Small Business Website Mailbag

Custom CMS and Writing Style

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:09:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 066 entitled Custom CMS and Writing Style comes from a conversation earlier this week with a cms web design client. They realized their style of writing for their website is too wordy, and after offering advice I decided to share key points with listeners. Here's the outline for today's program:

Custom CMS Client and Writing Style Intro
Website Visitors and My 5 Second Rule
How People Scan Your Web Design Pages
The Most Overlooked Website Writing Secret
Website Tip of the Day - Resources to Improve Your Writing Style

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Custom CMS and Writing Style
0:06:07 Quick Tip of the Day - Resources to Improve Your Writing Style
0:07:43 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:08:13 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 066

Referenced Links
Wikipedia NPOV Article for Neutral Point of View writing

Key words are important when writing for the web. The decisions about how to present content will be easier to implement once you understand website visitor behavior as they navigate your website. The link to NPOV provides interesting writing advice from a technical standpoint, yet success writing for the web is less formal. The practical advice in today's episode is about being more conversational and "talking" to site visitors.

TAGS: advice cms writing seo web design

Church Custom CMS Design Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:28:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 065 entitled Church Custom CMS Design Idea results from a forum post where a do-it-yourself website designer asked for a review of their church website. The old style of graphics and outdated code really needed professional advice for implementing a custom cms web design. Here's the outline for today's program:

Introduction to Church Custom CMS Web Design
Custom CMS and Do-it-Yourself Compared
Custom CMS Web Design Qualifications
Evaluation of the Existing Church Website
Custom CMS Design Conclusions and Advice
Website Tip of the Day - Why a Visitor Counter is a Bad Idea

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Church Custom CMS Design Idea
0:09:25 Quick Tip of the Day - Why a Visitor Counter is a Bad Idea
0:10:34 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:11:04 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 065

Referenced Links
Custom CMS Design PDF Download to learn seo and cms techniques (pdf, 50 pages)

Listeners with an existing static website for any business will benefit from the advice in today's podcast even though a church is noncommercial. The advice applies to site design quality, so anyone considering a custom cms web design should find value in the advice. Note: You do not have to register or reveal an email address to download the 50 page PDF guide to cms and seo shown above under referenced links.

TAGS: advice cms design seo search engine optimization web design

WordPress SEO and SEF Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:48:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 064 entitled WordPress SEO and SEF Tutorial results from the recent launch of the custom-cms-design.com website with an integrated WordPress blog. The SEO or search engine optimization goals for the new blog were met with some interesting WordPress plugins and a little creativity. SEF stands for Search Engine Friendly. Here's the outline for today's program:

Overview of WordPress Blog for Custom CMS Design LLC
Search Engine Optimization Goals for the WordPress Blog
SEF or Search Engine Friendly File Names Tutorial
Enhanced SEO with the All in One SEO Pack WordPress Plugin
Social Bookmarks Plugin Solution for WordPress Blog Posts
Quick Tip of the Day - WordPress Default Admin User Workaround

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - WordPress SEO and SEF Tutorial
0:09:47 Quick Tip of the Day - WordPress Default Admin User Workaround
0:11:13 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:11:43 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 064

Referenced Links
Custom CMS Design LLC blog post reference example
WordPress All in One SEO Pack Plugin features and download page
WordPress Sociable Bookmarks Plugin features and download page

Listeners may want to open the first link above to the blog post example as they follow along with this WordPress blog SEO and SEF tutorial. Examples of SEO discussed include search engine friendly or SEF blog post file names, features from the All in One SEO Pack plugin, and adding social bookmarks in the post footer.

