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How to Choose the Best Website Design Company for Your New Site

Half of online consumers will tie a website's credibility to its design.

When you are looking to design a new site, you should ensure it’s compatible with most browsing devices as this will help you reach out to a broader audience. That’s where web design firms come in. The best website design company will incorporate all the relevant features to ensure the success of your site.

However, there are many agencies online, and some don't deliver what they claim to sell. For instance, a few weeks ago, Hertz (a car rental giant) filed a lawsuit against Accenture (a management consulting firm) who were hired to redesign its website but did not meet the contract requirements. Hertz is claiming the $32 million they had paid for Accenture’s services.

Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about choosing the best website design company for your site.

Understand Your Website Needs and Goals

You need an appealing and functional website. You need to project what the website should do and the features it must have to help you accomplish your goals.

By understanding and creating a list of all that you need for your website, you will have your website designed and developed according to your particular needs and specifications.

It is also essential that you set your budget. Set up an estimate of the money that you are planning to use on your project. It is an important project, but it is not the only project for your company with a budget; you should set your limits.

Research Various Web Design Companies and Review Them

Search for potential companies. You can start with companies in your local area and then proceed to others. You don’t necessarily have to meet; you can communicate virtually using emails, video chats, Skype, and other apps.

Check out what the different companies have to offer and ensure what they are offering is aligned to your website goals.

Don’t forget to research about the experience of other clients (companies) who had hired them in the past, the services they offer after establishing the site, and their culture and reputation. You can also refer to websites you admire, find out who designed them and include them in your list of potential companies.

Check out the Potential Companies’ Websites

You have a list of companies you think would do a good job designing your site. Now you need to narrow down so that you can choose the one to engage in your project.

The companies’ websites are likely to showcase their design, expertise, and capabilities.

Their website doesn’t have to correspond with your style as the company you choose should build your site according to your guidelines and needs. However, it is important that the website be beautiful to the eye, functional, and up to date.

It is also worth checking out their culture. How do they work with their clients and what is their personality? It is vital that their working culture corresponds with that of your company so that it is easy to work together.

When the culture between the two organizations is too diverse, working together maybe strenuous. You should have a smooth working relationship as it is paramount for the success of the project.

Check out Some of their Previous Work

It is essential to check out the websites they have worked on. Check to see if the sites you find are good enough, are offering a great user experience, and if they look professionally done.

Compare the websites you find to what you have as your goal. You will find that web design companies will have some of the websites they have built on their portfolio to showcase their capabilities and creativity.

Read their Reviews

Reading reviews by previous clients is important; the reviews will give you a sneak peek of how working with a particular B2B web agency will be like. 

The clients will share their experience working with the company and the customer service they received. They could even mention some staff members who were exceptional in their work.

When you read customer reviews, you may discover something that was not displayed by the company but was picked up by their customers. You can find these reviews on Facebook, clutch. Co, Yelp, and Google reviews.

Contact the Companies to Discuss Your Project

Now that you have done your research and have shortlisted some companies you wish to try, what’s left is contacting them. You can start with a phone call.

Pay attention to how they handle your phone call and how they respond. Are they interested in learning about your project and listening to what you have to say?

Make sure you feel comfortable with how the first discussion goes.

Once you hire a particular company, you will have to work with them for quite some time, and you don’t need to be uncomfortable the whole time. Friendly people are easy to work with, and you can be able to present your needs, goals, and thoughts without being afraid.

If everything is okay after the first call, you can go ahead and organize a meeting to set up your deal. Request to meet the team you will be working with. Once you meet, be keen to pick on a few things that you couldn’t get on the phone.

Check their reactions and if they show enthusiasm towards your project. Do they listen to your ideas?
You can then decide whether to go ahead with your deal or get another company.

Choose the Best Website Design Company

As aforementioned, choosing the best website design company is not an easy task.

You should take your time to make your decision. Most people will evaluate your company’s website before they decide to transact with you.

For more best website design tips and tricks, please reach out to us.

 Posted in General

Throw the Best BBQ Party This Summer: The Ultimate Guide

You've spent all winter cooped up inside of your house. So now that it's finally starting to heat up outside, why not start planning that BBQ party you've been dreaming about since last September?

