Every website has to be hosted somewhere. For many businesses, affordable web hosting can help to keep costs down and allow you to focus on more important matters. However, there are some hidden costs of cheap web hosting that businesses and individuals should know. Let’s take a closer look at what web hosting is, how it works, and the real…
A good user experience (UX) can build your brand reputation, make your customers happy, and improve your bottom line. According to a report by Forrester, each dollar spent on user experience yields $100 in return. Customers are more likely to return to websites and products that have a good user experience, and to spread the word about those that aren’t….
Have a great idea for a new internet startup? Think you can revolutionize an industry if you made the perfect SaaS product? To effectively execute your SaaS product launch plan you need to first make sure you have a viable audience. Selling your early adopters on key features and functionality can give you the blueprint for building the best version…
At Web Ascender, we strive to build websites that everyone can use and enjoy equally. Building an accessible website means all users, including those with hearing, vision, mobility, or dexterity limitations, can use and understand your site. In this blog post, I’ll explain more about web accessibility, and outline some of the key components to building an accessible website. By…
Converting a website from DotNetNuke to WordPress I’ve personally been using DNN for over a decade and although I’ve fiddled with WordPress multiple times during that time I never saw it as anything more than a blog engine until 3 or 4 years ago. At Web Ascender we have created 300+ DNN websites, way more than we have in WordPress….
Have you ever watched a prospect use your website? Likely, the answer is “no” (if you have, great job!). Watching how someone navigates your website and how they make decisions can help you identify which areas of your site excel and which areas may need some adjustments. A simple usability testing approach will show you what users actually need, so…
The vast number of plugins available for WordPress is just one of many reasons the content management system has become our go-to platform for building websites. No matter what functionality needs to implemented, we can usually find a plugin that delivers exactly what we’re looking for. While there are thousands of WordPress plugins available, we have a few favorites we…
Soon, important changes are coming to web browsers in terms of how they deal with websites loaded over HTTP, or websites without an SSL certificate. This is leaving many website owners wondering, “Do I need an SSL certificate for my website?” An SSL certificate encrypts data a user inputs into your websites so that it can securely travel from their…
What do the terms ‘Web Designer’ and ‘Web Developer’ really mean? Can someone be both? Who should I hire when I’m looking for someone to build my website or custom application? When comparing a web designer and a web developer, it can be confusing to know which is the best fit for your project. Each have a unique set of skills…
Google Chrome is my go-to web browser for many reasons: it’s fast, supports modern web standards, and has a large ecosystem of awesome browser extensions that make life as a web developer much easier. Here are just a few that I can’t live without! 1. Awesome Screenshot Taking screenshots of your browser window is an extremely useful function. You can…