How Often Should I Update My Business Brand?

There are many aspects of a business brand, consisting of everything from how you interact with customers to your website and logo. As your business grows and develops, you'll find that the brand that you started out with may no longer fit the variety of clients you are dealing with today. In this article, we’ll walk you through some clues on when you need to give your business brand a makeover.

Since there are so many different variables in a brand, we’ll go over the most common changes business face throughout its lifetime. Updating a logo may seem like a fairly diminutive process, and for many companies this also includes updating uniforms, brochures, business cards etc to fit the new logo. If there is any inconsistency within your brand, it is important to update them to display the persistent message you are trying to portray to your customers. It is important to seek feedback from your customers to determine how successful your brand is, and which areas can use improvements or updates. Your logos, brochures, business cards, menus etc should reflect the culture of your company and its services in the most effective manner possible.

When it comes to any business, your company website is easily the most effective tool you can provide your potential and existing clients with. That is however, if your implementing and updating it properly. If you answer “No” to any of these questions, it’s likely time to update your brand and its’ online presence;

Signs that it’s time for an upgrade;

• What is the feedback you are receiving from your customers about your brand? Based off this feedback, is the material you are providing your customers with useful and informative?


• What new features or services have you added to your business, and can clients find information about them across your print and online material?


• Has your logo, print material or website changed or developed along with your target market? What are their expectations in the material and information you provide for them?


• Is your print material, uniforms, website etc consistently styled?


• Can your logo easily be identified from your competitors’ logos?


• Does your website fluidly fit on various screen sizes and on mobile devices?


• Does your website provide the most recent and accurate information about your business?


• Are your employees spending too much time resolving questions from clients in which answers could be provided on your website?


• Do you provide your customers with current information about your business through social media?


• Is the amount of clients you receive from online sources enough to cover the costs to maintain your website?


• When you look up your business on an online search engine, is your company website the first result?

The average business updates their entire brand (logo, uniforms, packaging, website, location, etc) every 10-20 years, however this factor genuinely depends on the relationship people have with your brand. When it comes to print material, companies tend to stay more current with this based off of new features or services they provide, price changes, and other consistent updates. Since your website should be the easiest to update using a Content Management System such as Caster CMS, businesses can change or update their website content themselves every day, or as often as required. Updates in location, blogs or newsletters, new services, general content, and images are the most common and frequent changes companies can easily make themselves on their website using this tool. If you’re considering an update within your companies’ branding and online material, click here to talk with our team about your branding and online needs.

404 Pages Explained

Ah, the 404 page. I really love the opportunity to get creative with the simple message of ‘whatever you’re looking for, it isn’t here’. 404 pages are the default most websites direct you to when a page that you are looking for does not exist, has been re-named or moved, or when the user has incorrectly typed the page name in the url. If you are finding this error as a result of clicking a link from another page or search engine, it’s common courtesy to notify the site administrator of the issue. 404 pages are designed to minimize the damages users may feel when coming across this type of error, and are mandatory to encourage users to stay on your site. They key is to notify the user about this error in a creative and positive way, encouraging them to keep exploring the site. Here is a collection of some of my favorite 404 pages;

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Photography in Web Design

Photography can make or break a website, regardless of the design. Whether you are promoting a product or a service, having clean high-resolution images can make a huge difference on how potential clients view your business. Poorly taken or edited images can put a huge damper on any site, forcing users to loose interest and trust quickly.

Regardless of what industry you are in, it’s important to make sure that the images featured on your website are of high quality and relativity. Although compressing your images is a must when it comes to the web in order to minimalize loading time, there are many ways to ensure that your images maintain excellent quality. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons photography is so important to designing the users’ web experience is that it has a direct impact on their emotions. It is much easier to promote a feeling or experience visually through images than it is to try and allow the viewer to interpret these things through colour and shape used within the design. Images set the vibe for most websites, so make sure that the images you use are a perfect reflection of your company.

