LRS Web Solutions Blog Has Moved

Thanks for stopping by, but we’ve outgrown this blog address and relocated to more spacious accommodations. Please join us at our new blog home blog.lrswebsolutions.com to follow our ongoing discoveries about website design and development. We may have new digs, but we promise to provide the same old hospitality!

Check out the new LRS Web Solutions Blog here.

Web Applications: Enhancements for Online Stores

Friday, September 9 marked the reinstatement of the Lunch-N-Learn in-house educational series for LRS Web Solutions with a web applications discussion about online stores from Bill and Beau.


The presentation covered:
- Who is currently using online stores with examples
- Various features of online stores
- Future enhancements and possibilities

Cassandra created a list of features discussed that she felt were important to improve the online shopping experience:

1.   One Click to Cart.  I hate when I click “add to cart” and I am suddenly taken away from my browsing page. Then the worst is when I have to maneuver my way back to the products I left off at because “back to browsing” takes me to the homepage or removes any filters.  Grr!  I just want to add something to my shopping cart quick & easily, without leaving the page.

2.   Show me the Steps!  There’s a lot that goes into buying something.  You have to know your address, payment information, and if you want to sign up for newsletters.  During the check-out process, I like to see where I’ve been and where I’m going.  By displaying the step-by-step process with the ability to go back and edit information, I simply feel more comfortable.

3.   Share.  I get excited about new shoes.  I want to tell everyone about them and what a great deal I got on them.  Might as well make it easy for me and add a “Share on Facebook or Twitter” link.

4.   Lots of pictures.  The more pictures of an item, the better.  A full view of the item, a close-up shot and pictures of the item in use are all necessities.  What’s even more fun is when users can upload their own pictures of an item.

5.   Customer Reviews.  I don’t know many people that will purchase an item online without first reading customer reviews.  Don’t make me go anywhere else to find that information.  I might buy that item from somewhere else.  Provide a rating and customer reviews where I can easily access them.

6.   Wish List.  I create these constantly.  It’s easier on my parents and my husband around the holidays and birthday time.  If a store doesn’t have Wish List functionality, my family isn’t shopping there.

Here is a quick peek inside this Lunch-N-Learn session for those who might be curious. It's a great way for our team to learn, share ideas, ask questions and stay up-to-date on the latest web technology.

LRS Web Solutions is constantly improving our online store product. So, tell us... What do you love about your favorite online store?

Happy 15th Anniversary Web Solutions!

This week, LRS Web Solutions celebrated 15 years in business! A heartfelt thanks & appreciation goes out to all who have been involved in our vision, excitement & dedication over the years!

What is Web Hosting?

By Leah Hardy, Web Site Hosting & Support Coordinator

Do you know where your website is?
A lot of people don’t know the answer to this question, or they think they know and are surprised to find their website isn’t located where they thought. Everyone should know where their website is hosted. But we can’t talk about the importance of website hosting until we know what web hosting is.


So what is website hosting anyway?
A Web host is a company that provides space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. More simply stated, a Web host gives you a place to put your website and then makes it available on the Internet so other people can get to it.

Why do web hosting services matter?
There are tens of thousands of web hosting companies, and each of those companies offer a variety of hosting packages. So how do you decide which one to choose? The right fit for you depends on how much space you need for your website, how many people you want to be able to get to your website and how important it is that your website be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Things to consider include customer service & support, hosting platform (i.e. Microsoft or Linux), security, backups, reliability & uptime and website access (i.e. FTP access or Content Management System). These features may be extremely important to you or not important at all depending on the nature and the complexity of your website. You will need to determine the best hosting solution for your individual needs.

How do I choose a web hosting provider?
Web hosting companies provide services with increasing levels of available server storage space and traffic capacity.  A good web hosting package should include the following:

·         24/7 support

·         FTP access

·         Website backups

·         DNS hosting

·         Search engine optimization (SEO)

·         Website statistics

·         A limited number of free email addresses

One size does not fit all when it comes to web hosting. For that reason, it might be necessary to find a web hosting provider who can customize a hosting package to fit your needs. If you are unhappy with your current web hosting arrangement or uncertain of where your website is hosted, it might be a good time to reassess your web hosting features and services.

Nominate Central IL Nonprofits Today for Big Website Makeover Contest

It's official, the 2nd Annual Big Website Makeover Contest from LRS Web Solutions kicks off today; nominations are now being accepted. Head on over to the Big Website Makeover Contest website to nominate your favorite charity for a chance to win a $10,000 website makeover to help with their mission in central Illinois.

Listen to Jeff Enlow talking with Bob Murray this morning in the WTAX studio about the start of the nomination phase of the contest and watch a little bit of the interview right here. Do you know of a not-for-profit who could use a website redesign to help support the central Illinois community? Now is the time to nominate them. Good luck to everyone!

Big Website Makeover Contest on WMAY-AM Radio

Jeff Enlow discussed the 2nd annual BIG Website Makeover Contest from LRS Web Solutions this morning with Jim Leach from WMAY-AM Radio in Springfield, IL. Click to listen to the entire WMAY interview or take a look at a portion of Jeff and Jim's conversation from the WMAY downtown studio in the following video. For more information on how to nominate your favorite Central Illinois charity to win a $10,000 website makeover, visit the Big Website Makeover Contest website.

September Desktop Wallpaper

Need something to challenge your imagination and provide inspiration to a rather tedious work-day? The boss man himself, Jeff Enlow, from the creative team at LRS Web Solutions, has created just the fix for you. For the time-conscious bunch, rest assured, we have a calendar included!

Not sure which size to download? Click here to check your monitor resolution.

Widescreen 16:10	High Definition 16:9
2560x1600	1920x1080
1920x1200	1366x768
1680x1050	1280x720
1440x900	854x480
1280x800
	Misc. Screens
Full Screen 4:3	1280x1024
2048x1536
1600x1200	Smart Phones
1400x1050	320x240
1280x960	320x480
1024x768	640x960
800x600