Web design is a skill that many people claim to have, but few actually know how to do well.  Web design is one of those fields where someone could easily teach it to themselves, or learn in a classroom setting. Even though it’s possible for people to teach themselves web design, most businesses and companies will hire a web design company or a freelance designer to handle building and designing their website. When you’re working with your design clients, be sure to keep these tips in mind.

Keep It Simple

Nothing makes a website run slower or look tackier than putting in a variety of different design elements. In the ’90s when people were first starting to explore the web, web designers would put as many different themes and elements in their websites as possible. There would be different frames on each page, moving gifs in nearly every corner, and there would be a different eye-catching background image for each page. When you’re designing a website, pick one central theme or element to design your website around. When you’re finished the entire site will look well planned out and put together, and not like a design nightmare.

Value A Well Done Website Over 100% Customer Input

When you’re designing a website you’re going to hear a lot of suggestions from the client, and not all of them are going to be good. When you’re working in web design, you’re going to have to deal with clients that want you to add elements that won’t mesh well with the overall design.  Some web designers adopt an attitude that the customer is always right, and they’ll give their customers everything they ask for whether it’s a good idea or not. These clients may be happy with their website in the beginning, but once complaints from their customers and employees start to come in they’ll blame you for their shoddy website. As a web designer making a good and functional website should be your top priority. Never be afraid to tell a client that their ideas may not be the best for overall website design, but also be prepared to offer good design alternatives.

Don’t Ignore Mobile and Tablet Users

When you’re working on a law firm website design, making a separate page for mobile users may seem like it should be the last thing on your mind. A few years ago making a mobile version of a website was on the bottom of every web designer’s priority list, but today it’s essential for websites to have a mobile or tablet function for their users. Today people are used to seeing mobile-friendly alternatives to regular websites, and if they can’t easily access and navigate a website on their smartphone or tablet they’ll bounce from your website.

Talk About SEO Tools

When you’re client first talks to you about their ideas for their new website some more web-savvy clients may mention SEO, but there will be some clients who won’t have a clue about what SEO is.  When you’re meeting with your client be sure to ask them if they want SEO tools.  Some clients may not know what SEO tools are, but they will want a way to monitor their website’s traffic.  Some may even assume that there is a way to automatically monitor web traffic without having to use SEO tools.  If you bring up SEO tools when you first meet with your client you’ll be able to explain what they are and ensure that there won’t be any confusion down the line.

Mike has extensive experience in designing websites and knows all of the tools and essentials to create a successful and functional website.

Internet marketing tools bring in business; it’s that simple.  The sometimes-challenging part can lie with how one uses those marketing tools to bring the business in.  Any savvy on-line business owner absolutely must have a working grasp of the IT, coupled with the psychology behind how Internet users think–knowing their needs and buying patterns–as well as researching, tracking and getting ahead of technological trends.

Here we’ll cover some necessities any website should incorporate in order to increase online traffic, maximize conversion rate and generate revenue.

Your Website:

A company’s website is the core of a business’ online presence.  The key is to develop a site that can be easily found during a search which provides relevant information, fosters personal engagement and develops the kind of trust and confidence consumers, wholeheartedly, appreciate.

1:  Make contact information visible and accessible~

Contact information can play a key role in gaining higher rankings in search.  Just make sure the contact information for your business is prominently displayed (ideally, on each page) including full local address, with directions, if applicable, and not using a P.O. Box address, if possible.

Additionally, an email address and links to social media channels are crucial for enabling consumers to contact your business 24/7!  By featuring your social media channels, your site will ignite engagement and enable visitors to view a continuous stream of meaningful and personal information about your business.

2:  Incorporate Live Chat~

Live chat allows for your business to interact with your visitors in real-time.  Potential customers gain valuable insight into your product or service; and it’s an excellent venue and opportunity to build your visitors’ confidence.

3:  Utilize an appealing, easy-to-use interface~

Eye-catching color schemes in addition to seamless navigation are crucial since they will reflect the professionalism of how you handle your business.   Pay close attention to your site’s text and visuals’ formatting since graphics, videos and other content can produce sluggish load time which can be a conversion killer.

4:  Use dominant and searchable keywords on the front and backend~

As seen on MMT Advertising, Search engines ‘reward’ web pages with the right amount of ranking factors or ‘indicators’.  A few factors that should be targeted, regarding search-engine ranking success, would include, but not be limited to, the following:

Content:

** research and use keywords and phrases people might use to find your content

** provide abundant, quality content

** engage your visitors to keep them reading, as opposed to quickly exiting

HTML:

** make sure HTML title tags contain keywords related to page topics

** use meta description tags which depict what the pages are about

** create headlines and subheads that use header tags with relevant keywords

Design:

** search engines should be able to ‘crawl’ the sites’ pages

** the site needs to load quickly

** URLs need to be short and contain significant keywords regarding page topics

5:  Be mobile-friendly~

Surprisingly, a vast majority of websites are not mobile-optimized; and they should be.  A 2012 Local Search Association survey revealed that 32%, or almost 1/3, of their respondents chose mobile phones or a tablet, instead of a computer, to look up information for a product or service.

To not ensure that one’s website can be accessed on platforms other than a computer’s desktop is like intentionally blocking traffic to your site.

6:  Track results~

By properly tracking website traffic, you can glean insight on how many customers visit your site, where they are from, what keywords they’re searching for and what specific content is meaningful.  One can, then, gain clarity on how to further enhance the website’s visibility and performance.

Your website’s presence does make all the difference!

Karen ‘s knowledge about internet marketing continues to prove insightful and practical.  In addition to writing she is a retired educator from Nebraska.

Choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) for your blog, business, or affiliate website may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. These days managing the appearance of your site is easier than ever.

With thousands of free templates to choose from, plenty of useful add-ons, and support staff all over the world, most entrepreneurs can be up and running within minutes without spending a dime.

Save Some Overhead – Fire Your Graphic Designer

In the early days of internet business graphic designers made an enviable amount of money by designing websites in html. The high price tag came with good reason, html can be challenging to update without causing upsets elsewhere in your site. These days, however, cosmetic changes to your site, graphics, and overall design can be done in minutes – with just a simple drag and click. No graphic designer needed.

Choosing the Right CMS for Your Business – What to Look For

There’s a CMS that’s right for every business need, from small storefronts to large enterprises, there’s a CMS that suits them all. What’s nice to know is many of the most powerful and competitive options are also free.

Start by looking for something that’s open source with a large body of contributors who are passionate about building a powerful, user-friendly CMS. Oftentimes this means you’ll get regular updates and a trustworthy group of support should you need assistance. For the sake of discussion I’ll cover three of the most popular choices ranging from easiest to use to most challenging.

A Quick Comparison of the Top CMS Options

• WordPress – By far the most popular CMS available today, Wikipedia reports over 60 million users all over the world rely on WordPress to power their site. A great deal of functionality is packaged within a very user-friendly environment that makes updating a business site simple and less time consuming.

There are thousands of themes available, some are free and the more professional styles come at a reasonable fee. It’s important to know the difference between WordPress.Com and WordPress.Org, however, the former is for the free hosting of a blog and the latter is intended for professional use with your own personal domain name.

• Joomla – The second-most popular CMS in use today, an estimated 30 million downloads have occurred as of March 2012, according to Wikipedia. Joomla offers greater flexibility and power for businesses that demand a reliable method of making updates quickly and easily. Open source in nature, with regular updates and a large support group, Joomla offers a decent alternative for those who are looking to do more than just host a blog.

Rather than being built upon html, like standard templates, which can be full of unnecessary code, Joomla calls upon the Model-View-Controller (MVC) software style in all of its architecture. This is a fantastic option for businesses, such as eCommerce and real estate sites that require more oomph from their CMS.

• Drupal – If you’re looking to get into eCommerce, build a decidedly complex site, or host a large community, then Drupal may be the right choice for your business needs. Bear in mind, however, that this powerful tool requires some expertise to get the full functionality – it is a power tool, after all. Drupal can handle it all, from the smallest of blog to the most security-conscious of agency.

Though some study and skill is necessary to master the Drupal CMS, the end result is well worth the effort. Like all open source projects, Drupal offers an extensive body of support as well as frequent updates, and with each new release it becomes easier to use. If you like to feel like a true master of your domain, Drupal may be the CMS option you’ve been searching for.

Where’s a Newbie to Start? The Ideal CMS for Beginner

The best CMS for your business needs is ultimately a personal decision, but if you’re looking to get your feet wet and expand from there then WordPress is likely your best option. WordPress offers fantastic practice in learning how to make a website for free. Then, once you have more confidence and technical expertise you can make the leap towards Joomla or Drupal.

Freelance writer Rick Mercado loves working as an online marketer because it allows him the ability to work from the comfort of his own home, or his local coffee shop with the urge strikes.  A fan of the outdoors, Rick loves the freedom that his work-at-home lifestyle affords because it gives him plenty of time to explore his neighborhood of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  When he isn’t working, researching and writing, he can be found pursuing his dream of learning to be a pilot.