When handing images over to your web designer, remember that the pictures on the site will directly represent your company and its values. Never provide poor images from your cell phone and expect the designer to just “Photoshop it”*. Unfortunately, until Adobe finds a way to implement sorcery into their software, you’re probably better off hiring a professional photographer to take and edit great photos for your business. If a professional photographer sounds a bit out of your budget, stock photography can be a great alternative for businesses promoting a standard service. Sites such as iStock Photo and Getty Images supply great images for a reasonable price, and often offer specials to members with an account.

Check out these sites for some great examples of strong photography used in web. Feel free to contact us for all of your web photography questions!

www.leidgens.be
www.quakeroats.com
www.matildajaneclothing.com

*I get this a lot

The Difference Between Creating a Business Card and Designing an Experience

Consider your business card as a window into the experience that you provide your customers. Are the shape, texture and colour consistent with your branding, and does this differ from your competitors? Thankfully, there is no law stating that all business cards must be 2×3.5”, flat, and contain only a company logo and contact information. A business card is a great way to express what your business is all about, in a physical form that clients keep on hand for future reference. The unfortunate truth is that most business cards end up in the recycling bin, or amongst a stack of other business cards, never to be admired again. The trick to having potential clients remember your business based on your card, is to make your business cards unique, something that they will want to hold onto even if they are not interested in your services.

There are many ways to make your card memorable, but perhaps the most effective ways is through implementing the human senses. A client is more likely to remember ‘the thick round card that feels like water-colour paper’ than ‘the blue card with a guy’s face on it’ when searching for your information in a stack of other cards. Variables such as texture (also known as ‘tooth’), finish, embedding, shape, typography, and colour all play a roll in how people retain information from a physical card.

Shape and size are fun to play around with, but often cause headaches for designers trying to fit in tons of information onto a custom shape. Straying away from the standard business card size typically requires a minimalistic style and content to keep the information legible and effective. Another important note to keep in mind that although various sizes of business cards are cool, many people still use business card holders. If this is consistent with your target market, make sure that it is still able to fit into the standard 2×3.5” slot.

My favorite, and the most efficient way to ensure that a client holds onto your card, is implementing interactivity. Although this is a fairly unique method, as it typically adds plenty of additional costs, it’s really the full package when it comes to creating an incredible experience. Interactivity doesn’t necessarily require making your business card unfolding itself to reveal a tiny robot who tells the potential client all about your business, but involves the receiver of the card to get absorbed in transforming the card from it’s original form or message into something new. By making the card something useful and relevant to your business, the client is more likely to keep it and show to their friends in the future.

The primary goal of your business card should be to communicate the most basic information about your business in a memorable manner that your target market can perceive immediately. To ensure success, ask yourself:

- does this card fit the style of my company?
- would I keep this card if I was comparing businesses?
- is this card physically restrictive to it’s content and where it will be stored?
- what makes my card stand out against my competitors?

If you would like to learn more about how I can improve your brand’s experience, feel free to check out some of our print and brand design projects at http://camilleblock.com/

Why You Should Update Your Web Browser Today!

If you’ve been ignoring the persistent pop-up windows from your web browser telling you that it’s time for an upgrade, listen up. Using older versions of any browser can bring up many issues with your web browsing adventures, including poor security, layouts and limitations on what you view. Perhaps it’s time you simply updated your current browser, or even upgrade to a new one!

The internet can be supplied to us through many different browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, and SeaMonkey. Each browser has their own list of advantages and disadvantage, but all are required to follow the web standards set by the W3C (or World Wide Web Consortium). Whenever a new wave of regulations is given by the W3C, all web browsers are required to adhere to those regulations by updating their system. In doing so, web browsers can provide users with a better internet browsing experience.

There are many great new features in the lovely world of web development such as CSS3, HTML5, SVG, faster loading and more fluid layouts. By updating or upgrading your web browser, you can guarantee yourself a much better web browsing experience. In example, someone using a prehistoric browser such as Internet Explorer 6 may be unable to view cool features on a web site, and experience longer loading time than that of a person using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox. By not updating versions of your current browser, you could be missing out on a great user experience!

