Posts Tagged ‘websites’

Web design is an art that requires being creative while providing a digital product that will compete successfully against others in the same field. Being creative means having an endless stream of web design ideas to capture the essence of the customer’s business in an attractive format.

The goal is a unique high quality web design that helps sell or presell a product or service. To achieve that goal don’t shoplift parts for your web design like graphics, photographs, illustrations, or html code. It is a crime to “borrow” copyrighted content from websites. Easy access does not mean that the content you discover and admire is free to use.

For amateur or do-it-yourself web designers there’s often the temptation to take shortcuts. The internet provides an almost endless world of content that appears free for the taking. There’s no storefront or door to breach, or any safe to crack to get to this wide choice of material for a web design.

Part time web designers who equate easy access as permission to use are either unaware or don’t care about violating copyright. There are viable alternatives for sources of public domain content, royalty based content, or paid content that allows you to use creative materials made available by others.

Some owners may provide creative content with or without restrictions. An example might be the yearly custom business card calendar designs that I offer my site visitors. Others could be manufacturers who allow their distributors to use product photographs. The bottom line is if you did not create or purchase rights to your web design content be sure to have permission in writing to avoid violating copyright law.

Website risk and vulnerability factors include browser security and quality web design. Site owners depend on the quality of their web design to help prevent hackers from taking control of site functions. Best practices by your designer and your internet service provider can help deter malicious visitors from doing damage.

However, a persistent hacker can invade almost any small business website if truly determined to gain access, yet most micro small business clients would be unaffected because hackers choose larger targets.

The majority of my custom web designs are informational websites instead of e-commerce, so only a handful process financial information which is commonly a target for identity theft.

For websites that are compromised, the next consideration besides site owner issues is the risk to site visitors. Readers may be unaware that website visitors could be more vulnerable depending on the software they use to visit a malicious website.

Recently, I came across an article about an annual hackers contest held each March since 2007. Your vulnerability can vary depending on the equipment and browser or mobile OS Operating System you use.

TippingPoint Digital Vaccine Laboratories or DVLabs does an annual pwn2own hackers contest in March with cash and electronic equipment prizes to hackers able to break into devices running on the most popular computing software.

The expert hacker contestants sign up and then attempt to hack into computing devices running on the following software listed here alphabetically under PC and then Mobile:

PC Browser Software

Apple Safari (hacked)
Google Chrome
Microsoft Internet Explorer (hacked)
Mozilla Firefox

Mobile Devices and Software

Apple iPhone 4 running iOS (hacked)
Blackberry Torch 9800 on Blackberry 6 OS (hacked)
Dell Venue Pro running Windows 7
Nexus S running Android

From the results above (hacked shown in bold), Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox were clear browser winners and the iPhone and Blackberry under mobile devices were hacked. Besides the results linked above, you may want to read the pwn2own article on Wikipedia for a historical perspective.

Multiple options for a PC browser give users control over how they surf websites from a desktop or laptop computer. The same is not true for proprietary software used in mobile applications. Does this mean you’re defenseless if using a browser or OS that was hacked? Not necessarily.

You can be proactive about security. When evaluating browser security and quality web design our advice is being aware of risks and then take preventative action by using antivirus software for your computing device. Finally, use care before visiting any unfamiliar websites.

After 15 years in custom web design including the last 7 years full time, the relationship between web design and continuous improvement cannot be denied. The quality principle of continuous improvement is a lesson I learned 40 years ago before any websites existed.

In summary, the concept of continuous improvement means always strive to improve quality and processes in everything you do.

The result of continuous improvement is more efficiency which lowers cost while generating higher profits. At the same time you can balance a better product with price reductions to gain sales momentum and still grow profits based on higher volume.

Customers benefit from your goals of continuous improvement as you become better at what you do. Bigger customers may expect you to strive to lower prices every year, too.

Recent developments in the evolution of custom web design allow creating better websites faster. For my business, that means the price for a custom cms content management system web design at $1500 now costs $1000 less than a year ago.

For static informational sites that the client wants to launch and forget without growing or adding pages, a 5 page site at $500 is also $1000 less than a year ago.

Continuous improvement is a business quality principle that applies universally including the world of custom web design.

The following web design tutorial demonstrates how to do a real estate website graphic edit to enhance a photograph of a Florida home to use in a new custom web design. As you view each part of the illustration concentrate on the lawn. The color of the lawn is all that changed.

The above photo collage shows the original photo (left) with a less than ideal lawn likely taken off-season because the grass is dull, not green. The after version (center) shows the identical photo with a lush, green lawn. The final graphic (right) shows the mask overlay used to create the perfect lawn effect.

How the enhanced web design illustration was done:

1) The dull lawn (left) was traced using vector graphics software to zoom in 500% and create a mask.
2) The mask was used to crop an overlay of very green grass from a photo of a perfect lawn.
3) The cropped overlay then had 20% transparency applied so the shadow of trees appear “on the lawn” for realism.

Use the help files of your vector graphics software to learn about masking and then try the advanced techniques in this real estate web design graphic tutorial.

