Blog

Newsletters: Playing It Safe

March 3, 2020 in Communication / Marketing by Pat

A frequently requested service at Black Cap Design is website integration with a newsletter campaign, often through MailChimp or MailerLite. In simple terms, this involves adding a newsletter sign-up form to a website. The form automates the process of subscribing an interested visitor to the website owner’s newsletter mailing list. It’s a great way for business owners to keep in touch with their client base by sharing information or offering deals or promotions. What many people don’t realize is that […]

Why Website Structure Matters: Information Architecture

January 26, 2018 in Accessibility / Design & Development / Website Planning / Website Structure by Pat

Have you ever visited a website that left you feeling frustrated? Maybe you were looking for something and couldn’t find it. Or you felt like you had fallen down a rabbit hole and didn’t know how to get back to where you started. Websites with poorly organized structures have this effect; they can leave you feeling disoriented and discouraged. How does this happen – and how do you avoid it when managing or creating your own website? When a new website […]

Tackling the Wall of Text Problem

January 25, 2018 in Blogging / Communication / Content and Format / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by Pat

In my last post (“The Importance of Content“), I referred to the problem of “too much text”. Personally and professionally, I love to read – but even for me, when I encounter a website that consists of a wall of text, my gut reaction is “ugh, too much information”. As I pointed out in the previous post, too little information can be a problem for search engines, but too much information can be a problem for humans. When it comes to […]

The Importance of Content

January 23, 2018 in Communication / Content and Format / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by Pat

I had an interesting conversation with a client recently. He had hired a company specializing in SEO to try increasing traffic to his website. One of the recommendations was to remove all of the written content from his Home page and replace it with images. I explained that while this might add visual appeal, it would certainly result in reduced traffic. He decided to give it a try and had me remove the content. My prediction was correct and the […]

Black Cap Design Supports Our Community

September 1, 2017 in Design & Development / Event / WordPress Development by Carrie

We believe it is important to support our community. In addition to volunteering on the Board of the Women’s Business Network and providing Web evaluation to a national program for career practitioners, we also sponsor local events by providing support with their websites. For the second year in a row we will be sponsoring the International Women’s Day Conference by providing website design, development and hosting services. The IWD Peterborough website is an e-commerce site where tickets are available to […]

WordPress is still the go-to CMS

July 6, 2017 in Website Management / Website Security / WordPress Development by Carrie

We have been designing and developing websites using WordPress for 8 years now and it continues to be the CMS of choice. This infographic from Matt Banner says it all: http://www.onblastblog.com/best-blogging-platforms/ Our clients continue to love WordPress because it includes blog functionality and they can make changes to content and images independently – and it is easy to customize. People using e-commerce also like the ability to add products and change pricing on their own. We love WordPress because it […]

Moving to SSL – Increased Website Security and Better SEO

July 1, 2017 in Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Security by Carrie

Google and WordPress have made it their mission to secure the Web. In the “old days” – before 2016, the only way to secure a website – and encrypt data transfer – was to purchase a costly SSL certificate. That also meant purchasing a dedicated IP address, which ruled out cost-effective shared hosting. Then, in 2016, a company called “Let’s Encrypt” developed a system to enable SSL without the need for a dedicated IP address. Google and WordPress both quickly […]

Black Cap Design Clients Go Responsive

April 10, 2016 in Uncategorized by Carrie

Since Google announced in April 2015 that they are rewarding mobile responsive websites with better search rank, Black Cap Design clients have been busy making the transition. (See our post “It’s Official: Google Has Decided You Need a Mobile-Friendly Website“.) There are still a LOT of traditional fixed-width sites out there, but the tide is turning and people are increasingly realizing that small screens are here to stay! Responding to Responsive Avant-Garden Shop: This well established local brick & mortar […]

It’s Official: Google Has Decided You Need a Mobile-Friendly Website

May 28, 2015 in Accessibility / Design & Development / Mobile-Responsive / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged Black Cap Design / Google / mobile devices / mobile-friendly / responsive design by Pat

We have been writing about and working with mobile-responsive design for a few years now. Up until April of this year, building or switching to a mobile-friendly platform was a good idea, but – in my estimation – not a “must have”. That changed on April 21st, 2015 when Google announced that “we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal.” They make it sound so friendly! But what does it mean? It means that, as of […]

Black Cap Design Turns 10!

