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Making Good Websites that Stand Out

Websites, there's literally billions of them out there in cyber-space. How many of them do you go to and just think this is boring, bland, or hard to use? It seems like too many to mention. So what makes a good website? I reckon it's about interaction. You've got to make the visitor interested. You've got to grab their attention. Many sites use plenty of bright and shiny gimmicks to attract you, but once you make it through to the content of the site it's just not worthy. A good site uses easy navigation, relevant content, and interactive media like... Read More

How To Create A Stunning Drop Capital Effect On Your Web Pages

Drop Capitals are frequently used in many newspapers, books and magazines in the offline world. You will frequently see the large capital letter sinking down into the first paragraph of articles, stories and chapters in the majority of publications you come across. The drop capital gives the page a nice finishing touch, and certainly adds a more professional looking feel. Online, the drop capital looks just as good on web pages as it does in print. The only drawback is that you can easily get the whole effect wrong, and end up with a less than appealing result. The wrong... Read More

Graphic Design Using Color

Color is everywhere and conveys a message even if we don't realize it. While this message can vary by culture it pays to know what colors "say" in your own corner of the universe, and even what color means to your target market. If you don't think that color speaks just complete this sentence, "red means ---- and green means ?" even a child will know what red means stop and green means go. If such simple ideas work for all of a given culture or market what could it mean to the graphic design of your website, brochure, or... Read More

The Monster Garage of eLearning

Have you seen Jesse James on the Discovery Channel's Monster Garage? Each week Jesse and his handpicked team create a customized vehicle to dazzle and amaze you. So what does this have to do with eLearning? Read on...Big boys like big toysDid you see the episode when the:* Cadillac Escalade becomes a tailgate party? * DeLorean is transformed into a hovercraft?, or the* Scary monster Santa float as it makes it debut in a parade?WOW they were great... and it got me thinking...Jesse's approach to monster car design is directly related... Read More

Sales Versus Customer Oriented Websites

Should Generating Revenue From A Website Be The Prime Motivator? A pure sales site has only one purpose... to generate as much revenue as possible at any cost. In other words, your experience--good or bad--is inconsequential to the ultimate goal of the site and may well sacrifice customer satisfaction to make a sale. How many times have you gone back to buy from a website you've had a lousy experience with? My guess is not very often. I know I don't. How many times have you gone back to buy from a website you've had a great experience with? What... Read More

How To Set Up A Professional Website On Your Own Using Web Templates

To create professional websites is not an easy task by any means. There are many things that you got to take into consideration like easy navigation, strategic links, clean coding, professional layout, easy downloading, scanability, usability and so on. These are the elements that differentiate a professional website from a mediocre one. So in a way it's not designing the website that counts but how the website is designed. The only option that most of us have in order to design a good website is to hire a web- designer. Web-designers can help you come up with a great website... Read More

A Website Checklist

If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping your old one), how can you be sure it's "ready for prime time"? Or maybe your site's been around for awhile and you think it may be due for a makeover. Because Web technologies, techniques and standards change so rapidly, even a website that seems "cutting edge" when it's built can look obsolete a year later. Or maybe you started out with a barebones website and finally have the time and/or money to take it to the next level. If you'd to give your website the once over, here are... Read More

Ten Steps to a Winning Home Page

There's no doubt about it - the first page your site visitors see is the most important page of your website. If your home page isn't appealing, chances are the rest of your pages will never even be seen by your visitors. It helps to think of your home page as the "front door" to your online business. Will it invite people to come in and look around, or persuade them to take their dollars elsewhere? Here are ten tips for making your home page a winner: 1) Don't keep them waiting. Obey the "Eight Second Rule" (the one that... Read More

Web Design for Dictators

No question about it, web design is an art. Finding the right blend of style and usability is a delicate balance that few, if any, fully master. Which is why I am so tired af reading bullet-pointed lists demanding what you should and shouldn't do while building your website. These dictators of web design are under the mysterious illusion that they have stumbled upon exactly the right balance of functionality and beauty. Do you think Michelanglo painted his Sistine Chapel after reading an article entitled, "10 steps to perfect renaissance art"? Hmm. What these designers are really saying is, "My... Read More

Website Basics

The Basics You have a flourishing business ? everything is in its place. You just miss one important piece of marketing: an Internet Presence a website. Like everything in business, getting a website needs planning. Getting an effective website needs even more planning. Here are some basic things to know and plan: The WWW What is the www or the internet? Basically a network of websites from all over the world you can access via your computer for which you need an internet connection and a browser. Internet connections are available from ISPs, and most of the popular browsers... Read More