The cropped graphic as shown below is from a memorabilia newsletter html design launched within the last week and shows the top portion of the March 2011 edition of the Memorabilia News Bulletin for web design client Mainstream Memorabilia.

Each edition consists of 3 sections including an intro plus opt out info, discount price specials info, and an insider’s view of the memorabilia industry. 3 celebrity photos of autographed memorabilia are used and cropped to fit the format to decorate each section.

Links are included to their website pages for home, specials, contact, and their blog. Additional links across the bottom allow for changing preferences or unsubscribing per CAN-SPAM Act requirements.

For those in web design who work to the latest code standards, learning newsletter design may be a shock because you cannot use all the latest techniques of xhtml and css for a wow first impression. Literally, you must use code and basic html tags from 15 years ago including tables for layout.

This I learned the hard way in the testing phase of the news bulletin design for Mainstream Memorabilia.

The layout for an email newsletter template design must be simple and rigid. The reason you almost have to unlearn how you code is tables for layout and basic html code from 15 years ago will display properly in the widest range of email programs.

A 600 pixel wide standard newsletter layout works best, plus it gives a full view in most preview panes of the majority of email software programs.

For me, and after hit and miss climbing the learning curve, the evidence was in actual results during testing. After a few disasters the final design has the wow factor we wanted despite any code limitations, and the client is very pleased with the look and technical functions.

Mainstream Memorabilia is owned by memorabilia industry insiders with years of past experience in film and television production. They have the contacts for providing quality, selection, and value in celebrity autographed items, so visit their custom online store website that I just happened to design.

While there, you may want to sign up and subscribe to the memorabilia news bulletins, too!

The latest custom cms web design project completed and placed online is the residential and commercial sprinkler and irrigation cms site launch for Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair & Irrigation who services the greater Orlando area and surrounding communities.

The project represents a redesign of their static do-it-yourself website.

In addition to the custom cms main website, the design includes a matching integrated WordPress blog to allow enhanced seo search engine optimization because the customer can add original quality content often without assistance.

A key aspect of this custom cms web design with matching WordPress blog is the files that automate much of the publishing are managed in a single database.

This cuts down on custom web development time, allows automated site backups, and includes advanced features that clients may use without professional web design skills.

Content publishes automatically from plain text to xhtml and meets W3C worldwide standards, plus represents a breakthrough in state-of-the-art evolution for custom cms web design.

Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair & Irrigation has been providing sprinkler and irrigation design, sales, installation, and service to customers in the greater Orlando area since 1979. Links in their home page sidebar take visitors to very favorable reports and customer feedback on Angies List and the BBB Better Business Bureau.

Out of curiosity being in the custom cms web design business I researched www domain name statistics and found out there are over 100 million websites and 1 trillion pages in 2011.

Of all www domain names registered 30 percent are not renewed so they expire, and 37 percent of all active domain names have either a one page website or zero content. Resellers grab domain names to hold in inventory on speculation, so that could explain many of the 37 percent with little or no content. We’re left to wonder about that 30 percent who pay to register a domain and then do nothing with it and let it expire.

That’s just 2 interesting www domain name statistics I encountered during a recent search to get an update on the total number of domains and total number of web pages as of today. The closest I could come was older data with estimates, yet at least that puts the numbers in perspective.

As usual, Wikipedia provides credible domain stats data including reference to a Google announcement, and I quote “On July 25, 2008, Google software engineers Jesse Alpert and Nissan Hajaj announced that Google Search had discovered one trillion unique URLs”. In addition, the Wikipedia article cited “As of May 2009, over 109.5 million websites operated.”

With over 100 million websites and 1 trillion pages as of 2011, I feel confident about long term job security for anyone with the drive, ambition, and talent to offer custom web design services. Don’t worry about the competition because they can’t do it alone.

At 37% out of 100 million www domains that’s 37 million websites with one page or none that need web design help!

Part of having a WordPress platform to combine a blog format and custom cms web design is the flexibility to create content rich websites for a wide variety of business models.

When considering a suitable custom content management system for an online store, you may want to reference this list and 12 WordPress eCommerce plugin reviews.

Each is a summary of WordPress plugins suitable for running an online store except 1 which is designed to manage online auctions.

7 are free plugins and 5 are premium for sale by the developer.

User ratings are based on votes as of January 2011 on WordPress.org, and I have not yet tested or used any.

Plugins are listed in alphabetical order.

Dippsy User Rated: 3.5
Specialty: Digital Downloads
Author Description: An easy to use PayPal e-commerce solution with only downloadable goods in mind, hassle free installaton and many configurable settings.
Comments: Long list of features. Author is responsive to inquiries.

eShop User Rated: 4.5
Specialty: Products
Author Description: eShop is an accessible shopping cart plugin for WordPress, packed with various features.
Comments: Long list of features. Author is responsive to inquiries.

Image Store User Rated: 4.0
Specialty: Images
Author Description: Image Store(ImStore) is a image gallery and store plugin for WordPress with a slideshow and paypal integration.
Comments: Includes a feature for download after purchase. Author is responsive to inquiries.