TAGS: advice blog tutorial seo search engine optimization WordPress

Web Design Visitors Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:01:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 063 entitled Web Design Visitors Analysis presents a review of recent visitor statistics for my custom cms web design site compared to 6 months ago. Stat tracking and analysis will allow site owners to form forward looking web design strategy. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design Visitor Stats by Browser and SE Referrals
Comparison of Visitor Traffic and Web Design by Browser
Web Design and Comparison of Search Engine Referrals
Screen Resolution and Custom CMS Web Design Strategy
Custom CMS Web Design for IE6 and Cross Browser Compatibility
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Using CSS to Test Your Web Designs

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Visitors Analysis
0:06:10 Quick Tip of the Day - Using CSS to Test Your Web Designs
0:08:24 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:08:54 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 063

Referenced Links
Custom CMS Web Design in Google search page one results
Custom CMS Web Design in Yahoo search page one results
Custom CMS Web Design in Bing search page one results

Links to search engines results shown above represent my core business with the phrase: custom cms web design. While results at the time you hear this podcast may vary, the advice in this episode provides just a few of many tips for successful content optimization and forward looking custom web design techniques. Listeners are welcome to comment or email me from any page for assistance with their web design related questions including cms, seo, or web design visitor analysis.

TAGS: advice browsers cms cms web design screen size web design

Web Design Services and Price

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:12:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 062 entitled Web Design Services and Price presents advice for novice web design professionals trying to break into the custom web design field. The tips apply to do-it-yourself web design for site owners, also. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design Price vs Quality Tradeoffs
Analogy of Website Design and Used Cars
Best Practices for Search Engine Optimization
Web Design Site Navigation and Visitor Experience
Tips for Web Design Planning and Future Growth
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Web Design Standards for the Novice

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:37 Main Topic - Web Design Services and Price
0:06:11 Quick Tip of the Day - Web Design Standards for the Novice
0:07:43 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:08:13 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 062

Referenced links
CMS and SEO Tutorial Ebook to view and download. No registration required.

The tip of the day and referenced link to the pdf ebook provides valuable advice for novice web design students just getting started. The search engine optimization research and implementation advice at zero cost is equal to what many charge $1000s to learn.

TAGS: advice price quality podcast seo web design

Blog and CMS Website Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:24:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 061 entitled Blog and CMS Website Strategy offers advice for creating new pages in a content management system or cms web design, and then announcing the content on your blog. The result is enhanced seo, or search engine optimization, because each new page added to your main site provides two pieces of new content for search engines. Here's the outline for today's program:

Advantages of an Integrated Custom Blog in a CMS Web Design
Disadvantage of Relying on Your Blog Only for Adding Content
Search Engine Optimization in a Phrase: Add Original Quality Content Often
Case Studies of Custom CMS Web Design Clients with Integrated Blogs
Two for One Strategy When Writing Lengthy Blog Posts
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Using Twitter to Promote Your Site and Blog

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:37 Main Topic - Blog and CMS Website Strategy
0:06:34 Quick Tip of the Day - Using Twitter to Promote Your Site and Blog
0:07:45 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:08:15 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 061

Referenced links
Get web design advice on Twitter by following me at @JimDegerstrom

Twitter? Yes, I mentioned Twitter. For those listeners unfamiliar with the social network on Twitter, it is more than "What are you doing now...". Personally, I follow other web design professionals from around the world to stay up to date on trends in our industry. For your small business, Twitter provides an easy to use method of promoting your brand, also. Listen to today's tip of the day to learn more.

TAGS: advice blog cms podcast seo web design

Web Design Conversion to PDF

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:42:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 060 entitled Web Design Conversion to PDF is a review of an online tool for converting a web page to pdf including active hyperlinks and all graphics. This free tool provides an interesting approach for doing web design demos and communicating with clients. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design Projects and Client Communication
Web Design Page to PDF Online Tool Discovery
Applying the HTML to PDF Converter in Web Design Projects
Example PDF of the Web Design Home Page of This Website
Quick Tip of the Day - Adding META Code to PDF Documents for SEO

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:37 Main Topic - Web Design Conversion to PDF
0:04:57 Quick Tip of the Day - Adding META Code to PDF Documents for SEO
0:07:03 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:07:33 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 060

Referenced links
Online Page to PDF Converter web designer tool
Sample page to pdf conversion of this site's home page (pdf, 391kb, 1 pg)

The majority of future podcasts episodes with web design related advice will be shorter than the 12-15 minute average. Less complicated subjects about web design will be covered in-depth for the benefit of web design developers and their customers. Exceptions that require longer episodes may be featured at times.

The tip of the day includes advice for META code to enhance PDF search engine optimization, or seo.

