Posted on

Web Development Wizard: Building Your Dream Website

What role does a web developer play in my website?

A web developer is responsible for programming the code that tells websites and web applications how to operate. They program technical instructions dictating functionality. A developer may design or create content, but their main role is to build and maintain websites.

There are three types of web developers, each type has a slightly different area of expertise. 

  • Front-end developers deal with the parts of the website you see as visitors or users, also called the client side of development.
  • Back-end developers who work more behind-the-scenes systems and structures. They also tend to work more on mobile applications. 
  • Full-stack developers who can code both front-end and back-end formats.

A web developer’s day-to-day life is constantly different. They must collaborate with other team members, solve problems, adapt, and review, which is what our Full-stack Developer, Daniel Dunevant, does here at VIA Marketing. With his expertise, we make clients’ ideas and well-thought-out user experiences come to life with a well-functioning and efficiently running website. 

Daniel stated, “A website is essential for businesses because it helps consumers understand your story and mission. Make an impact on potential customers with a great first impression.”

Daniel does this by:

  • Translating wireframe designs into working code.
  • Creating the architecture and content of a site.
  • Building functionality and responsiveness.
  • Taking care to make sure the site downloads fast.
  • Making sure ADA compliance strategies are in place.
  • Strategizing keywords and meta tags for good SEO.
  • Placing a site live and testing it in the various browsers.
  • Updating and renovating sites.
  • Troubleshooting, fixing bugs, and glitches.

We decided to gain more insight by asking Daniel a few questions.

How long does a web development project take to complete from start to finish?

 That’s like asking me how long it takes to build a barn! It depends on how many features are implemented and the design’s complexity. A relatively simple site, though, could be turned around in about 20 hours if I have all the content ready.

Can I edit my website without consulting you?

It depends on your site’s content management system (CMS). We give our clients a login so they can edit content. We meet with them and provide a tutorial on how it works. Some clients prefer to just let us do it, and others want more control. Most page content is editable on our websites.

What was your favorite project, and how did you approach it?

One of my favorite projects was putting together Nardo Builders’ website. The design was challenging to implement. The features are dynamic, valuable, and appealing to viewers. 

When approaching any project, I start with understanding the problem, then I can proceed to address it. Nardo wanted to have easier access to adding photos while keeping them neat and organized. I had to modify our CMS in order to simplify the management of uploading photos. After a few updates, I achieved this new feature. I love a challenge and the reward you feel after accomplishing something.

What is the most significant difference between developing for Desktop and Mobile?

For desktops, multiple columns, left-aligned text, and navigation span the page’s width. Mobile, however, mostly has single columns and centered text with hidden navigation until the user clicks to show it. There are always apparent exceptions when it comes to mobile setups. I go back and forth from desktop to mobile views to ensure everything looks and runs smoothly. Over 55% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. 92.3% of internet users use a mobile phone, showing the importance of making your website mobile-friendly.

Do you use a template to create your websites?

I prefer to create my websites from scratch, but if you insist, you can work on a variety of canned platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, etc. Sometimes, I use a website we have previously created as a framework for a new one. This allows for a more efficient construction process but still gives you a smartly tailored site that fits your needs.

What If I need a new or updated website for my company?

We’d set a time to hear what you like and what you don’t like about your current website. The next step is submitting it for design. After you approve the design, I go to work. Making your vision come to life technologically takes time, effort, and maybe a little magic. You will see a test link before anyone else sees those pages. We will go through a revision stage before going live and training you on how to make updates. 

Here at VIA, our goal is to create a website you will love, and your customers can easily find and navigate. Contact us today so we can help you be proud of your website.

Posted on

Social Media Seen Through Our Expert’s Eyes…

How Can I Build My Online Presence?

Social media has increased in popularity since its humble beginnings in the late 1990s. With the introduction of platforms such as Myspace in the early 2000s, social media has evolved into a greater digital universe than ever imagined. Now, social media is one of the primary ways to engage with customers and potential customers, making it a crucial part of your marketing strategy to ensure the success of your brand.

You probably know that building your virtual presence online takes more thought and planning than it may appear. Users can engage directly, helping you develop a stronger relationship with them and a better understanding of what they want or expect from you. As you may have experienced, they also expect replies     

Trying to be on top of the latest trends and crafting fun, meaningful messages for your viewers can be overwhelming. Luckily, we have Ashley Williams on staff, our very own digital media specialist. She creates customized strategies that are right for your brand, working side-by-side with you to ensure she meets your goals and expectations. 

Some of her strategies are:

  • Creating interesting social media postings (crafted for your target audiences)
  • Administering content across all social media platforms
  • Monitoring posts results
  • Organizing results/analyzing data
  • Developing social media and display network paid ads
  • Optimizing company social media pages                                                          

We decided to gain more insight by asking Ashley a few questions.

How do I get more followers?