One of the biggest concerns that come with using an older version of internet browsers is the lack of security. When the W3C promotes new regulations, they are generally to help users participate in the World Wide Web as safely as possible. When you use an older version of your current browser, you are running the risk of experiencing serious security flaws that allow nasty websites to read and damage your files, steal your passwords, infect your computer with viruses … the list goes on. You may also run into pesky bugs and limitations when viewing websites that don’t support your web browser version.

So next time you receive a notification from your web browser asking whether or not you would like to upgrade to a newer version, don’t hesitate to say “yes please!”. A simple update or upgrade to your browser can allow you to reap the many benefits of safer, more secure browsing, along with great features of better interactive web exploring. The World Wide Web is evolving, so don’t miss out!

Single Page web site vs. Multiple Pages Web Site Design

Single page websites have become increasingly popular in recent years, and there’s good reason for it. With the use of scripts such as jQuery, Ajax, and Parallax (to name a few), one-page websites have brought on a whole new level of interactivity to their users. But having all of your content on a single page comes with it’s flaws as well.

There are plenty of questions you have to ask yourself before going gun-ho on building a single page site. Possibly the most important element you should take into consideration is the amount of content you need to have on the site. If you have a ton of content, chances are you should stick with the good ol’ multiple page website layout. When users view a single page site on a mobile device or tablet, it’s not that much fun scrolling through tons of content that takes up the majority of the site. If you have plenty of content but have your heart set on a single page design, are you able to condense it and still keep the content keyword-rich for SEO? Having multiple pages with detailed information may be exactly what you need to communicate to the viewer about multiple services or products that you provide.

Another vital factor when choosing between single and multiple page designs is the purpose of your website. Single page websites typically cater to a single purpose, and aren’t meant to overload users with more information than they can handle. In example, a single page website would be a great fit for personal portfolios, musicians, a promotional landing page for new services, or a new product launch. The purpose should be to promote a single product or service. By doing so, you can strip the content down to the essentials, leaving more room for visual and creative stimulation. Making the visual elements the main attraction, you draw a lot more attention to what it is that you’re promoting in a way that helps it stand out from the crowd. Having a single page website may be what gets the user in-and-out the fastest, but it’s not ideal for every business. For some single page design inspiration, check out a few of the links below, or contact Spincaster Productions for more information on how we can help you build your next website.

http://onepagelove.com/
http://www.cssmania.com/
http://www.cssdesignawards.com/

Infographics in Web Design

Infographics have become a major part in how we convey information in most forms of media. You’re likely to remember seeing these images in instructional pamphlets, signs, and even geography maps. Recently, infographics have taken over how we absorb information when we don’t have time to sit down and read a novel of statistics. These clever graphics have improved our memory on various facts and figures by supplying the viewer with both a cool image and a bit of neat information to boot.

The main goal with infographics is to allow the right side of the brain (being creative, interpretive), to process left brain (technical, problem solving) information. This process can also be referred to as Data Visualization. By supplying the viewer with small, relevant and clearly displayed content, you can give them a much more memorable experience. Chopping down your content into it’s most basic elements improves how the user viewing that information is likely to recall key points long after completion. A great example of when to put an infographic to use is in a timeline. A long line with paragraphs of texts doesn’t exactly get too many people excited about reading it’s contents. However, if you broke down the timeline into a few key points, supplied with relevant and creative graphics, your viewers are much more likely to take interest and read the few facts that you have listed. Pretty cool huh?

If you’re looking for a new way to convey information and ideas into any form of media, check out what infographics can do to spice up how you present yourself and your business. Making the viewer aware of your message in as little time as possible is key when it comes to the web, and now they are more popular than ever. Check out our services page to see how we can help you add infographics into your next website, presentation or brochure.

What is the W3C and how does it affect you?

You may have heard about W3C compliancy for website construction or PCI compliancy for ecommerce sites. What are they and why are they important – in a word quality. Let’s look at W3C in this article and see why it is important.

W3C stands for World Wide Web Consortium where a group of volunteers and staff work to develop Web Standards much like ISO standards. They are involved in defining an open web platform for web developers and companies to follow when designing applications online. What does this mean for you and your developer? Well there are backyard mechanics and factory certified mechanics. Who do you want working on your car?