May 27, 2015 in Black Cap Design - An Introduction / Event tagged Black Cap Design / website design / website development by Pat

In September of this year (September 28th to be exact), Black Cap Design will celebrate 10 years of providing professional Web Design & Development services. It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years! In that time, we have designed and developed over 100 websites for individuals, businesses and organizations local to Peterborough and the Kawarthas, the Greater Toronto Area, and around the world (including the UK and Australia). This all started as an idea I had when I developed a […]

Web Accessibility for Everyone: AODA and WCAG

May 26, 2015 in Accessibility / Communication / Design & Development / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged AODA / assistive devices / SEO / WCAG / web accessibility by Pat

WCAG – short for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – is a set of international standards aimed at making the Web more accessible to everyone. The AODA is shorthand for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. As of January 1, 2014, the AODA requires not-for-profit organizations and private businesses with 50+ employees to comply with the WCAG when launching a new website or undertaking major revisions to an existing website. (Reference: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/accessibility/info_sheets/info_comm/website.aspx) It’s not just Ontario that is pushing for […]

Managing Comments on your Blog

February 5, 2015 in Blogging / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) / Website Management / Website Security by Carrie

Are you thinking about setting up a blog? Are you trying to manage comments on an existing blog? Whether you are setting up a business, professional or personal blog, you will need to decide whether you will allow comments. Blogs help you improve your website’s SEO AND they help you connect with new and existing customers. Allowing people to post comments on your blog is a great way to make it interactive and drive even more traffic to your site. However, […]

Do I Need a Home Tab?

January 26, 2015 in Design & Development tagged Black Cap Design / home tab / menu / responsive design / website design by Carrie

Why do I need to include a Home tab on my website when everyone knows you just need to click on the logo? You may find it surprising to learn that not everyone knows that, in a well designed website, clicking on the logo will open the Home page. Many of your visitors may still expect to find a Home tab on the menu. A “Home” tab does take up space. If you have a crowded menu it can be […]

Call to Action

September 25, 2014 in Communication / Design & Development / Marketing tagged Black Cap Design / blog / call to action / email encryption by Carrie

Blog posts and web pages need to include some way for your visitors to connect with you directly. This “call to action” motivates people to take the next step, which may include sending you an email, signing up for an event or placing an order. Call to action buttons can work effectively for a wide range of website functions. For example, your site could include buttons that say, “Buy Now” or “Donate”, or “Join”, or “Volunteer” or “Call”, or “Sign […]

Mapleridge Recreation Centre Site Launch

September 9, 2014 in Design & Development / Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged domain registration / Hosting / Mapleridge Recreation Centre / photo gallery / responsive design / slider / WordPress by Carrie

Black Cap Design launched the redesigned & rebuilt Mapleridge Recreation Centre website earlier this year. Mapleridge, located in Peterborough, Ontario, is a drop-in centre for people over 50 who are looking for social, physical and educational programs, activities and events. Mapleridge is a community-based not-for-profit organization operating out of a beautiful new building in Peterborough’s west end. Black Cap Design worked with the Mapleridge Board of Directors to develop a website that could be easily managed by staff and volunteers. […]

Responsive Design Revisited

August 8, 2014 in Cost / Design & Development tagged mobile devices / responsive design / static website / target audience / website design by Pat

Back in January I wrote a blog post called “Responsive Web Design – The Silver Bullet for Mobile Friendly Websites?” discussing the cost/benefit of responsive design. In case you’re not familiar with the term, responsive design involves designing and building a website that is capable of adapting to the screen size of the end user. Responsive websites will morph or shift to accommodate very large and very small screens. Since writing that article we have completed several more responsive websites […]

3 Things Every Website Owner Should Have

July 31, 2014 in Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged backup / Black Cap Design / CMS / control panel / database / domain registration / Joomla / web host / WordPress / ZenCart by Pat