Building Your Website to Save You Money

Does your website make you any money? Does it SAVE you any money?Websites are more than just marketing tools, out there in Cyber-Land effortlessly promoting you and your products. While that's great, why not use that same website to save yourself some money?How? Well, while I don't know your particular situation, I can provide you with some thought-provoking ideas that you can take back to your web designer for more input.Reduce your support costs.It is often cheaper, easier, and more effective to support customers over the Internet than through more tradiditonal methods such as telephone and direct mail. Services such... Read More

Ten Design Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these mistakes and your site will be steps ahead of your competition. 1. Not planning your site Before you even have a website, you must have an idea, a focus. Why do you want a website? What are your plans and goals for the site? Sit down and draw out a map of possible pages and ideas for your site. Include your site's purpose --whether it is to sell more product or make the public more aware of your issue -- whatever it may be. Build your site from it's strong foundation (your goals) and you'll have a better,... Read More

Design Matters in our Visual Culture

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. First impressions often leave lasting impressions. Impressions also result in people's perceptions. There goes that age-old debate -- "Perception versus Reality." I say that perception is someone's impression of reality. And sometimes... no matter what is reality, you just can't change people's perception of a situation or thing. Let's define these words...(im·pres·sion) noun: a characteristic, trait, or feature resulting from some influence; the act of impressing. (per·cep·tion) noun: a result of observation. To make a long story short, "Yes, design does matter!" ? When you meet someone you hope to date, don't you want to... Read More

Do-It-Yourself or Hire a Professional Designer

Remember your vision for your company and the brand or statement you want to make when any of your current or potential customers come in contact with you. You have to impress them in all the ways you connect with them. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ?? Knowledge is Power I highly recommend reading and learning about graphic/web design. It's a good idea in a long-term sense whether you do design projects yourself now or hire in the future. You will be able to communicate more effectively to your graphic professionals when your business is ready to outsource. By learning design techniques,... Read More

Long Copy Sales Letters on the Web: Hype or Not?

I have written before about long sales copy on the web. But I have more to say on the subject. First, let me be clear about what I'm saying here. I'm not talking about long content pages within dozens of other pages on a site. I'm talking about stand-alone pages...a long, direct response sales letter online, often with its own domain name. Next, let me say this: long copy works, online and offline. If you can hold someone's attention with your writing, a long page gives you the space to deliver all the benefits, cover all the features and... Read More

5 Ways To Automate Your Site

Automating your online business is one of the most important steps you can take to insure your success on the internet.If you have been on the internet for any time at all, you know that there are just too many tasks to do each day to be really efficient and productive with them all.Learning to delegate some of those routine, daily activities is one way to insure your site's success and to give you much more time in the day for the most important task which is that of promotion and marketing your site.HERE ARE 5 SIMPLE WAYS TO AUTOMATE... Read More

Web Design: How To Get Your Visitors To Stay

Remember the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will come"? In the world of Internet marketing, you not only want them to come, you want them to stay.The Internet is fast-paced. Your visitors decide very quickly whether or not you have what they want. There are five strategies that will help you engage your visitors and encourage them to explore what you have to offer.Make Your Site About Your Visitors Not YouIn order to do this, you must clearly know your target audiences and what you anticipate they will be looking for when... Read More

Website Woes: Top Five Offenders

I see a lot of mistakes, but here are the top five offenders you need to correct to give your site a boost. Bad Title. Look at the title for each page. The title shows in the top bar of your browser. It is also what shows when you set a favorite or bookmark a site. Plus, the title is what shows in the search engine results. So you want your page title to be a "headline" - something that will make people want to click on it. Give every page a different title according to its content. Include... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Use Audio on Your Site

Audio can provide an added dimension to your site. It creates a warm atmosphere where visitors feel like they know you. And it can enhance your reputation as an expert. Here are the top ten ways you can start using audio on your site. 1. Welcome people to your site. Toward the top of the page, add your photo or a short statement saying "Listen to a short welcome message" then a button to start the audio. Keep it brief and tightly targeted to the people you've brought to the site. 2. Make your bio more personal. If you're using... Read More

10 Ways Web Site Text Can Impact Your Readers Buying Decision

10 Ways Web Site Text Can Impact Your Reader's Buying DecisionThe appearance of your web site text can actually increase or decrease your sales. The size, font, style and color of your text can easily affect your reader's buying decision. Below are ten points to consider when typing text on your web site.1. Easy To Read- You want to make it easy for your visitors to read your text. You don't want to use a light colored text like yellow on a white background and you don't want to use dark blue text on a black back- ground.2. Create A... Read More