The Pros and Cons of Web Design Using a Grid

Web design using a grid is very common these days. At first, grids were used with graphic designs in print medium but in past few years they have made place in web designing also. Their popularity increased very rapidly and now they have become part of almost all web designing projects. Grids are used to form layouts of pages of websites. They provide a frame which can be used to place different components of site on it. Literally defined, grid is a framework made of pixels, in which the pixels run horizontally and vertically. It helps in keeping all elements of the site systematic. Web design using a grid can make website look fairly organized.

Benefits of Web Design Using a Grid There are a number of benefits of web design using a grid. It makes both the things pleasant, i.e. process of designing and appearance of finished website. A grid structured with adequate intelligence can make the designer of the site to assess what will be best for the most attractive look of the site. It assists the designer in highlighting most significant elements without cramming it with lots of elements.

Moreover, use of the grids speeds up the process of website designing. Foremost purpose of using these grids is to provide a base for all future activities to be executed. It lays a pavement to the final website. So, the website can be constructed in much less time, if compared to tradition method of placing and aligning elements without grids. Moreover, if the designers need to switch some elements with each other, they can do it easily and comfortably because of the framework maintained by the grids.

Using grids can make web designers capable of constructing flawless, eye catching and outstanding sites. That's why this method of constructing websites is gaining more and more popularity. Webpage design using a grid can prove to be very satisfying; maybe that's why lots of high ranked sites and blogs have resorted to this technique.

Limitations of Web Design Using a Grid But website design using a grid can't said to be suitable for all the sites. Designers must keep some things in mind before employing this method. First of all, the most talked about point that goes against this technique is that it doesn't leave much room for creativity. As we have discussed earlier, grids provides a framework to work upon, thus designer has to construct the site in a pre determined style. So, those who want their sites to be unique should not go for this method of designing sites.

More, for those sites which don't have much of the content to upload on the web, this method is not quite appropriate. Actually, web designing with grid necessitates large volume of content. If there is not reasonable amount of content then it's useless to make grids.

Thus using grids is not a smart choice for all kinds of sites. Simple, contained and abstract sites don't really require them. But on the other hand, sites with lots of content can be benefited by this method in many ways. Also sites that require a systematic and organized look can also rely on the method. It depends from website to website whether web design using a grid will be beneficial or not.

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Checking For Broken Website Links

Broken links not only make you look unprofessional, they can actually wreak havoc on your search results. Yes, Google can tell if links are broken on your website. And there's nothing worse than getting punished for having broken links or even getting banned by Google for links that don't go anywhere.

How can a website link get broken? After time, if you don't stay on top of it, sites that you once were linking to can get bought out, go out of business, get redirected to some other source or the domain ceases to exist. When a visitor clicks on the link, it could go to a 'page not found' message or even worse, go to a site that Google doesn't like such as a link farm, ad site or blacklisted URL. Linking to websites in 'bad neighborhoods' can hurt you in the search results.

Just like a car, websites having moving parts that flow evenly from one place to another through anchor text or page navigation. And just like a car, websites need tune-ups. Having a spring cleaning is a must: make sure you go through each and every page of your site with the main navigation links and site maps, make sure the pages redirect to where they are supposed to and click on each link going from your site making positive that they are still viable.

This is something you need to do on a regular basis. You can even get friends or family members to help out. Sites with broken links are one of the most popular problems that goes unnoticed by website owners. Think about how terrible it would be if one of your visitors clicked on a link you provided and ended up with a computer virus. It's your responsibility to make sure your visitors are browsing through a safe environment. The most common place for multiple broken links are in a resource section you may have on your site to provide people with information, just because of the shear amount of website links that may be there. I've seen up to nearly 20% of resource directory links go bad or redirect to a site they weren't' supposed to in just a year's time.

On WordPress sites, simply updating a version or theme can cause links to break. It's happened to me many times. Most people just love their websites and when they're new, we click all over the place to see if things flow. But after time, we forget to stay on top of them and some entire sites or pages may be broken and we don't even know it. Our visitors won't tell us anything -- they'll just leave and go somewhere else. Think about who you're trying to attract to your site and why. Customers? Prospects? Clients? How many have already come and gone because you didn't tune up your site?