A good development shop will closely follow these standards, for example;

Web design and applications for building web pages
Web architecture for the underlying technology and principles
Semantic web for the interaction of data in databases
Web services that include protocols, security and interfaces for accessing data
Devices, Browsers and Authoring tools to provide access to the web
We will not get into all of the gory details here but the difference in a professionally designed and coded site (versus one from your nephew’s friend in high school) involves understanding and implementing these standards to create a well designed and well structured set of tools online. Regardless, of whether it is for communications, marketing or a business process. When done poorly web sites do not load properly, can’t be viewed, don’t get indexed and ranked well, crash and basically drive you nuts.

The challenge with our business is it is always changing as new developments drives us forward. It takes experience and great effort from web developers, creative designers, software developers and management to keep up to date. The classic Time/Quality/Value dynamic is really at work here. If one of the three seems too good to be true, it is at the sacrifice of the other two.

Darford is launched!

Finally! This was my first major project with Spincaster, and is one that I am certainly proud of. Although after about six months in the making, and a bazillion-plus revisions, I was ready for this one to be done quite some time ago. I certainly appreciate the many lessons that I learned while both designing and implementing content for this site, and look forward to many more equally fun and creative projects heading my way! I loved creating the custom illustrations, and a fun experience for the users. As an animal lover and pet owner, I knew exactly what viewers would be looking for on a dog food site. There are many great features that set this site apart, including 'What to Look for' icons, multiple image sliders, custom history page, donations counter, and many others that the development team earned props for! I was really glad to be part of this great project with a genuinely fantastic product. To check out this website and all of it's awesomeness, check it out here. You can also see more work from Spincaster on the website here.

How to make sure your Newsletter gets read

Creating a newsletter can serve as a quick and easy way to get your companies’ information out to the public. However, failing to provide useful and simple content can result in your newsletter getting a one-way ticket to the junk box. Benefits to creating your newsletter include

• reminding your clients about your business
• keeping them well informed about your products and services
• letting them know what’s new within the company
• it helps you to build a unique relationship with the readers

The key to showcasing what you offer is to provide interesting, relevant and current information that doesn’t bore the reader. Here are a few important notes to keep in mind when creating content for your newsletter;

Tell users what they will get, and outline the benefits of signing up. If you want to provide unique offers and deals in the newsletter, make sure to keep them consistent and practical to the client. Offer information and tips that are exclusive to the newsletter. It is also important to inform readers of of how often they will receive the newsletters, for example, weekly or monthly.

Write a interesting and attractive subject line. A first glance at a newsletter the readers will notice three things; the title, the name of the author, and the date that it was posted. It’s important to catch the readers attention right off the bat so try for a juicy title and not just facts.

Keep it relevant to the reader. Write with a client focus not a company focus. This will ensure that your clients are looking forward to receiving the newsletter, and makes them more likely to recommending your newsletter to potential clients. Engage them, ask their opinion and allow them to comment. Provide client stories, everyone likes hearing about company solutions that are similar to their needs.

Writing for a newsletter can be a tad scary at first, but if done right it can grow your client base, and help your company build on it’s customer loyalty. Once you get the hang of writing about topics that have strong value to your industry, your newsletter is sure to bring in more clients for your business. When writing your newsletter content, the best thing you can do is ask yourself – Would I enjoy reading this?

What does your website say about your organization?

How many times have you come across a website and wondered whether or not it has been updated since the mid-nineties? It doesn’t take long to notice poor design, out-dated content, and difficult usability. But what if that website was yours? Here are a few tips on how to analyze what your website says about your company, and whether or not it’s time for an overhaul.

It only takes 3-7 seconds for a potential client to scan the site and get a first impression of your business. If your website is unable to impress and inform the potential client of what they need within that time frame, chances of them ever coming back are very unlikely. Your website should be parallel with the personality of your brand, displaying your top qualities. Make a short list of words that you feel represent your company, such as dependable, high-quality, and eco-friendly. Does your website illustrate these same qualities? It is vital that your design complements your products are services in order to deliver the correct message to the user. What does your colour palette say about your company? Is the layout simple to navigate around, and is the content current? These are just a few factors that determine how people view your website and your business as a whole.

