BetterSites Portfolio - Recent and Ongoing Projects

Courtenay Physiotherapy: Physiotherapist Dan Belcher in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC

Dan Belcher is a well-known and respected physiotherapist in Courtenay, BC. Along with Gord McIlroy, Marilyn Atkinson and Susan Bloxsome, they offer exercise therapy, post-surgery rehabilitation, Sports Physiotherapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Neurological Rehabilitation, as well as Sports Taping and light bracing. Having no previous web presence, they knew it was time to establish a website. There you will find information on available physiotherapy services, fees, contact and address information, and even each physiotherapist's weekly schedule. April, 2010

Comox Valley Gym - Fitness Excellence on Vancouver Island, BC

This friendly, clean gym in Courtenay, BC offers weights and fitness equipment, training and fun fitness classes for people of all ages and levels of fitness. Spin classes are free for members - on state of the art spin bikes. Looking or a fun way to get fit? How about Zumba classes in Courtenay? If a fitness boot camp is the only thing for you, they have that too. There is truly something for everyone at Fitness Excellence, including an infrared sauna. Come on in and check them out - your first visit to this Comox Valley gym is free. This website was originally designed by Helen Austin. We pulled it apart, dusted off the bits that were still usable, and put this website back together without drastically changing the look but with new, more up-to-date code. The end result is much more informative, functional, fast-loading--and it's search engine friendly to boot. Fitness Excellence may have been around for 13 years; however, the website has never showed up in a Google search for Comox Valley Gym. It shouldn't take long for Fitness Excellence to go from 0 to number 1. February, 2010.

Custom Woodwork, cabinetry and furniture: Doc Wildwoods in Campbell River, on Vancouver Island, BC

Whether you are looking for custom kitchen cabinets, hand-crafted entrance doors, or one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and more - DOC Wildwoods offers years of experience in fine woodworking on Vancouver Island. Doc will design and build your custom woodworking project according to your needs and tastes. You are even welcome to visit his Campbell River woodworking shop on Vancouver Island, BC. Graphic Design by Solo Design. January, 2010

VS Probate Assistance & World Search Co: Find missing heirs and locate beneficiaries in Canada, the US and Europe

This Probate Assistance company based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, has a very high success rate. They specialize in genealogical research to find missing beneficiaries and heirs, from Canada and the U.S to Europe. VS Probate's team of Professional Genealogists and Genealogy Research Assistants can perform intestate searches as well as overseas searches for heirs in the Ukraine, Poland as well as other European countries. VS Probate Assistance and World Search Co. can prepare an Affidavit of Due Diligence as well as testify in court as a Forensic Genealogist. Graphic Design by Donna Panitow. August, 2009

Cortes Island Luxury Vacation Lodge, Cabins and Camping

T'ai Li Lodge offers luxury private waterfront acommodations, waterfront cabins, and luxury camping on Cortes Island, BC. Cortes Island Kayak tours, boat charters and yoga programs are all available during your stay. This website was spiffed up to make it easier to find information and to better showcase this beautiful piece of paradise. New graphics by Neil Havers. June, 2009

Denman Island Cottage Retreat

The Blue Owl Cottage is a cozy, private cottage suited for one to three adults. Located near the beach and also near Graham Lake on Denman Island, BC. The luxurious bathroom boasts an Infrared Sauna and old fashioned slipper soaking tub with a view of the forest. Website design adapted from a graphic design by Fireweed. Coding, information architecture, copywriting and search engine optimization by BetterSites. April, 2009

Comox Valley and Campbell River Funeral Services

Kent and Rosemarie Roduck offer funeral and cremation services at the Comox Valley Funeral Home, Cremation and Reception Centre, as well as Campbell River Funeral Services with their Island Funeral Services, Elk Falls Cremation & Reception Centre in Cambell River. They are a Canadian independent, locally owned company, with no chain affiliation.

