by facetadmin | Feb 11, 2019 | Facet News
There is bad news, and there is good news:
The Bad News — you can’t, not absolutely. You’ve heard the phrase, “It’s impossible to make something foolproof because fools are so clever”. Cyber-criminals are equally clever; some are brilliant. If they want in that bad, they’ll get in. Most, however, will back away from a hard target, so don’t be soft on website security.
The Good News — you need to be aware, but you don’t need to worry. Follow simple steps, and your website will be secure enough that only the most dedicated hackers will even try.
1. Earn an SSL certificate. This indicates you’ve encrypted your website info. There’s a validation process, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Once you’re validated, you’ll see a closed padlock icon in your URL box and “https” in the URL itself. These need to be renewed regularly, so don’t let yours expire!
2. Earn a trust seal. Once you have your SSL, many organizations (like the Better Business Bureau and security software companies) can collect specific data as a third-party witness to confirm your business is authentic and compliant.
3. Establish a privacy policy. Another cliché: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Do you have and follow a plan to keep your system safe? If you assign every employee to a specific computer, you’ll need to have a serious discussion with any employee found using another’s computer. If your plan includes running malware scans daily, you need to run them every single day. Simple common sense.
4. Engage an expert partner. Unless you’re a web security specialist, you can’t know about all the latest threats and the latest tools to meet those threats. That’s why companies in Peoria, Illinois, and across Central Illinois trust Facet Web Tech.
Don’t You Worry About Cyber-security, Let Us Worry
Do you really know or care exactly what an SSL Certificate is? Do you know or care how many malware, phishing, identity theft, and other threats are out there? No, you care that your website, your data and your business are safe. That exactly what Facet Web Tech does, we keep you safe. We’ll review your website and recommend ways to make it safer. We’ll monitor your website 24/7 to see if anyone’s poking around uninvited. If some skulking cyber-creep does break in, we can clean up and restore your site to pre-attack condition. Contact Facet Web Tech — we’ll take care of your cyber-security needs so you can take care of your business.
by facetadmin | Jan 17, 2019 | Facet News
First, let’s get one thing straight: Software is never done. Individual projects are completed, but business needs changes, the industry changes and available technologies change. So, let’s look at the 6 vital steps that comprise the Facet Web Tech software development cycle:
1. Planning
It’s cliché because it’s true: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Unless you know what you need, you have a snowball’s chance in the Sahara of getting what you want. Once you’ve looked at all the factors that affect the software, look at those that affect the project: Deadline, budget, personnel, and other issues. Then you can create a road map that will get you from Point A to B.
2. Design
This is concept. You know what you need, how do you get there? Engineers sometimes talk “form follows function” and sometimes talk “function follows form”. Is your new software to be used by all employees (must be seriously user-friendly) or just by technical experts (more productivity, less simplicity)?
3. Development
This is process. “I need my drafting tech to merge with my accounting tech to bid a job,” says the architect. I need my billing tech to merge with my archiving tech, but I need my archiving tech available for consults and my billing to stay absolutely private,” says the medical practice. This is where the rubber (analysis) hits the road (coding).
4. Testing
The “pilot program” or “beta use” isn’t designed to determine if there are bugs — of course, there are bugs, we are human, we make mistakes. Or, at least, new eyes find a few things we could’ve done better. Testing doesn’t produce perfect software; it produces the best software we can within the limits of our plan.
5. Implementation
“Do it to it!” Put that bad boy to work and see if he works up a sweat or just collapses in exhaustion. That is, are the end-users happy, more productive, & making you more profit?
