Strategic brand planning during December positions businesses for success in 2026 while competitors are dormant. Discover how starting now gives you the competitive advantage you need.
Read MoreReal Insights – Practical Wisdom – Genuine Help
Inspiration to be courageously creative: Welcome to Our Blog
We’ve been crafting digital solutions for 25 years, and we’d rather share what we’ve learned than keep it to ourselves. This blog pulls back the curtain on our design process, explores industry trends, and tackles real business challenges.
Looking for web design advice, branding insights, or wondering what makes a website actually work? You’ll find straightforward answers here – no jargon, just genuine expertise from people who care about helping your business succeed.
Ready to dive in?
Molineux Sleepout 2025: How Storm Claudia Transformed Eighty3’s Perspective
Storm Claudia couldn't dampen our spirits at the Molineux Sleepout. Discover how one night in November transformed our perspective on homelessness and raised £872 for vital causes.
Read MoreThinking of Starting a Business in 2026? Here’s the Ultimate Startup Checklist
Starting a business needs more than passion - it requires clear planning and proper foundations. Discover the essential checklist every startup needs to launch successfully in 2026, from defining your brand to building your online presence.
Read MoreWhen Canva Goes Down: Why Professional Designers Don’t Panic
Canva went down today, leaving template-dependent "designers" stranded. Professional designers kept working—because real expertise means always having Plan B.
Read MoreHow to Uncover Your Brand Story (Even If You Think You Don’t Have One)
Every business has a story, yet most small business owners dismiss theirs as uninteresting. Discover why your brand story matters, how it connects to your values and vision, and practical ways to uncover the compelling narrative that's been there all along.
Read MoreThe WordPress Maintenance Myth: Why Set-and-Forget Websites Don’t Exist
WordPress maintenance isn't optional for business success online. Discover why set-and-forget websites don't exist, learn essential maintenance tasks, and understand why professional support delivers better ROI than DIY approaches.
Read MoreYour First Design Consultation: What Really Happens When You Meet Eighty3 Design
Meeting a web design agency feels intimidating without knowing what to expect. Discover the authentic Eighty3 experience: no pressure, just genuine conversation about your business goals and honest advice you can trust.
Read MoreHow Do I Find My Brand Voice? 7 Proven Steps
Scattered communication costs businesses customers daily. Discover 7 proven steps to find your authentic brand voice, create consistent connections across touchpoints, and transform casual interactions into loyal relationships.
Read MoreLogo Designs for Small Businesses: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Generic DIY logos cost small businesses credibility daily. Discover how professional logo design builds recognition, creates lasting impact, and transforms your business reputation above competitors who cut corners.
Read MoreAutomation Tools That’ll Save Your Sanity This Summer
Automation tools transform small business operations without requiring technical expertise or massive budgets. Discover how email marketing, social media scheduling, and customer service automation can reclaim hours of your day, allowing you to focus on growth whilst maintaining excellent customer relationships.
Read MoreWhy Marketing in August Gives You the Edge Over Quiet Competitors
While competitors head off on holiday and marketing efforts grind to a halt, savvy businesses recognise August as a golden opportunity to steal a march on the competition and dominate a quieter digital space.
Read MoreThe Hidden Costs of Website Builders: What Small Businesses Need to Know
Website builder platforms promise affordable online solutions for small businesses. Discover the hidden costs, time investments, and limitations that could impact your business growth beyond the advertised monthly fees.
Read MoreChoosing the Best Payment Gateway for Your Business: A Complete Guide
Choosing the wrong payment gateway costs businesses customers and revenue daily. Discover how Stripe, WorldPay, GoCardless, and PayPal compare to find your perfect solution.
Read MoreWhy Brand Photography is Your Business’s Secret Weapon
Generic stock images cost businesses credibility daily. Discover how authentic brand photography builds trust, creates valuable IP, and elevates your business above competitors.
Read MoreHow to Give Effective Design Feedback
Struggling to articulate what you want from design work? This guide transforms vague feelings into clear, actionable design feedback, helping you communicate effectively with designers and get the results you want.
