16 Jul
You might be trying to get your business going with a self-created website to save cash, but, is the website really working for you is something missing? If so, then you might need a web design checklist!Such a checklist, as created by the
Wildfire Marketing Group will give you pointers as to what steps you should be taking when you are creating the website to build it, get it live and make sure that the marketing of the website is driving in the traffic your business needs.
It might just point out steps that you have not ever thought about, which could just put your website onto the right tracks for success.
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3 May
It is easy to build a web site and even easier to make mistakes. Avoid these 5 pitfalls at all costs and your website is already heaps closer to succeeding.
3 - Design for paperNot having a dig at graphic designers (as some work very well on web sites), but there are also stacks that do not get their head about the fact that a piece of paper is totally different to a website. Quite a lot of times I have been given layouts that work on a widescreen, but would necessitate horizontal and vertical scrolling on a typical sized screen. Or the layout calls for a variable screen width, but all of the components are fixed width.
You have to allow for the fact that there are a myriad of browsers, operating systems and screens in use and they will all display your site in a different way.
4 - Just test your site in one browserDifferent browsers will display your web site in different ways. The formatting between, for instance, Internet Explorer and Firefox can be slightly different when using certain techniques. A site that works in one browser does not always look its best in another. It is a difficult and frustrating process, but you have to check your site in different browsers, different operating systems and different screen sizes.
5 - Build a site and sit backI am always astonished at the number of people that think that building a website is the lifeline their business needs. Pay a few hundred for a web site and then they will be run off their feet fulfilling orders.
This is not the case. Only because you pay for a web site, this does not mean that it will be an overnight runaway success. With every new website you need to market it. That means promoting it to customers and local marketing, promoting it through social media and article writing, pay per click schemes, optimisation and a whole lot more.
Without marketing, your website is as good as non existent.
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3 May
5 Web Site Design No Nos - Part 1
It is easy to build a web site and even easier to make mistakes. Avoid these 5 pitfalls at all costs and your website is already heaps closer to succeeding.1 - Use a load of coloursapplying ample of colours is a sure way to get carried away and take the stylish look from the website. Too much is only that. You just need a handful of colours that compliment each other. Yes, using 30 different colours on different flashing backgrounds may make the links stand out, but at what cost?
Also, be very aware of the colour palette you settle on. I was recently asked to use a theme on a site, with part of it red text on green and the rest green text on red. An out of the ordinary mixture, especially as the web site was for an opticians, who can be dealing with red-green colourblind customers...
2 - Hide the navigationUnbelievably, a lot of people design web-sites and miss elements of the navigation from the screen. I've had graphic designers pass me final proofs to work from, that the customer has signed off, that straight away I look at and spot an essential part of the navigation is omitted.
It does sound unfeasible, but on shopping web-sites I have seen designs that are not there simple bit for instance a link to the shopping basket or checkout. If a customer adds a product and then goes back to view more, but then wants to checkout, they straightforwardly cannot buy from you.
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