6. Continuance
Once your custom software passes into general use, wait a while. As noted, your business changes over the years, as does your industry, as does IT in general. (Sometimes, with truly irritating speed and lack of notice!) When you contact Facet Web Tech, you’re talking to a full-service information technology partner that can oversee your website, custom software development, online security and more. You’re dealing with a small business like your own — local people (not some who-knows-where customer service center) and you deal with the Peoria, Illinois, IT experts. You couldn’t be in better hands.
by facetadmin | Jan 17, 2019 | Facet News
There are numerous sites that will help you create your own website, but not one that explains how to perform heart surgery on yourself. What does medicine know that IT hasn’t figured out? Simply put: Leave professional work to the professionals. Web design isn’t about what you like or want; it’s about what makes you the most profit! Not coincidentally, the Facet Web Tech web design team is all about making your business more profitable. It is our dream; let us help you realize yours.
Color Counts
Research suggests customers find cool greens and blues more relaxing and warm reds or oranges more energizing. If I’m a home-décor business whose customers view their home as a refuge from the rat race, I’ll color my palette cool and relaxing. If I’m a car customizer with a young, professional clientele, I’ll color my palette hot and exciting.
Font
This is a “sans-serif” font (simple). This is a “serif” font (fancier).
This is a “bold” font (eye-catching). This is a “condensed” font (space saving).
This is a fancy font (don’t go there unless you’re “Cuddles the Clown”).
The font, like other factors, depends on the target market. Generally, women’s tastes differ from men’s; young people differ from seniors; and so on. Pick one main font and one secondary that works for your market and you’re probably in good shape.
K.I.S.S.
Have we gotten this concept at last? It’s been around long enough — “Keep It Simple, Simon” means don’t do everything all at once. The Internet-users’ attention span gets shorter every year, it seems. Don’t make them read War and Peace to figure out what you’re up to. Clear, precise phrasing. Bullet lists. Consistent layout page to page. Simple visuals that make your point.
Don’t Hire the Navigator from the Titanic
(Bonus concept: A little appropriate humor can make a very effective point.) We read from left to right and from top to bottom, so put your most important items (text or images) in the upper right corner. Have a navigation bar that extends across the top or down the right side. Random can seem cool, but it confuses people, which doesn’t help your bottom line.
Connectivity
Not just connecting business with customer; connecting computer to tablet to phone. Your website needs to connect with customers across multiple platforms. A page designed for laptops (widescreen) may look pretty lame on a phone (tall screen). Inattention to such details means missed sales.
The First Rule
Contact Facet Web Tech, the Peoria, Illinois, IT experts. We understand your needs because we’re a small, local business, just like you. Web design is what we do, so you don’t have to.
by facetadmin | Jan 17, 2019 | Facet News
1. You Get a Ransom Demand
No joke, site-napping is real and growing. It’s profitable because ransomware users are hard to track down and many people assume it’s easier to pay off and be done than to wait for the site-nappers to be caught, and to hope that, once caught, they will restore your site in exchange for a reduced sentence.
2. Fake Virus Scan
A fading problem, but far from gone. It appeals to your ignorance and trust: “The wonderful folks at [insert cool-sounding company name] have detected [insert huge number] of viruses on your website. Let us do a complete scam — uh, I mean scan!” Plenty of people fall for this and hand over the credit card numbers. Your website won’t get cleaned out, but your bank account probably will.
3. Browser Warnings or Disabling by your Host
You might see a red-flag warning like, “This website may allow others to obtain personal information” or “known phishing site” or something similar. Of course, it isn’t you, you’re honest, but, if hackers have hit you, browsers will react to your site and warn others away.
Hosts need to be extra cautious because one infected site can infect others. If they find malware, spam ware or other dangerous stuff in your site’s code, they can shut you down.
4. Error Messages
When your code is good, you don’t get them. If they appear suddenly, that probably means new code has been added — and not by you. When you find unexpected messages in your error log, or the file path looks unfamiliar, somebody’s been playing in your sandbox.
5. Someone Else’s Site Appears
Hackers have placed code on your site that redirects to some other page, probably one that collects private info.
Vigilance
Once your website is cleaned up and back in operation, and your new security system is in place, don’t assume you’ll stay safe. Hackers are, as a group, petty little jerks who like to cause trouble — for fun or profit. “Constant vigilance is the price of liberty,” they say; it is equally true of web security.