If you own or manage a website there are 3 things you should have at your disposal. The contact and login information for your domain registrar (where your www address is registered) The contact and login information for your Web Host. If your Web Host doesn’t have a Control Panel for you to log into, you should consider moving your site to a Web Host that does (see: “What is this ‘Hosting’ Thing and Why Should I Care?“) An up-to-date […]

One Page Websites – Pros and Cons

July 21, 2014 in Content and Format / Design & Development / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged meta data / mobile devices / Search Engine Optimization / Search Engines / SEO / tabs / WordPress by Carrie

Mobile devices have become the driving force for recent changes in website design. Handheld devices with small screens have created a demand for responsive design; layout that changes automatically to suit your device type and screen resolution (see our blog post titled Responsive Web Design: The Silver Bullet for Mobile-friendly Websites?). This means Web Designers and Developers are on the lookout for new ways to present information that will work on both large and small screens. Enter the “one page” […]

The Power of Random

July 14, 2014 in Content and Format / Marketing tagged web design / websites by Pat

I was chatting with a client the other day and casually mentioned the idea of displaying random ads on his club’s website to generate some income. His response was “What does random ads mean?” I was surprised by the question but I suppose I shouldn’t have been. The “random” display of elements on a website is used all the time, but the fact that something has been displayed randomly is invisible to the website visitor. So, I guess a more […]

4 Reasons to Start a Business Blog

June 5, 2014 in Blogging / Communication / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged blog / blogging / CMS / Search Engine Optimization / SEO / social media / target audience / web content / WordPress by Carrie

If you’re like most business owners, your goals likely include improving the SEO of your website, positioning yourself as a leader in your field, marketing your products and services, and gaining new customers or clients. Adding and maintaining a blog on your business website can help you achieve all four of these objectives and save you money in the process. 1. Improve your Organic SEO If your website displays on the first few pages of an online search, you will […]

Andrew Benedetto Site Launch

May 28, 2014 in Design & Development / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged CMS / responsive design / web design / WordPress by Carrie

We recently completed a website project for Andrew Benedetto, a Psychotherapist and Jungian Analyst, providing client-centered therapy in Toronto Ontario. Andrew came to Black Cap Design by way of Sharp Connections, a Toronto-based technology consulting company, and frequent collaborator with Black Cap Design. Andrew was interested in being able to manage the site independently, so we recommended the WordPress Content Management System – which provides him complete control over his website content. Andrew played a key role in selecting images […]

Need a Website But Don’t Want to Break the Bank?

May 21, 2014 in Communication / Cost / Design & Development tagged static website / target audience by Pat

We have recently been taking calls from people interested in establishing a presence on the Internet for their business, club or organization, without the financial resources for a full blown website with all the bells and whistles. These calls are typically accompanied by the questions: Can it be done? Is it a good idea? How much will it cost? Can it be done? Absolutely. The web is an incredibly flexible platform. Think of it like Lego™. A website can be […]

Get Your Website Working for You

April 24, 2014 in Communication / Content and Format / Design & Development / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged blog / web design / web development / website / WordPress by Pat

I had a conversation with a new client recently. His employees have been encouraging him to “get a website and join the 21st Century“. He said “I guess they’re right, but we’re already really busy and I’m not sure we can take on more business right now“. It’s true – having a website can generate more business – but it can also work for you by reducing your workload. This particular client receives a ton of calls from prospective customers […]

Yes Indeed – Your WordPress Website Just Updated Itself!

April 16, 2014 in Communication / Website Management / Website Security / WordPress Development tagged CMS / WordPress by Pat

I wrote briefly about this back in October (WordPress Security: Fact or Fiction?) but it’s definitely worth mentioning again: WordPress now has the ability to update itself! Not only that, your WordPress site sends you a friendly email message telling you about it! How cool is that? If your site is powered by WordPress version 3.7 or newer it has the ability to conduct minor security updates independently. Lately, I’ve been receiving messages from clients asking me questions like “Is […]

Black Cap Design Hosting Clients are Not Affected by the Heartbleed Bug

April 11, 2014 in Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Security tagged Black Cap Design / Hosting / SSL by Pat