Read MoreCreating Truly Accessible Websites: A Comprehensive Guide
Accessible websites are essential for inclusivity, legal compliance, and better business outcomes. Learn how proper design creates digital spaces everyone can use and enjoy.
Read MoreAI Logo Design: Why It’s Just the Tip of the Branding Iceberg
Discover why your AI logo is only the beginning of effective branding. Learn about the complete brand identity system your business needs to build recognition, trust, and consistency beyond a simple logo design.
Read MoreSlow Websites: The Profit Killer You’re Overlooking
Slow websites cost businesses millions annually. Discover how site speed affects your revenue, reputation, and customer relationships in today's digital-first landscape.
Read MoreCanva Logo Pitfalls: The Hidden Cost to Your Business
Discover why a Canva logo could damage your brand credibility. Learn about template limitations, legal risks, and why professional design delivers superior ROI for your business.
Read MoreOne Page Websites: Why They Don’t Work for Most Businesses
In the fast-paced digital world, businesses must make smart choices when it comes to their online presence. While a one page website may seem like a sleek and modern solution, it often falls short in delivering the results most businesses need.
Read MoreBrand Guidelines: Why Your Business Needs Them
Discover how brand guidelines can transform your business by ensuring consistency, trust, and growth. Learn actionable strategies to build a strong brand identity and streamline your marketing efforts.
Read MoreYour In-House Web Team: The Top 7 Benefits of Using an External Web Design Agency
Wondering whether to use an in-house web team or an external agency? In this blog, we highlight the top 7 benefits of partnering with an experienced web design agency, from expertise and flexibility to cost savings. Find out why outsourcing your web design could be the key to your business’s...
Read More7 Crucial Things to Consider When Branding a New Business
Branding a new business is about more than just a logo - it's about creating a compelling identity that resonates with your audience. From defining your purpose and vision to designing a standout visual identity and brand voice, these 7 steps will help you build a brand that sets you...
Read More8 Game-Changing Design Trends in 2025 You Can’t Ignore
The design world is constantly evolving, and 2025 promises some exciting changes. In this blog, we dive into the top 8 design trends that will dominate the industry this year, ensuring your brand stays ahead of the curve and captures your audience’s attention in fresh, innovative ways.
Read MoreAvoid Website Downtime and Hassles: Why WordPress Support Is a Must for Your Business
Managing a website can be challenging, and unexpected issues often lead to downtime or functionality problems. In this blog, we explain why having reliable WordPress support is essential for keeping your business website running smoothly, minimizing risks, and avoiding costly disruptions.
Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide to WooCommerce for Small Businesses
Ready to take your small business online? Our ultimate guide walks you through setting up, customising, and optimising your WooCommerce store. Start selling today!
Read MoreThe True Value of Branding: Why Investing in a High-End Brand Experience Pays Off
A strong brand identity is more than just a logo—it’s a crucial part of your business's success. In this blog, we discuss the true value of branding and how investing in a high-end brand experience can differentiate your business, build customer trust, and drive long-term growth.
Read MoreBusiness Startup Package: Building Your Brand the Right Way
Kickstart your business startup with our comprehensive package: logo, website, stationery, hosting, and more. Everything you need to succeed
Read MoreLeaflet Design 101: 5 Strategies for Maximum Impact
A well-designed leaflet has the rare capacity to reach your target audience directly, resulting in a memorable and tactile encounter that digital media frequently find difficult to duplicate.
Read MoreMastering Call-to-Action Design: 5 Tips for Crafting Compelling CTAs for Maximum Engagement
In the ever-changing world of digital marketing, the call-to-action (CTA) remains an essential component for increasing user involvement and conversions. A well-crafted CTA can mean the difference between a casual visitor and an engaged customer. In this comprehensive tutorial, we'll delve into the complexities of call-to-action design, including methods and...
Read MoreBrand Authenticity: 3 Lessons in Forging Trust and Connection with Consumers
In today’s ever-changing digital landscape, where consumers are bombarded with infinite options and adverts competing for their attention, one concept stands out as critical: brand authenticity. This elusive trait has become the holy grail for organisations looking to connect with their customers on a deeper level and cultivate long-term partnerships...