Don’t think that just because your website may only supply static information about your company, that it has to look boring. This is a huge mistake made among many local businesses, which will only exhibit that the work your business produces is boring as well. Although you may not have the need to constantly update information on your website, it is important that the information supplied on it is accurate, and to the point. When most viewers come across a web page that has multiple paragraphs of content, they simply move on to the next page, or leave the site all together. By keeping your information short and condensed, not only is it more likely to be read, but will lead the viewer of the site to inquire for more information if their interested in your products or services.

Keep your direct competition in mind when considering possible designs for your website. Although you don’t want to have the exact same site as theirs, it’s important to know what people searching for the same services are also viewing. Consider the layout and colour scheme used, and what kind of information they are supplying to the user. Although you want to stand out from your competition, you should also supply similar basic content that will allow potential clients to compare business (and choose yours). Remember, your company is made up of people, and therefore viewing your website should be just as simple and comfortable for the user as walking into the office.

Another important aspect of how your business is portrayed is how it looks when being viewed on a mobile device. If your website was made using Flash, many mobile devices will be incapable of viewing it at all. Try looking at your website on a mobile device such as a phone or iPad, and compare it to how it looks on your computer monitor. If certain things are not where they should be, or the site does not display at all, you certainly will want to update the websites back-end programming.

One major mistake made on many local websites is implementing music and sound onto the website. Although for some organizations such as orchestras or bands, music may be appropriate, but for most businesses it is a very poor choice. For the majority of people browsing the web, having music randomly pouring out of their speakers while viewing a website is not ideal. If you feel that you must have music on your website, opt for implementing a music player on your website that will allow viewers to play, pause, and adjust the volume to the music being played. This will allow the sound being played to come as less of a shock to the user.

If your company’s website is in need of a facelift, feel free to view some of the services offered at Spincaster Productions Inc. We offer a variety of web development, design and marketing services that will get your company noticed (in a good way)!

What is the W3C and how does it affect you?

You may have heard about W3C compliancy for website construction or PCI compliancy for ecommerce sites. What are they and why are they important – in a word quality. Let’s look at W3C in this article and see why it is important.

W3C stands for World Wide Web Consortium where a group of volunteers and staff work to develop Web Standards much like ISO standards. They are involved in defining an open web platform for web developers and companies to follow when designing applications online. What does this mean for you and your developer? Well there are backyard mechanics and factory certified mechanics. Who do you want working on your car?

A good development shop will closely follow these standards, for example;

• Web design and applications for building web pages
• Web architecture for the underlying technology and principles
• Semantic web for the interaction of data in databases
• Web services that include protocols, security and interfaces for accessing data
• Devices, Browsers and Authoring tools to provide access to the web

We will not get into all of the gory details here but the difference in a professionally designed and coded site (versus one from your nephew’s friend in high school) involves understanding and implementing these standards to create a well designed and well structured set of tools online. Regardless, of whether it is for communications, marketing or a business process. When done poorly web sites do not load properly, can’t be viewed, don’t get indexed and ranked well, crash and basically drive you nuts.

The challenge with our business is it is always changing as new developments drives us forward. It takes experience and great effort from web developers, creative designers, software developers and management to keep up to date. The classic Time/Quality/Value dynamic is really at work here. If one of the three seems too good to be true, it is at the sacrifice of the other two.

Infographics for web design

Infographics have become a major part in how we convey information in most forms of media. You’re likely to remember seeing these images in instructional pamphlets, signs, and even geography maps. Recently, infographics have taken over how we absorb information when we don’t have time to sit down and read a novel of statistics. These clever graphics have improved our memory on various facts and figures by supplying the viewer with both a cool image and a bit of neat information to boot.

The main goal with infographics is to allow the right side of the brain (being creative, interpretive), to process left brain (technical, problem solving) information. This process can also be referred to as Data Visualization. By supplying the viewer with small, relevant and clearly displayed content, you can give them a much more memorable experience. Chopping down your content into it’s most basic elements improves how the user viewing that information is likely to recall key points long after completion. A great example of when to put an infographic to use is in a timeline. A long line with paragraphs of texts doesn’t exactly get too many people excited about reading it’s contents. However, if you broke down the timeline into a few key points, supplied with relevant and creative graphics, your viewers are much more likely to take interest and read the few facts that you have listed. Pretty cool huh?