As an independent funeral provider, Kent & Marie Roduck provide you with the highest level of professional services. You can talk directly with the owners at any time. Site Design by Michelle of Solo Design. October, 2008

Paul Ives for Mayor of Comox

In the fall of 2008, Paul Ives ran for Mayor of Comox. We had his website ready to go well before the announcement and campaign. In fact, we got this website up from nothing to #2 in Google for the term "Mayor of Comox" before the campaign even began. On November 15, 2008, Paul Ives won a tight race and is now Mayor of Comox, BC. The website included a flash header on the main page and a campaign volunteer sign-up form. August - November, 2008.

Port Alberni Real Estate

Lyle Price and Dena Wickman are Port Alberni Realtors, on Vancouver Island, BC. Properties for sale include gorgeous West Coast BC waterfront! They required a website that would allow them to update their Real Estate listings themselves. We helped them choose a domain name and provided custom hosting geared to their requirements. They can now log in and easily add, edit or delete a property that is for sale. Visitors can easily search Port Alberni Real Estate listings by both area and property type, and they can sort the results by price as well. Features also include a user-friendly css navigation bar that shows the visitor exactly where they are within the website, and the popular "lightbox" photo slideshow system. August, 2008

Eagle Graphite: High carbon natural flake graphite

One of only 2 graphite mines in North America, Eagle Graphite sells high carbon, natural flake graphite from their production facilities located near the City of Nelson in southeastern BC. Graphite is a critical component in many leading-edge alternative energy solutions, including batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, as well as being used in the production of electrodes and brushes on electric motors. Graphic design by Neil Havers. June, 2008

The Ultimate Artisan Portable Gas Firepit

A unique way to keep warm on your deck or patio. These unusual and practical portable gas firepits with their Medieval theme, have got to be seen --they are certain to spark some lively conversation at your next outdoor gathering. Online ordering will be available soon. Graphic design by Neil Havers. May, 2008

 

Sunny, Sandy Savary: A history of Savary Island, BC from 1792 to 1992

This book outlines the geology and geography, the pre-historic First Nations myths and early habitation of Savary Island, BC. Tiny Savary has become one of the most sought-after cottage retreats of the B.C. coast. Now in its third printing, this book is a must-have for all Savaryites and those interested in B.C. Coastal history. Graphic Design by Neil Havers. May, 2008.

Nootka Sound day trips and overnight cruises aboard the MV Uchuck III from Gold River, BC

This beautiful site is a redesign of an old site that was not search engine friendly at all. While graphics-intensive, this West Coast Adventure Cruise site is easily crawlable by search engines. The site features day trips in Nootka sound, West Coast kayak trips (they will drop you off and pick you up days or weeks later), hiking the remote Nootka Island Trail and a 2-day West Coast Adventure Cruise. Features an accessible CSS dropdown menu adapted from code by Stu Nicholls at CSS Play. Yet another gorgeous graphic design by Neil Havers. May, 2008

Ohio Alpaca Farm - Alpacas for Sale at Alpaca Spring Valley Farm in Minerva, Ohio.

Another GreenCMS project! The owner of this site spent the last couple of years attempting to do simple edits herself using Adobe Dreamweaver. Needless to say, the inevitable frustration and countless wasted hours finally came to a head. We put this site on the list for an 'urgent' conversion to GreenCMS. We still have a telephone tutorial/walkthrough to complete if needed. However, this system is SO simple that we will see how far Alicia can get with just the documentation to guide her. And if she needs us, we'll be right here! May, 2008

Iridology and Natural Health courses

Another GreenCMS site conversion. This site is now easily updated by three Iridologists from widely different areas - Georgina is in Port Alberni, BC, Ean is in Penticton, BC and Kianna is in Austin, Texas. Georgina, Ean and Kianna also offer a variety of related services and Natural Health courses. Now they can create their own pages and information, changing it whenever they wish. They are all thrilled with the new site, and they have found it easy to update. April, 2008

Quarter Horses for Sale in Black Creek, BC: Border Quarters Ltd.

