Milwaukee Responsive Web Design

What Does It Mean When Something Is Cached?

When visitors first find a website, all of the site’s digital assets load up at a certain speed. Sometimes, these speeds can be slower than average. However, when the user comes back, they will likely experience faster loading speeds. This is due to data and browser caching (cache is pronounced “cash”). This example may seem a bit vague, though. So, if you’re wondering what it means when something is cached, you’ve come to the right place! In the section below, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about cached data. 

Cache Data Explained

When you visit a website, all of the data is placed into a storage container in your web browser on whatever device you’re using. These data are temporary files and provide a sort of snapshot of the site you’ve visited. By caching a website’s information, websites load faster upon subsequent visits. This is because you aren’t loading and reloading every single file whenever you visit a site. Rather than loading these files individually, cached data reloads the entire page as a single unit in a single go. 

What Can Be Cached?

The short answer to this question is “a lot of things.” Individual sets of data can be cached. Entire web pages can be cached. Browsers and servers host cached materials and in a sense can be classified as cached themselves. Each of these elements are cached differently and for different reasons. However, the end goal is usually the same: to improve the user experience and to improve loading speeds. 

What Is Cached Data?

Cached data is any data from a website that is temporarily stored onto your device. Image files, graphics, script, and gifs are all examples of cached data. When you first visit a website, your browser will load and then catalog every piece of data. If there are large assets on the page, the load time might be longer than average. Fortunately, when you return to a website, the cache retrieves the data at a faster speed because it has already rendered it. 

What Is a Browser Cache? 

A browser cache is what enables cached data to be stored properly during a website visit. Again, this makes the loading times for subsequent visits faster because the browser retrieves data that has already been rendered. Whenever you visit a website, the browser you use rips the following assets from a given webpage:

  • Image Files
  • Metadata
  • HTML Files
  • CSS Style Sheets
  • JavaScript 
  • Mixed Media/Multimedia

Browsers store these data locally on your device. Whether you are using a desktop or smartphone, browsers cache data onto the hard drive for later retrieval. 

What Is a Server Cache?

Much like browser caching, servers cache content as well. However, unlike a browser that saves data on the user-side, server caches store data on a website’s server. These caches do not require involvement from a specific user or their browser in any way. Some items that servers cache involve the following elements:

  • Objects
  • Content Delivery Networks 
  • Networks of Code
  • Data Sets & Datasheets

Server caches are unique in that they document and register changes made on the developer’s end. Often, when a company asks a web hosting company to update their website, the changes will take some time to register on a live page. This is due to the old information still remaining active on the server’s cache. Once the cache clears, the new information will register. 

Why Do I Need to Clear My Browser’s Cache?

As stated above, when you access a website you’ve visited in the past, cached information will usually appear on your browsing device. If you’re looking for changes made to a page, but they aren’t showing up, there’s a pretty good chance that you haven’t cleared your browser’s cache. If you haven’t cleared it, your browser will continue to retrieve old and outdated information. Remember: your browser wants to help cut down on load speeds by retrieving data. If you’re looking to view new changes on a website, you’ll have to clear out your browser’s cache. This process is different across browsers and devices (e.g. iPhone vs. desktop computer). 

How to Clear Your Desktop Browser’s Cache

When it comes to desktop browsers, two main browsers control a majority of the market share. These browsers are Google Chrome and Apple Safari (these two constitute around 85% of the total market share). So, for the sake of this article, we’ll give you a rundown of how to clear your cache from these two browsers. If you are using another browser and don’t know how to clear your cache, be sure to reach out to our support team

How to Clear Google Chrome’s Cache

  1. Open Google Chrome
  2. Click the three vertical dots on the top right corner of your browser, then click “History”
  3. On the left-hand side, click “Clear Browsing Data”
  4. A pop-up menu will appear; near the top of the menu, select “all time” for your time range
  5. Click the boxes that say “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files” 
  6. Click clear data

How to Clear Apple Safari’s Cache

  1. Click on the Safari drop-down menu and select Preferences
  2. Click on the Advanced tab
  3. Select the “Show Develop Menu” in the menu bar checkbox and close the Preferences window
  4. Select the Develop drop-down menu, then click “Empty Cache”

How to Clear Your iPhone’s Cache

Most iPhone users go with the standard Safari application as their main browser. Unfortunately, some aspects of the interface changes from update to update. However, the standard click-flow should look something like this. 