A quick notice to our Website Hosting clients: sites hosted with Black Cap Design are NOT affected by the Heartbleed Bug. On Monday April 7, 2014 a major security vulnerability was disclosed on the Internet that can potentially affect some half a million servers worldwide. This vulnerability, known as the Heartbleed Bug affects the encryption keys that are at the core of SSL encryption. (Unencrypted internet connections begin with http, whereas encrypted connections begin with https.) The Heartbleed Bug enables […]

Why Contact Forms are a Good Idea

April 9, 2014 in Communication / Website Management / Website Security tagged web forms / web security / website / website design by Pat

I am surprised how often I wind up on a website requiring me to download and print a simple form – then fill it out and fax or mail it back – just to send a bit of information. Don’t get me wrong – I think PDF documents are great, and I use them all the time. But Web forms provide a simple, effective and immediate mechanism for getting information from visitors to a website administrator or owner. Web forms […]

Ever wonder why there is so much spam in your inbox?

April 2, 2014 in Website Security tagged Search Engines / Spam by Pat

Do you ever wonder why there is so much spam in your email inbox? The unfortunate truth is that spam – aka unsolicited or ‘junk’ email – is an unavoidable fact of life if you actively use email on the Web. Email spam is a growing problem because it is so inexpensive and easy to generate, and it’s difficult for the authorities to identify and hold spammers accountable for their actions. The good news is there ARE some steps you […]

Black Cap on TV

March 19, 2014 in Event / Website Management tagged Avant Garden Shop / Black Cap Design / blog / CHEX Daily / E-commerce / e-newsletters / Ontario / Pat Kenney / Peterborough / SEO / social media / The Garden Gate / web designer by Carrie

A longtime Black Cap Design client Brenda Ibey, owner of The Avant-Garden Shop, asked us to join her on the CHEX Daily show to talk about her e-commerce website. Brenda’s show is called The Garden Gate. The Avant-Garden Shop is a retail store located in downtown Peterborough, Ontario. They provide quality garden accessories, backyard birding supplies, outdoor décor, and many other unique products. They specialize in products crafted by Canadian Artists. Black Cap Design designed and developed The Avant-Garden Shop […]

Blogging for Fun

March 5, 2014 in Blogging / Communication / Content and Format / WordPress Development tagged blog / blogging / WordPress / writing. by Carrie

Blogging can be a great hobby. A growing number of bloggers are taking to the Internet to share their interests by writing on a wide range of topics. The WordPress CMS blogging software is flexible and easy to use so we recommend it for anyone interested in starting a personal blog. To learn more about WordPress blogs, visit our post “Blogging Software“. People who start a blog are usually the folks who enjoy writing, educating, helping or just connecting with […]

Blogging Software

February 26, 2014 in Blogging / Communication / Design & Development / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged blog / Blogger / blogging / CMS / Content Management System / dashboard / web developer / weblog / website / WordPress by Carrie

The word ‘blog’ is short for ‘weblog’. A blog is actually a website with a standard structure that allows you, the blogger, the ability to regularly record and share information, opinions, images, videos and links with a world wide audience. If you want to blog, you will need to make a few decisions. Do I want a basic blog or do I want a website that has a blog as one of the pages? If you already have a website, […]

10 Password Safety Tips

February 20, 2014 in Website Management / Website Security tagged password generators / password storage / usernames by Carrie

Do your passwords look like this: “#47R?R)(*l*8“? If not, it may be time to think about securing your accounts. Password cracking computer programs can try to guess your password at a rate of over one hundred million passwords per second. What!? I’m not making this up (Source: Wikipedia – Password Cracking)! These password cracking programs will keep trying until they gain access to your account, unless they are stopped by a firewall or security software. Password cracking software is used […]

The Power of Colour

February 11, 2014 in Design & Development / Marketing tagged branding / colour wheel / web designer by Carrie

What colours should you use on your website? Do you want warm, vivid, energetic colors like red, orange and yellow, or cool, calm, soothing colours like blue and green? What you decide depends on the message you want to send, the emotion you want to convey and the appeal it will have for your target audience. Branding If you’ve already worked through the branding process, a Web Designer can use this information to design & build your site, integrating the […]

My website is old…how do I know if it’s time for a new one?