TAGS: advice pdf podcast tutorial seo web design

CMS Web Design Conversion Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:18:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 059 entitled CMS Web Design Conversion Tips provides a review of a new project to convert an existing 98 page website to a custom cms web design. Factors to consider in the new web design includes smooth transition to minimize website down time. Here's the outline for today's program:

SEO Factor Considerations in Site Redesign
Comparing Web Design Long URLs to SEO Friendly URLs
Redirecting Old Web Design File Names with HTAccess
Using Draft Mode for Instant Web Design Conversion
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Custom 404 Error Page Advice

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - CMS Web Design Conversion Tips
0:07:58 Quick Tip of the Day - Custom 404 Error Page Advice
0:10:09 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:10:39 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 059

Referenced links
Humorous 404 Error Pages from sites with a sense of humor

The problems of converting an existing web design to a newly redesigned website can go smoothly with proper planning. The tip of the day about custom 404 pages adds another point to consider even if you are not redesigning a site. Testing your site with a fake page file name will tell you immediately what your site visitors will see. Like it? No. Listen to the tip of the day, and look into having a custom 404 "page not found" added to your web design.

TAGS: advice cms podcast redesign seo web design

Site Traffic Hits vs Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:56:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 058 entitled Site Traffic Hits vs Visitors takes a look at comparing website traffic hits versus visitors, and how some services exaggerate the difference. Some site owners mistakenly think 1000 hits in one day means 1000 site visitors. It does not as explained in this podcast episode. Here's the outline for today's program:

Case Study of a Site Owner and Deceptive Statistics
Understanding Site Hits on Your Website Server
Understanding Website Visitors and Pageloads
Feedback from New Prospects to Evaluate Site Performance
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Unique Visitors and Return Visitors Compared

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Site Traffic Hits vs Visitors
0:07:49 Quick Tip of the Day - Unique Visitors and Return Visitors Compared
0:09:39 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:10:09 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 058

Referenced links
StatCounter stats tracking for site traffic evaluation

Installing website tracking statistics and spending 15 minutes a day evaluating your web design and site performance is one way to keep your small business website up to date. If you depend on outside services to report data, knowing the meaning of terms used is necessary to avoid being deceived about site performance. The tip of the day provides more details comparing unique and return visitors.

TAGS: advice podcast traffic statistics web design

Twitter Power System Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:47:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 057 entitled Twitter Power System Interview presents an interview with a highly respected member of the Twitter.com community, James Rivers. James is the creator of the Twitter Power System for learning how to maximize the value of Twitter in developing relationships for your small business. Here's the outline for today's program:

Opening Remarks About the Twitter Social Network
Introduction to James Rivers and the Twitter Power System
Scheduled Timing of Twitter Power System Product Release
Benefits for Marketing a Small Business on Twitter
Closing Interview Remarks with James Rivers

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Twitter Power System Interview
0:11:22 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:11:52 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 057

Referenced links
Twitter Power Systems creator Twitter account of James Rivers
Twitter Power Systems site for more information including prelaunch signup

This episode did not include a Tip of the Day, yet listeners are encouraged to explore Twitter.com and consider the value of microblogging for your small business. The experience and success of today's guest is certainly proof that networking within the Twitter community can help promote relationships and your small business.

TAGS: advice podcast twitter twitter power system web design

Web Design in a Tough Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:43:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 056 entitled Web Design in a Tough Economy takes a look at issues facing all small business owners during the economic downturn, and especially people doing custom web design. Here's the outline for today's program:

Quality Web Design as a Silent Salesperson
Web Design Options for Small Business Promotion
Web 2.0 Participation and Impact on Reputation
Impression of Twitter Web Design Professionals
Critical Point in Web Designer and Client Relationships
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Thinking Outside the Box in Web Design

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design in a Tough Economy
0:10:54 Tip of the Day - Thinking Outside the Box in Web Design
0:12:57 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:13:27 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 056

Referenced links
Personal Twitter account so you can join and follow me

Relationships build trust and the potential for repeat business. The topic entitled "Critical Point in Web Designer and Client Relationships" discusses a strategy that is so basic, yet often overlooked. For a person doing custom web design, or any small business, this tip for sales success is a point I take seriously, and as a result do well in sales despite the economy.

