by Deanna Rivera | Apr 14, 2021 | Cybersecuirty
You may have been receiving two very common email scams tailored for businesses. One is about copyright for images on your website, and the other is about a domain renewal.
Subject: Copyright Images
The subject line for these scam emails or forms submitted on your website is something like: “You have no legal rights to use my images without my approval! It’s illegal! You’re committing a legal offense! You must remove these images NOW!!!!!”
This can get the adrenaline running pretty quickly. But rest assured, this is a scam. DO NOT click on the link in this email or reply to it in any way.
But AM I using copyright images on my website?
Maybe (unless we made it. đ The very best thing to do is to have your website images all be unique to you – taken by local photographers or your cousin Pete who loves photography – or created by a website designer you employ (like us!).
The second best option is to BUY stock images. We like Adobe Stock. It’s affordable and we source many images there for websites we build. There are a lot of “free for use” sites that are good for social media and websites…but it is harder to prove if ever asked, that you sourced your photos from these sites. If you don’t know if you own the rights to use an image, the best idea is to use something else.
But again, the spam email like the one referenced above is nothing to worry about.
Subject: Domain Renewal
The subject line for these scam emails or forms submitted on your website is something like: “IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REGARDING YOUR DOMAIN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.”
First and foremost, registrars of domains DO NOT use website contact forms to alert you to your domain expiration. Is the email from your registrar? If not, it’s a scam. This is a good rule of thumb for emails of all sorts that might come through a contact form. No legitimate business will contact you that way unless they are selling something.
Do you know who your registrar is and when your domain expires?
You should. No one likes it when their website goes down unexpectedly and this is the most common reason. The real notices could be in your spam folder or going to an old email address so take the scam above as a reminder to double-check you’re getting registrar emails and that you know when your domain needs to be renewed. đ
Tip: Your domain should never be registered in anyone’s name other than the business owner. If this is the case, you can have the domain transferred easily.
Last word: Always run a potential scam by us or your IT contact before clicking or downloading anything that looks unusual! Better safe than sorry. This is how cybersecurity failures and extortion happens.
For more cybersecurity tips, check out this previous blog post.
by Deanna Rivera | Mar 25, 2021 | Leadership
Did you know that 40% of businesses in the US are led by women business owners? There are 114% more women entrepreneurs than there were 20 years ago. That’s remarkable!
In my field, the numbers are lower — less than 15% of “tech” companies are owned by women. I started in “tech” in the 90s and the percentages were under 5%.
I personally never thought I would become an entrepreneur. My parents owned a business that did not end well and also, it scared me to try to support a family without a steady paycheck. So it was not a thought-out decision…but more a forced hand when I could not find a job during a recession. I’ve made so many mistakes but somehow am still here, bumbling through, and thankful for a team of rock stars – both men and women – that surround me. And after 12 years, I cannot imagine doing anything else. I love my work and the people I work with and for.
I’ve especially appreciated being able to help women start and grow their businesses. I always walk away from those projects a better person. Some of my best female friendships have been formed from those experiences and the camaraderie we share is very special to me. Especially during the last year when times have been so tough.
To my fellow women business owners…what I see in you is not fearlessness, but immense bravery. As you struggle with balance and having enough energy to do All. The. Things. â know you are at the same time inspiring others â young and old. Hold on to your optimism as you continue to work on keeping all those balls in the air and know every day, you are enough. You are more than enough.
A friend of mine (Randy) once told me Progress is Success. This has honestly been my mantra ever since and it has helped me more than anything else to get over any disappointment in myself…any question of whether I’m successful or not. It’s helped me through some VERY tough times and humbling experiences. I hope you will use this and every other motivation to overcome your obstacles and achieve your dreams in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.
Love,
Deanna
Here are a few of my favorite quotes by other women business owners and leaders to remember:
âYour value will be not what you know; it will be what you share.ââ Ginni Rometty
âI always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think thatâs how you grow. When thereâs that moment of âWow, Iâm not really sure I can do this,â and you push through those moments, thatâs when you have a breakthrough.â â Marissa Mayer
âWe need to accept that we wonât always make the right decisions, that weâll screw up royally sometimes â understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, itâs part of success.â â Arianna Huffington
by Deanna Rivera | Feb 10, 2021 | Website Design
In January, our team launched four new websites and two new logos that I’d love to share with you today. The best thing about doing this work is that our team can see the impact that our work makes on the businesses that trust us with this honor. Some of our goals for this include:
- Search — attracting a larger quantity of qualified traffic.
- Image — improving user trust and impression through impeccable design and strong content.
- Usability — ensuring each potential user can find what they are looking for quickly and easily.
During this time, it’s more important than ever to have an amazing online presence. We hope you’ll agree that each of these businesses have met that challenge with our help. We look forward to showing you many more beautiful new websites in the weeks and months to come.