This new site features champion quarter horses by Border Quarters Inc. Cory, a dentist in Campbell River, and Candice, a veterinarian in Courtenay, breed, train & show some of the top quarter horses in the North West. They have had success at the highest levels of Competition including an NSBA World Champion and a Reserve Congress Champion. They are located in beautiful Black Creek, BC, on Vancouver Island. This site includes links to YouTube videos of quarter horses for sale. Designed by Michelle Gjerde of Solo Design, Coding, search engine optimization and website hosting by Better Sites. April, 2008

Mount Washington Real Estate - Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, BC

This collaborative project was to develop an easy to use Content Management System for a busy Realtor to update on his own. Tying in previous contact management database and building project listings, now Rick can add, edit and delete listings, make them hidden or visible, upload photos, etc. Design/Layout by Havers Design. Project Planning/Requirements Documentation by Bettersites. PHP/MySql and CSS/XHTML by Grumpy Developers. Search Engine Optimization by BetterSites. January, 2008

Waterfront Cottages near Campbell River on Vancouver Island, BC

This beachfront accommodation site replaced a "homegrown" website that was previously being used. Designed by Havers Design and built by Better Sites Web Solutions, the simple layout offers plenty of photographs showing the cottages, the view and the wildlife in the area. Testimonials from past clients appear on almost every page and give people a good idea of what they will find at the cottages: Relaxation, amenities conveniently nearby, and a friendly seagull or two. On-page Search Engine Optimization by Better Sites. January, 2008

Comox Valley Road Runners - Content Management System: GreenCMS

The CVRR is an active club that promotes running and fitness in the Comox Valley. With their new GreenCMS site, volunteers can easily update the site themselves without any technical knowledge. GreenCMS is an easy to use Content Management System developed by Comox Valley web developers who have experience working with streamkeeper organizations. The software includes all of the functionality that might be required, and comes "out of the box," ready for non-technical people to add, edit and delete content, documents, maps, pictures, etc, on their website. PHP/MySql Programming by Booker Bennett. Website setup, customization, manuals, personal training and hosting by Better Sites Web Solutions. November, 2007

Tsolum River Restoration Society - Content Management System: GreenCMS

A mine abandoned 40 years ago ruined the Tsolum River. The Tsolum River Restoration Society (TRRS) are working to restore the Tsolum River to historical levels of health and productivity. As successive volunteers worked on their website, it became clunky and outdated. The TRRS were looking for a website that they could easily update themselves without any technical knowledge. GreenCMS fit that bill. GreenCMS is an easy to use Content Management System developed by Comox Valley web developers who have experience working with streamkeeper organizations. The software includes all of the functionality that might be required, and comes "out of the box," ready for non-technical people to add, edit and delete content, documents, maps, pictures, etc, on their website. PHP/MySql Programming by Booker Bennett. Website setup, customization, manuals, personal training and hosting by Better Sites Web Solutions. October, 2007

Comox Valley Accountants: Pateman Accounting

Pateman Accounting is a full service Accounting firm in Courtenay, BC - serving the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island and Powell River, BC. Graphic design by Neil Havers of Havers Design Corp., website development and hosting by Better Sites Web Solutions. October, 2007

Research with Respect: Information, Support and Advocacy for Phase 1 Oncology Clinical Trial Volunteers in Canada

This site provides Information from a Patient / Caregiver Perspective for prospective Canadian cancer research volunteers. A Phase I Clinical Cancer Trial is the first time that a new drug or combination of drugs is tried on humans. The people who volunteer for a Phase 1 Oncology Clinical Trial are truly heroes: they are terminally ill cancer patients who volunteer to test a drug that has never been used on humans, a drug that may well decrease the precious time they have left. This site, launched by the wife of a volunteer, provites insight into the Canadian Clinical Cancer Drug Trial process from a personal point of view and promotes the goal of providing compassionate end-of-life care to Canadian Phase 1 oncology clinical trial volunteers. Website and PDF self-help forms designed by Neil Havers of Havers Design. September, 2007

Comox Valley Lawyers Ives Burger

This website for a local Comox Valley law firm was built to a graphic design by Neil Havers. A consistent sitewide look and CSS navigation system ensures the site is easy to use for visitors. June, 2007.

