Marketing
When your new website is launched, it’s time to share it with your network of customers, colleagues, and friends. Post it on social media! Include your web address on business cards, letterhead, email signatures, and anywhere else you can post it.
Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible for you! We want you to love your website and be proud enough to show it off!
We are Grateful Web Services, a website design and development company offering contract, per-project, and project management services. We have been involved in the website industry for over 20 years. Although located in Northern California, we don’t limit ourselves and can work with companies anywhere!
Call or email us
