Accessible Web Studio BLOG

B2B Expo 2012 Great Success

St. John Lutheran Church - Williston, OH

The new website for St. John's Lutheran Church in Williston, Ohio, features standards compliant foundation on which everything else is built. The website provides for a clear navigation and user friendly layout so that visitors can find what they are looking for. When the church updates their Facebook account with new status and/or photos the website automatically displays this new information so it does not need to be entered twice (once on the Facebook and once on the website). The visitors who may not be familiar with Facebook also benefit by being able to access the information too. In addition the website contains a calendar of events and a member only area. Please visit and take a look. Of course, as always, the client can update their own website with our custom content management tool (CMTool (tm)).Contact us today if you would like to give your website a fresh look or to make it more user friendly or easier to update and navigate!

B2B Expo 2012

Please join us at the B2B Expo 2012 on June 12, 2012 from 3 until 7pm at the Toledo Club located at 235 14th Street, Toledo, OH 43604. Phone: 419-243-2200.

Mobile Perrysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau

Last month Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. gave a presentation for the Perrysburg Chamber Lunch & Learn series about QR codes. They are becoming more and more popular... they are a quick and convenient way to "tell more" about your business. Frequently the QR code will link to a company website... BUT are you sure that the website will display correctly in a mobile browser on the smart phone being used? If not you should contact us to get your website ready!The Perrysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau did just that... they wanted to make sure there is a mobile version of their website ready for the handheld devices. We've done just that for them. You can visit their mobile website at http://mobi.visitperrysburg.com.

Allen Township Update

A bit of freshening up is needed sometimes... we helped the Allen Township to do a little "something" to freshen up their website. It was easy and much less expensive with the foundation already laid with valid HTML. Check it out!

QR-Codes

QR-Code stands for Quick Response Code.QR-Code is a two-dimensional bar code which was invented by Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, in 1994 in Japan. Denso Wave holds registered trademark for QR-Code but choses to allow free use of the 2D bar code, which contributed to growth in its popularity. Standard QR-Code can hold up to 7,089 numeric data and 4,296 of alpha-numeric data.Generate yours using one of these FREE QR-Code Generators:Kaywa Kerem Erkan QR Stuff.comWhat to do with your QR-Code? You can put them on your business cards, marketing materials such as brochures, flyers, postcards, truck, trailer, car, packaging, name tags, ticket stubs, receipts, etc.How can they work for your business? One of over 53 million of smart phone users in USA can scan your QR-Code with his mobile device using a special QR-Code scanner/reader software (already pre-installed on some phones) and be directed to your website, import your contact information, generate an SMS, display installation instructions, directions to your business, etc.

Meyer Badenhop Insurance Website Update

It is great to get a new website for your business online but periodically you should also evaluate if updates are needed to your existing website. An advantage for our clients is that a new look can be achieved rather easily without having to change any of the content!Meyer Badenhop Insurance Agency, our client since January 2009, has done just that. New graphical design with existing content. In addition, they added some new features such as a blog, RSS feed, and updated online quote forms.

Prezi

View information as a webpage.

Perrysburg Farmers Market

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. launches a new website for thePerrysburg Farmers Market. Check it out by clicking on the image below...

Importing contacts from Excel into Outlook 2007

In the last couple of months I had suggested to several people that importing contacts into Outlook 2007 from Excel is pretty easy and I found that, what I took for granted, was news to others... so I've decided to post the steps needed to accomplish this. Here goes...Open Excel file and Save As Comma Delimited (.csv) file.In Outlook, under Contacts create new folder. This folder is where all the crew contacts will be imported into.Select File->Import and Export… menu option. Select Import from another program of file and press Next. Select Comma Separated Values (Windows) format in the next dialog and press Next.Press Browse and locate the csv file you created in step 1. Allow duplicates to be created or select another option that suits you better. Press Next.Locate the Contacts folder (created in step 2) into which you wish to import the new contacts…Select Map Custom Fields button in the next dialog…Drag fields from left hand side “Value” area to the matching fields in the “Field:Mapped from” area on the right (It helps if the Excel spreadsheet used in step 1 has correct heading in it).Upon completion of this process you will have everyone’s contact information in your Outlook 2007 ready to use or synch with your smart phone :-)

Maumee Chamber Seminar (April 2011)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. was asked to be a part of a seminar at the Maumee Chamber presenting information you need to know about making the most of you Internet presence.Discover how you can harness the power of the Internet to get your business found online, engage new customers and keep the old ones coming back. Network with other Chamber members to find out what works for them and what doesn't. Is your company website easily accessible?According to an article in Entrepreneur magazine, 40% of small businesses in the U.S. have no online presence whatsoever. You need to make your website work for YOU!