When you contact Facet Web Tech, you’re talking to a full-service information technology partner that can oversee your web security as well as all other IT needs. Our ongoing monitoring services provide the peace of mind you deserve. Spend your time and effort running your business without fear, we have your back.
by facetadmin | Dec 18, 2018 | Facet News
A generation ago, TV commercials were the exclusive realm of big companies with big budgets. Technology has changed all that. Today, your smartphone or digital camera is almost as good as anything in Hollywood, and videos posted on YouTube, your own website or social media can effectively demonstrate your products and their value to your customers. You already know Facet Web Tech is the place to call for web design, call on us to help you move into the next generation of web presence.
Today’s Best Practices
Can you believe some people actually thought talking pictures were a fad that would be gone as suddenly as it arrived? Some people just don’t see the potential of new or improved technology. Talking pictures were more lifelike than silents. Color was more lifelike than grayscale. BluRay has better resolution than DVDs. Companies that aren’t embracing the future are getting left behind by it.
If you have a product that solves a problem, let people see it happen. Some technology appears to be idiotically complex, but it’s really simple when you know how to work it, so show the customer how it works. Let your web presence include shortcuts, tricks of the trade, why your products outclass your competitors’ junk.
E-commerce is big and will keep on growing.
In e-commerce, your online presence is your sales force. Every video upload is another reason for your current and potential customers to buy from you.
What’s this Going to Cost Me?
So much less than you think! Numerous colleges and many high schools have video production facilities and courses. Students learn by doing, and they earn credit for helping build your business. Thousands of amateur auteurs will do a documentary, a commercial or a vlog (video blog) for you at very reasonable rates. If you plan to do a lot of video uploads, investing in a few pieces of quality equipment and a few classes for an employee may bring huge returns. (Not to mention big laughs when the blooper/gag reel hits your next company party!)
Seeing is Believing
Facet Web Tech is your complete web design and development partner in Peoria, Illinois. We can consult on strategy, help you decide what type of videos to produce to maximize your web presence and the return on investment. We can look at your videos with a critical eye and help you decide if they really meet your goals. When it does, we can integrate that video into your website so it really stands out and makes the statement you need it to make.
by facetadmin | Dec 18, 2018 | Facet News
A bot (“web robot”) is a software application that runs automated tasks over the Internet. Most are harmless and useful; some are like viruses. If you’re worried about getting infected — and you need to be — Facet Web Tech can inoculate you.
Cybersecurity is Vital
Just a half-century ago, smallpox infected 15 million people a year, killing around a third of them. Internet viruses don’t take life, but they can ruin it. In 2018 alone, 50 million Facebook profiles were accessed by hackers; data on 57 million Uber customers was exposed and 2 million T-Mobile accounts (including payment data) were captured. It is impossible to accurately estimate the long-term economic impact on companies and individuals.
“I’m Too Small. I’m Not Worth It!”
Like hell you are!
Some hackers use malware (“malicious software”) to steal, others use it to destroy — like a vandal might spray paint your walls or an arsonist might burn them down. There’s a significant community of people who just want to break stuff and bigots who’ll shut you down because they disagree with you. Some even claim altruistic motives; they hack to show where you are vulnerable — they’ll break into your website as a public service! (Yeah, there are a lot of crazy people in the world!)
Your reputation as a business of integrity is one of the reasons your repeat customers are repeat customers — they trust you. A cyber breach can destroy that trust.
Web Security is Insurance
Don’t fall victim to this 21st Century plague. You have insurance that protects you against accidents and more, get “insurance” against the criminals and the crazies. Don’t wait for a breach to occur, contact Facet Web Tech’s cybersecurity experts. Let us assess the weaknesses of your website and find the best website security solutions to prevent hackers from entering your site and harming it.
If you’ve already been hit, the Facet clean-up team can get you back onto the web fast, restoring your page to its original state or improve it — we also have Peoria, Illinois’, premier web development team, why not kill to birds with one stone?