With gratitude, Deanna Rivera, CEOÂ
Jazzy Ladies
Eugene, OR
A local cafe and coffee house specializing in gluten-free options. We also created their new logo.
Federal Security
Eugene, OR
Lane County’s #1 security service provider for over 25 years. We also created their new logo.
WACAIÂ
Eugene, OR
A non-profit cultural art institute that shares Guinean culture.
ProKleen
Eagle Point, OR
Cleaning company specializing in emergency services and premier cleaning.
by Deanna Rivera | Jan 21, 2021 | Branding, Graphic Design
What is the current state of your branding package? Is your logo responsive? Just like a website, a logo will benefit your business the most if it responds to mobile devices. If a website isnât optimized for mobile viewing 91% of customers will turn to a competitor.Â
In a world where screens come in all manner of shapes and sizes your logo will benefit your bottom line the most if it is recognizable and memorable everywhere. However, this means much more than making your logo larger or smaller to fit the screen. Your logo will best serve your business if it is responsive and adapts to any use-case accordingly.Â
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Image Source: https://medium.com/@jackanto/responsive-logo-must-to-follow-4901cb0cfcbc
Creating Trust
A branding package is much more than just a set of pretty graphics made for your business. Logo packages should be designed to serve a purpose. A brand that functions well is like a digital storefront: When your brand is attractive, updated, and appealing it will help create a foundation of trust between you and your customer.
Even as late as 2015 most small businesses could get away with one version of their logo in one place: on the sign in front of their business. Todayâs logos have to function better and accomplish much, much more than they used to. Over 50% of consumers surf the net on smartphones. If your logo canât scale down to smaller screens youâre potentially turning away over half of your business.Â
Over 80% of customers view your digital storefront before they visit your actual business or make a purchase decision. For a website to scale effectively you need a logo that scales as well. Customers are more likely to trust you if your business is well-represented in all scenarios.Â
Responsive Logo Attributes
Every logo that has been designed to be responsive shares a few specific traits. Those traits, in order of importance are:
- A responsive logo is recognizable in black and white, even if the mark has color it must be recognizable and clean without it. Why? If your logo doesnât work in black and white it wonât work well on different mediums such as laser engraving, wood and glass etching, and vinyl cuts.Â
- It must be recognizable at sizes as small as 32 pixels wide. Why? Because your logo needs to be recognizable from a distance as well as on small devices.
- There must be different versions for different media types in addition to versions that work well on any background. Why? Because your logo should be easy to use, it should look great on a photo, solid color, or on black or white.
- There must be an icon and a wordmark that can stand separate from each other and still be recognizable. Why? There are times where it isnât appropriate to put your entire logo on a document or product. This is why it is best to have both text and an icon that can stand apart and still represent your business.Â
- There are versions that scale to large sizes effectively and add meaning as a logo gets larger. Why? Small marks, when scaled up, can often dominate space and be the center of visual attention in a bad way. Theyâre optimized for contrast at small sizes, but that contrast can be too much at large sizes. A great example of this is the Warner Brothers logo above.
Improve Your Customer Relationship with a Responsive Branding Package
A responsive logo and branding package can work wonders to improve the relationship you have with your customers and even increase the value of your product. Contact UplinkSpyder and weâll make sure to set you on the right path with a logo for your business that communicates, is responsive, and is beautiful.Â
by Deanna Rivera | Jan 15, 2021 | Cybersecuirty
The whole world is spending more time online these days and that includes people who have nefarious intentions. So, hereâs a quick reminder of the top 3 things you need to do to protect yourself. Starting with the most important.
Cybersecurity Tip 1. Password SecurityÂ
Did you know that a very long password is better than a password that is complex? For instance: goatcheesetrampolineuncleocean is better than C0mpl3x!ty! But regardless, donât use anything personally identifying in your passwords like your name, your job, your address, your kid, your dog. You get the idea.
Cybersecurity Tip 2. Password Security. So important it is on our list twiceÂ
Create a unique password for every single thing you log in to. Every single one. No, really. Use a password manager like LastPass to help you create and keep track of them (free). If you just rolled your eyes and said you never will do that, you aren’t alone, but you are at risk. At least follow our advice for any accounts that have your bank account, address, social security, or credit card information.
Cybersecurity Tip 3. Check Sender Identity
Most devious plots are hatched through email and, these days, mobile messages. So, take care to verify the sender before clicking on links, opening attachments, forwarding a message, or replying. Check the email address it is coming from. Check that any links are taking you to the place stated by hovering before clicking. Use a really good spam filter (or email program with a really good spam filter) in order to block most of the attacks. Most importantly, just take the time to think critically before acting.
Thereâs a reason why âSpyderâ is spelled with the âyâ. Security is important to us. Weâll send more tips in the future and if youâd like to schedule a ZOOM presentation for a team or group on the subject, let us know.