February 5, 2014 in Design & Development / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged Black Cap Design / HTML / mobile devices / SEO / web designer / web developer / Web Standard / website structure by Pat

You have a site that you really like. The only problem: it was built 10+ years ago. Does that mean it’s time to bite the bullet and have it redone? Not necessarily. Like anything (computers, cars, people) “old” doesn’t necessarily equal “ready for the junk pile”! Like an old faded pair of jeans, sometimes websites can look and feel more comfortable with age. People often judge a website by the way it looks. The way a site looks has nothing […]

Managing Your Online Presence with a Personal Website

January 29, 2014 in Blogging / Communication / Marketing tagged blog / career blog / career management / career portfolio / Google ranking / SEO / social media / WordPress by Carrie

Develop your online brand with a personal website or blog built by Black Cap Design! Website Designer and Developer Pat Kenney will create a customized site and Project Manager Carrie Wakeford will help you develop content to showcase your skills and experience. In addition to being a Web Project Manager, Carrie offers her skills as a seasoned Career Management Consultant and Résumé Writer. It all starts with the results of a Google search. Have you Googled yourself lately? Are you […]

Responsive Web Design: The Silver Bullet for Mobile-friendly Websites?

January 22, 2014 in Content and Format / Design & Development / WordPress Development tagged mobile-friendly / responsive design / WordPress by Pat

There has been a lot of buzz lately about Responsive Website Design. I’ve recently read several articles suggesting responsive design is the future of the Web and without it, sites are not truly mobile-friendly. What is responsive design, and does it live up to the hype? Let’s start with some historical context. In the early days of the Web, computer monitors were massive, but the screens were quite small. To accommodate small screen size, website layouts were narrow. As screen […]

4 ways to Evaluate your Website?

January 15, 2014 in Website Management tagged Black Cap Design / blog / bounce rate / load time / mobile devices / SEO / social media / web content / web design / web security / website development / website redesign / YouTube by Carrie

Have you ever said “I have an old – but reliable website; why would I spend time and money doing an update or redesign?” You may be right; your website may be fine just the way it is, but before you can make a firm decision, take a bit of time to evaluate your current site. The team at Black Cap Design developed a list of questions that will help you think critically about your current website. We hope these […]

Blog vs Newsletter – Top 10 Advantages

January 8, 2014 in Blogging / Communication / Marketing / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) / WordPress Development tagged Black Cap Design / blog / blog post / constant contact / e-newsletters / keywords / MailChimp / newsletter templates / pull marketing / push marketing / RSS / Search Engine Optimization / SEO / social media / target audience / web log / WordPress by Carrie

In this corner, we have “Blog” the young up-and-coming contender, prepared to challenge for the title. And in the other corner we have “Newsletter” the experienced fighter and current crowd favorite. The result: a technical draw. Research shows that no one needs to throw in the towel just yet. Both Blog and Newsletter have their strengths, and when they work together they have the ability to captivate the entire audience. Ok, enough of the boxing references. Most people are familiar […]

The Website of Your Dreams

December 30, 2013 in Content and Format / Design & Development / Website Management tagged Black Cap Design / branding / mockup / PDF / web design / web developer / web development / wireframe by Carrie

If you’re considering having a website designed or redesigned, selecting a Web Designer is just the first step. Imagine you have just commissioned a painting. The artist will need to know what you have envisioned – portrait, landscape, abstract… A Web Designer is like an artist staring at a blank canvas. You really don’t want your Designer jumping in without any guidance from you, especially if you are working to a deadline. In most cases a Web Designer will start […]

If you could do just one thing to improve your SEO, what would it be?