Showcase on Commerce

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. will be one of the exhibitors at the Showcase on Commerce - business showcase hosted by the Perrysburg Area Chamber of Commerce and Hilton Garden Inn.The showcase will take place on April 16, 2011 from 9am - 2pm. Come visit us at the Showcase on Commerce!

SJJ Rugby Website

Check out the new website for SJJ Rugby team.

Website Accessibility

Website Accessibility is a term used to describe the degree to which information provided via a website is available to as many people as possible. Website accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access". Website accessibility is not the same as website usability which is used to describe the extent to which a website can be used with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction.Website accessibility is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not).

SJJ Crew Team - New Website launched

The St. John's Jesuit Crew Team needed a new website... so Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. stepped up and provided a great new place to put all needed crew information for the families and crew members. Please visit and let us know what you think :-)

Website launched - Beat the Man Coffee or Tea

New website launched for Beat the Man Coffee or Tea.. check it out!

Trace Routes B2B Business Expo (Sept 2010)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. is an exhibitor at a B2B Business Expo at Trace Routes in Perrysburg Levis Commons. What a huge success it is with lots of businesses visiting as quests...Thank you to all who stopped by our booth to find out about what Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. has to offer. We're already looking forward to the next Expo ~ thanks and way to go Trace Routes!!!

Genoa Chamber Website Launched (Sept 2010)

We've launched Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce new website recently ~ how exciting! There are many new features that were added and of course as always, the website is compliant with W3C standards and accessible to people with disabilities. Here are some of the new features:Google site searchOnline member applications with Credit Card paymentsSortable member listingSortable community directory listingDynamic Google map and directions generationCalendar of events with events importable to OutlookNew and exciting graphical lookMuch more... check it out for yourself!

Compliance Resources Website Launched (Aug 2010)

Another website launched in August ~ what a busy month!Compliance Resources specializes in providing, the much needed, help regarding OSHA regulations and compliance with those regulations. They provide training as well. We re-designed and re-developed their website to better showcase their varied services.Some of the features of the new website include W3C compliant HTML code, compliance with Section 508 standards, as well as content management capabilities... That's more like it :-)

Glass City FCU Website Launch (Aug 2010)

We have launched our 30+ website ~ Glass City Federal Credit Union (www.glasscityfcu.com) and here is what they had to say about it...The organization, development and presentation of the new site are all top-notch. The process was clearly explained to us, and there were no "surprises" along the way. Everything that was promised, was delivered! No improvements that I can think of. The entire experience was very positive.Melanie Ogrodowski Director of Marketing Glass City Federal Credit UnionHere are some of features/improvements that Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. made to Glass City Federal Credit Union's website:World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Standards compliant HTMLCross browser compatibleFast to downloadWebsite easy to maintain / easy re-designFoundation for Accessibility compliance with Section 508Section 508 Compatible – W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0)Barriers to accessibility for disabled eliminated or minimizedAccess to the website open to the widest audienceProper color contrast maintained for color-blindnessProper keyboard only navigation possible for motor-disabledUser programmable access keysSkip links built in for quicker navigation via screen readers or keyboard onlyFocus indication for all hyperlinks ~ users know where the focus is and what will happen if they select the <Enter> key.All images have ALT tags ~ alternative; text explanation of what the image represents which screen readers utilize.Text sizing ability has been added; Selected text size is saved via cookies.Improved Usability and New FeaturesOverall organization of the website has been improved with most commonly sought features easily found such as login to Home Banking, reordering checks, and information on how to join the Credit Union.Skip links, access keys, focus indication all make access to the website information easierBreadcrumbs are implemented allowing the visitor to directly go to a page they have visited a few clicks ago.A prominent link to FacebookA prominent link to RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is added ~ subscribers will receive news from GCFCU in their news aggregators. This is a way to “push” information to clients/members who subscribe to the feed.Site search is added and implemented via Google search and will allow a search of the website for particular keywords.News blog search is added and will allow a search of older posts.Three separate style sheets are implemented: default, handheld, and wide for various monitor sizes and devices. The default style sheet is for monitors 800x600, handheld for mobile browsers, and wide for wide format monitors. Users can select the preferred style and browsers will “remember” the setting via cookies.Custom error pages, for example if there is a page on the website that cannot be found a custom error page will be displayed with suggested actions.