  1. Tap the settings icon
  2. Scroll down to and tap the Safari icon
  3. Scroll down to and tap “Advanced”
  4. Tap “Website Data” (the data will take a moment to populate)
  5. Tap “Removal All Data”
  6. A warning notice will appear—when it does, tap “Remove Now” 

How to Clear Your Android’s Cache

The default Browser on Android products is Google Chrome. To clear your Android’s cache, follow these steps:

  1. Tap the “Settings” icon
  2. Scroll down to and tap the “Storage” icon
  3. Tap the “Other Apps” icon
  4. Tap the “Google” icon
  5. Finally, tap “Clear Cache”

If you opt to use another browser on your device, follow the same steps. The only difference is step four! 

What If I Can’t Clear My Cache?

If you’ve purchased a new website from Brew City Marketing and you need to clear out your cache, you should be able to do so by following the steps in the section above. However, if you still can’t figure out how to clear your cache (or need help figuring out other caching concerns),  reach out to our support team. Our awesome web developers can answer all of your questions and ensure that your user experience is everything it should be. 

 

By |2024-09-05T21:18:59+00:00January 12, 2021|

Brew City Marketing’s Website Error Checker Service

Brew City Marketing’s Brand New Website Error Checker Service 

Building a professional website is no small matter. Developers put in hours upon hours to make sure your website looks sleek and easy to read. If you’ve hired an outside company to build your website, chances are you’ve dumped thousands of dollars into your project. And, most of the time, the up-front cost is well worth it. You have a brand new website marked up for SEO and you’re ready to take the internet by storm. However, one tiny error can bring that all to a quick stop, and everything can come crashing down overnight. A broken link or a single grammatical error can tank your website in search engine rankings. In fact, if someone alters a single letter on the backend of your website, you might end up with hundreds of broken links that lead to your website. Fortunately, Brew City Marketing offers website error checker services!  

Why Do I Need a Website Error Checker Audit?

Here at Brew City Marketing, we understand how important your website is to your business. It’s one of the first things a client associates with your company’s image. And we all know how important first impressions are! That said, countless studies have shown that on-page errors have a negative impact on how visitors perceive your website. In fact:

You don’t want to miss out on potential customers and revenue because of one tiny error. Unfortunately, if you don’t know about the error, you will lose visibility on the internet and, ultimately, lose money! You may be wondering, though: how exactly can Brew City Marketing help make sure that I don’t lose traffic and money? And how can they help me identify errors as they arise? 

Brew City Offers Website Error Checker Services 

If you suspect there might be an error on your website, don’t worry: Brew City has your back. Our developers use state-of-the-art software to scan every page of your website. We will catch any and all spelling errors, grammatical errors, and broken links before anyone else does. After we scan your website, we will provide you with a report of every single error found on your website. From there, you can either ask us to correct the on-page and backend errors for you. Or, if you’re feeling especially tech-savvy, you can take a crack at it yourself. Either way, there is no downside here. You have a clean website with zero errors, and you can rest assured that your website will continue to grow and rank up on Google searches.

How Can I Access These Services? 

Now that you have a fuller understanding of what this service entails, you probably want to get the ball rolling. We want to make sure that your digital marketing campaign is a success, and that starts with making sure your website is as healthy as it can be. If you’re looking to schedule an audit with our website error checker, reach out to our senior account executive, Danny. We are confident that our team of marketing experts can turn your website around and make sure that it is (and stays!) competitive.    

 

 

By |2020-11-23T12:46:54+00:00November 23, 2020|

How Our Website Has Changed Through the Years

We recently took a look back at the way our website has changed and our website’s evolution through the years, and between our moments of nostalgia, we realized these changes have broader implications for how our clients – and Brew City Marketing – do business. From the ways businesses interact with clients, to how consumers use the internet to find products and services, the digital landscape has undergone major changes since 2009. Here are some ways the internet has changed since BCM began:

1) Functionality and E-commerce

Back in 2009, websites were simpler and functioned more like a business card or brochure. They often consisted of just 5-10 main pages and listed basic business information like the business name, contact information and a brief description of services. Our website was also simpler, built with static HTML, and we used WordPress to host our blog separately, integrating it with the main website with feedburner.