As a final brick in your custom-built firewall, Facet Web Tech offers monitoring services for your system. Let us keep a constant overwatch for potential threats and attacks. Give yourself peace of mind and, even more important, assure your clients that their personal information is safe. Should an attack be launched, Facet will know it and defend against it, stopping the criminals and crazies dead in their tracks.
by facetadmin | Dec 18, 2018 | Facet News
How many apps have you installed on your smartphone over the past couple of years? You probably started with games (from classics like chess to brand new stuff like Candy Crush). You then added shopping (from major retailers to local grocers or specialty shops). Certainly, you didn’t forget banking, news, entertainment, tools — the list goes on and on. The “app” (short for “application”) really has created a whole new cyber world, including becoming one of the best online marketing tools you can have.
If your business doesn’t have an app, you’re not alone. Across the USA, more than half the small businesses have not yet created custom software to support their business. It’s an investment and, like all investments, not guaranteed to return a profit. If, however, your business can benefit from an app, it could be a huge return.
Is It Right for You?
Some businesses require a personal touch — no one is seeing cyber-barbers in their future — but even a barber can have an app to let customers book appointments whenever they decide they need a trim. Do what you do best (be it sell a product or provide a service) and let the tech-experts do what they do best. Facet Web Tech’s software development team will do the research, draft the specifications and develop a complete turnkey application based on your business needs.
Once we determine how we can help you, you’ll get a proposal that spells out all the details: Exactly what the app will do, how long it’ll take to design and test, how often updates should be required, and the all-important bottom line — how much will it cost.
Once you see the big picture, you can make the decision to go forward knowing you’ve done the due diligence.
Cyber-Partners
Whether your application project is a start-from-scratch development or an update of software you already purchased that’s showing its age, it’s critical that your app stands out from the crowd. So, partner with Peoria’s software development experts. We’ll guide you through the entire development process. Once your team has explained your ultimate app-destination, we’ll draw the map, build the road and give you a lift in a brand-new custom-styled app-mobile! We’ll even help expedite marketplace application submission and approval processes. Contact Facet Web Tech and let’s start talking.
Remember the old “Rules for Real Estate Success”? They are “Location, location, location.” We’ll help you make every smartphone in the world a potential new location for you to make money.
by facetadmin | Nov 21, 2018 | Facet News
Looking for the “next big thing” to increase your sales? Forget it and focus on today’s big thing – social media marketing – that’s where sales are happening right now! Facet Web Tech is the leading source for effective e-commerce web design in Peoria and the surrounding Illinois communities. We can make social media work for you.
#hotitemoftheweek
To many in the older generation, hashtags look really silly. If you’re after the net-savvy audience, they are essential; young folks depend on them to know what’s trendy. Pick one that really describes your business, then use it all over the place – “Repetition breeds confidence” is an old saying, but still true! Also, pick a few generic hashtags like #blackfridaybargains and see how they work. Keep using the ones that bring results.
Don’t Hide Your Light
Of course, you already have buttons linking your web pages to your social media accounts – great plan, keep them there. Now, add links to your email signature and blog posts and newsletters. (Don’t have a blog or a newsletter? Call us, we can help!) Every time you put a link in front of a customer, that’s one more chance they will click through it and buy something.
Pictures are Still Worth a Thousand Words
Post on Facebook with a photo and you get more responses. Why? Because those posts are more interesting. Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat and other sites are all about pictures, so post a lot of them. The more other people like or tag or mention your posts, the more people see your products. It’s as close to free advertising as you’ll ever see.
Go Mobile
Apps were the next big thing not long ago. Now, if your web presence doesn’t include an app, you’re behind the times. (Don’t have an app? We can help there, too!) Display products, send individual messages to customers, let them place orders – you can even notify them when a package is to be delivered.
Give It Away
Giveaway promotions are classics because they still work. No reason you shouldn’t insist on getting their contact info if you’re giving them a big discount on a purchase or a little free info that they can use. Add an option letting them sign up for a newsletter and you’ve got them.