If you’re looking for a new way to convey information and ideas into any form of media, check out what infographics can do to spice up how you present yourself and your business. Making the viewer aware of your message in as little time as possible is key when it comes to the web, and now they are more popular than ever. Check out our services page to see how we can help you add infographics into your next website, presentation or brochure.

Single Page web site vs. Multiple pages web site design

Single page websites have become increasingly popular in recent years, and there’s good reason for it. With the use of scripts such as jQuery, Ajax, and Parallax (to name a few), one-page websites have brought on a whole new level of interactivity to their users. But having all of your content on a single page comes with it’s flaws as well.

There are plenty of questions you have to ask yourself before going gun-ho on building a single page site. Possibly the most important element you should take into consideration is the amount of content you need to have on the site. If you have a ton of content, chances are you should stick with the good ol’ multiple page website layout. When users view a single page site on a mobile device or tablet, it’s not that much fun scrolling through tons of content that takes up the majority of the site. If you have plenty of content but have your heart set on a single page design, are you able to condense it and still keep the content keyword-rich for SEO? Having multiple pages with detailed information may be exactly what you need to communicate to the viewer about multiple services or products that you provide.

Another vital factor when choosing between single and multiple page designs is the purpose of your website. Single page websites typically cater to a single purpose, and aren’t meant to overload users with more information than they can handle. In example, a single page website would be a great fit for personal portfolios, musicians, a promotional landing page for new services, or a new product launch. The purpose should be to promote a single product or service. By doing so, you can strip the content down to the essentials, leaving more room for visual and creative stimulation. Making the visual elements the main attraction, you draw a lot more attention to what it is that you’re promoting in a way that helps it stand out from the crowd. Having a single page website may be what gets the user in-and-out the fastest, but it’s not ideal for every business. For some single page design inspiration, check out a few of the links below, or contact Spincaster Productions for more information on how we can help you build your next website.

http://websitedesignvault.com/

http://onepagelove.com/
http://foliofocus.com/

Why you should Update Your Web Browser Today!

If you’ve been ignoring the persistent pop-up windows from your web browser telling you that it’s time for an upgrade, listen up. Using older versions of any browser can bring up many issues with your web browsing adventures, including poor security, layouts and limitations on what you view. Perhaps it’s time you simply updated your current browser, or even upgrade to a new one!

The internet can be supplied to us through many different browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, and SeaMonkey. Each browser has their own list of advantages and disadvantage, but all are required to follow the web standards set by the W3C (or World Wide Web Consortium). Whenever a new wave of regulations is given by the W3C, all web browsers are required to adhere to those regulations by updating their system. In doing so, web browsers can provide users with a better internet browsing experience.

There are many great new features in the lovely world of web development such as CSS3, HTML5, SVG, faster loading and more fluid layouts. By updating or upgrading your web browser, you can guarantee yourself a much better web browsing experience. In example, someone using a prehistoric browser such as Internet Explorer 6 may be unable to view cool features on a web site, and experience longer loading time than that of a person using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox. By not updating versions of your current browser, you could be missing out on a great user experience!

One of the biggest concerns that come with using an older version of internet browsers is the lack of security. When the W3C promotes new regulations, they are generally to help users participate in the World Wide Web as safely as possible. When you use an older version of your current browser, you are running the risk of experiencing serious security flaws that allow nasty websites to read and damage your files, steal your passwords, infect your computer with viruses … the list goes on. You may also run into pesky bugs and limitations when viewing websites that don’t support your web browser version.

So next time you receive a notification from your web browser asking whether or not you would like to upgrade to a newer version, don’t hesitate to say “yes please!”. A simple update or upgrade to your browser can allow you to reap the many benefits of safer, more secure browsing, along with great features of better interactive web exploring. The World Wide Web is evolving, so don’t miss out!