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Ecommerce Website Design - An Imperative Solution for Online Business

E-commerce web-design is a leading form of advertising campaign, guaranteeing a unique character, which is designed to lead visitor to one simple task - to make an online purchase. While designing this website a designer should consider various online selling principles. Professional Web Development Services significantly differs from each other depending on the size and brand name of the on-line site platform.

An e-commerce website design is similar to any other web site designing in terms of attractiveness, organization and color scheme. However there does exist certain selling principles on depending on which this website is differentiated form an ordinary one. These selling principles are namely:

• Providing the user a satisfying experience in his online shopping. • Endowing the customer with sufficient information on who have possession of the website and why should they trust the website. • The website must be easily accessible for the visitor to understand and utilize it well.

These are certain common principles, which are not new to us, in every other market hub we have noticed the paying counter. Nevertheless in online purchase the prior responsibility of a professional web design company is to translate these conventional marketing techniques to the virtual world of internet. Every business selects their individual and unique designs, suiting the market trend. Thus there should be a constant website navigation making all the web pages, easily accessible to the customer.

An e-commerce website will always lead its visitor to the appropriate page with a click or two. In fact Professional Web Design Company sometimes employs techniques, which are never considered for non e-commerce websites. Most of these sites allow a designer to exaggerate that one click principle and make a benefit of it. All the facts about the product are presented in a detailed manner and the user is consequently directed to the order form or the purchase option. There also exist a number of facts and testimonials about the products.

Every e-commerce website consists of various personalization technologies. These technologies are incorporated within the website with an effort to establish best selection of products to the customers. In fact Personalization technologies are now a major part of advanced e-commerce website. Its use has a major impact on the design of the website. Layout of the website is also important in these websites. Like any other website an e-commerce site should also be attractive, eye-catching and striking. Plenty of research has been done on this topic showing that the middle left side area attracts more attention followed by the centre of the page. These can be categorized as the "walking path" used by the designers to attract the visitor eye. Thus a qualified professional search engine marketing person will always know these techniques to create a top notch website.

Therefore, the advantages of an e-commerce website are quite elaborate. There exist many benefits, which any business can avail from creating their own online website. This is, in fact the most advanced and effective way of doing business and thereby avail profit from it. E-commerce websites are both informative and attractive, thus creating a unique profile for your company.

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Design and Development Are the New Commodities

WordPress theme: $38; an entire mobile website: $15; your website up-and-running without having to hack someone else's code, that's priceless!

The commoditization of the web design and development is inevitable. We live in a world that is saturated with options. When it comes to web and mobile development-and-design, there are tons of alternatives, frameworks, and examples to choose from. Even when designers and developers may choose to start a project from scratch, it is common that the end solution might look like something that already exists.

Is your problem really different?

If you ask 100 architects to design a house for a middle class family located on a 5,000 sqft lot, in the suburb, chances are that you will have 100 different designs. There is no doubt, that each design will consider the minimum requirements --in theory, however, each of the designer will probably emphasize different aspects of the family members, or the house location, to express their individual viewpoints. There is nothing wrong with original work. Unfortunately, high demand and financial constraints, make impossible to always start from a blank canvas.

Are we running out of original solutions?

The lack of originality is not a sole responsibility of designers and developers. On a daily basis we are all challenged with problems that we have seen before. After a while we become experts and re-implementing the same solutions is faster, and it can be done in a more systematic way. Things can be done faster, faster make them cheaper, and since the solutions are repetitive, they can be put in a system that does not require the designer nor the developer to implement it. It becomes a commodity.

On the bright side, design and development have become commodities at the right moment. Nowadays we have tools, frameworks, reference material, and technology in general, makes everything a lot easier. Now that doing things is easier, the time can be spent in more creative tasks and connecting with customers and clients to really understand their needs.

Conclusion

More and more designers and developers work is about taking general purpose content and turn it into individual expression. The commoditization is not a problem that needs to be fought, it is a cause to embrace. In technology, it is inevitable the resources become cheaper and more efficient. We now can do more in less time with less resources. This is the best time ever. It is the time to think out of the box and try more things while maintaining high productivity and competitive prices.