PHPurchase User Rated: PAID (from $49)
Specialty: Products, Services, or Digital Downloads
Author Description: PHPurchase has a very rich set of features that lets you easily and powerfully manage your online store with WordPress.
Comments: Well documented online support. Multi-site and developer licenses available.

Shopp User Rated: PAID ($55 base and up)
Specialty: Products
Author Description: Shopp is an e-commerce plugin that adds a feature rich online store to your WordPress powered website or blog.
Comments: Necessary gateway and shipping options may add $50 or more to single (or multi developer) license.

ShopperPress User Rated: PAID ($79)
Specialty: Products, Services, or Digital Downloads
Author Description: This is the ideal solution for anyone starting their own online store selling their own products or services, affiliate products or even ebooks, music or file downloads!
Comments: Discounted from $199 to $79 for unlimited installations. Real Estate, Classifieds, others, too.

StorePress User Rated: PAID (from $50)
Specialty: Products
Author Description: StorePress is a premium WordPress theme, fully coded and packed with scripts that will allow you to transform your WordPress blog into a veritable e-commerce virtual store.
Comments: Single, mixed, or dev license plus offer other niche themes like auctions, classifieds, reviews.

WordPress Shopping Cart Plugin User Rated: PAID ($50 single, or dev $249)
Specialty: Products or Digital Downloads
Author Description: The WordPress Shopping Cart plugin gives you the ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate an online shop with a fully functional shopping cart interface into any WordPress website.
Comments: Excellent online support and documention, plus offer 12 other specialty e-commerce related plugins.

WordPress Simple Paypal Shopping Cart User Rated: 4.5
Specialty: Products
Author Description: Very easy to use Simple WordPress Paypal Shopping Cart Plugin. Great for selling products online in one click from your WordPress site.
Comments: Developer also has premium eStore plugin for digital products or eMember for membership sites.

WP Auctions User Rated: 3.0
Specialty: Auctions
Author Description: WP Auctions is a revolutionary plugin which allows you to host auctions on your blog or website and to sell anything.
Comments: Well documented. Free version is a sidebar widget only. Premium versions allow post/page auctions.

WP E-Commerce User Rated: 3.0
Specialty: Products, Services, or Digital Downloads
Author Description: WP e-Commerce is a free bolt-on shopping cart that lets customers buy your products, services and digital downloads online.
Comments: Excellent support documention, plus premium upgrades are available for downloadable, members, others.

wpStoreCart User Rated: 4.0
Specialty: Products or Digital Downloads
Author Description: Quickly and easily sell your physical and digital downloads using your new or existing WordPress website.
Comments: Well documented help files and forum, plus offer a $29 premium Pro version with bundled extended functions.

My advice is investigating each WordPress plugin that seems of interest. Most have links to demo stores or live websites that are using the plugin, so take the opportunity to do some comparison shopping before making a choice.

Site navigation and usability in your website may be enhanced with a tree structure and cms web design. Besides the home page, about us, or general topics like a blog linked along the top navigation the site layout usually includes additional tabs of broad categories for the cms website.

For illustration purposes, let’s assume you offer products and they fall into general categories of Product A, Product B, Product C, and Product D.

Your website could grow to 10, 100, or 1000 pages yet everything you do falls under one of those broad categories. It would be too confusing for visitors to see a link for each of those 1000 pages in the top navigation.

Instead, this tree structure allows people to follow one link by Product A, B, C, or D for each of those tabs, and takes the visitor to a “directory” of the rest of the content relative to that category.

Think of this tree structure like a funnel that directs a person from the top navigation to general categories and then specific topics under that category. This makes a complicated site easy to navigate to get to content of interest. My site looks simple at a glance yet actually has over 500 pages of content.

The tree structure of navigation and links to more content can be seen on my site if you follow any of the top links. Follow the link to Web Design www.jimdegerstrom.com/web-design-services.html and then study the “tree” structure. This is not an article written about web design, but instead is more like a directory to web design related content on my site with a list of summaries with links to more content by following the “Read more…” hyperlinks.

Consider the lessons on optimizing pages presented in the 50 page seo and do-it-yourself web design tutorial sent to each customer. It teaches the importance of keyword research and then writing proper titles and descriptions for seo optimization, and explains how it is entered into the backend admin of the cms.

As you view my sample tree structure on web design as linked above, note the following important fact.

The headline and description for each item listed on that web design page “directory” is the title and description used in the code. There’s no better way to link to content deeper in the site structure than by using the actual title and description already chosen on the destination page for search engine optimization.

The value of describing what people will find at the destination is good for human visitor usability as well as helping search engines index your overall website content.

Do-it-yourself custom cms web design site owners need to understand the importance of optimizing their text content for search engines. This SEO or Search Engine Optimization tutorial explains free online tools for tweaking content such as testing in DupeFree Pro and SEO keyword density. Watch this video for details. (0:10:34 min./sec.)

Follow these links to download the free resources mentioned in the video:
DupeFree Pro for tweaking and testing keyword density
GridinSoft Notepad Lite customizable text editor review

Learning how to attract search engine traffic using content optimization is important for site owners who choose a cms content management system web design so they can control and manage their website. Optimized content using this tutorial can help.