Shelter Point Distillery - Single Malt Whisky on Vancouver Island, BC

This new Vancouver Island whisky distillery north of the Comox Valley, BC, endeavors to produce a single malt whisky and other specialty products. The Distillery plans to process their own barley on site. With a rich graphic design by Neil Havers, this website gives you a true feel for fine whisky and the pure water and air of the distillery's pristine Vancouver Island setting. This site was fun to build, and it will evolve as construction of the Distillery progresses. April, 2007.

DowntownCottage.com - Private Cottage for Rent in Downtown Comox on Vancouver Island, BC

This cute, private and relaxing vacation cottage is right on Comox Avenue, close to shopping, dining, parks and the Comox Marina. The website previously had been built without regard for the search engines or human visitors. It didn't show up at all in any search in Google, Yahoo or other directories and engines. I revamped the entire site without actually rebuilding it from scratch, added search-engine-friendly content that would also be of interest to visitors, while also changing the "look" of the site to be more visually appealing and better reflect the lovely cottage it represents. Almost all the pictures were replaced, and a new sitewide header was created using photographs of the cottage and Comox Marina. All the content has been well optimized for both humans and search engines, and some key directory submissions were made. We "relaunched" this much more professional-looking design in March, 2007. Design and coding by Better Sites.

 

Wildlife Gallery Database and Website Redesign

This photography website previously built in 2004, needed an overhaul. With now over 2500 wildlife photographs, well over the "few hundred" the site had originally been designed for, there was a need to reorganize and recategorize photos in a more logical manner. I redesigned the MySql database from the ground up to reflect the new requirements. Graphical "frames" are now added to each photograph "on the fly" as the image is being displayed. A new, cleaner sitewide header was created. Usability was improved: Now, simply clicking on a large image automatically takes you to the next one. Gallery navigation was updated from buttons to text. The sitewide navigation was moved to the top of the page from its previous position on the left side, to allow for more room for the large individual photographs. This site is now more search engine friendly, the photographs are much better organized, and overall the look is cleaner. One of the more challenging aspects of this redesign project was simple communication: trying to explain some of the technical aspects of the project, in English, to someone who speaks mostly German was... very difficult and time consuming. While this project was a success and the site owner is very happy with the result, we now ensure first that any barriers to communication are identified and addressed in the early stages of a project. Designed and coded by Better Sites. PHP by Grumpy Developers. Jan/Feb 2007.

Extreme Runners - Running and Walking Shoes and Clothing in Courtenay, BC

This Technical running/walking shoe store in Downtown Courtenay on Vancouver Island previously had a very bland website, invisible to the search engines, that they were unable to update themselves. After several years of maintaining their old site, they asked for a new site with a more "exciting" look that would appeal to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities. Neil Havers designed the site and especially perked up their logo, and I built it with a Mysql database so they can update their product listings, add news items and events whenever they wish. Digital photography for products by Better Sites. The end result is a much more interesting and dynamic site, that is also search engine friendly! PHP/MySql backend. December, 2006

Mount Washington , BC - MileHigh.ca

Produced by Rick Gibson of Royal LePage in the Comox Valley, this Mount Washington BC News site includes articles, information, a live Mountain Cam complete with weather station, as well as on-mountain dining, accommodation and real estate information. A news archive database full of interesting stories of Mount Washington and the Alpine Resort goes back several years. With the graphic design by Neil Havers, the site has some lively colors. It was fun to read all the old articles as I added them to the database along with pictures. The Mountain Cam was particularly interesting to set up--during a blizzard-- and gives a dazzling long shot to the summit of Mount Washington when the sun pours out onto the mountain. This dynamic site runs on PHP/MySql. October-November, 2006

Gold River, BC

Gold River, on beautiful Vancouver Island, BC, is a very special place indeed. Surrounded by wilderness, both land and sea, Gold river offers an abundance of opportunity to get in touch with nature. This site for the Gold River Chamber of Commerce was designed by Graphic Designer Neil Havers. Containing a wealth of information about the area, it is packed with useful local information, history and business contact info. A site map was added to help both search engines and humans navigate the sections of the site. Built in September, 2006. Update: A 3-section gallery was added in February, 2007 that showcases Gold River wildlife, scenery and recreation.