Perrysburg Chamber Board (June 2010)

Jadwiga is a new member of the Perrysburg Area Chamber of Commerce Board. Congratulations, Jadwiga!

Rossford Business Fair (March 2010)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. will host a booth at the annual Rossford Business Fair. Please stop by and visit with us!Rossford Business Association 2010 Business FairThe 2010 RBA Business Fair was a great success!

2010 Business Conxions Showcase (February 2010)

We warmly invite you to stop by our booth at the Holland Springfield Chamber of Commerce 2010 Business Conxions Showcase that will be held Saturday, February 27, from 10am until 2pm at Springfield High School.More information about this event at Holland Springfield Chamber of Commerce.

Findable Content

Having a website is not enough any more. The website must also have great content. Great content that is findable by search engines. Web standards, accessibility work together to help your website be findable by search engines and your human visitors will love it too!Some of HTML tags used to create a website are more important in helping search engines to find your website. For example the <title> tag is one of the most important. There is a right way and a wrong way to use the <title> tag. Other tags that are also important are <strong>, <em>, and anchor tags.Technologies such as Flash, JavaScript, audio, and video all create SEO headaches if not used properly.What do search engines want to find in your website content? Content that is naturally keyword rich, content that is visible to search engine spiders, content that communicates clear information, content that loads quickly, content that isn't trying to trick the search engine. Web standards and accessibility compliance helps us achieve all that!This information comes from the book "Building Findable Websites - Web Standards, SEO, and Beyond" by Aarron Walter

Last 5 years - Recap (January 2010)

The last five years have gone by so quickly. It makes us stop and think of all that has happened during the last five years. Here is a brief recap of those first five years of Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. January 2005Company is formed. Operates under a different name - Simplex Web Solutions, Ltd. for about one year. We develop tools and processes to serve our customers well. We learn how to design and develop websites accessible to people with disabilities and compliant with standards of W3C. January 2006Simplex Web Solutions, Ltd. changes name and becomes Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. We re-design and re-deploy our new website, new look, new colors. Our first big project - The Way Library in Perrysburg. Library applies for a grant to get their website designed to be accessible to people with disabilities. Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. implements the website. May 2006Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. applies and is accepted to the Guild of Accessible Web Developers. This is a huge honor and achievement for us. November 2006Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. gets certified as a WBENC company - a women owned company. April 2007Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. applies for and is accepted as an Authorize.Net Preferred Reseller. We develop eCommerce websites trusting in Authorize.Net as our payment gateway. We employ the highest security protocol - AIM - for data exchange with the gateway. May 2008Time for a new look - Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. re-designs its website. Website, brochures, business cards, fliers, display booth - it all now makes marketing sense. December 2009Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. applies for and becomes a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business. We get a highest rating (A) possible for a business that has been in operation for only 5 years.

5 Years and Counting (January 2010)

Accessible Web Studio will celebrate 5 years in business this month. Wow ~ the time does fly when you're having fun! We love what we do and we do it well.At Accessible Web Studio we believe that foundation for an accessible website is laid with a website developed by adhering to the standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). There are many advantages to a standards compliant website design. With this foundation in place, we make an extra effort to create a website accessible to all.Check out our portfolio.

BBB Accredited Business (December 2009)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. is now an Accredited Business of the Better Business Bureau Serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. We are so excited to be accredited and earn the highest possible rating for a business that has been "in business" for 5 years - a rating of A. We are proud to serve you ~ our client! Read some of our client's comments.Check out our BBB listing.

CVB Client Comments

Some clients just make us smile... here is a comment from a client of ours, Perrysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is so nice to hear these wonderful comments. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you!We have had an excellent experience with you.You communicate very well. Your response time for help with the website is excellent. You are very "reachable" for any inquires that we may have. WE know we are in good hands with you because of your extensive knowledge, professionalism and superior customer service. We always recommend you.Sandy Latchem, Executive Director Perrysburg Convention and Visitors BureauRead more about the CVB project.