December 18, 2013 in Content and Format / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) / Website Management tagged AdWords / blog / blogging / Search Engine Optimization / Search Engines / SEO by Pat

We recently conducted an experiment. It wasn’t the kind of experiment you read about in the daily news. It was more of a “oops, I wonder how long that tub of yogurt has been hiding at the back of the fridge” sort of experiment. Several years ago, I had a bit of spare time, and a few ideas, so I started writing articles for the Black Cap Design website. A few months later, I noticed a big improvement in our […]

New Site for the Lakefield Horticultural Society

December 15, 2013 in Design & Development / WordPress Development tagged Lakefield / web developer / websites / WordPress by Pat

We recently had the pleasure of working with the Lakefield Horticultural Society to design and build their new website. We communicated closely with the Society’s Past President, Brenda Ibey who provided a clear vision for the the new website, and contributed many of the beautiful images featured on their site. Lakefield Horticultural Society volunteers work hard each year to beautify the village of Lakefield, Ontario and provide a trove of information about gardening and horticulture, including hosting monthly speaking engagements. […]

Improving your Website SEO?

December 11, 2013 in Blogging / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged CMS / keywords / organic search / Search Engine Optimization / Search Engines / SEO / sitemap / social media / web content / web developer / webmaster tools / website / WordPress by Carrie

Your web developer may have already explained that your website will move up and down in search. For example, today you may be on page 1 and tomorrow you may find your site on page 3 of a Google search. Your search results will also vary depending on which search engine you’re using, e.g. Google, Bing or Yahoo. Where your site shows up in search will depend on the specific combination of words you’re using, however there are many other […]

WordPress: Pages vs Posts – What’s the Difference?

December 4, 2013 in Blogging / Content and Format / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged child page / dashboard / how-to manuals / menu / RSS / Search Engines / social media / Web page / Web Pages / WordPress / WordPress training / XML by Pat

For people who are new to WordPress, one of the first questions that arises is “what’s the difference between Pages and Posts?” The next time you’re poking around the administrative dashboard of your new website, have a look at the navigation menu. You’ll see several tabs including a ‘Posts’ tab and a ‘Pages’ tab. If you click on each of those tabs in turn, you’ll notice the settings for pages and posts look pretty much the same. You can create […]

Master of my Domain (Name)

November 27, 2013 in Hosting and Domain Registration tagged domain registration / Namespro by Pat

One topic that always comes up when talking with customers about starting a new website is what to call it. In Web Developer terms, this is called assigning the site a Domain Name. The Domain Name is the www address that appears in the address bar of your Web browser. I suppose assigning names to websites is an extension of our natural impulse to name things (children, puppies, the pet hamster). Giving each website a unique name also makes it […]

WordPress Security: Fact or Fiction?

November 20, 2013 in Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Management / Website Security / WordPress Development tagged CMS / Hosting / Plugins / static website / web host / WordPress by Pat

One of the biggest shifts in website development in recent years has been toward sites that can be managed independently – commonly referred to as Content Management Systems (CMS) or “dynamic” websites. WordPress has emerged as the leader due to its flexibility (with over 27,000 free plugins available for download), its intuitive administrative console and huge developer community. What many people don’t realize is that any website that enables browser-based editing (the ability for you to manage your own content […]

Selecting a CMS (Why WordPress is King)

November 12, 2013 in Blogging / Hosting and Domain Registration / Website Management / WordPress Development tagged CMS / Drupal / Hosting / Joomla / Linux / Open Source / PHP / Search Engine Optimization / SEO / static website / WordPress by Pat

“I need a website that I can update myself, but I have no idea where to start.” This is something we hear a lot from people looking to establish a presence on the Web. It’s not surprising given the range of options available. A quick search for “Choosing a CMS” will return a mind-boggling amount of sometimes conflicting information. So, where to start? Selecting a Hosting Platform (Choose Linux) It actually doesn’t matter if you’re opting for a static website […]

Web Design 101: Don’t Leave Your Visitors in the Dark!