Dan Cyr's Classic Cars - Classic Car Restorations in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, BC - Specializing in '55 to '57 Chevys

Daniel Cyr's passion is restoring old cars to their former glory - and better! Daniel lives and works in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, BC, travelling to car shows throughout North America. Several of his cars have won awards. Daniel restores, buys and sells classic cars and car parts, does frame-off restorations and can transform an old beater into a work of art! This site includes a classic car photo gallery of his work complete with back-end administration that allows him to add new photos and descriptions of cars himself. June 2006

T'ai Li Lodge - Cortes Island, BC Accommodations: Camping, Yoga/Kayak Retreats, Waterfront Home for Rent

This spectacular waterfront accommodation on Cortes Island, BC, is a very special place - explore the natural wonders all around you while enjoying the comforts of home! From deluxe, screened tent-cabins, outdoor solar showers, to gourmet catered meals and wireless high-speed Internet, this is a delightful yoga and kayaker's paradise! This web site is a redo of a previous old site, designed by Neil Havers and built, hosted and optimized for search engines by Better Sites. April, 2006.

 

Alpaca Spring Valley Farm in Minerva, Ohio - Alpacas for Sale and Investment Opportunities.

This Alpaca farm sits on 23 acres outside the village of Minerva, Ohio. The owners and manager have chosen a farm lifestyle in alpaca breeding, investment and alpaca education and sales. Alpacas are wonderful gentle, easy to care for animals with sought-after fleece. With the economy what it is these days, investing in Alpacas may make more sense than risking the stock market. Investors may purchase an alpaca or share in the cost. Your alpaca is cared for at Alpaca Spring Valley Farm where you can come visit your alpaca and eventually share in the profit. Alpaca farm visits, bus tours and a picnic area will be available soon. Comox Valley Web Design by Better Sites. April 2006

 

Accommodation in Comox on Vancouver Island, BC - Driftwood Guest House

Driftwood Guest House is situated near downtown Comox BC. This is a new, spacious and spotless Comox suite for rent, with its own private entrance and full kitchen. This Comox vacation rental sleeps 5 people comfortably. This accommodation is suitable for family vacations, those special house guests, house hunters and locums. For a vacation on Vancouver Island, or a weekly or monthly rental for those staying a little longer in the Comox Valley, the Driftwood Guest House is close to downtown, stores, restaurants and hospitals. Designed and coded by Better Sites. March, 2006

 

CVRR Online Running Discussion Forums

This online discussion forum is a place for Comox Valley Road Runners to discuss all things running-related . The forum is based on PHP and a MySql database. It is currently viewable to the public but requires CVRR membership and forum registration to participate. This online meeting place is popular with CVRR members. PHPBB setup and customization by Better Sites. March, 2006

Royal LePage Comox Valley Snow to Surf Online Registration

Online Registration for relay teams, a "teams entered" page that is dynamically generated from the database to show "paid" teams, a login for team captains to update their team information, an extensive back-end "admin" area - All this adds up to a more streamlined registration process for teams and administrators. Reminders are automatically sent to teams who have not paid their registration fee, and the administrators can view and sort teams by a number of criteria. Broadcast emails to team captains can be sent and team information can be edited by the administrator. There is even an "admin lite" login so that other chairpersons can monitor the registrations without the possibility of accidentally changing information. December/January, 2005/06.

Alternative Health Courses and Botanical Remedies from The Natural Approach

This Alternative Health web site offers courses for Natural Health Practitioners, and sells Herbal remedies and supplements online. A redesign of an existing site, this one ensures simple navigation and facilitates easy online ordering with a secure shopping cart system. One of the goals of this site remake is to divert some of the phone calls that the company is receiving - to allow people to find course information and buy product without going through their switchboard. Online registration is coming, along with online courses. Stay tuned.