TAGS: advice podcast online success web design

Web Design Stats Advanced Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:54:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 055 entitled Web Design Stats Advanced Tips provides advice to use your stats to check trends, adjust product focus by revising content, and reviewing search terms that brought people to your site. Results allow you to track or adjust emphasis for your most popular products or services. Here's the outline for today's program:

Introduction to StatCounter Site Statistics
Referral Pages in Web Design Stats History
Automatic Web Design Stats Emailed Reports
Stats Log Data History Review Tips
Interpreting Your Web Design Visitor Statistics
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Google Analytics for Site Stats

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Stats Advanced Tips
0:08:35 Tip of the Day - Google Analytics for Site Stats
0:09:41 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:10:11 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 055

Referenced links
StatCounter website visitor stats free online service
Google Analytics free visitor stats signup page
December podcast contest results and winner announcement

The tip of the day introduces Google Analytics, another free resource for checking visitor stats to analyze visitor behavior and determine web design adjustments to improve site visitor experience.

TAGS: advice statistics podcast visitor stats web design

2009 Web Design Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:44:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 054 entitled 2009 Web Design Predictions takes a look at forward looking concepts of web design, and what to plan for site enhancements in the future. Topics include web design trends for seo, cms, DIY web design, multimedia content, and page width standard for 2009. Here's the outline for today's program:

Search Engine Optimization Trends in Web Design
Content Management Systems or CMS for Web Design
Ease of Use in Do-it-Yourself Website Owner Web Design
Web Design Content Enriched with Multimedia
New Standards for Web Design Page Width in 2009
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Time for an Annual Web Design Checkup

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - 2009 Web Design Predictions
0:11:46 Tip of the Day - Time for an Annual Web Design Checkup
0:13:28 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:13:58 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 054

Referenced links
Ebook download of 2009 Web Design Predictions (podcast transcript, 6 pages, 252kb pdf)

Keeping up with the changes in online technology, visitor behavior, and web design strategy is necessary for success in custom web design. The advice today provides pointers for do-it-yourself web design site owners with practical advice for web design best practices. Web design techniques that do not change with new technology could very well experience future problems when compared to a competitor's website.

TAGS: advice cms podcast seo search engine optimization web design

Web Design Podcast Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:41:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 053 entitled Web Design Podcast Anniversary is a review of the first year of web design audio programs of the Small Business Website Mailbag. The first episode is reviewed to compare goals and accomplishments during 52 podcasts each Saturday for one year. We'll look ahead at future plans for 2009, plus announce details of a $500 contest. Here's the outline for today's program:

One Year and 52 Saturday Podcast Episodes
Review of First Web Design Advice Podcast
First 10 Episodes and Essence of New Web Design
Podcast Anniversary Feedback Contest and Prize
Future Plans for this Web Design Advice Podcast
Website Quick Tip of the Day: Tips Before Starting a Podcast

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Podcast Anniversary
0:09:04 Tip of the Day - Tips Before Starting a Podcast
0:10:52 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:11:22 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 053

Referenced links
First audio web design advice podcast episode and introduction

The $500 contest announcement in this episode provides details for listeners who provide feedback on their favorite Small Business Website Mailbag podcast show. Contestants identify 1 of the 52 episodes in an email with an explanation in 25 words or less why a particular show was their favorite. The winner will be selected based solely on my judgment and announced on January 3rd, 2009. The $500 design credit may be used in 2009 towards any and all web design related services that I provide including custom web design, blogger design, video production, or even custom graphics.

TAGS: advice anniversary podcast seo search engine optimization web design

Website Title and Description

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:00:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 052 entitled Website Title and Description takes a closer look at the value of META code in seo, or search engine optimization. A quality web design combines multiple website and seo design strategies that add up to a site that will rank well in Google. Learn how a nearly perfect web design with poor META can fail. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design META Code and Search Engine Optimization
META Title, Description, and Keywords Compared
Recommendations of Web Design Standards for META Code
Current and Past Web Design META Tag Strategy
Future Web Design Edits of Title and Description META Tags
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Website META and PageRank Relationship

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Website Title and Description
0:11:41 Tip of the Day - Website META and PageRank Relationship
0:13:40 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:14:10 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 052

Referenced links
Google webmaster tools for quality web design strategy
Google friendly site article for more web design advice

The tip of the day explains the mystery of having excellent website META yet ranking in Google search results below sites with poor META titles and descriptions. PageRank is a Google trademark for ranking website page importance. Search engine algorithms include 100's of factors for ranking well in search results, so search engine optimization is more than having a few optimized web design strategies.