SMART financial planning Launched (December 2009)

Recently we launched yet another website ~ SMART financial planning, LLC now has a new Internet look, feel, and features! Website comes complete with a content management system ~ CMTool™ ~ which allows for updates of all the web pages on the website. In addition the new websites features a blog and an RSS feed of the blog content. Read more about this project.Visit Accessible Web Studio's on-line portfolio.

Business Expo 2009

75 businesses participated in Maumee Chamber Business Expo 2009 at the Pinnacle. Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. was pleased to be a part of this annual event.It was wonderful to see some of our valued current clients, chat with old friends, and get to know new chamber members. Thank you Maumee Chamber for organizing this great event to help all of our businesses grow!

Ohio Association of Senior Centers (March 2009)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. was invited to give a presentation at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Ohio Association of Senior Centers in Columbus, Ohio on March 31. We presented information regarding accessible Web design and received very good evaluations. We were delighted to be able to present at this very special conference.

Maumee Chamber Business Expo (November 2008)

Once again a very successful Business Expo ~ thanks to all who stopped to chat with us at our booth. We certainly enjoyed meeting you and we hope to be of service in the future. Accessible Web Studio is a leader in web development. We take the extra time to make sure your website is developed the right way!!!

ADA Zoo Day (July 2008)

Accessible Web Studio once again participated, as an exhibitor, at the Ninth Annual ADA Day at the Toledo Zoo.For the first time 100 various agencies and companies participated. The Ability Center of Greater Toledo sponsored this event. All participating companies provided direct or indirect service to people with disabilities.Visit the Ability Center website

Relay For Life (May 2008)

Accessible Web Studio is proud to be a sponsor for the Relay For Life Golf Outing 2008 where all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life events in Anthony Wayne and Henry County.

Cool Solutions Seminar (April 2008)

Accessible Web Studio has been invited to present a seminar which is part of the “Cool Solutions” program which is a collaborative project of the Tiffin Chamber of Commerce, Tiffin University ’s School of Business, and Heidelberg College . The mission of the program is to provide a free service connecting the community at large with practical solutions on selected “hot” topics. We are thrilled to be a part of this worthwhile program.

RBA Business Fair (April 2008)

Third year in a row Accessible Web Studio supported the Rossford Business Association by participating in the RBA Business Fair.We had a chance to visit with many of the RBA members and meet many new people just visiting the Fair.Many thanks to the Rossford Business Association for organizing this wonderful event and we are looking forward to next year!

Maumee Chamber Business Expo (December 2007)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. is proud to participate in the Business Expo held at Brandywine Country Club.

Maumee Chamber DRP Group (November 2007)

We are excited to join the Dynamic Referral Partners group of the Maumee Chamber. DRP is open to Chamber members, taking one representative from each profession per group. The main focus of program is to pass qualified leads and do business together.

Presentation for TLCPL at the Main Library (June 2007)

Once again we were honored to be a part of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library - Keys To Entrepreneurship program. We presented a 30 minute seminar on putting your business on the Internet.

Presentation at the Perrysburg Chamber Luncheon (May 2007)

After launching the new website for the Perrysburg Chamber of Commerce in early May, we were asked to give a luncheon presentation highlighting the many new features of the website. Our presentation was well received and we hope the website will serve the Chamber for many years to come.

Preferred Reseller of Authorize.Net (April 2007)

Accessible Web Studio is proud to become an authorized affiliate reseller of Authorize.Net payment gateway services.Why use Authorize.Net payment gateway?Virtual Terminal access comes standard.Fight fraud with free Address and CVV2 Verification Services.US Based Customer Support at No Charge. Available 6am to 6pm PT 7 Days a week (except Christmas and New Years).Visa CISP and PCI Security Certified. Providing peace of mind that comes from knowing all of your transactions and data are secure.Compatible with more than 230 Shopping carts.No additional charge to integrate your account using either the Simple Integration (SIM) or Advanced Integration Methods (AIM).No contract or cancellation fees.