Comox Valley Islander Tri-K

This "mini site," redesigned to suit a tight budget, was given a new, less cluttered look. There is handy access to all the necessary information for participants in this event, including a downloadable registration form. We took care of the domain name registration and set up the hosting on behalf of the client.

Mount Washington Accommodation

This site offers a comprehensive database of lodgings and vacation rentals at Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island. The original version of this site (shown below, not clickable) offered rental unit information in static HTML pages converted from huge MS Excel spreadsheets. The data for each rental property was delivered in a giant "grid," difficult to use and too big to print. Photos were not visible, and there was no way to see if a rental was available at any particular time. Updates were difficult and infrequent, and had to be performed by the webmaster. Because of the static nature of the web site, discrepancies occurred in the information, as the original Excel spreadsheet was updated on the owner's desktop computer but not the web site. A database-driven website that the site owners as well as the property managers can update themselves was the natural solution in this case. This PHP/MySql site offers several regular search options (such as number of bedrooms) as well as a search for lodgings by location (using an image map) and search for rental accommodations by dates available using a dynamic availability calendar that the property managers can update themselves as the vacation property is reserved. Search results display lists of matching rentals. Individual vacation lodging unit pages display exterior and interior photos, information, rates, and the availability calendar showing dates booked/not booked. An extensive dual admin system was also implemented: contacts for the rental units may change information, upload photos, etc, for their respective units, while site administrators can view stats and make additions or changes to any unit, building, or contact.

Animal Communicator Georgina Cyr

Georgina Cyr offers long-distance animal communication to help with pet behavioral and emotional problems. The site incorporates online registration for animal communication workshops and animal communication consultation requests, as well as PayPal and other payment options. This was a redo of an existing, poorly-designed site. Analysis of the's purpose and audience indicated a very personal approach that allows the visitor to "get to know" the site's owner would be most effective. Georgina's personality appropriately shines through on every page of the site, and she is now experiencing a huge increase in her animal communication business and revenue. The content of the site was written with the target audience as well as search engines in mind. Georgina has some wonderful talents, and due to the great numbers of incredible "thank you" emails she was receiving, our recommendation to greatly expand her testimonials section has proven very effective. Regularly updated and tweaked, this site is holding its own despite very stiff competition in the animal communication area. As of June 9, 2004, this site is #1 on Google for "Animal Communicator" (out of 61,000), "Animal Communication Workshop" (out of 349,000) and "Animal Communication Correspondence" (185,000), among others. June, 2006 Update: This site has consistently been #1 for search terms "animal communicator," "animal communicator course," "animal communicator self study," and over a dozen other terms, despite ever-increasing competition. This is reflected in her steadily-increasing business.

Saterna Music's Piano Lesson Books and Easy Christmas Music for Piano

This site sells piano lesson books for children and adults, of all levels, as well as for homeschoolers. Simplified Christmas Music and Children's songs ensure that any beginner can play Christmas Carols on the piano. Other special titles, such as International Winter Celebration songs, are also available. The Saterna Music site is another "redo" of a previously ineffective site with very poor usability and no search engine presence. Check them out now and see the Christmas decorations! The goal of this redesign was to gain more exposure and effectively compete with other piano lesson book sites, within some of the confines of the old site (we had to keep most file names the same, and make do without a database).The order section offers three ways to purchase: a PayPal catalog, an online email order form with totals/postage&handling calculation, and a printable mail/fax form that also does the calculations. All the content of this site was carefully rewritten and optimized for ultimate search engine compatibility, using the latest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) theory. Despite all odds, this site has been positioned within the first two pages of Google for no less than 15 keyword phrases, and is 4th on Google for the highly desirable term "piano lesson books," despite increasing cutthroat competition from other sites taking advantage of paid placement, Saterna Music Publishing does not need to pay for placement- at least not yet! Traffic has nearly doubled each month, and completed orders are increasing every week. We are in the process of adding sample pages from the books, along with matching music clips. The owner previously had limited knowledge of the Internet or Search Engines, and needed the more personal service and simple explanations we provided.