SolTerra Communications, LLC Launches New Website, Brand Refresh, and Graphic Design Services

PRESS RELEASE

SolTerra Communications, a web design and video production company, has expanded their services and is now offering graphic, print, and identity design services.

With the addition of Solterra’s new artist and graphic designer, Adam Hall, Solterra has become a full service design company, offering corporate identity (logo) design, branding, and print design. Hall holds a Bachelor of Visual Communication (Graphic Design Major) from Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio with a Dean’s Recommendation of Honors. Hall also holds a Certificate in Web and Multimedia Design from the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio and retains an impressive portfolio that includes freelance art, corporate logo designs, catalogs, brochures, business cards, posters, and innovative web designs.

SolTerra has also officially launched a newly renovated website and company identity. The new mobile-responsive web design was developed using the latest advances in technology, HTML5, and is compatible with today’s browsers and mobile devices. “We recognize the importance of innovating and adapting to new technology; it is critical for every business,” commented Jeff Huxmann, Solterra Owner and Senior Producer. The new site, http://solterra.us, is designed to make it easy for visitors to learn more about SolTerra, while also showcasing the company’s history of success in the industry.

The basis for the company’s new logo is derived from the ancient cultural symbols for the Sun and Earth. “These symbols have been used for thousands of years, from the time of the ancient Greeks. SolTerra’s new logo is a bit interpretive, and people may see different symbols. For me the new logo is both modern and a nod to ancient times,” explained Huxmann.


Previous Logo
 

New Logo

About SolTerra Communications

SolTerra Communications® of Ohio, LLC is a dynamic team of individuals creating innovative online solutions, video productions, and branding for businesses and individuals to help them effectively represent their business and the products and services they offer to generate business growth and improve reputation. SolTerra offers website hosting, development, design, maintenance, media integration, database-driven solutions, and graphic and print design. SolTerra is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in West Union, Ohio, but serves clients across the U.S. and Canada. For more information about web or video design/development and branding services, visit http://solterra.us or contact 937-779-4412.

Contact:
Jeffrey Huxmann
Owner/Senior Producer
SolTerra Communications, LLC
937-779-4412
info@solterra.us

HTTP vs HTTPS

When a website asks you to enter your credit card information, do you look to see if the web address begins with https:// ?  If it doesn't, you should never enter sensitive information like a credit card number.

 

 

 

 

 

There are two primary protocols used to transmit data through the internet for websites, http and https.

Http or the hypertext transfer protocol is the language used to send information back and forth between web servers and clients.  The important thing is the letter S which makes the difference between HTTP and HTTPS.  The problem with http is that it is vulnerable to people who might want to eavesdrop on your activity.  It may not be a serious problem if all you are doing is watching YouTube videos or googling for information.  The true problem arises when you are sending or receiving data that is confidential or sensitive.  For example, when you buy something on-line and pay for it with your credit card, your credit card number gets sent across the internet.  If you are using http for an on-line transaction it makes it very easy for malicious people to gain access to your financial information.

The Internet’s answer to ensure your confidential information is protected is https, a secured connection that transmits data over the internet in an encrypted form.  This security method means that even if someone is eavesdropping, the data they get would not be comprehensible or usable because they don’t have the means to decrypt it.  The entire message is decrypted only when it arrives at its designated location.  Https is used in many situations, such as log-in pages for banking, forms, corporate log-ins, and other applications in which data needs to be secure.  However, if not implemented properly, https is not infallible, and therefore it is extremely important for end users to be wary about accepting questionable certificates and cautious with their personal information while using the Internet.

So why don’t we convert everything to https so that everything is secured?   Although that is possible, transmitting data via https requires additional processing power to encrypt/decrypt the data.  This could cause massive slowdowns on the servers that process millions if not billions of data each day.  That is why https is only used in certain pages that contain sensitive information like credit card numbers or passwords.

Never enter sensitive information in an http website!

Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?

Mobile internet usage is increasing dramatically.  According to Google, more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers.  With this rising number of mobile device users, it’s extremely important that your website is mobile friendly.
 
Many businesses have two websites, one developed specifically for desktop users and the other for mobile users, but with the development of Responsive Web Design, you only maintain one website that can be accessed across mobile devices and computers.  Responsive web design allows the web designer to create a web page that “responds to” or resizes itself depending on the type of device it is being viewed through, whether an oversized desktop computer, a laptop, a 10-inch tablet, or a 4-inch smartphone screen.