Facet Web Tech can develop an online presence and strategy that’s right for you. We’re a small, locally-owned business, just like you. Contact us for a review of your needs and we’ll give your social media users just what you need for a very happy holiday season!
by facetadmin | Nov 21, 2018 | Facet News
How much off-the-shelf and custom software do you use? When was it written? How much have computers and the Internet changed since then? Is your software still providing optimal service to your business and customers? How could you possibly answer these questions, you’re not software developers! You just need to call Facet Web Tech, Peoria’s software development experts, because we have all the answers.
First, Ask the Right Questions
Does your software feel like it’s running slower than it used to? Is the software not doing everything you need it to do? Does it cost you more and more to maintain and operate? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider an update, if you answered yes to all of them, call us immediately, you have a problem and your business is losing money needlessly.
Annual Subscriptions
Many major companies now require annual subscriptions to their software. It means that, over the years, you may pay more for that software, but you always have the latest versions.
For the software that doesn’t require annual renewal, you need to take charge and make sure that your current editions match up to your needs. You can bet that a 3-year-old drafting program will mesh smoothly with a 5-year-old accounting package, but the day before a deadline isn’t the day you want to find out you bet wrong.
Investment versus Loss
One recent study learned that IT downtime costs North American businesses over $700 billion annually. That means a potential loss of thousands for small businesses like those in Central Illinois. Yes, you will put money into software development – creating apps for smart phones and other custom software – but it will be money well spent. E-commerce is booming, generating billions in sales every day, and those unwilling to make the right investments lose out.
Partner with the Best
Facet Web Tech develops custom software that does exactly what you need it to do because that’s exactly what it was designed to do. For 30 years, Facet has served the needs of Central Illinois’ business community and we plan to keep doing just that for years to come. Whether you need a mobile app or branding platform built from scratch or you want an upgrade that will better interact with and engage your audience, contact Facet Web Tech, we’ll put our decades of software development expertise to work for you.
by facetadmin | Nov 21, 2018 | Facet News
In addition to hiring technical experts like Facet Web Tech for your cyber security needs, you can do a lot to reduce your own vulnerability. For example:
1. Have a Backup
It’s the most important item on the list because no system is perfect. The bad guys win a few, so be ready. Have an off-site data storage plan. You may lose data but losing one day’s worth is better than losing it all. Give access to the back-up server to as few people as possible.
2. Be Proactive
You didn’t get where you are by sitting around waiting for good things to happen, don’t sit around waiting for bad things to happen. Require individual usernames and passwords for every employee and train them in cyber security. Install and update antivirus and anti spyware software. Build the firewall. If an employee doesn’t need access to your tech, lock them out. If an employee doesn’t need access to specific hardware or data, lock them out. Secure your Wi-Fi. Change passwords regularly, at least every 90 days.
3. A Measured Paranoia is a Vital Survival Skill
Fortunately, in this scenario, “paranoia” is just common sense: Don’t open emails from strangers. Don’t click on attachments. Don’t click thru links in emails. Pay attention to email addresses and URLs. If, for example, you get an email claiming to be from the IRS, but the return address is “somebodysname@irs.xyz”, that didn’t come from the US government.
And, Finally, Partner with Experts
There are two types of hackers, professionals and amateurs. Pros may not care about you because you’re small. Of course, it’s much harder for a pro to steal $1 million that to steal $10 thousand a hundred times; many pros go after small fish figuring they’re easier to catch. Amateurs just hack to hurt; it’s a game, and their reward is knowing they beat you.
Call Facet Web Tech – cybersecurity has been part of our program since before they even coined that word. Don’t wait for an attack to come bashing at your cyber-door like the Big Bad Wolf, let us consult on your web security status. Our experts can detect vulnerabilities and install the latest patches and safety features to prevent attacks. We also offer monitoring services to watch over your website for potential threats and incursion attempts. Should the worst-case scenario arise, we have a full-service cleanup team that will repair your website and get you back on the web, fast. Do your due diligence and leave the rest to us.