You can invite your family members, your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, and more to your backyard BBQ party and make the most of the warm weather. You can also chow down on some delicious food and throw back a few cold drinks while you're doing it.

Here is your ultimate guide to throwing the best BBQ party this summer.

Plan Out a Menu

When people show up at your house for your BBQ party, they're going to come hungry. It's your job to fill their bellies with all of the best BBQ foods from the moment they set foot in your backyard.

Once you decide on a date for your barbecue party and write it down on your calendar, start planning out a menu for it. Plan to serve:

  • Hot dogs
  • Hamburgers
  • Steaks
  • Ribs
  • Chicken breasts
  • Sausages

Make sure you've got plenty of sides ready to go, too. These sides should include everything from French fries and baked beans to potato salad and cole slaw.

If you think you might have vegetarian/vegan guests in attendance, add things to your menu for them as well. You want everyone to be 100 percent satisfied with the foods you serve.

Invest in a Great Grill

Are you still using the same old grill that you've been using since you moved into your house 10 years ago? Invest in a new one for your BBQ party.

You should also consider taking your BBQ to the next level by purchasing the best pellet smoker you can find. Pellet smokers make it easy to cook up mouth-watering BBQ meals.

Grab Drinks for Everyone

There is nothing quite like sipping on an ice-cold adult beverage at a BBQ party. It's the highlight of summer for some people.

Keep a cooler stocked with all kinds of different adult beverages. From beer to wine to hard alcohol for mixed drinks, you should have everything on hand for your guests.

You should also bring out other coolers filled with soft drinks, juices, and waters for the younger crowd. It'll help everyone beat the heat and stay hydrated throughout the course of your barbecue party.

Set Up Fun Games

Do you have a pool in your backyard? If so, that will be more than enough to keep your BBQ party guests occupied.

If you don't, no worries. There are dozens of fun BBQ games that you can set up for your guests to play. Some good games for a barbecue party are:

  • Cornhole
  • Bocce
  • Badminton
  • Water balloon toss
  • Inflatable bowling

All the eating and playing that your guests do at your BBQ party will send them home happy at the end of the day.

Start Planning Your First BBQ Party of the Season

Set the right tone for this summer by mapping out your first BBQ party now. And don't let it be your last barbecue party of the season, either!

Soak up every bit of the summertime by holding regular BBQ parties. Your family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers will have a blast coming to your house several times throughout the summer to party.

Take a look at how to set up online photo albums so that you can share your favorite pictures from your BBQ parties with everyone you know.

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What's The Difference Between Marijuana and Hemp? Here's What You Need To Know

Did you know that the hemp industry is worth billions?

After all, its market value back in 2017 was around $3.9 billion. It’s only expected to grow from there since there is a constant demand for hemp-based food products as its driving force.

But isn’t hemp the same as marijuana — to the surprise of many, there’s a big difference between marijuana and hemp.

It’s okay if you’re a bit confused. Don’t get lost in the shuffle of discussions on message forums and amateur blogs - we’re here to help you sort out the truth.

The good news is that the difference is easy to explain. If you’re interested to know more, read on and learn.

The Difference Between Marijuana and Hemp

It’s clear from the get-go that Cannabis, Hemp, and Marijuana are different things.

A lot of people seem confused due to lack of information and acceptance of common misconceptions. But the truth is that Cannabis isn’t a single plant - it’s a whole family of plants split into two main groups: Indica and Sativa.

Marijuana is versatile since it can be a member of either classification.

But Hemp is different since it’s only a member of the Sativa branch. With this, the two still has its similarities since they belong from a similar plant classification.

It’s important to remember that each plant’s biological makeup makes them distinct from one another. If you want a more in-depth discussion of hemp vs. cannabis, you can learn more about it here.

1. Anatomy

To most untrained eyes, the two plants have similarities. But if you give a closer look, you’ll see that marijuana features broader leaves with denser buds. It has this short, bushy appearance.

In comparison, hemp’s leaves are skinny and more concentrated toward the plant’s topmost part.

It’s taller and skinnier compared to marijuana, sporting a few branches under its upper part. That’s why it’s easy for people to compare the plants when placed side by side.

2. Composition

The cannabis plant family has a lot of different compounds known as Cannabinoids. Out of these, two of the most dominant ones include Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). Both of these compounds show benefits to the betterment of the human body.