Benefits of a Responsive Web Design:

• Google strongly recommends responsive web design, favoring mobile-friendly sites when ranking search results on mobile devices.  Google finds it easy to find, index and organize content from a single website than from two sites, and therefore boosting SEO rankings.

• Responsive websites load faster since they only use one URL and the same HTML code across all devices.

• With responsive web design, you only need one website for all devices, which eliminates the cost of maintaining two different websites and separate SEO campaigns for each.

• When there is just one website and URL, it's much easier for users to share, engage and interact with the content on the site as compared to a site that has different pages for mobile and desktop users.

• Responsive websites have lower bounce rates because content and functionality is not compromised when viewed on different devices.  If a website isn't functioning on a mobile device, users get frustrated and leave.

• A responsive design offers users a positive experience.  Users don't have to fool around with zooming and shrinking the text or images on the screen.  Instead, all of the content automatically adjusts to the device’s screen size. This makes it easier and more convenient for users to read and navigate on your site.   A mobile responsive website is easier to navigate, fill out forms, make reservations, make a purchase, view images or videos, and a linked phone number on the website will connect without dialing when using a mobile phone.

• A responsive design has the ability to increase mobile user conversion rates.  With many people doing online shopping from a mobile device, if a user has to do more work than needed to complete a conversion, it's less likely they will make a purchase.  According to Google's Think Insights on Mobile, whenever someone arrives on your mobile website and is frustrated, or doesn't see the content that they are searching for immediately, there's a 61% chance they will leave and go to another website. However, whenever a user has a positive experience with your mobile website, that individual will be 67% more likely to buy a product or use a service.

• With a responsive web design, your site is designed to look similar on different devices.  Although, the content and images slightly simplify or scale down, the elements and appearances are basically the same on all devices.

• A responsive site gives you a competitive advantage showing that you know what it takes to meet the needs of the consumers.   48% of users stated to Google that when a site doesn’t function on their mobile device, it makes them feel that the company doesn’t want their business.

Does My Small Business Need a Website?

When was the last time you used a phone book to search for a product or service? The convenience of internet searching means fewer people are using printed books to find products and services.  So how does a consumer find you?  How do you advertise your products or services?

The success of small business is the heart of the American economy, yet so many small businesses do not have websites.  Today the internet is the number one source where consumers look for anything and everything.  Consumers are continually searching the internet for products and services and many times judge whether or not to do business with a company based on a business’ web presence or… lack of.

In my recent internet search for a local service provider, I found that many small locally owned businesses are not advertising on the internet.   In my attempt to find a local service provider, I googled some related key words for the service I was looking for, but didn’t get many valid results.  I then asked around the community for recommendations, and again visited the internet to check out the recommendations I had been given.  I found some very poor attempts at websites, but surprisingly most had no web presence at all!  However, I did find a few businesses that actually had very nice websites that provided the information I was looking for – i.e. location, services offered, experience, and contact information.   In the end, I decided to contact the businesses that made the investment into establishing a professional online presence primarily because it demonstrated their credibility.

A website may be your first chance at making a good impression on a potential buyer.  A website gives your business credibility, it shows that you are committed to your business and the customer is important to you.  Many times customers are more willing to do business with you because you have a website.

So should your business have a website, even if your business is small and sells products or services you don’t think can be sold online?  YES, without a doubt, if you have a business, you should have a website.

Nowadays, there is very little that can’t be sold over the internet.  Millions of shoppers are online, purchasing everything from books to computers to cars to real estate.  Although you don’t want to put all your marketing efforts into selling your goods online, if your product is an easy online sale, you should certainly be considering it.  At the very least, you should have a web presence so that customers, potential employees, business partners, and perhaps even investors can quickly and easily find out more about your business and the products or services you offer.

A website is a very valuable marketing tool and is actually a very inexpensive form of advertising.  It allows you to offer much more information about your products or services than other forms of advertising.   You can make changes to your website at any time, add photos, special pricing, publicize events, etc.  You can build relationships with your consumers via your website by sending emails and newsletters to advertise sales, special offers, and communicate other important information to your customers.  A website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week supplying information about your business to potential customers.  At any time you can see how many people are viewing your website, what pages they viewed and how long they stayed on your site.

You need to have a professional-looking website to be taken seriously.   Since many consumers now search the internet for information before making a purchase, even from a brick-and-mortar store, your site may be the first chance you have at making a good impression on a potential buyer.  With a well-designed website, your small business can project the image and professionalism of a much larger company.  No matter the size of your company, if you don’t have a website you’re losing business to other companies that do.