Read MoreE-commerce Design Strategies: 6 Best Practises for High-Converting Websites
In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, a visually appealing and user-friendly website is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. Your website's design plays a pivotal role in making a lasting impression and, more importantly, in driving conversions. To help you create an e-commerce website that converts visitors into loyal customers,...
Read MoreSupercharge Your Speed: 4 Proven Website Speed Optimisation Techniques
In today's digital age, smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. From shopping and socialising to reading news and watching videos, we rely heavily on our mobile devices. As a result, web designers and developers need to adapt to this mobile-centric landscape by embracing mobile-first design principles. In...
Read MoreMobile-First Design Domination: 6 Strategies for Small Screens
In today's digital age, smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. From shopping and socialising to reading news and watching videos, we rely heavily on our mobile devices. As a result, web designers and developers need to adapt to this mobile-centric landscape by embracing mobile-first design principles. In...
Read MoreColour Psychology in Web Design: Leveraging 4 Hues for Positive Influence
In the realm of web design, aesthetics play a crucial role. While a well-structured layout and user-friendly interface are vital components of a successful website, the colours you choose can wield significant influence over user behaviour.
Read MoreContent-Driven Web Design Magic: 3 Impactful Ways to Integrate Content into Design
In the ever-evolving world of web design, creating a seamless user experience is paramount. To achieve this, it's essential to harmonise your design with your content strategy. Content-Driven Web Design! After all, the visual appeal of a website is only half the story
Read MoreDiscover the Art of Seamless User Experience Design: 5 Fundamentals
Welcome to the realm of seamless user experience design, where every click, scroll, and interaction is meticulously engineered to make a lasting impact. In this article, we'll look at web design and how user experience (UX) design may improve your online presence. Get ready to learn the secrets of building...
Read MoreUnleashing the Power of Non-SEO Methods to Increase Website Traffic
Driving traffic to your website is vital for success in the cutthroat online world. While search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques are frequently used, there are several non-SEO techniques that can successfully increase your website’s exposure, draw in more visitors, and build a strong online presence. In this blog post, we’ll...
Read MoreUnleashing the Power of Your About Us Page: Design Tips and Inspirations for a Captivating Brand Story
Every website should have an "About Us" page that gives visitors an insight into the history, principles, and character of your company. A fascinating and well-designed About Us page can help develop connections, foster confidence, and ultimately turn visitors into devoted patrons.
Read MoreAre you a brand or a bland? 5 tips to make your company branding badass.
Company branding has to be effective. In the current financial landscape, it has never been more important to stand out from the crowd. First impressions really are the most important so how do you elevate your offering above a sea of competitors?
Read MoreLogo Design Process: The 6 Essential Steps to Success!
The world of branding can be a confusing one. What do you need to know to get started with your own brand identity? So before we get into the logo design process, we want to give you a quick rundown of the basics.
Read MoreDiscover Awesome Brand Authenticity: 5 Tips for getting more customers
Brands need to focus on developing brand authenticity. Authenticity is a complex concept but it is essential to go beyond the functionality of an offering and highlight the unique quality of your product.
Read MoreWant to be ahead of the curve? Five trends to watch out for in 2022.
Being in the vanguard of new developments is always a good place to be whatever sector you’re in. But, as 83.4% of businesses with at least ten employees have a website, just being online doesn’t give you vanguard status. Instead, endeavouring to stand out from the crowd is the next big...
Read MoreHow do I find my brand voice? Why your communication style is central to your brand.
As business owners, we all know how important branding is, and if you’re a regular reader of our blogs, you’ll know how much store we set by it. But it’s not all vector images and out-there designs; good branding also includes your brand voice. And finding a brand voice that...
Read MoreIs a WordPress website safe?
We’re not going to lie; WordPress has its security issues. If you don’t look after your site correctly, you could come up against all sorts of challenges. But does it have to be a problem? Not if you take site security seriously. We’ve put together five ways you can do...
Read MoreAre you scaring off potential customers? Six marketing mistakes to avoid in your business.
At every stage of the business journey, marketing in some form is essential. If you’re just starting up, it will get your name out there, and you can begin building your relationships. If you’ve been going a while, it’s an opportunity to extend your reach and reinforce your brand values. ...