“As more businesses created websites, the digital space became more competitive,” Amanda Dalnodar, Founder of Brew City Marketing, said. “Websites went from being just an additional item to have – to an absolute necessity for businesses. Now, businesses have to spend a lot of time and resources on their web presence because that’s where most of their customers find them.” Today, businesses need a way to stand out online. Search-engine optimization (SEO) – or improving your website’s ranking in Google so your business appears near the top – meant websites improved by containing more text, pages, and multimedia.

Brew City Marketing began using WordPress as a hosting service for its customizability and superior SEO capabilities. Additionally, people began shopping for more goods and services online each year. According to an article by BigCommerce, 51 percent of Americans now prefer to shop online. Websites added more content and online buying options to accommodate this growing demand. Businesses also began optimizing their websites for mobile since more and more people are purchasing and researching on their mobile devices. You can see these evolutions in our own websites over the years.

Old Brew City Marketing Website:

 

Current Brew City Marketing Website:

 

2) Linking Websites and Social Media Pages

As you can see from our website from 2013, displaying links to your business’s social media pages from websites was an internet trend. Websites used feeds in their websites to display their social media posts and content, like Brew City Marketing’s Twitter feed. This was when social media was newer, and businesses used their website as a platform to gain new followers on social media. Today, that trend has reversed. Now, those website displays have been reduced to simple social media icons in less prominent sections of websites. Why this change? The way people interact with businesses online has shifted. Often, consumers find a business website by finding its social media page first. Today, one of social media’s primary functions is to drive customers to a businesses website – not the other way around.

3) Website Layout and Design

While Brew City Marketing’s layout and design have remained fairly consistent, most websites have seen drastic changes over the years. From polished, clean graphics and less text-cluttered pages, most websites have become easier to use and have phased out flash and using grids and tables to organize information. Brew City Marketing has phased out some old themes and improved with new ones but has mostly remained consistent.

“It hasn’t changed all that much over the years if you think about the general layout,” Amanda said. “We have always used best practices for our clients and our own website. Your eye naturally moves from the top of the page to the right, and then down. So to keep things intuitive, the navigation is at the top, there’s the main image that catches your eye, and we list the main services and value proposition. That’s a general overview of what we’ve always done.”

4) Ways Brew City Marketing has been consistent

Over the years, website aspects have remained the same for Brew City Marketing and our clients. For one, Brew City Marketing has always used Google as a primary search engine because it has the largest market share and presents the most benefit for our clients. Additionally, SEO knowledge is one of the main reasons for Brew City Marketing’s success. “We’re always staying current with the latest SEO best practices,” Amanda said. “We’re continually improving our service through education, research, and trial and error. SEO is at the center of our business. In the end, this is how we can help our clients achieve their internet marketing goals of more leads and calls from the web.”

While web design trends and features may change throughout the years, one thing will always remain constant – the need for a solid, responsive website for your brand. Are you interested in a website redesign? Our office is conveniently located in Milwaukee near Wauwatosa, just a few blocks south of Mount Mary College. Give us a call at 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today!

By |2018-12-18T11:51:03+00:00December 18, 2018|

How to Handle Negative Online Reviews

Your online reputation, or what people find when they Google you, is one of your most valuable assets. The bad news is that not everyone has a perfect online reputation. The good news? There’s a lot you can do to change that.

Here are a few tips:

Have a plan to catch issues early

Address bad reviews as soon as possible. This means having a plan in place to detect bad reviews quickly. Whether that’s using a reputation monitoring service or taking time to inventory your social media accounts on a weekly basis, reputation monitoring should be an integral part of your social media checklist.

Respond to negative reviews promptly and politely

You’ve worked hard to grow your business, so a bad review can sting. Still, the last thing you want to do is get into an online “shouting” match with a dissatisfied customer. Instead, try being empathetic, apologetic and solution-oriented. Saying “I’m sorry” or “I understand why that would frustrate you” go a long way in defusing a potentially nasty exchange.