November 5, 2013 in Content and Format tagged branding / breadcrumbs / content / fonts / navigation menu / Usability / user interface / web designer / web developer by Pat

How many times have you arrived at a website and asked yourself, ‘ok, now what am I supposed to do?’ Many people jump to the conclusion ‘geez i must be really dumb if I can’t figure this out!’ when the unfortunate reality often points to a poorly planned and executed design – what I call the ‘user interface’. In my work as a Web Designer & Developer, I visit a lot of websites. Out of necessity, I’ve learned to quickly […]

The Power of Open Fonts

October 29, 2013 in Content and Format tagged Open Fonts / Typography / W3C / WOFF by Pat

When we recently launched the redesign of the Black Cap Design website, I remember thinking ‘this wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago’. I’m referring specifically to the use of open fonts. The distinctive look of our new site is due in large part to the use of open fonts. In fact all of the fonts you see on this page are open fonts! Until (roughly) 2010, the Web supported just a handful of fonts. The reason? To work, […]

I found this really cool image… Some advice about stock images

October 23, 2013 in Content and Format tagged copyright / Fleming College / Image Search / iStockPhoto / Royalty-free images / Stock Images / Stock Photography / TinEye / Toronto by Pat

“I found this really cool image online and I want to use it on my website.” This is something we hear quite a bit when we’re designing or updating sites for our clients. I had a professor at Fleming College when I was studying Web Design there who went to great lengths to stress the importance of taking copyright issues seriously. I took her advice, and in turn advise my clients to take it seriously as well. In the early days […]

Building a Website: Your Role in the Process – A Great Webinar

October 21, 2013 in Website Management tagged branding / CMS / Content Management System / Open Source / TechSoup / WordPress by Carrie

At Black Cap, we regularly get questions from clients like “what’s involved in getting a website project rolling?”, “what do you need from me?”, and “what’s better – a custom-built CMS or an open source CMS like WordPress?”. So, we were excited to find this great webinar – because it covers these questions and many more. The presenter takes a common sense approach, using plain language…no technical jargon! When we first listened (it’s audio with PowerPoint) we wondered if the […]

New Logo, New Site!

October 14, 2013 in Black Cap Design - An Introduction tagged Black Cap Design / blog / CMS / web developer / website / WordPress by Pat

Hard to believe it’s been 8 years. Black Cap Design started unofficially in 2005 and officially in 2006 and the little Black Cap logo has been our emblem from the start. What’s that old saying about the ‘shoemaker’s children having no shoes’? So true! We’ve been so focused tending to our clients’ websites, the Black Cap site and logo were needing a fresh coat of paint. With a little help from Adobe Illustrator and a large pot of coffee, the […]

Web Design Resource for Non-Profits

September 26, 2013 in Content and Format by Carrie

Before launching Black Cap Design, Pat and I both worked for not-for-profit organizations. We also have experience as volunteers on fundraising committees and on non-profit Boards of Directors. This gives us insight into the unique challenges social service agencies face when it is time to design or redesign their websites. We developed this PDF checklist for our not-for-profit clients to help them identify some of the common decisions they will need to make. This list also includes steps that will […]

What is this “Hosting” thing and why should I care?

September 25, 2013 in Hosting and Domain Registration tagged dedicated hosting / Hosting / Internet Service Providers / ISP / My SQL / PHP / server / shared hosting by Pat

What is Web hosting? Every site you visit on the Internet – including this one – is stored on a computer somewhere. And all of those computers link together to weave the fabric of the World Wide Web. Web hosting companies exist to store website files and make them available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – for a fee. If you want a website to profile your business, show photos from your latest trip, or publish your […]

Domain Registration vs Hosting: What’s the Difference?

September 25, 2013 in Hosting and Domain Registration tagged domain name / url / web hosting by Pat

What is domain registration, exactly?In our previous blog post we discussed Web hosting. If your Web host is the physical location where your website files are stored, your domain name is the address needed to find those files. A Web address (also known as a URL) looks like www.yoursite.com. If you are in the process of setting up a website, you will need both Web hosting and a domain name. If you don’t have Web hosting set up already, consider […]

What is SEO? How to Get Found By Search Engines!

