Development
Why we rebuilt innatus.digital (and what we chose)
After years on WordPress and Elementor, I've rebuilt our own site on Next.js 16 and Sanity v5. Here's why I made the switch, what I prioritised, and what I learned along the way.
Our thinking
Digital Insights
Thoughts on web development, digital strategy, and building for the modern web.
Development
How to choose the right platform for your next website
Every platform has trade-offs. Here's how I think about the decision when clients ask me what they should build on.
Business
What I learned from five years running Innatus Digital
Innatus Digital turns five this year. Here are the lessons that actually stuck - about running a small agency, choosing clients, and building something sustainable.
Development
Visual editing and the Sanity presentation tool in Next.js 16
Click on any text in the preview and jump straight to editing it in the studio. Here's how we set up Sanity's visual editing with Next.js 16.
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Structured data, SEO, and the sitemap that builds itself
JSON-LD for Organisation and LocalBusiness. Article schema on every post. FAQPage from CMS content. A sitemap that queries Sanity at build time.
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Development
From force-dynamic to on-demand ISR with Sanity webhooks
We started with force-dynamic on every page because it was easy. Then we measured the cost. Here's how we switched to on-demand revalidation.
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Development
Our Tailwind v4 design system and how we handle brand tokens
Tailwind v4 moved configuration to CSS. Here's how we set up brand tokens, handled WCAG contrast, and solved the white-logo-on-light-background problem.
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Business
The small agency advantage: why bigger isn't always better
Large agencies have resources. Small agencies have something else - directness, speed, and the ability to care about every project. Here's the case for working with a small team.
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Development
Migrating 90 posts from WordPress to Sanity
We had 90 posts in WordPress and needed them in Sanity as Portable Text. Here's the migration script, the gotchas, and what we'd do differently.
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Development
How we designed the Sanity schema for innatus.digital
The content model behind our rebuild. Singletons, field groups, multi-purpose schemas, and the decisions that shaped how editors work with the site.
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Development
How composable architecture saved a client project
A client came to us with a monolithic platform that couldn't keep up with their business. Here's how composable architecture let us fix the problem without starting from scratch.
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Development
Web development predictions for 2026
Another year, another set of predictions. But this time I'm going to hold myself accountable - here's what I think will actually happen in web development in 2026.
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Marketing
Content strategy for developer-built websites
A beautifully built website with poor content is still a poor website. Here's how to think about content strategy when your site is being built by developers rather than a marketing agency.
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Development
Next.js 16: what it means for your website
Next.js 16 has arrived with significant changes under the hood. Here's what's different, what it means for existing sites, and why I'm adopting it for new projects.
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Development
Choosing between Shopify, BigCommerce, and headless in 2025
Three different approaches to e-commerce, three different trade-offs. Here's how I help clients decide which one fits their business.
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Server components, edge functions, and the modern web stack
The way I build websites has fundamentally shifted in the last two years. Here's a practical guide to what server components and edge functions actually do, and when they're worth using.
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How I approach technical discovery for new projects
Before we write a line of code, we spend time understanding the problem. Here's what our discovery process looks like and why I think it's worth the investment.
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Development
Accessibility isn't optional: the legal position in 2025
The European Accessibility Act comes into force this month. The Equality Act already applies. If your website isn't accessible, you're exposed - legally and commercially.
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Sanity v5: what's new and why I chose it
Sanity v5 landed earlier this year with significant improvements to the Studio and content modelling. Here's what changed, what the upgrade involved, and whether it's worth it.
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Business
The hidden costs of platform lock-in
Choosing a platform is easy. Leaving one is expensive. Here's what I've learned helping clients migrate away from platforms that no longer serve them.
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Development
Building design systems that scale with your business
A design system isn't a luxury for large companies. Even small teams benefit from consistent components, shared tokens, and documented patterns. Here's how I approach it.
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Development
How AI pair programming is changing my workflow
I've been using AI coding assistants daily for over a year. Here's an honest account of what's changed, what hasn't, and where the real productivity gains are.
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Development
Web development trends that actually matter in 2025
Every January brings a flood of trend pieces. Most of them are noise. Here's what I'm actually paying attention to this year - and what I think you can safely ignore.
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Tailwind CSS v4: what's new and what's changed
Tailwind v4 is a significant rewrite. Here's what's changed, what's better, and what you need to know before upgrading.
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Development
AWS vs DigitalOcean: how I choose hosting for each project
I use both AWS and DigitalOcean regularly. The choice depends on the project, not a blanket preference - here's how I decide.
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Business
What makes a good technical consultant
Technical consultancy is one of our core services, and it's the one most often misunderstood. Here's what it involves and when you need it.
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The WordPress vs WP Engine situation: what it means for you
The public dispute between Automattic and WP Engine has shaken the WordPress community. Here's a measured take on what happened and what you should do.
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Seo
Building for performance: lessons from a real project
Theory is one thing; here's what I actually did to take a client site from failing Core Web Vitals to passing across all metrics.
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Development
React Server Components in production: what I've learned
After eighteen months of building with React Server Components via Next.js, here's what works, what's painful, and what I'd do differently.
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How to migrate from WordPress to a headless CMS
Moving away from WordPress doesn't have to be a disaster. Here's the process I follow and the things that catch people out.
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The European Accessibility Act: what UK businesses should know
The European Accessibility Act comes into force in June 2025. If you sell to EU customers, it applies to you - regardless of Brexit.
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Development
Five things I check before every website launch
The week before launch is when things get missed. Here are the five checks we never skip, and why each one matters.
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Why I still care about progressive enhancement
In an era of JavaScript-heavy frameworks, progressive enhancement sounds old-fashioned. It's actually more relevant than ever.
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Laravel vs Next.js: choosing the right framework
I use both Laravel and Next.js regularly. They solve different problems well - and the wrong choice can make a project harder than it needs to be.
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Development
Using AI tools responsibly in client projects
A year into using AI coding tools on real projects, here's where I've landed on policies, disclosure, and practical use.
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Business
My approach to white-label development partnerships
About half our work comes through agency partnerships. Here's how I approach white-label development and what makes these relationships work.
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GDPR & Privacy
Cookie consent in 2023: what's actually required in the UK
The ICO has been clearer than ever about cookie consent requirements. Most UK websites still get it wrong. Here's what the rules actually say.
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Website performance budgets: how to set and stick to them
A performance budget is the single most effective tool for keeping websites fast. Here's how I set them and, more importantly, how I enforce them.
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Sanity CMS: why I chose it for client projects
After evaluating a dozen CMS options, Sanity became my default for headless projects. Here's what convinced us - and what I wish were better.
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Business
How to brief a web development agency (and get better results)
A good brief is the single biggest factor in getting a good result from a web project. Here's what to include and what to leave out.
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Development
What is a composable tech stack?
The term 'composable' keeps appearing in tech conversations. Here's what it actually means, when it's useful, and when it's overcomplicating things.
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Business
What B Corp certification actually means (and what it took to get there)
I'm officially B Corp certified. It took six months, a lot of paperwork, and a genuine look at how I run the business. Here's what the process was really like.
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Business
Why your website's carbon footprint matters
The internet produces roughly the same CO2 emissions as the airline industry. Every website contributes - and most could be significantly lighter.
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Headless e-commerce: BigCommerce without the frontend
BigCommerce's headless approach gives you a proper e-commerce engine without forcing you into their templates. Here's how it works and when it makes sense.
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Development
Building accessible forms that people actually want to fill in
Most web forms are terrible. They're inaccessible, confusing, and ask for information nobody needs. Here's how I approach building forms that work for everyone.
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Next.js 13 and the shift to server components
Next.js 13's App Router introduces React Server Components to the mainstream. It's a fundamental shift in how I build - and it's taken some getting used to.
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Development
How AI tools are starting to change web development
ChatGPT launched two months ago and the hype is deafening. Here's what AI tools actually mean for web development right now - and what they don't.
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Business
Lessons from two years running a web development studio
In July 2020 I started Innatus Digital. Two and a half years later, here's what I've learned about running a web development business.
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Third-party scripts are slowing your site down
That chat widget, those analytics tags, that social proof popup - they're all loading JavaScript that your visitors pay for in load time.
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Website maintenance: what it actually involves
You've launched your website. Now what? Here's what ongoing maintenance actually looks like and why it matters.
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Tailwind CSS: why I switched and haven't looked back
I resisted Tailwind CSS for a long time. Utility classes in HTML felt wrong. Then I actually used it on a real project.
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What to look for when hiring a web development agency
Hiring the wrong agency is expensive and demoralising. Here's how to spot the good ones and avoid the rest.
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How I manage servers without losing sleep
Server management can be stressful. Here's the setup I use to keep client sites running reliably without 3am emergencies.
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An honest comparison: Craft CMS vs WordPress in 2022
Craft CMS doesn't get the attention it deserves. Here's how it stacks up against WordPress for different types of projects.
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Google's page experience update: what changed and what to do
Google's page experience update has been live for nearly a year. Here's what actually happened, what changed, and what you should focus on.
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Five signs your website needs more than a refresh
Sometimes a lick of paint isn't enough. Here's how to tell when your website needs fundamental work, not just a visual update.
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Server-side rendering vs static generation: which do you need?
SSR and SSG are everywhere in modern web development. Here's what they actually mean and when each one makes sense.
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Seo
The real cost of a slow website
Every second your website takes to load costs you visitors, conversions, and search rankings. Here's the maths.
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Business
Setting a website budget: what should you expect to pay?
Website pricing is wildly opaque. Here's an honest breakdown of what things actually cost and why the quotes vary so much.
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My tech stack: what I use and why
Every tool in my stack earns its place. Here's what I use for development, hosting, project management, and everything in between.
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Development
Website security basics every business owner should know
You don't need to be a security expert to protect your website. But you do need to understand the basics.
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Business
What does a web development consultant actually do?
The word 'consultant' gets a bad reputation. Here's what I actually do when a business hires me, and why it's different from hiring an agency.
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Choosing the right e-commerce platform in 2021
Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce - every platform has trade-offs. Here's how to work out which one fits your business.
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Development
WordPress Full Site Editing: what it means for your business
WordPress 5.8 introduced Full Site Editing. It's a big shift in how WordPress sites get built, but it's not for everyone yet.
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How to plan a website redesign without losing traffic
A website redesign should be an upgrade, not a reset. Here's how to make sure you don't throw away years of search engine authority.
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Development
Jamstack explained: faster, safer, more flexible websites
Jamstack isn't a specific technology - it's an architecture. Here's what it means in practice and why it's worth considering.
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What are Core Web Vitals and why Google cares about them
Google's Core Web Vitals are becoming a ranking factor. Here's what they measure, why they matter, and what you can actually do about them.
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Why your website's hosting matters more than you think
Cheap hosting is cheap for a reason. Here's what actually happens when you cut corners on where your website lives.
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A practical guide to website accessibility
Accessibility isn't just about compliance or ticking boxes. It's about making sure your website works for everyone who visits it.
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Development
Headless CMS: what it is and why it matters for your next project
Headless CMS is one of the most talked-about shifts in web development. But what does it actually mean, and should you care?
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Why I went remote-first (and what I learned)
When the pandemic forced everyone home, I decided to stay there. Six months in, here's what actually changed about how I work.
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Business
What keeps you from doing whatever it is you really want to do
Sometimes, it can be doing something you enjoy and find fulfilling that keeps you from doing what you really need to do. And then along comes fate and turns everything on its head. Welcome to one of my many discoveries from 2020. Wind the clock back a year and there I was: well established as [&hell
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Development
Questions to ask yourself when picking a website platform
Website Platforms A question we get asked quite often from small companies or that first starting out with a digital presence is first - What sort of website should they have, what platform should they operate on. In my formal capacity, I’ve worked with many companies to work out what is the b
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Development
What is user experience, and is it important?
What is User Experience? User Experience has existed as part of digital strategies for a very long time. It is however only in the last 6 years that it’s become one of the more common buzz words to throw around (like ‘Agile’) - Remember when the only person you needed was a website admin
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Development
What is conversion rate optimisation (and how do I do it)?
What is Conversion Rate Optimisation? Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the process of reviewing/analysis a customers journey on your website, finding where problems are occurring or what streamlining can be put in to make customers achieve the goal of your journey easier / with more confidence.
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Development
Launching your first online store - Shopify vs WooCommerce
Time to be brave and launch your own store. With a majority (I’m assuming) of the UK stuck at home over the last few weeks no doubt quite a few have thought up the idea of selling products online. Either homemade crafts, perhaps confectionary or maybe even buying goods from a third-party addin
Continue reading →![[GDPR] Is there such a thing as ‘GDPR Compliant’](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2Fy7w0560c%2Fproduction%2F3ead4a684319337d8caa731a677fc492b3b6342f-2413x1811.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
GDPR & Privacy
[GDPR] Is there such a thing as ‘GDPR Compliant’
Can anything be GDPR compliant? My LinkedIn is unsurprisingly full of data protection professionals and information security engineers (as well as web dev and creative professionals… and the required minimum number of friendly recruiters as well). Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed a
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Development
What impact will COVID-19 have on the digital community?
How will the industry survive the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown? Here in the UK, at the start of the lockdown when things were first starting to look back I sat down with my team and told them something I thought to be (and still think to be) true. I didn’t want to focus on the […]
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Marketing
Should you use paid digital marketing?
Is Paid Media Marketing right for your organisation? Your online business likely to already make use of different ‘organic’ marketing techniques such as listing with search engines, word of mouth or referral, alternatively they could be ‘Paid’ - where you’re payin
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Seo
Optimising content for search engines
How do I rank higher on Google? Over the years I’ve sat in a lot of client meetings, post the launch of their website - often years down the line and the biggest thing on their mind is - How do we rank higher with Google? -When this happens I always reviews are technical SEO [&hell
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GDPR & Privacy
Privacy, COVID-19 and the opening of the hospitality sector
Time Please Gentleman Today (July 4th) the hospitality sector (most likely including your local pub) has started to re-open after the three-month lockdown, closed doors and no business. Government guidelines are asking businesses where there is a ‘higher risk’ of COVID-19 transmission (l
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GDPR & Privacy
Where to start with your GDPR compliance (and evidencing it)
GDPR - Where to start with your compliance (and how to start evidencing it) This part 1 of a series of articles on ‘Where to start with your compliance (and evidencing it)’. So let’s start with the good news. If you’re already complying with the prior Data Protection Ac
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GDPR & Privacy
What is a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) - part 2
What is a Data Subject Access Request? This part 2 of a series of articles on ‘What is a Data Subject Access Request’ you can read Part 1 here. The Importance of staff training I’ve said it before but it’s very important that you have a procedure in place and that your staff
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GDPR & Privacy
What is a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) - part 1
What is a Data Subject Access Request? This part 1 of a series of articles on ‘What is a Data Subject Access Request’ you can read Part 2 here. Data Subject Access Requests are new under the GDPR and come with the right to be aware of and verify the lawfulness of processing if a [&hellip
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GDPR & Privacy
What is a Data Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA)?
What is a Data Privacy Impact Assessment A Data Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a planning and strategic document that allows you to review the risks of the entire process (or part of is several DPIAs covers the entire) data processing activity. The idea is to once the process and risks have bee
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GDPR & Privacy
What is a Data Protection Officer?
A Guide to Data Protection and the GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the steps to protect individ
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GDPR & Privacy
Your responsibilities as an employee under GDPR
A Guide to Data Protection and the GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the steps to protect individ
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GDPR & Privacy
Lawful data processing under GDPR
A Guide to Data Protection and the GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the steps to protect individ
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GDPR & Privacy
What and who does GDPR apply to?
A Guide to Data Protection and the GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the steps to protect individ
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GDPR & Privacy
What are the rights of individuals under GDPR?
Part 3 of a Basic Guide introducing you to Data Protection and GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take
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The 7 GDPR principles
A Basic Guide introducing you to Data Protection and GDPR This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the steps
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GDPR & Privacy
What is data protection? GDPR basics - part 1
A basic guide to introducing you to Data Protection and GDPR. This article forms part of a collection to introduce you to what Data Protection and ‘GDPR’ are. It’s based upon staff training that we’ve provided for companies to make sure they had a basic working knowledge and were able to take the st
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GDPR & Privacy
What to do in a breach
When it all goes wrong. Since the introduction of GDPR enforcement into law this year (2018) the ICO has seen a massive increase (between May 25th and July 3rd 2018 they reported a 160 per cent rise alone compared to the same period in 2017) in the number of potential data breaches reported. This sh
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GDPR & Privacy
Marketing and mailing list consent
Marketing and GDPR Consent - Such a simple word that under GDPR has been the archnemesis of global businesses. In the lead up to GDPR and in the post-GDPR world one of the biggest questions I have been asked relates to old marketing lists, current customer lists and who can you legally contact
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GDPR & Privacy
Your website and cookies
GDPR and Cookies It’s hard not to get technical when talking about the General Data Protection Regulation (GPPR), as much as I try when explaining to clients I always worry that I’ve lost them down the rabbit hole of detail. With that in mind, one of the questions I’ve most often asked about (just a
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GDPR & Privacy
GDPR and marketing
Marketing & GDPR 101 Marketing and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), In the lead up to May 25th and quite often after I’ve heard people refer to GDPR as the ‘death’ of marketing. In my opinion, they’re not wrong - There is a type of marketing that we’re all aware of, where we all
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GDPR & Privacy
GDPR getting ready checklist
Checklist Training and staff awareness Name a member of your company as your designated Data Protection Officer or at least the designated person responsible for data protection within your business (It’s worth saying that if you hire or designate a DPO and you’re a fairly small company
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