Read MoreHow much does a website cost? What you need and what you really don’t!
The number one question clients ask us is, “how much does a website cost?”. Many other web designers may say, “there’s no definitive answer”. Is that helpful? We don’t think so. Yes, all businesses are different; therefore, all websites are different. But, whatever web provider you use, some functions will...
Read MoreTeamwork Makes The Dream Work
The Eighty3 Team is absolutely essential to the running of our business. They are the best at what they do and without them, Eighty3 wouldn’t be what it is today. This got us thinking about what actually makes a great team? So we enlisted the help of an expert in...
Read MoreNeed to increase website traffic? You need Google My Business!
Getting and retaining customers is hard work. Owning a beautifully designed and engaging website, active social media profiles and great branding all help. But here, we share one of the quickest and simplest ways to get more traffic to your website. It’s no great secret. In fact, if you’ve read...
Read MoreWhen it comes to typeface, are you the font of all knowledge?
What typeface and font do you use in your branding and logo? Do you even know what it’s called? Or did you choose it because it just looked the biz? Fair play. Or so you may think.
Read MoreSeven reasons why having a business website is still essential
Over 770,000 businesses came into being in 2020, that’s 30% more than in 2019. Getting a business website has therefore never been more important!
Read MoreFive Common Branding Mistakes Startups Make & How To Avoid Them
When creating a new startup business, don’t leave your brand at the bottom of the list. If your business is a spider’s web, your brand is the centre that holds everything else together. It’s what you build the rest of your kingdom on.
Read MoreStarting a new business? Here are five things to think about.
Starting a business is exciting: you’ve got a (metric) tonne of new ideas, and you just want to get stuck in! But before you get carried away, ask yourself, “where’s the best place to start?”
Read MoreGreen graphic designers? Four Small Ways We are “Doing Our Bit” For The Environment.
We’re not climate scientists, we don’t work for Greenpeace, but we are Pro-Earth; it’s our home after all and we do our bit to protect the environment.
Read MoreDesigning The Perfect YouTube Thumbnail: Five Things You Need To Consider.
A thumbnail is a miniature representation of an image or document that you see at a glance. Some are generic symbols and pictures, but others can be small previews of the actual item you’ll be looking at. In the case of YouTube, thumbnails are the images you browse before you...
Read MoreImage problem? Five things to improve your business’ online presence
Rather than rant on about stuff we don’t like we’re going to give you our top 5 business image irks and the things that you can do to solve them. They’ll help you maintain a professional business front, enhance your external image and improve your chances of business success.
Read MoreYour guide to choosing the right eCommerce platform for you
Being baffled by choice is actually a thing. The more choice we have, the more challenging it becomes to make a decision. That said, a one size fits all approach is never a good way forward either… A hat that will fit you and your kids? Maybe not.
Read MoreCanvassing for Canva. We love Canva. And here is why…
Canva: every designer’s nightmare? You’d think, but go to their site, and it’s a design (and marketing) marvel! If we were the miserly sort (which, thankfully, we’re not), we could think the app was stealing our business. But the truth is, we’ve found Canva to be a great tool, and...
Read MoreSmells Like Social Media. Three Things Nirvana Can Teach Us About Our Social Strategies.
First things first: we’re talking about Nirvana, the band. That of 90’s grunge fame, not the land of the Buddhas. Confused? Let us enlighten you.
Read MoreHey, that’s mine! The Trademark and what you need to know
So, you’ve just created your shiny new logo, and you’re proud. This is going to be where your business starts, and you have great hopes! But, how do you ensure that your brand spanking asset remains yours? Say hello to the trademark!
Read MorePersonal Branding — What is it and Why do I need it?
So, what is Personal Branding, and other than to get rich (and we’re not judging!), why should you bother? We’ve all heard of individuals who’re worth, well, loads. Like Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Gary Vaynerchuk. They all started somewhere, of course, but what they’re selling isn’t only...
Read MoreUninspiring Landing Page? Get grounded with our no-nonsense guide!
So, you’ve arrived here wanting to know more about Landing Pages, right? Great, because we want to help! With a bit of forethought, you can get yours working for you by generating more leads, resulting in better sales!
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