Control the conversation

You can’t always control what questions are asked of you, but you can always control how you answer. When it comes to responding to a bad online review, try “flipping the script”. For instance, instead of saying “Sorry for the delay, but we don’t control the mail” when responding to a delayed shipment, try saying “We apologize for your late shipment. We’re proud to say that 99% of the time our shipments are on time, but there are circumstances beyond our control that may delay shipment.” Framing your response this way acknowledges the customer’s frustration, but also gives you an opportunity to shine.

Take the conversation offline

If the review lends itself to a more personal touch, ask if you can contact the review privately via email or phone. This helps to keep potential escalations diffused out of the public eye. Plus, if warranted, it can allow you to the opportunity to offer a small gift of appeasement without having to make the exchange public.

Get the complaint removed

In rare circumstances, review sites may allow you to have untrue or particularly egregious complaints removed. For instance, Yelp’s content guidelines call out threats, harassment, lewd language and hate speech as being content violations. So, if any of those are in a review that you feel unfairly targets your business, you can ask to have it removed for ToS (terms of service) and/or content violations. It never hurts to try.

Be proactive

The more positive reviews you get, the less visible the occasional bad review will look. Sending a thank you note after a work is completed or asking for a review via sales receipt are 2 easy ways to garner more positive reviews. Feel uncomfortable asking or not sure where to start? Get a system in place to maximize those positive reviews. Our ReviewFlow program is an awesome and affordable place to start.

Need some other ideas on ways to get more good reviews and improve your online reputation? Call 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today to see how our team can help. We offer a full suite of reputation monitoring and social media management services.

By |2016-12-07T16:19:51+00:00December 7, 2016|

Your Website Is an Investment, Not an Expense

February_Blog1 v2When we first launched Brew City Marketing, we were surprised by how often we heard business owners explain that they understood that having a website was just another “cost of doing business.”

As web designers who live and breathe internet marketing, we couldn’t understand how these successful entrepreneurs didn’t see their business websites for what they were: investments, not expenses. How could these otherwise smart, business-savvy folks not see all of the bottom-line boosting benefits that having a good website would bring? We just couldn’t get it!

And then, it dawned on us: Maybe the problem wasn’t that these business owners didn’t understand how their websites could help their businesses grow. They could see the possibilities, no problem. Maybe it was just that they didn’t have line of sight to the metrics-based proof they needed to know that investing in a new website would be worth it.

With that in mind, we started looking for real numbers to prove what we already knew: Investing in a good website typically translates into a solid return on investment. Not only did the data we found back up our story, they told it even better than we could have.

Just look at some of the numbers we found:

These aren’t just fuzzy, “feel good” benefits. These are real, revenue-affecting numbers that can make the difference between making a profit and going broke. And these numbers don’t even capture all of the intangible, soft benefits that having a good website can produce, such as increasing customer satisfaction, increasing brand awareness, and providing a 24/7 storefront that’s always available to your customers.

Regardless of what business you’re in, whether you sell to businesses or directly to consumers, having a good website that serves as an informational marketing hub for your business is just good business. It can help you find new leads, nurture the leads you already have, and keep in contact with those you’ve already serviced.

Curious to see how investing in a new website or website redesign could help your business grow? Call 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form to learn more.

By |2016-02-03T06:35:49+00:00February 3, 2016|

5 Stats That Show Mobile Marketing Rules Local Marketing

Jan_Blog2_BCMWe knew that mobile marketing would be the biggest online marketing trend to watch for in 2015 (which is why we wrote about it here), but even we didn’t realize just how important mobile marketing would become for local marketing. We have to admit, some of these numbers even surprised us.

New statistics show just how vital having a mobile-friendly website is for local businesses, and here are some of the most interesting findings:

  1. Mobile devices now account for 60% of all Internet traffic.
    Now that mobile searches are starting to outnumber desktop searches, ignoring the importance of mobile means ignoring the importance of the Internet. Good luck with that.
  2. 38% of mobile users search for a local business at least once per month.
    And you can bet that 100% of mobile users have searched for a local business at least once, or at least even once per year. Yes, that’s anecdotal, but it’s probably still true. Why? Because we all use our mobile devices at some point to find something local. Whether it’s ordering food online, looking up the hours of a store, finding the closest bank, or calling for a tow, our lives are local, so our search needs are local.
  3. 78% of searches made on mobile devices for local businesses result in a purchase.
    When you think about it, that’s an incredible number. And it means that mobile searches for local businesses are highly targeted, which is a beautiful thing. Dominate local search on mobile devices for your target audience and you’ve got a sales funnel that could help you retire early.
  4. 61% of shoppers are more likely to contact a local business if it has a website optimized for mobile.
    If mobile devices now account for the majority of Internet traffic, it only makes sense that users would want the websites they visit to be optimized for mobile viewing. Whether we’re window shopping or searching for information, none of us wants to deal with websites that are hard to deal with (which is why 60% of mobile users will bounce if they find themselves on a website that isn’t mobile-friendly).
  5. 69% of mobile users researching products/services online expect a business to be within 5 miles of them.
    People love supporting local businesses for many reasons, but one that they may not always consider is convenience. It’s a lot more convenient to visit a business that’s 2 miles from your home than it is to visit one that’s 15 miles away. Show that your business is where your customers are (or plan to be), and you’ll position yourself for success.

Contact Us Today To Learn More About Our Services

It’s never too late to upgrade your website to a mobile-friendly platform. Give us a call at 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today to see how our Milwaukee mobile marketing team can help you enjoy a bigger piece of the Internet pie.

By |2022-04-11T15:22:47+00:00January 19, 2016|

3 Local Business Marketing Trends for 2016

The new year is here, so if you haven’t already shored up your local marketing business plan, now is the time to tick that box off your to-do list. As the buy local movement continues to grow, so does the need for a smart local marketing plan that engages your consumers where they are: online.

Here are three of the biggest internet marketing trends we see affecting local businesses in 2016. Some may seem like oldies, but that’s because they’re goodies, and the fact that they keep popping up proves that they’re here for the long haul.

Content Marketing Quality Will Rise

As more local companies recognize the benefits of high-quality content marketing, more will understand the need to invest in targeted content marketing that is interactive, engaging and shareable. Not sure how that works? Follow content marketing masters like IKEA, Birchbox, and Home Depot.

And, as you build out your content marketing for 2016, don’t forget to put together your social media marketing plan so you can maximize the SEO crossover benefits.

The Search Universe Will Expand

New technologies with skyrocketing adoptions rates (think wearables, digital assistants, and apps), means search can no longer be confined to traditional search engine functionality. The importance of social media (yes, 1.55 billion active users per month is a lot), the popularity of useful wearable technology (amazeballs: about 80% of Apple Watch users use Apple Pay to pay for things), and the need for voice-based queries (so Siri can find what you need), mean search (and SEO) will continue to change and expand.

It’s Mobile All the Way

Mobile payments for local businesses will continue to be a hot topic in 2016. As more businesses and technologies adopt mobile payment functionality, more consumers will expect it. And those consumers are going to expect easy-to-use, fully functional mobile websites and apps that make it easy to window-shop online too, not just pay.

Master these three areas in 2016 and your business is sure to steamroll 2017.  Call us at 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today for a free consultation on how the Brew City internet marketing team can help.

By |2022-06-23T14:44:22+00:00January 5, 2016|

Why Should Milwaukee Small Businesses Choose a Milwaukee Web Design Company?

Blog2_OctAs web-savvy internet marketers, we understand the allure of tapping a global marketplace to meet your business needs. But, as business owners ourselves, we also recognize that sometimes it’s better to source your services from your local economy rather than trying to outsource it online.

If you’re a Milwaukee business owner in the market for a new website, consider this:

  • A Milwaukee web design company will know your market, intimately.
    A good web site speaks through colors, words, and myriad other design elements that resonate with its target audience. When you choose a web designer who actually lives and breathes in your market, those design elements are much more likely to hit the target.
  • Supporting local businesses puts money into the local economy.
    Why is that important? Because putting money into the local economy in which your business does business inevitably ends up meaning more business for your business one way or another.
  • Supporting local businesses supports entrepreneurship.
    If you’re a business owner, you’re an entrepreneur. So, you already understand the value of entrepreneurship and the benefits that it creates. When you support local businesses, you support hard-working, risk-taking people just like yourself who are making Milwaukee a stronger, better place to live and do business.
  • As Milwaukee web designers, we’ll be here when you need us.
    When you do business with people who are three states (or nations) away, it’s easy for them to hide when there’s a problem. But when you do business with people who are just three miles away, well, it gets a little harder for them to pretend they’re not around. If you have a problem, you’ll know exactly how and where to find us.
  • Because sometimes you need face time.
    The quality and dependability of a website can make or break a small business. And good websites don’t come cheap. Are you really ready to take a risk on something that important with someone you’ve never met? It may sound cliche, but there’s no substitute for talking to someone face-to-face to both explain your needs and get a feeling for what they’re about.

