When you're in the auto body industry, your website has to look as good as your work.

But that's not the top priority of having a website. No matter how gorgeous your site is - and www.HendrixPDR.com is top of the line - a website is useless if customers can't find you. That's right you - not your competition.

That was the first thing Carey Hendrix, owner of Hendrix PDR in Seward, talked about with his new website. He wanted his company to be optimized to be found easily and quickly when customers were looking for a paintless dent repair specialist.

After all, he has 20 years of experience, is certified and travels to reach his customers throughout Northeast Nebraska. From Kearney to Omaha, Hendrix PDR will come to you. He also works on vehicles in Iowa and wanted customers there to find him as well.

This website, which will add before and after photos of his work, has all of the functionality Hendrix wanted, including contact information and his schedule so dealership will know where he'll be soon. The mobile edition also had click-to-call functionality, along with texting directly to him.

And, it's also a gorgeous site - just like Hendrix's work. It's a perfect fit!

Convenience is another theme to this site. From online payment and donation options to purchasing tickets to their annual Masquerade Ball fundraiser, it's easy for patients and supporters alike to use the site. There's online registration for training, maps for the multiple locations, links to press coverage, biographies of each therapist and counselor and information about the organization.

Above all, the new website is optimized for those needing the services of the Grace C. Mae Advocate Center. Their goal is to help people, and Pitzer Digital uses the most advanced optimization techniques to ensure the website is found by search engines. A website must be easy to navigate and provide the right experience for users, but it's useless if it cannot be found by those looking for it.

Pitzer Digital is proud to have relaunched the Grace C. Mae Advocate Center website and mobile version. It is modern, crisp, easy to navigate, warm, approachable, convenient and optimized.

If you're looking for a storage unit near Odessa, Missouri, how would you find it? Online, of course, but you already knew that.

And now you can find A1 Odessa Storage at www.odessamissouristorage.com.

This fenced-in facility just 45 minutes from downtown Kansas City has various sizes of units and conveniently lets users know how much storage they can expect to have in the units.

As with all Pitzer Digital websites, there's a great mobile version to help those navigate to the facility while on Interstate 70 or Highway 40 using a mobile device.

Congratulations to A1 Odessa Storage on their new website and mobile version!

So what's your favorite website? No, really, what is it?

Well, whatever it is, make sure it's your homepage on your computer to make it easier for you. My homepage is set to our newest site, www.MyAntelopeCountyNews.com.

Here's how to make your favorite website your computer's homepage.

1. Determine what browser you're using - Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari or another popular browser. (Those are the most popular in the U.S.)

2. Follow the instructions below for whatever browser you have. Remember, browsers have different versions, so if you're using an old version, it's probably time for an update. No worries, they're free and available online.

At Pitzer Digital, we recommend using either Firefox or Chrome. If you click on the name of either one, it will lead you to a secure download page for that browser. Our favorite is Firefox.

Internet Explorer

1. On the Start screen, tap or click Internet Explorer to open Internet Explorer
   
2. Go to a page that you'd like to set as a home page.
   
3. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)
   
4. Tap or click Options, and under Home pages, tap or click Customize.
   
5. Tap or click Add current site, edit the URL if you'd like, and then tap or click Add to make the site one of your home pages. 

Firefox

1. Open the website you want to set as your home page. If you want a blank home page, open a new tab.
2. Click the icon to the left of the web address, drag it to the Home button, and release.
3. Click Yes to set this as your home page.

Chrome

1. Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Settings.
   • Add the home button to the browser toolbar
     Homepage button is off by default. Select the "Show Home button" checkbox in the "Appearance" section to show it on the browser toolbar.
   • Set your homepage
     When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link. You can also choose the New Tab page as your homepage.

Safari

1. Choose Safari > Preferences, and then click General.
2. Do one of the following:
   • To use the page in the current Safari window or tab, click “Set to Current Page.”
     
     
   • To use another page, type its address in the Homepage field.
     
     
   • To use a blank page, delete the contents of the Homepage field so that the field is blank.
     
     
3. If you also want the homepage to appear whenever you open a new Safari window, choose Homepage from the “New windows open with” pop-up menu.

Is it time to upgrade with a new download?

No, seriously, it may be time to try a new browser for the Internet, and we recommend Mozilla Firefox.

If you're not sure what browser you use, it's OK. A lot of people don't know. They just know what to click on for the Internet to pop up. To see what you're using, look at the top of your Internet window. Most browsers have the name to the left of the menu containing File, Edit, View, etc.

Making things a little more complicated, browsers update . . . some often. I'm actually using Firefox 26.0 and Chrome 31.0. The higher the number, the newer the version. The newest version of Internet Explorer is 11.0. As the number indicates, it doesn't update as often. To me, that's an issue and a big reason I don't like it as well. Every browser has bugs, and Firefox and Chrome squash theirs faster.

So what browser version are you using? Go back to where the name of the browser is located and click on it. In the drop down you should find "About Firefox" (or Chrome, etc). It will tell you what version you're using. If you're not using the most recent version, that's OK, but you don't want to be several versions back. There's a good chance you're missing things on the sites you're visiting if your browser is too old.

And if you've never updated your browser, that's a very good sign that it's time for an update. Keep in mind that an update means new, and the newer browser will look and feel differently than what you're using now. Change can be hard to adjust to, but without an occasional update, there will come a point when you are not able to view pages you try to access. The Internet is not a place where you can simply do what you've always done.

Here's a link for the Firefox download. Just click on the green box with the fox on the right hand side of the page. Give it a try and see if you like it.

White Firefox is our favorite, it's not the only browser we use for building websites. We also like Chrome and Safari. I actually have all three on my MacBook Pro and keep Internet Explorer on my HP (just to check websites because I really don't like using that browser).

Now what about all of those other updates that keep popping up on your computer? That's for a future blog.

Good luck updating and have fun with your new browser, whether it's a newer version or a different company.

With the launch of the 18th website by Pitzer Digital since mid-August, the Northeast Nebraska website design company is pleased to announce the hiring of an additional employee.

Erin Whitesel of Neligh joined Pitzer Digital earlier this month, bringing a wealth of business and accounting experience with her. She joins Jenny Higgins in managing www.MyAntelopeCountyNews.com. The website promotes news and events in the county. The site is advertiser supported and does not charge a fee for publishing submitted content.

"Erin has a diversified background with experience in business, accounting and finance. She also has impeccable customer service skills and a strong desire to help those in the area, and that's a key trait in the most recent expansion," said Carrie Pitzer, owner of Pitzer Digital.

Whitelsel graduated from Neligh-Oakdale in 1996 and returned to the community after college. She and her husband, Brian, have two children. Brian is also a Neligh-Oakdale graduate, and both are active volunteers in the community.

"With Erin and Jenny managing the new promotional website, I can continue to focus on website design, marketing and consulting," Pitzer said. "Pitzer Digital is consulting with several Northeast Nebraska companies on their SEO, page ranking and digital marketing, so it's an exciting time for the company on multiple fronts. The services we offer are based upon what businesses have asked us to provide due to our knowledge and experience, so these expansions are simply Pitzer Digital following its motto of 'helping small businesses succeed is our business.' "