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Mobile Website Design Has Become The Standard In Business

In an environment where customers are consistently on the move and the typical individual is splitting their consideration among knowledge acquired online and in person, most of us have begun to count on finding the resources that they desire on a number of unique sources, and available to them should they desire it. This could possibly be the rather simple venture of Googling information on their laptop computer, up to the very modern-day act of buying a brand spanking new notebook from their tablet device.

Nevertheless, simply because mobile-websites are getting to be progressively more easily available for the typical individual, does this imply that smartphone users are regularly seeking out these web sites to work with on a daily basis? For several experts and internet marketers who've been studying the need for mobile-friendly websites for customers over the last couple of years, the reply is an exceedingly booming YES.

Creating a top-notch mobile website is more than merely building a nice-looking mobile page layout for your web site or expecting to generate a few more income. Instead, this foundation is starting to become an essential aspect for several brand names who are aiming to generate long-lasting customer interactions, and supply their visitors the mobile sources that they desire.

For more information about the need for mobile-safe web sites for your firm, I have developed some of the more critical statistics and conclusions from Google's latest report 'What Consumers Want Most Out Of Mobile Sites Right Now.' These studies were completed by unbiased research agencies, and surveyed 1,088 users preceding this year.

More People Purchase From Mobile-Friendly Websites

Lots of shopper attitude and actions can be designed by their mobile website encounters. To illustrate, should your website gives end users with a positive mobile encounter, they are much more likely to place a purchase by your site. The truth is, approximately 67% of end users interviewed stated that as soon as they go to a mobile-responsive webpage, they are very likely to buy a web site's products or services.

Non-Mobile Favorable Websites Steer Buyers Away

Just as a positive mobile experience can bring in delighted buyers, a non-mobile web site can do just the opposite. 60 percent of men and women questioned stated that they would swiftly move on to another site if they failed to discover what they were scouting for straightaway on a mobile site. In actual fact, 79 percent of individuals who really do not like whatever they find on one website will turn back and quest for another website to gratify their demands. Without having a mobile-friendly web site, you can guarantee that you'll be pressuring your disappointed folks right into the palms of your rivals.

Functionality Of Your Mobile Site Mirrors Back On Your Own Trademark

An awful mobile ordeal could result in more than simply a reduction in gross sales for your firm. 55 percent of those who answered revealed that a frustrating mobile experience in fact hurt their overall viewpoint of the brand name, and 61% explained they would take their money somewhere else after a poor mobile ordeal. Furthermore, 48 percent of people asserted that if a corporate website did not work effectively on their smart phone, it made them feel that this company did not treasure their business.

In light of these sobering information, it is more clear than ever before just how intensely and quickly your client's perceptions can be shaped by their overall mobile website experience. To ensure that your mobile web site is not costing your enterprise necessary sales and site exposure, just be sure to have a mobile-friendly webpage that can help turn your website visitors into customers.

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Five Ways to Build the Most Mobile Friendly Website

A few years ago sites could have got away without having a mobile version of their site but not anymore. Mobile websites have gone from being an attractive extra to an absolute necessity - and it isn't enough just having one. With the commercial and economic opportunities available to online businesses via mobile phones it is crucial that the mobile site is designed to optimise the mobile user experience. Non mobile friendly sites are losing out on an increasingly large amount of business as more and more people buy though mobile devices.

Streamline Content

Landing pages and content "above the fold" is crucial when it comes to PC websites. This importance is magnified on a mobile web page. Do not waste time, effort and most importantly space, putting anything but the most important information on your mobile pages. Removing things like side menus or other content links allows your site to focus on only the most important information, making your site easier to read, quicker to load and generally improving user experience.

When it comes to seeking mobile conversions or sales it is crucial that your site prioritises important information relevant to conversions such as contact details. Overloading your page with irrelevant content will push important content down making it less likely to be found. Users will also become frustrated with having to scroll or delve deeper in to your site to find the content they want.