September 25, 2013 in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tagged alternate text / Bing / Google / HTML / keywords / meta tags / organic search / reciprocal links / robots / Search Engine Optimization / Search Engines / SEO / site redesign / text / web crawlers / web design / web developer / WordPress / XML / Yahoo by Pat

What is SEO? SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. It’s nerd-speak for making your site accessible to search engines. Popular search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing are massive catalogues (think the phone book on steroids) of information about the websites that comprise the Web. Just how many sites are out there? As of October 2013, there are an estimated 767 million active websites! (Source: http://news.netcraft.com/.) No wonder it’s tricky getting your favourite search engine to find your […]

Web Page Layout – How To Create a Welcoming Web Experience

September 25, 2013 in Content and Format tagged branding / copyright / navigation menu / responsive design / web content / website design by Pat

Are you considering having a website designed or re-designed? Page layout is something most end-users seldom think about. People are likely to have a “yuck!” or “hmmm nice” reaction to a given website, and don’t give it much more thought. Good page layout keeps visitors at your site. Nothing gets people running for the exit doors faster than bad layout. So, what is page layout? Simply put, it’s where stuff is placed on your site’s Web pages. It’s a bit […]

5 Reasons Why Your Site Should Be Standards-Compliant

September 25, 2013 in Website Management tagged assistive technology / Cascading Style Sheets / CSS / Flash movies / Google Chrome / HTML / Opera / operating systems / PDF / Safari for Mac / standards-compliant / Unix / W3C / WaSP / Web Browser / Web Validator / Windows / World Wide Web Consortium / XHTML by Pat

Web Standards: Test Before You Buy! The last time you purchased a vehicle, it’s a safe bet you took it out for a test-drive first. After all, you’re not buying it just to have it look good sitting in your driveway! In the early days of the Web, the only way to test-drive a website was to visit the site, look at it, and test the links to make sure they worked. The Web has come a long way since […]

5 Things to Consider When Planning a Website

September 25, 2013 in Content and Format tagged target audience / websites by Pat

If you’re like most people, you’ve been thinking about having a website developed for a while. And, like most people, you’re wondering where to start. We’ve compiled a list of 5 important things to consider to help you get started. Answer these questions and you’ll be well on your way. Make sure to jot down your answers. It will help when it comes time to consult with us about planning the construction of your site. 1. What is the purpose […]

Can I Update My Own Web Site?

September 25, 2013 in Website Management tagged CMS / HTML / self-managed websites / SEO / software / websites by Pat

One of the most common questions we get from our clients is “will I be able to update the site myself?”. The short answer is “Yes!”. We can add a customized, browser-based Web Editor to your site that you can access from anywhere with an Internet connection or you can select a powerful Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress providing you the ability to manage every aspect of your site independently. Having said that, there are a number of things […]

Finding the E-Commerce Solution that Works for You

September 25, 2013 in Website Management tagged E-commerce / online sales / Payment Gateway / PayPal / Plugins / selling / shopping cart / WordPress by Pat

If you’re in the business of selling goods or services, or looking to raise funds, the Internet can be a powerful tool. E-commerce provides you with instant access to a global marketplace at a fraction of the cost of a brick-and-mortar store. If you already have a storefront, an e-commerce site will allow you to expand your reach and offer your customers an alternative. But just having an online store isn’t your ticket to instant success. Like brick and mortar […]

Web Security: 5 Tips for Protecting Your Site

September 25, 2013 in Website Management by Pat

Identity theft. Online fraud. Phishing. Spam. If you’ve been following the news lately, these are terms you’re familiar with. It’s no secret that the Web is all about the sharing of information. If information is power, plugging into the Web is a good thing. Right? Unfortunately, the Web has proven an effective tool for criminals and people engaged in unethical business practises. So how can you actively participate online and protect your website from spammers, hackers and other bad actors? […]

Creating Effective Web Content

September 24, 2013 in Content and Format by Carrie

Writing Web content is easy right? Actually, one of the most common challenges people face when creating or updating their website is the written content. Here are some tips to help with crafting effective written content for the Web. Before you begin writing ask yourself: Who will be visiting my site? What is the likely purpose for the visit …what are visitors going to be looking for? How can I make it easy for them to find the information they […]

Client Questions

September 20, 2013 in Black Cap Design - An Introduction by Carrie

Traditionally, the Black Cap Design team has responded to our client’s questions by email; providing information and instruction. Over the years, we have come across many common themes. People often ask functional questions like: Should I use a content management system like WordPress or ZenCart (for e-commerce) or do I go with a static site? What steps do I need to take to prepare? How do I register a domain name? Does it matter where my site is hosted? What […]