But the difference is that the former will induce psychoactive effects while the latter doesn’t. If you’re asking, “is hemp the same as weed?”, this is the main difference—the concentration levels of these compounds.

Hemp has a low concentration of THC while Marijuana has an abundance. To give a reference on the disparity, the former only has about 0.3% or less while the latter ranges from 15%-40%.

Due to this, companies grow hemp for industrial purposes. As for marijuana, they’re often used as a medicinal and recreational drug.

3. Usages

Marijuana’s natural abundance of THC makes it perfect as a recreational drug due to its psychoactive nature.  

You can smoke, inhale, ingest, or inject it to your bloodstream. Companies extract the THC from the plant and use it in a lot of different products like vaporizers, edibles, and others.

On the other hand, hemp’s use is to make a lot of important resources like paper, clothes, building materials, organic fuel, oils, and more. CBD’s popularity is growing, which means that hemp acts as a better substitute for THC-free CBD products.

4. Legality

The THC levels in both plants play a defining factor on how legal each is. Remember, all states and countries will have their own set of laws that govern Hemp’s production. It all depends on the THC content of the specific strain of hemp plant.

For example, a vast majority of states allow hemp as long as its THC level remains 0.3%. The rest of the world is stricter since they only allow 0.2% THC. But the good thing is that the legal consequences for cultivating hemp when illegal are often minor and inconsequential.

Marijuana’s high THC levels make it illegal in most parts of the globe.

Some countries and states legalized it due to its potential to become useful in the medical field. There’s a high possibility of its total legalization in the long run, but for now, it’s illegal.

5. Cultivation

Another striking contrast between marijuana and hemp is the environment they grow. Hemp farmers grow the plant as close as they can—as close as 4” apart. In normal situations, they use multi-acre plots to grow these plants.

Hemp can grow in a lot of climates, meaning it’s easier to start cultivating the plant no matter where you are. The average growth cycle of the plan ranges from 108-120 days.

Marijuana is more delicate since you need a controlled environment that’s warm and has a humid atmosphere. This helps promote proper growth, with its growth cycle lasting between 60 and 90 days. Also, you can’t grow medical marijuana too close to each other.

The marijuana plants often have around 6 feet of space to make it grow in a proper manner. Also, you can’t grow marijuana and hemp in the same field. If the latter’s pollen gets to the former, it dilutes the psychoactive capabilities of marijuana.

CBD vs. THC

As discussed beforehand, hemp has high levels of CBD. It has a lot of benefits like pain relief, anti-inflammation, and anti-anxiety. It helps you get through these problems without the risk of getting high.

With the non-psychoactive effects, CBD gained more popularity as medicine.

This is one of the common reasons why the United States allows hemp. Take note, most CBD oil in the country come from foreign sources, making it difficult to regulate when it comes to quality.

Learn the Difference Between Marijuana and Hemp Today!

With our guide, it’s a lot easier now to understand the basic difference between marijuana and hemp.

Rely on these points when you’re trying to distinguish both plants. Don’t hesitate to try and learn more if you’re still looking for definitive ways, especially when you’re seeking legal advice.

Regardless, there are a lot of CBD oil products out there you can use. They’re legal, after all, so you can use them for pain relief and other health benefits.

But why stop here? You can launch your own CBD site today! Simply register today and let us help you build an effective site today!

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How to Take Care of Succulents: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

Succulents are all the rage right now, and with good reason!

Succulents are all the rage right now, and with good reason!

They're quirky, pretty, and super easy to take care of. Because of their hardy nature as desert-plants, they make great gifts for anyone to enjoy. They thrive well indoors or outside in the garden.

Let's learn more about them and take a look at how to take care of succulents!

What are Succulents?

Succulents are adored by many for their quirky shapes, sizes, and colors.

Succulents are small plants with thickened, fleshy leaves and beefy stems that both store water. They're the camels of plants!

These husky guys are able to survive on limited water sources, making them great for forgetful owners. They're hardened for desert conditions, after all! Succulents only need a little daily dew or mist, which can be found commonly in most atmosphere environments. 

Succulents encompass a wide variety of species, from cacti to aloe vera to tiny jade plants. Indoor or outdoors, they make great additions to any garden decor!