RBA Business Fair (March 2007)

On March 24 Accessible Web Studio took part in the second annual Business Fair hosted by the Rossford Business Association.The Fair was so well organized and there were many visitors sampling what 62 participating businesses had to offer. Accessible Web Studio showcased its new booth at this event.Many thanks to the Rossford Business Association for organizing this wonderful event and we are looking forward to next year!

Presentation for TLCPL at the Maumee Branch (March 2007)

We were absolutely thrilled when we were asked to give a presentation at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library - Starting Your Business program. We gave a presentation reflecting on what was necessary to start Accessible Web Studio.

Quality Universal Design Award (February 2007)

The Accessible Web Studio site is a good, clean site with a very flexible design. However, once you start to use the site, the attention to detail quickly becomes obvious. JavaScript has been used sparingly and to very good effect but one of the pleasantest surprises is just how well the site performs without it.- Mel Pedley, Accessites.org

Toledo Today On-air Interview (February 2007)

Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. was invited as a success story of SCORE to an on-air interview with Rob Thomas for Toledo Today program he hosts. A 26 minute interview aired on the Clear Channel stations: 104.7 WIOT, WRVF 101.5 The River, WVKS 92.5 KISS FM and Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA.

WBE Certification (November 2006)

On November 7 we received news that Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. was certified by The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC was founded in 1997, is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. It also is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States.WBENC is a resource for the more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on the WBENC certification as an integral part of their supplier diversity programs.

Toledo FREE Press (August 2006)

Studio makes navigation online easier for disabledBy Danielle Portteus Toledo Free Press Staff WriterJadwiga Carlson, president and CEO of Accessible Web Studio in Perrysburg, said 25 percent of Web site visitors have a disability......“For me, it's a smart decision to open doors to those with handicaps,” she said. “Businesses don't want to turn away customers because they can't access their Web sites.”Carlson said she helps businesses to be compliant with Section 508 from the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998...Read Entire Article

The Annual ADA Day at the Toledo Zoo (July 2006)

Accessible Web Studio was proud to participate, first time as an exhibitor, at the Seventh Annual ADA Day at the Toledo Zoo.Over 85 various agencies and companies participated. The Ability Center of Greater Toledo sponsored this event. All participating companies provided direct or indirect service to people with disabilities. Visit the Ability Center website

Toledo Blade (June 2006)

Way Library fine tunes its site on Web By ELIZABETH A. SHACK BLADE STAFF WRITERWay Library's Web site is getting an upgrade to make it more functional, particularly for those with visual or motor impairments.The changes are being made by Jadwiga Carlson of Perrysburg's Accessible Web Studio, who said most organizations and businesses aren't aware of accessibility issues...Read Entire Article

Guild of Accessible Web Designers (May 2006)

In May, 2006 Accessible Web Studio was approved for membership to the Guild of Accessible Web Designers. GAWDS is a world-wide association of accessible web designers and developers - formed to promote standards of accessible web design and here at Accessible Web Studio we are proud to be a member.

Quality Universal Design Award (April 2006)

We are honored and thrilled to receive this award from Accessites.org. We worked very hard and this award validates all of our efforts and gives us encouragement to strive to go even further.Accessites.org was created to prove that accessible, usable websites built with universality and standards in mind need not be boring. It showcases and honors the work of today's most progressive accessible web developers and designers.There are stringent requirements and a long check list of items that are graded. Accessites.org team spends around 8 to 10 hours on a submitted site to evaluate.At the time Accessible Web Studio received the award there were 122 websites submitted, 78 were rejected without being evaluated (64%), 24 were evaluated and awarded and 2 were evaluated but not awarded.The Accessible Web Studio site is a really nice site in a number of areas. On the surface it’s all techie business, very contemporary. Under the surface it has so much going for it. So much thought was put in…- Mike Cherim, Accessites.org

Rossford Business Fair (March 2006)

Many thanks to Mike Laskey, Editor In Chief of Business Advantage, for writing this article about Accessible Web Studio, Ltd. and its presence at the Rossford Business Association Business Fair.…While conforming to W3C standards is a given, Carlson works with her clients to provide sites that are first functional and then attractive. She also makes the transition simple by doing everything from domain registration, design, database programming, content management, search engine optimization and even training…- Michael Laskey, Business Advantage