TAGS: advice content podcast seo search engine optimization web design

Secrets of Web Design Content

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:34:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 051 entitled Secrets of Web Design Content describes the difference between web design with ordinary content and creating a quality site for visitors first that will also attract search engines. SEO, or search engine optimization of new and existing sites is featured in today's podcast, too. Here's the outline for today's program:

SEO Secret of Add Original Quality Content Often
Types of Web Design Content and Search Engine Optimization
Web Design Site Structure in CMS for SEO
Enhanced Value of Web Design Content for SEO
Site Redesign to Improve Search Engine Optimization
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Double the Value of Blog Web Design Content

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Secrets of Web Design Content
0:10:02 Tip of the Day - Double the Value of Blog Web Design Content
0:12:21 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:12:51 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 051

Referenced links
Download pdf of cms web design and seo including site structure outline (50 pages)
*Note: Follow the PDF link to view online, or right click and save link as to download this free PDF. You do not have to register or reveal an email address to get your copy.

The topic of web design content compares SEO of older sites with simple text and graphics, and the emergence of newer web design technology with video and audio. The tip of the day has advice to double the value of content you write with full feature content on your main site and then an announcement of the new content on an integrated blog.

TAGS: advice content podcast seo search engine optimization web design

Backlinks and Web Design SEO

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:14:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 050 entitled Backlinks and Web Design SEO explores the web design strategy of backlinks and seo, or search engine optimization. While backlinks to your site are like votes when found by search engines, the value of your linking strategy for web design seo requires care. Natural methods work. Schemes will backfire. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design SEO Value of Backlinks
Links from Related Niche Authority Sites
Backlink Format and Search Engine Optimization
Link Scheme Negatives and Natural Linking Compared
Ignore Those Dear Webmaster Link Exchange Requests
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Visitor Stats for Evaluating Backlinks

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Backlinks and Web Design SEO
0:12:22 Tip of the Day - Visitor Stats for Evaluating Backlinks
0:15:04 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:15:34 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 050

Referenced links
Web design and SEO report downloads of free PDFs

The topic of the value of backlinks and web design SEO has changed, and gaining backlinks proactively can be very time consuming. The tip of the day for using visitor stats for evaluating backlinks allows owners to compare link strategy to actual visitor traffic. Measuring the effectiveness of links can help in web design decisions including how much time to spend acquiring those backlinks.

TAGS: advice backlinks podcast seo search engine optimization web design web design promotion

One Tough Web Design Question

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:10:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 049 entitled One Tough Web Design Question is an expanded response to a brief reply earlier this week to a new web design client. Requesting a custom web design price quote will be more effective knowing how to judge web design quality and the right questions to ask. We'll help answer that today. Here's the outline for today's program:

Contradiction of Quality Web Design and Low Price
Matching Quality and Web Design Performance
The One Tough Web Design Question
Explanation of Web Design Checklist Items
Budget Advantages of CMS Web Designs
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Case Studies of Amateur Website Redesigns

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - One Tough Web Design Question
0:12:22 Tip of the Day - Case Studies of Amateur Website Redesigns
0:14:19 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:14:49 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 049

Referenced links
Online xhtml code validation tool at the W3C
Online css validation tool at W3C

The tip of the day provides two case studies where amateur website redesigns resulted in decent quality aesthetics while ruining the quality of the code. Today's episode explains the right questions to ask to determine a designer's qualifications for quality. The case studies present what can go wrong when looks are accepted over quality, especially when done by an amateur.