Does your business need a new website or refresh? Call us at 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today for a free consultation.

By |2022-11-29T17:59:16+00:00October 15, 2015|

7 Reasons to Invest in SEO

7 Reasons to Invest in SEO-2Let me guess: You’ve heard that “SEO is dead” or that “good” websites don’t need SEO. Wrong and wrong again. As long as there are search engines, SEO will be a critical component of any successful digital marketing mix.

If you’re not already using search engine optimization, here are just seven reasons to invest in SEO today:

  1. Cost-effectiveness – Dollar for dollar, SEO is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies available. Unlike cold-calling and “spray and pray” outbound marketing campaigns, SEO is an inbound strategy that targets users who are already actively seeking your products and services online. That makes a huge difference in terms of effectiveness.
  1. ROI – Because it is so cost-effective, search engine optimization provides concrete, quantifiable and trackable results that often blow more expensive, traditional marketing strategies out of the water.
  1. Increased Visibility – The whole point of SEO is to raise your website’s ranking in search engine results. This increased visibility means more traffic, which means more opportunities for you to connect with a new (or returning) consumer. In fact, the top ranking positions receive the vast majority of clicks, so the higher you are in the ranks the more clicks you get—and the fewer clicks you leave for your competitors.
  1. Increased Brand Awareness – Humans are big fans of familiarity, so it’s no surprise that users tend to trust brands that they see more often and that appear higher in the rankings. Whether users trust those brands more because they’re higher in the rankings or because they see them more often because they’re higher in the rankings isn’t clear, but either way, the higher you are in the SERPs, the better.
  1. Increased Traffic – Did you know that 60% of search engine users click the first result in their search results? Insane, right? Securing a top position in the search engines with good SEO means you’ll get the first shot at the majority of people searching for your service or product. Obviously, that’s a killer advantage that few other marketing strategies can offer.
  1. Your Competition – More likely than not, your competition is doing it. In fact, if you’ve noticed an unexplained slump in business, the culprit could be competitor SEO. Most business owners know: Don’t keep up with your competition and they’re sure to out maneuver you. And one way that you can make it really easy for your competition to maneuver you is to ignore SEO.
  1. Money – That’s right, good ol’ cheddar. For the potential payoff and ROI that search engine optimization offers, investing in SEO can mean paying less marketing dollars for more return.

Sure, you love your business and the work that you do, but let’s be real: it’s about the money too—so get the most out of it that you can!

Is it time to add SEO to your inbound marketing strategy? Call us at 414-208-0700 or fill out our contact form today for a free consultation—we’re eager to show you what search engine optimization can do.

By |2015-08-04T21:41:07+00:00August 4, 2015|

Add Mobile Payments to Your Website

Add Mobile Payments to Your WebsiteAccording to this Business Insider article, in the first quarter of 2014 alone, 198 million U.S. consumers bought something online. A few years ago, those numbers might have seemed like hype, but now we know: online shopping is big business. Whether it’s for goods, services or something else, folks are ready and willing to use the internet to get their shopping done, and they’re doing it every day.

What does that mean for local businesses? Well, as more consumers get comfortable using mobile devices to pay for goods and services online, it’s vital that any business website that sells goods or services have some sort of e-commerce component to accept payments online. Could Amazon, EBay or Etsy have become the household names they now are without easy-to-use online payment functionality? No way. And that’s why small businesses hoping to grow their businesses online need to prioritize online payment options.

And online payments aren’t just for the big boys. Small, local businesses should seriously consider integrating online payment systems as well. Whether you own a pizza parlor or a pet sitting business, more and more of your customers are going to want to be able to pay with their phones.

If you’re considering adding a payment option to your website, speak to one of our mobile payment specialists today by calling 414-208-0700 or filling out our contact form.

By |2015-05-15T07:09:12+00:00May 15, 2015|
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