Once you have your full arrangement of succulents set up, be sure to share some photos with friends!

Best Succulents to Grow

  • Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum)
  • Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)
  • Christmas kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
  • Crown of thorns (Eurphorbia milii)
  • Hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)
  • Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
  • Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
  • Pebble plant or living stone (Lithops)
  • Pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli)
  • Ring of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
  • Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
  • String of bananas (Senecio radicans)
  • Sunburn plant (Aloe vera)
  • Zebra cactus (Haworthia fasciata)

How to Take Care of Succulents

Like we said before, succulents are very hardy plants. Still, they're going to need some support from you to continue healthy growth throughout the year.

Let's take a look, starting at the very beginning!

Select Appropriate Species

Most species of succulents are hardy, meaning they can adapt to most environmental conditions. There are some exotic varieties, however, that will require more attention than most other succulents.

Still, most succulents thrive off of direct sunlight. If sunlight is an issue for you, there are low light-tolerant species like the snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) that can still flourish in these conditions.

Different species of succulents are better suited for indoor growth vs outdoor, so consider when selecting. Also, if you are considering a hanging planter, a species like the string of bananas (Senecio radicans) that will complement nicely.

Refer to any planting labels to ensure you can provide the necessary growing conditions.

Find Fitting Nourishment

Most nurseries plant a majority of their products in one, temporary soil. Best for business, but not good for your succulent. This soil is too rich in nutrients and holds too much moisture, so repot your succulents as soon as possible.

Succulents thrive best in soil mixtures that are coarse for proper drainage and aeration. Most nurseries will offer a cactus mix that suits succulents, or you can use an African violet mix.

Adding perlite or pumice to your soil mix can greatly improve the drainage quality for your succulents. 

Before transferring your new succulent, wet the mixture until it's completely moist, then let it settle for 15 minutes.

Choose the Container

Succulents need a container with a drainage hole.

Depending on the size of the species or the number of succulents in the pot, you'll need a hole anywhere from a 1/2" in size up to 2" in diameter. This is necessary both for drainage and air circulation.

Also, avoid using glass or metal containers. These constrict the air flow in the soil, damaging the viability of the roots. Over time, this can lead to root rot and death.

To plant in a pot, fill the bottom third of the container with the moistened mix. Carefully place the plant(s) inside, then cover the base with another layer of soil.

Place in the Perfect Spot

Depending on the species, you'll need to allocate your succulents in different areas.

Some thrive on 6 hours of sunlight each day, so arrange them accordingly. If indoors, choose a windowsill that's facing south or east to get optimal sunlight. Your succulents will let you know if they need more light if you notice their leaves craning to one side, trying to absorb as much as possible.

Other species prefer less light or indirect light, so plan accordingly.

Spare the Waterings

With succulents, less is more.

Most succulents are going to want desert-like conditions, which means infrequent waterings. It's best to completely saturate the mix (permitting proper draining), and then leave it to dry out before soaking again.

Constantly moist environments will eventually kill the succulent.

Annual Fertilizing

Succulents are semi-dormant during the winter, so they only require fertilizing once a year during the spring.

You'll want to get a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer that's water-soluble. For succulents, you'll want to dilute the mixture some, to about half strength. Succulents aren't looking for the full boost to promote growth, just enough to tide them along.

Trimming and Grooming

Most species of succulents naturally shed their base layer of leaves. Trimming them promotes healthy growth so they can flourish.

It is best to trim your succulents in the early spring, just before new growth amps up. For flowering species, you'll want to trim them while dormant in winter, and then again after blooming.

Remember, most species of succulents are quite forgiving and can tolerate being shaped or neatened up. Plus, those cuttings can be rooted to grow new plants!

Treatment

While known for being hardy under the sun, succulents can get sunburns just like people.

When our skin gets overwhelmed with UV rays it reacts, causing our skin to turn red. This acts as a defense, reducing the damage. Succulents react in a similar way, turning a whitish or brownish discoloration on their leaves.

You can learn more here about how to treat succulent sunburns.

Succulents, Ho!

That's all there is on how to take care of succulents!

They are very hardy plants that possess a lot of pizazz and personality. Whether grown individually or in groups, they're sure to brighten up your home or office.

Let us know if you need any more support with your succulent needs!

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