TAGS: advice cms seo search engine optimization web design web design price

CMS Web Designs Make Page One

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:18:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 048 entitled CMS Web Designs Make Page One explores the false opinion that cms web designs have difficulty being indexed and ranked well in search engines. Based on a conversation this week with a cms web design client about their new website launch, their site made Google page one in just one month. Here's the outline for today's program:

Update of CMS Web Design and SEO
Comparing Web Design with SEF and Messy URLs
Google Page One with New Website Design
Another Client Web Design on Page One
Update of Web Design Page One Statistics
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Another Look at DupeFreePro

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - CMS Web Designs Make Page One
0:08:29 Tip of the Day - Another Look at DupeFreePro
0:10:06 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:10:36 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 048

Referenced links (Google page one):
Fidelis Search LLC, Atlanta GA listed for search: atlanta area recruiters
SunShiny Florida.com, Stamford CT listed for search: orlando vacation homes

The tip of the day takes another look at free software from DupeFreePro for calculating keyword density as featured in the previous search engine optimization tutorial for cms web design clients. The results for these two clients, and my site, prove the value of cms and search engine optimization for ranking well with Google.

TAGS: advice cms seo search engine optimization web design

Web Design for Visitors First

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:36:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 047 entitled Web Design for Visitors First explores web design strategy to target visitors compared to search engines in providing content. Search engines can bring prospects, but original quality content is what converts visitors to buyers. This episode explores why web design for visitors first can satisfy people and search engines. Here's the outline for today's program:

Marketing Messages in Web Design and Offline
Web Design Content Created for Visitors
Web Design Content Created for Search Engines
Importance of Web Design for Visitors First
On Page and Off Page Search Engine Optimization
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Web Directory Listings Update

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design for Visitors First
0:11:27 Tip of the Day - Web Directory Listings Update
0:14:14 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:14:44 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 047

Referenced links:
web directory link to DMOZ Open Directory Project

The tip of the day discusses web directories in general, and DMOZ or the Open Directory Project, in particular. After including the topic of web directory submissions in a recent podcast about outdated seo strategy, this update provides more evidence about how search engine improvements continue to weaken the popularity of web directory websites.

TAGS: advice design strategy seo search engine optimization web design

Web Design Quality and Price

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 05:09:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 046 entitled Web Design Quality and Price provides advice for small business owners considering a new web design. From experience, many clients approach me for a new custom web design without first planning the site and expectations. The cheapest price for a website design, or even DIY or do-it-yourself web design, may have some serious tradeoffs that we will explore today. Here's the outline for today's program:

Web Design Planning Phase Advice
Choosing DIY or Outsourced Web Design
Web Design Quality and Price Tradeoffs
Web Design for a Competitive Edge
Budget for Future Website Expansion
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Domain Registration Whois Checkup

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Quality and Price
0:07:46 Tip of the Day - Domain Registration Whois Checkup
0:10:44 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:11:14 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 046

Referenced links:
Domain Whois online lookup for checking domain registration
Internic Whois search for domain registration info

The tip of the day emphasizes a recurring problem with small business website owners. Too often owners contract for a custom web design and allow the service provider to register their www domain. In some cases the license is not registered in the customer's name, or other mistakes create unhappy surprises in the future with dire consequences.

TAGS: advice planning web design web design price whois

Web Design Standards and IE8

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:51:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 045 entitled Web Design Standards and IE8 provides an update on the pendiing release of the new Internet Explorer version 8, or IE8, and the impact on small business websites. Information includes a history of announcements about IE8 and the delayed release as improvements are made, plus my comparison of compliance and compatibility. Here's the outline for today's program:

Introduction to Web Design Standards and IE8
Microsoft IE8 Announcements Dec 2007 and Mar 2008
IE8 Release Delay and Compatibility
Web Design DOCTYPE and Internet Explorer Hacks
Latest Conclusion of IE8 and Web Design Standards
Quick Tip of the Day - Resource for Testing Site Display in IE8

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Standards and IE8
0:11:21 Tip of the Day - Resource for Testing Site Display in IE8
0:12:54 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:13:24 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 045

Referenced links:
IE8 browser site display testing resource with JPG screenshots
IE8 official blog and compatibility view blog post

The tip of the day describes the IE8 display test on a high speed server for viewing the actual display to test your website pages without downloading the IE8 BETA, and before the release of the production version of Internet Explorer 8. You may test older versions of IE including IE5.5, IE6, the current IE7, and IE8.