Optimise layout

An easy way to streamline your content and improve user experience is to optimise your page layout for mobile devices. Simply displaying your standard PC website through a mobile device will negatively affect your users experience and likely lead to a high bounce rate. The text displayed will be too small to read and users will have to navigate a raft of different menus.

Optimise your layout into just one single column with additional content running down the page not across. This allows users to use the far more natural and preferred process of scrolling downwards, avoiding the need to scroll sideways or zoom in and out.

Alter Navigation

With such a small area to work in, navigation becomes an issue on mobile websites. Placing all your navigation at the top of pages moves the valuable content too far down below the fold and with a single column layout it can't go down the side - where does it go?

The answer is to emphasise your homepage. Only place navigation on your homepage and do so at the top of the page. On other pages place your content at the top with the only navigation links being back to the homepage or the most relevant previous step in the user's journey. Placing breadcrumb links at the top of the page with navigation links back to the homepage at the bottom, users are able to easily navigate the site without detracting from the valuable content.

If your site's users want to see content straightaway rather than look to navigate or search for specific content you should place the navigation at the bottom. This way it does not get in the way of reading the content but can still be easily accessed by the user. Placing an anchor link at the top of the page will allow users to reach the navigation quickly and easily.

Minimise text entry

It is not just visually where mobile websites differ from their desktop or laptop partners. Usability is another major issue when creating mobile friendly websites. Typing, even on the best touchscreen keyboards are difficult for users who frequently make errors and can often become frustrated with over-elaborate and time consuming text entry. You can reduce the need for text entry for users by allowing them to store personal and login details on site or ask them to use a numerical PIN instead of a password. Instead of entering text akin to a standard text message allow the users to provide information by choosing between different selections.

Similarly you should be aware of the limitations of touchscreen devices for usability. Links (particularly when in amongst other links) can be difficult to click on. Users will become frustrated at the additional time and cost wasted by accidentally clicking on the wrong link. Therefore you should look to use highly visible and easily clickable square boxes for important calls to action.

Take advantage of inbuilt functionality

Ultimately when designing a website for mobile use, you should look to take advantage of the mobile devices unique properties and utilise their inbuilt functionality

Mobile phones were initially designed to just make phone calls (I know it might seem hard to believe!). Take advantage of this by allowing users to automatically call a number when clicking or tapping a contact phone number.

Similarly phones now have in built map applications. Give user's a better idea of your location by automatically opening the phone's map application after the user clicks on your address on site.

Take advantage of social media in regards to your website. Make it easy for a user to share your mobile site socially or share their location via the device's inbuilt GPS. This can allow users to better interact with each other and find nearby stores or events.

Conclusions

2013 is set to be the year of the mobile. Marketers and webmasters are waking up to the power of mobile devices. The mobile will hold a crucial role in how businesses promote and market their websites online. It is crucial that as mobile devices are increasingly used to access the internet that websites provide users with as clear and smooth a user experience as possible. Following some of the above guidelines will help in ensuring you get the best return from your mobile website.

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4 Best Places to Find Themes for Magento

Magento is an easy to use and powerful CMS especially designed to manage ecommerce websites. There are also other CMS that you can use to setup an online store but you will not get more tools and features and the freedom of Magento customization in any other platform. Let's take a look at these four reputable places where you can find good custom themes for your Magento store.

1. Monster Template

Monster Template is a great marketplace to purchase ready-made themes for Magento. You can browse themes in different categories and by designers. You can even search a theme for your preferred color that would look good with the colors used in your business logo. Monster Template has a regular price for Magento themes, and you can acquire the service of a professional to setup the theme for you for an additional cost. Large stores and well established businesses usually purchase unique themes so that their themes are not used by any other business or individual.

2. Theme Forest

Theme Forest is one of the best places to find contents developed by developers and small companies from around the world. If you have a small budget then this is the place where you should start your search from. The themes on Theme Forest don't have a fixed price because the prices are set by their developers. You can preview a theme, see some screenshots and review its features before purchasing it.

But if you want a custom Magento development service for you business you can contact a developer on Theme Forest through email.

3. