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Website Design Tips

Pro Tip #7

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A Goal for Every Page
Individual Web Page Goals
Get specific. And stick to it. I know we have spoken a lot about strategy and goals lately, but I can't stress how important it is to have a focus for your website. While reading "Web Word Wizardry" by Rachel McAlpine, she made a very good point. In a broad sense, every commercial web site... continue reading "A Goal for Every Page" »
Comments (1) Firefox Moves Forward, but IE 6 Still Strong
June 2006 Browser Stats
2006 Browser Stats
Browser stats for 2006 through June 15th. It has been interesting to see the changes that have happened in the past 6 months in relation to web browser usage. Here are the numbers for 2006 so far this year: Site 1 ... continue reading "June 2006 Browser Stats" »
Comments (3)
Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Update
Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Update
Are you ready for the newest IE 7 (Internet Explorer 7)? Internet Explorer 7 (or IE 7 for short) will be a nice advance from where Internet Explorer has been for the past 5 years. Always being worried about cross-browser compatibility, I have been "pre-testing" sites in IE 7 to make sure... continue reading "Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Update" »
Comments (4)
Client and Designer Roles in Web Design
Client and Designer Roles
Clients and web designers must understand their individual roles in making sure that a website will succeed. For a website to be effective, the business owner/representative and the web designer must work closely together to ensure that the business is presented in the best light possible on the web.... continue reading "Client and Designer Roles in Web Design" »
Comments (1)
Realign Your Website Instead of Redesigning it
Don't Redesign, Realign
Realigning your website to your strategy is more beneficial than redesigning. It is absolutely essential to understand the concept of realigning your website to your strategy or realigning your strategy to your goals to stay competitive in the online market. I read a post recently... continue reading "Realign Your Website Instead of Redesigning it" »
Comments (5)
Do You Have a Website Strategy?
Website Strategy
A quick and simple way to create a website strategy to accomplish your website goals. Before you ever think about building a website there are two things you need to decide. The first is the goal of your website. Second, you need to have a strategy for accomplishing your goal because your site will... continue reading "Do You Have a Website Strategy?" »
Comments (4)
Google Changes its Link Ranking in Big Daddy
Reciprocal Links Lose Value
The recent Big Daddy update at Google has changed the way Google ranks reciprocal links. Well Matt Cutts just opened a lot of webmasters' eyes about why their pages were disappearing from the Google index (and it appears that we were right on in our thinking). However, Matt did go on to... continue reading "Google Changes its Link Ranking in Big Daddy" »
Review of Don't Make Me Think
Don't Make Me Think
Don't make me think by Steve Krug is a refreshing "back to the basics" type of book. He brings out a number of basic usability issues:We don't figure out how things work. We muddle throughBenefits of using tabsSearch optionsWe don't figure things out, we just muddle throughThis usability tip... continue reading "Review of Don't Make Me Think" »
Comments (123)
How can I Increase my PageRank
Increase PageRank
Here's a freebie for improved search engine optimization and increased PageRank. I was recently received the following question on one of my articles: I am a Coldwell Banker agent in [city] [state]. My Web site is [website] How can I get better PageRank? - D. Heck (city,state, and website have... continue reading "How can I Increase my PageRank" »
Comments (1)
PageRank Update Leaves People Puzzled
BigDaddy PageRank Update
A new toolbar PageRank update has gone into effect after the BigDaddy shake up and it has left many SEOs a bit puzzled. When Google decides to shake things up, it SHAKES things up.Matt Cutts said the following about the BigDaddy Update and the recent PageRank update:Q: “Now that Bigdaddy is... continue reading "PageRank Update Leaves People Puzzled" »
Defining Points of Action
Points of Action
Understanding critical points of action will help increase your online sales and return on investment.The internet is a far different marketing medium than any other out there. Every site has hundreds of entry points, with customers at different points in the selling process. Some come just to look at... continue reading "Defining Points of Action" »
Comments (1) IE 6 still the Most Prominent Browser
2005 Website Browser Statistics
2005 Website Browser Stats
2005 Website Browser Stats Review I have gathered together some statistics from multiple sites that I oversee for 2005. These are total percentages for the entire year of 2005 for websites in multiple categories. For example, site 2 is an e-commerce site, site 6 is a tutorial site for Macromedia... continue reading "2005 Website Browser Statistics" »
Judge Website Visual Appeal in 1/20th of a Second
Website Visual Appeal
The visual appeal of your website is key because internet users can judge your site in 1/20th of a second. According to a test performed by Canadian researchers (I believe it was Carleton University in Ottawa) users were able to rank a site after seeing the site for only 1/20th of a second. In the... continue reading "Judge Website Visual Appeal in 1/20th of a Second" »
Comments (2)
RSS Feed Consistency
RSS Feed Icon Consistency
RSS feeds are becoming more consistent from browser to browser (Firefox and Internet Explorer) and should make RSS marketing in the future easier than ever before. Every internet marketer out there should be standing up and doing the happy dance. RSS has won another victory through Microsoft adopting... continue reading "RSS Feed Consistency" »
More Free Stock Photography
Free Stock Photography
More Free Stock Photography I've found another place (besides stock exchange) where you can get some free stock photography (even though it normally isn't free). If you go to the weekly archive for istockphoto.com, you can find a free image download every week. Although it isn't as robust... continue reading "More Free Stock Photography" »
Comments (2)
Live Bookmarks in Firefox 1.5
Live Bookmarks in Firefox 1.5
It is even easier to add live bookmark RSS feeds in the newest Firefox v. 1.5.Firefox has again added the "automatic" recognition of RSS feeds in a website and added a quick way to bookmark the live bookmark. Any website that has added the following code to the head of their code will automatically... continue reading "Live Bookmarks in Firefox 1.5" »
Comments (3) IE Has the Majority of the Market; Designers building for only IE 6
Website Browser Statistics and Design Quality
Website Browser Statistics
Too many web designers don't make quality websites because their websites only work in Internet Explorer (version 6) and not other browsers like Firefox, Netscape, Opera, and Safari. Recently, one of my known website design competitors redesigned their website.... continue reading "Website Browser Statistics and Design Quality" »
Correct Font Sizes for Arial and Verdana
Arial vs. Verdana
Your desired font size should determine if you should use Arial or Verdana on the web. I recently ran across an article by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson about the readability of different fonts in HTML documents . Serif fonts are commonly used today in many types of printed material including books, newspapers,... continue reading "Correct Font Sizes for Arial and Verdana" »
Comments (2)
Scannability - How People Read on the Web
Scannability
Increasing the scannability of your website can determine just how many people will read what you have to say.Did you know that 79 percent of website users do not read pages on the web word by word. They scan them. This has to do with how the web presents information. People cannot leisurely read a little... continue reading "Scannability - How People Read on the Web" »
Why You Need to Use Iterative Website Design
Iterative Website Design
Iterative website design is the process of perfecting your website by testing, evaluating and retesting. As you design your website, you should be focusing on very specific goals. However, how do you know if you are meeting those goals? Iterative web design is the way you can evaluate your progress... continue reading "Why You Need to Use Iterative Website Design" »
Comments (3)
Goals - What is the Real Purpose of Your Website
Website Goals
Writing specific goals is the only way to know if your website is being successful.One of the first things I ask new clients is "What are your expectations for your site?" Understanding what they feel is success will ensure that I address their specific needs and desires. If I fail to address... continue reading "Goals - What is the Real Purpose of Your Website" »
Comments (4)
Blogs a New Way of Doing the Same Old Thing
Blogs - Information Superhighway
Blogs or web logs are great, cost efficient ways of providing up-to-date information for clients and search engines.Lately it seems that Blogs have become the craze of the Internet. Everyone has one: dentists, artists, CEOs, poor starving college students, everyone. Blogs are a wonderful way to quickly... continue reading "Blogs a New Way of Doing the Same Old Thing" »
Comments (5)
Free Stock Photography
Free Stock Photography
Stock.XCHNG is a great place to get royalty free, free stock photography. There is finally a place where people from around the world can share their amazing stock photography for free, Stock.XCHNG. After searching through many websites that charge $400+ for a single image, I've come across a gem... continue reading "Free Stock Photography" »
Compelling Pictures Can Make or Break Any Design
Compelling Pictures
Great pictures can add spice to any design and bad pictures can ruin even the best design. There is a great difference between taking pictures and capturing that perfect moment that will forever be cherished thanks to your foresight. All great images play on our emotions. Hopefully this blog will help... continue reading "Compelling Pictures Can Make or Break Any Design" »
Comments (2)
Why are Website Statistics so Important?
Why Track Website Visitors
Tracking is the single most important thing you will do with your website. Do you have a tracking plan that allows you to know... How many people visited your site What keywords they used to get there How often they come back What pages are looked at Which pages aren't looked at Which page... continue reading "Why are Website Statistics so Important?" »


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