Building a following on social media takes time, consistency, and creativity. Every company’s audience is different, and you must keep that in mind when growing your platform.

What are some techniques I can use to  hold my audience’s attention?

One technique to hold your audience’s attention is to post consistently. Create a content schedule with a detailed outline of your ideas, keeping your audience in mind. Also, less text is more in most cases. Most viewers want to read the main points of your posts on social media, so be quick and straight to the point. 

How often should I post?

You have to consider a few things when posting on social media. First, what kind of business do you have, and what information are you trying to put forth? Second, what platform are you posting on? These are just a couple of questions we use as a guide when advising on how often you should post. As a general guideline, I recommend posting at least once a week to get started. 

Here is a handy list based on the various platforms:

  • Instagram: Post between 3 and 5 times per week
  • Instagram stories: Post two times per day
  • Facebook: Post between 1 to 2 times per day
  • X (Twitter): Post between 2 and 3 times per day

How do I know when to pay for ads or to boost my post?

Even though paying for ads or boosting your posts seem similar, they have a lot of differences. Boosting your post is when you want to introduce more people to a specific post that already has good exposure and success. Paid ads, however, are for reaching a wider group of people and converting visitors to your page or website by driving traffic there.

What makes a successful paid marketing campaign?

Sometimes it’s as simple as targeting your customer demographics, posting consistently, and frequently staying engaged with them to increase exposure. There is a lot of thought in setting a campaign up. There is also a lot of babysitting and tweaking along the way to ensure success. I’d say I learn another nuance every time we run one.

Are paid ads worth the investment?

Paying for social media advertising allows you to extend your messages inexpensively compared to other kinds of advertising, making it an overall great value for growing your company’s brand awareness or selling a product, event, or service.

What if I need help with my social media or have questions?

The world of social media can be very intimidating and overwhelming at times, especially since social media is not one size fits all. Here at VIA, we will make your experience much more straightforward. Contact us today, and we will help you reach your goals!

Posted on

Why Should You Make the Switch to Google Analytics 4?

Let’s start with the basics.

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics may sound intimidating and overwhelming, but it’s worth it and a helpful tool in your toolbox.

This data-collecting service provides statistics and is an essential search engine optimization and marketing tool. The software is used to track website performance and collect visitor insights.

It helps organizations determine the top sources of user traffic, gauge the success of their marketing activities and campaigns, track goal completions, discover patterns and trends in user engagement, and get other visitor information, such as demographics.

What are Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

Why is Google Analytics forcing the switch?

In 2012, during a much simpler time, Google introduced Universal Analytics. Even though it doesn’t seem that long ago, the only way you could measure data was on a desktop and with cookies. Unfortunately, these are not the cookies you eat.

They collect data to provide a more personalized experience for visitors. There are two different types: first-party and third-party cookies. Google recently announced the elimination of third-party cookies, causing companies to adjust.


The old method of measuring data from cookies is quickly becoming obsolete. Conversely, Google built the new Google Analytics 4 to operate across platforms, not rely only on cookies, and use an event-based data model to deliver user-friendly measurements.


Event-based data tracks interactions between users and your website. An event is any action that occurs within a digital touchpoint, such as a mobile app, email, CRM, or webpage. User attributes such as location, device, language, mobile number, etc., are also recorded. 

Google Analytics 4 also provides a lot of significant new improvements while making the service more user-friendly.

Improvements include:

  1. Increasing privacy protection and control.
  2. Tracking both websites and apps is all in the same place.
  3. Tracking primary events automatically, such as scrolling, outbound link clicks, document clicks, and website searches.
  4. Improving visualization of the consumer’s journey and a deeper understanding of how users navigate your website.
  5. Exporting complex raw data for free to BigQuery, a fully managed enterprise data warehouse that helps you manage and analyze your data with built-in features like machine learning, geospatial analysis, and business intelligence.
  6. Reviewing your entire tracking setup to ensure you achieve your overall goals.

How soon do you need to make the switch for your business?

As of July 1, 2023, standard Universal Analytics software will no longer process data. You can access previously processed data in the standard software for at least six months. However, recent data will only flow into the new software. If you don’t have a previously created account, you have nothing to worry about; new accounts will open using the newly updated software.

Even though Google Analytics 4 is supposed to be more user-friendly, it has a learning curve for new users. The setup is quite different, and it introduces new terminology and features to help you better understand your target audience and increase your overall sales. Regarding your monthly Google ad reports, you will still receive those, but they will look slightly different.

What if you need help transferring over or if you have further questions?

Google Analytics 4 could provide the insight you need to be one step ahead of your competition. VIA Marketing will help ensure smooth, effortless transitions and transfers the latest marketing analytic tools to clients.

Even if you don’t currently use any analytic tool, consider investing in the software to ensure you get all the benefits you have yet to experience. Let us help keep your business in pace with technology.