6 Visual Design Principles That Increase User Engagement
Effective visual content does more than make a website “look nice”—it helps visitors feel oriented, confident, and emotionally connected to your brand. When design choices are intentional, users stay longer, explore more, and take action more often. Below are six visual design principles we love (and use often at AndiSites) to create websites that are […]
The Most Common Web Accessibility Mistakes We See — and How Public Institutions Can Avoid Them
Practical guidance for government and higher-education teams preparing for the April 2026 deadline As April 2026 approaches, we’re seeing more and more government agencies and colleges take accessibility seriously — and that’s something we genuinely appreciate. Accessibility has never been just a checkbox or a deadline for at AndiSites. It’s about making sure people can […]
Top Benefits of Migrating from Drupal to WordPress (And What to Consider)
If you’re currently managing a Drupal site, you already know how powerful the platform can be. But you might also feel weighed down by its complexity—especially when it comes to updates, usability, and ongoing maintenance. Because it can be a bit much, a lot of organizations eventually reach a point where Drupal feels like more […]
Why WordPress is the Right CMS for Government Websites
WordPress has long been the go-to platform for building websites of all shapes and sizes, and it’s now making a serious impact in the U.S. government sector. As of 2025, WordPress powers nearly 43% of all websites globally, and its share of the content management system (CMS) market is growing rapidly—especially among government agencies. Major […]
6 Proven Ways Community College Websites Can Engage Students and Boost Enrollment
At AndiSites, we know community colleges are vital gateways to education, opportunity, and career growth. In fact, several of our team members have been educated—and educated others—at community colleges, so this topic is particularly personal to us. We recently read Community college isn’t a backup option: Rebranding higher ed’s underdogs from the Lumina Foundation, and […]
How to Write a Website Redesign RFP that Gets the Right Responses
In the dynamic world of digital landscapes and online branding, a website redesign can be a powerful catalyst for change. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about strategically aligning your digital presence with evolving business goals and user expectations. Yet, the journey to achieve a successful website transformation begins long before the first line of code is written or the first wireframe is sketched. It starts with crafting a precise and compelling Request for Proposal (RFP). But how does one navigate the complexities of communicating their vision clearly and effectively to potential design partners? In this blog post, we delve into the art and science of “How to Write an Effective RFP for a Website Redesign Project,” offering actionable insights to ensure your project kicks off on the right foot.
Picture this: your current website feels like a vintage car—classic, reliable, but struggling to keep up with the fast-paced digital highways of today. Frustrated users, missed opportunities, and an outdated interface signal that it’s time for an upgrade. However, translating this need into an RFP that captures your brand’s essence and future aspirations is no small feat. An effective RFP serves as more than a mere list of requirements; it acts as a strategic roadmap, guiding potential vendors through your specific needs while showcasing your company’s unique voice and culture. By the end of this exploration, you’ll be equipped with the tools and techniques to create an RFP that not only attracts the right talent but also sets the stage for a successful redesign that propels your online presence into the future.
Is the Default WordPress Search Good Enough for Your Site?
Are you using the default WordPress search function on your site? You know that we’re HUGE fans of WordPress and all that it can offer–but sometimes an upgraded function is required. With at least 30% of your website visitors using the search box when it’s offered (source: UXBooth), you want to be sure you’re helping […]
Downsides to Drupal CMS for Community Colleges
Choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) for your community college isn’t just about functionality; it’s about being as inclusive, efficient, and friendly as you are to your students, faculty, and staff. The selection of a CMS solution should prioritize ease of use, support for non-technical users, cost-effectiveness, security, scalability, and compatibility with existing systems. […]
Pros and Cons of Single Sign-On: Is It Right for You?
Imagine only needing to remember one username and password to access all your favorite enterprise applications. Sounds like a dream, right? Single Sign-On (SSO) was created to make that dream come true, consolidating logins to just a single set of sign-on credentials–log in one place, access them all. Enhanced security, streamlined user experience, and reduced […]
Google Universal Analytics Will Cease To Function On July 1, 2024. Are You Ready?
There’s been a big shift going on that’s redefining how we understand and analyze web traffic. Google announced last year that Universal Analytics services will stop functioning on July 1, 2024, signaling the complete migration to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This change brings more nuanced insights from improved tracking of user interactions to enhanced machine […]
Website Quality Assurance: Check Your Pages for Issues & Errors
Website quality assurance is a key part of the process when designing and developing a new site. Check out our top tips!
5 Principles of Visual Symphony in Website Design
If you know AndiSites, you know that we focus on creating websites in partnership with our clients that are functional and emotionally engaging–selecting and combining elements that work together to create an overall story (or, in the case of this article, “song”) that welcomes the user and compels them to take your desired actions. Whether […]
Happy 15th Anniversary, AndiSites! :-)
Here’s a message from me, Andi, as we celebrate our 15th anniversary: Dear Friends and Clients, and Friends-and-Clients-To-Be, I fell in love with coding in the late 1970’s with the TRS-80 and Level I BASIC. Radio Shack was my hangout spot, and over the following years I made magical-to-me programs, like the one that rained […]
4 Quick DIY Wins to Improve Your Website’s SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a long game that requires attention and patience. However, there are some things you can do yourself right now to improve your WordPress website’s chances of rising in search engine rankings. Here are 4 quick wins to improve your website’s SEO: 1. Install the Yoast Plugin We recommend the Yoast plugin […]
Use GA4’s Engagement Metrics to Make Website Users Stay Longer
Google Analytics’ recent switch from Universal Analytics (UA) to GA4 added some neat new data, including all things engagement. Here’s how you can use the new GA4 engagement metrics to find out how long users are keeping your web pages in focus–and how to keep them there longer. What Engagement Metrics Are Google Analytics GA4’s engagement metrics […]
Tips For Conversion Rate Optimization
If you’re looking to improve your conversion rate optimization – whether it’s sales, subscribing, or more – check out our top tips! What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)? Anything that improves the conversion rate of your website, landing pages and blog whether offsite or onsite. Your conversion rate is the number of conversions on a […]
Top Five Crucial Steps for WordPress Maintenance
If you want to know more about successful WordPress maintenance for your site, here’s our top five crucial steps that you don’t want to ignore! So. You’ve built your beautiful, engaging WordPress website and now you plan to sit back and coax to SEO bliss – or are you? When it comes to keeping your […]
How to Create Anchor Links (AKA “Jump Links”) in WordPress
Here’s our guide on how to create anchor links in WordPress – also known as jump links. So what are anchor links? Have you seen on a web page that sometimes you click a link, and rather than taking you to another page, it jumps to further down on the same page? That’s an “anchor […]
Do I Really Need to Care About GDPR? Maybe.
Do you think that GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) doesn’t apply to your organization? You might want to think again. Update on GDPR 2022 update: Read our new blog post for the latest information. The regulation could have implications you haven’t considered. And with related regulation being passed in California, it’s wise to take another look […]
Ode to The Sidebar
Do you love or hate sidebars in website design? To find out what we think here at AndiSites, here’s our Ode to the Sidebar. The AndiSites Ode to the Sidebar Ah, the website sidebar. Holder of secondary navigation, Keeper of ad space, And container for random things That You don’t Know Where else to Put. […]