The Trouble with Bugs

The debate on bugs and who’s responsible for them within a software or web development project is one that comes up in just about every project of this nature. No matter the project, the agency or the client, bugs come with the territory and are often seen as a “mistake” created by the programming team and therefore that team’s issue to resolve.

Designing a Website Around Customer Intention

Before we dive into the topic above, I want you to think of some recent purchases you made, whether they were online or in a store. Did you know the exact product you were going to buy? Were there times you were planning on purchasing a type of product, but weren’t sure exactly which one you would take home? Or did you have a need or problem to solve, but no idea how you were going to solve it?

What is Customer-Centric Web Design & Why Is It So Important?

People that are unable to identify what a company actually does, or if they grow frustrated while trying to find out more information about how said company might be able to solve their problem, will likely leave. So how do you make sure this won't happen to your site?

Walkthrough of a Google Lighthouse Report

In a recent post I reviewed Google Lighthouse, how it works, and what each of the 4 different scores measure. Using that information, I am going to walk you through an example report so you can see what the information looks like as well as give some possible solutions to any issues that Lighthouse uncovers.

How to Improve Search Engine Ranking in 2021 Using Google Lighthouse

Google continuously makes changes to its algorithm throughout the year, but the first quarter of 2021 should bring some major updates to the core criteria regarding how websites will be scored and ranked in search results. With that being said, how do you think your website will measure up?

5 Unique Holiday Marketing Ideas: Grow Your Fanbase Before Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner. Here are 5 unique holiday marketing ideas for 2020 that can help you quickly grow your fans and maximize your revenue potential.

10 Ecommerce Holiday Planning Tips for 2020

The year 2020 has been a crazy one to say the least. Covid-19, masks, social distancing, businesses closing, and the list goes on. Many businesses have been hit hard this year, especially ones that traditionally sell their products in physical stores. This has made the need for user-friendly ecommerce stores even more important.

How to Create Buyer Personas to Better Understand Your Customers

If you’re selling products or promoting services you offer online, you likely have a good idea who your customers are. This article isn’t so much about learning who your customers are, but how to get a deeper understanding of them so you can improve their experience, your communication with them, and how you meet their needs.

2020 Digital Shelf Virtual Summit Session

Our CEO, Josh Walsh, was invited to take part in a conversation with Salsify as part of their Digital Shelf Institute, the virtual alternative to their annual e-commerce conference.

Scott Sommers, the VP of Insights & Innovation at Shurtech (the makers of Duck Tape), also joined in the conversation with Josh. Shurtech has been a client of The Refinery for many years, and Salsify is a key tool we use to execute their direct-to-consumer strategy.

How to Effectively Communicate with Your Digital Agency

At the start of each new client relationship, we have the ability to foster effective communication, do good work and ensure both our client and our team learns a little something along the way. After all, in order for us to provide the most value for you, we need to learn about your business so we can use that informed knowledge to advise on decisions regarding your audience/customers and your goals. Just like any other relationship, the start of a great agency relationship is where we learn more about you and where we earn your trust.