TAGS: advice browsers ie8 Internet Explorer 8 web design web standards

Web Design Templates Compared

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:43:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 044 entitled Web Design Templates Compared comes after a web design review earlier this week for a client interested in custom graphics, and perhaps matching web graphics to upgrade the look of their small business web design. Their site gets very little traffic, and results of their recent attempt at search engine optimization, or seo, has been less than ideal. Here's the outline for today's program:

Free Web Design Templates Review
Standard Commercial Website Templates
Custom Web Design Templates and SEO
Web Design Skills Combined with Graphic Art
Dynamic CMS Web Design vs Static Site Templates
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Web Design Navigation and Usability

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design Templates Compared
0:11:49 Tip of the Day - Web Design Navigation and Usability
0:14:43 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:15:13 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 044

Referenced links:
CMS Template Outline and Ebook on my main site

The tip of the day explains the strategy of web design navigation and usability using a tree structure of internal links. Having your home page as the tree trunk with major branches linked from each page, and then subpages with expanded topics, allows site owners to easily grow their site. The web design and seo concept of "add original quality content often" that I recommend is easier to visualize using this tree structure for website navigation.

TAGS: advice cms review seo search engine optimization templates web design

Website Visitor System Stats

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:44:00 +0000

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Show Notes
Podcast episode 043 entitled Website Visitor System Stats comes after a question earlier this week about my choice of standard web page design width, and the importance of knowing visitor behavior. By viewing website visitor system stats your web design can keep up with the needs of the majority of website visitors. Using free stats tracking allows site owners to determine the browser brands and most common screen monitor width of their site visitors. Here's the outline for today's program:

Visitor Browser Brands and Screen Monitor Size Intro
Tracking Visitor Stats and Web Design Strategy
Review of my Visitors' Browser Brands and Screen Size Stats
Browser Brand and Web Design Cross Browser Compatibility
Visitor Screen Monitor Size and Evolution of Web Design
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Online Resource for Testing Page Display

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Website Visitor System Stats
0:09:32 Tip of the Day - Online Resource for Testing Page Display
0:11:52 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:12:22 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 043

Referenced links:
Online Resource for Testing Page Display from BrowserShots.org

Referenced statistics from this podcast episode:
Browser Brand Usage of Visitors to My Site

34.0% FireFox3
27.4% MSIE7
17.0% MSIE6
07.0% Safari
06.6% FireFox2
03.0% Chrome
02.2% Netscape
01.6% Camino
01.2% MSIE Older
01.0% Opera

Monitor Screen Size of Visitors to My Site

37.10% 1024x768
33.47% 1280x1024
22.58% Unknown
04.03% 1152x864
02.02% 800x600
00.81% 1600x1200

TAGS: advice browsers pc monitors review statistics web design

Healthy Web Design Checkup

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Degerstrom) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:29:00 +0000

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Show Notes
This podcast episode 042 entitled Healthy Web Design Checkup provides advice for small business website owners to check the quality of their web design for search engine optimization, or SEO. Topics cover a comparison of healthy and unhealthy designs, and how to avoid problems. Here's the outline for today's program:

Why Web Designs Need an Annual Checkup
Case Study Uncovering an Unhealthy Web Design
Question to Test Web Designer SEO Knowledge
Update on Another Zero Traffic Custom Web Design
Advice When it Comes to Changing Web Designers
Website Quick Tip of the Day - Web Design Online Project Management

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Healthy Web Design Checkup
0:11:26 Tip of the Day - Web Design Online Project Management
0:16:11 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:16:41 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 042

Referenced links:
PDF website comparison report of healthy and unhealthy web designs (pdf, 197kb, 2 pages)
Online project management services from TeamWorkPM.net

The tip of the day provides advice and a review of small business owner online services for project management including a review of the service I use at TeamWorkPM.net. A successful web design depends on good communication between the client and web designer, and online project management is an affordable and easy tool to use.

TAGS: advice project management podcast review seo search engine optimization web design website quality