Cleardale Community Enhancement Society

Things to consider before opting for recycled paper

Printing on recycled paper has become a big fad in keeping both homes and offices eco-friendly. As a result of this ‘green movement’, recycled paper has become a substantial demand in the print industry. Although printing with previously used paper is most likely your best option, there are still downfalls to this alternative.

Recycled paper allows it’s users to reserve trees, and cut down on pollution in the air caused by manufacturers. However, recycled paper tends to cost more for production, and most likely won’t be the flawless white that you’re used to with virgin paper. In the United States, the pulp and paper industry is the second largest consumer of energy and uses more water to produce a ton of product than any other industry. Recycled paper also leaves a surprisingly high carbon-footprint, which is caused by the fossil fuels, transport materials, oil, coal, gas and large amounts of water used in the production of recycled paper. These emissions are generally irreversible, even over long terms.

So what should you look for when trying to contribute to a cleaner environment when printing? For starters, let’s talk ink. Vegetable and soy based inks are you’re safest option, as they are more easily removed from paper, which reduces the damage made on paper fibers during recycling and increases the amount of reusable product. In addition, the waste produced by recycling vegetable and soy based inks is not hazardous to the environment and can be treated much more easily in natural ecosystems. Digital printing, which uses 100% nontoxic toner also produces less chemical waste than your standard reprographic or offset printing.

Another point to keep in mind is your bleaching options. Chlorine dioxide is a popular choice for most manufacturers to make paper as white as possible, however there are better options available. When choosing your paper, keep yours eyes open for the acronym TCF. Totally Chlorine-Free (or TCF) paper uses oxygen-based compounds to make your paper as white as naturally possible. Process Chlorine-Free (or PCF) is mostly reserved for recycled content paper, making this also an awesome option if using recycled paper.

There are also many other ways to limit waste on your next printing projects.

Try using:

• Standard press sheet sizes
• De-inked paper
• Acid free paper
• Uncoated paper
• A printer that uses a waterless printing system

Using recycled paper is just one of the many ways to lead to a cleaner, healthier environment. Keep your options open when looking at ways that you can make your printing needs eco-friendly. You can drastically reduce the amount of waste produced from your projects by using some of the alternatives listed, making your home or office an environmentally responsible one!

For more articles like this one, sign up for the Spincaster Newsletter here!

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Designing for Mobile Devices

There is certainly a lot to consider when designing a website for mobile use. Not only are there so many variations of screen sizes and band-width, but the range of capabilities can make any web developer feel limited. Here are a few tips to keep your mobile web site looking sharp.

The most important guideline to follow when designing for mobile devices is to simplify, simplify, simplify. You should only publish the bare minimum of what the viewers will need, and severely narrow down the content. Using a single-column layout is considered best practice, and limits scrolling to only one direction. You will also be surprised to note that you will want to limit your navigation to only a few key options, no more than four. This will supply the operator of the device with only what they need, and get the important information to them fast.

Next on your list is that you will want to redirect the viewers to a separate, or sub-domain. A sub-domain will allow you to keep all of your files on the same server, and is most likely your cheapest option. Some actual examples of this are m.twitter.com, and netflix.com/mobile/.

One of the most important aspects of developing for mobile devices is validating your markup. Mobile browsers tend to be much less tolerant than your standard desktop browser, so it is vital to check your markup on a regular basis, as mobile browsers tend to update more often then desktop versions. An awesome validator is the W3C mobileOK Checker, found at http://validator.w3.org/mobile/ . It is also important to not rely on Flash or Javascript, since many popular mobile devices do not yet support them. Do your research to find out which mobile devices support various tags, as most have defaults for elements such as typography and lists. Try and stay away from adding pop-ups, or opening links in a new window.

All in all, you’re best off keeping everything dead simple on your mobile design. Cutting down on the use of images, complex programming and in-depth content will all help to make your website display flawlessly. I recommend checking out http://www.mobileawesomeness.com/ for some great mobile web design inspiration. The key to creating a successful layout for mobile devices is to get your brand and message across as simply and as quickly as possible to the user.

Envelopes!

Envelopes for an old client that I worked with for Spincaster.