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Angie – Block 81

Block 81 Insights - Issue 24.04

Published 12 months ago • 2 min read

Block 81 Insights Issue 24.04

2025-12-08 342, 2025

Happy Monday!

This issue we're taking a brief look at user experience (UX) and how thoughtful design choices can transform the way people interact with your website. There's also a bit about a recently completed project that brought a client’s vision to life. Plus, don’t miss the curated selection of interesting links.

Got something you want to read about next year? Hit reply and let me know!

See you in 2025!

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Enhancing User Experience (UX): A Guide to Smoother Interactions

UX or user experience... something that can make the difference between a one-time visitor and a new customer. Focusing on usability, accessibility, and the design of your website can really engage your audience.

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For instance, simplifying your navigation is one of the most impactful ways to improve your website's UX. Is it intuitive and easy to use with clear labels and logical groupings of related pages? What about search—does your navigation include search? Including a search function can enhance usability by helping users find what they need quickly and efficiently.

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Another crucial factor is mobile responsiveness. Okay, it's 2024 and we all pretty much know that having a site that works just as great on mobile as it does on larger screens is critical. But is done correctly? Ensuring your layouts and loading times are optimized for smaller screen will help create a better experience for all users. This should also extend to your site's performance—fast load times are essential!

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Need help optimizing your website’s user experience? Get in touch to schedule a website audit to identify areas for improvement and unlock your site’s full potential!

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FEATURED PROJECT

Payroll NW website

I just wrapped up a new website design for Payroll NW, a payroll company based out of Vancouver, WA.

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The goal was simple: create a more dynamic and better branded site.

It was designed from scratch with a lot of great input from the client. I took subtle cues from their logo and built off of them to create a custom look and feel.

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Although I also coded up the design into a static site, Payroll NW's team of developers will be launching it soon.

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LINKS & HIGHLIGHTS

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​No Web Without Women​

I came across this website a while ago and it's pretty great to see how women have contributed to the web as we know it.

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Image Compression

Ever need to reduce your image file sizes a bit further to upload them to your website, social media, or some other online tool? Here are my three favorite that do a phenomenal job at compressing the file size and keeping the quality:

  1. ​Kraken​
  2. ​TinyPNG​
  3. ​FreeConvert (this one also has tools to convert various file types to other file types, such as PNG to JPG).

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​The ADA Now has Regulations for Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps​

On April 8, 2024, the United States Attorney General signed a final rule providing requirements for digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). How's your site's accessibility? Not sure? Get in touch for a low-cost accessibility audit!​

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​Third-party cookies have got to go​

Well, not all, but certainly those that enable tracking or follow your activity across multiple websites.

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Angie Herrera

Designer / Developer
​Block 81​

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2000 NE 42nd Ave Ste D Unit 2281, Portland, OR 97213

Angie – Block 81

Custom Web Design & Development

Hey! I'm Angie, founder of Block 81—a web design and development studio that's been empowering businesses since 2003. After two decades of building websites that actually work, I've learned what drives real results (and what's just industry hype). As both a designer and developer, I help businesses create web experiences that connect with users and drive growth. Block 81 Insights delivers real-world strategies from the trenches of client work—no theory, no fluff—just proven approaches, project stories, and carefully curated resources for both business owners and web professionals.

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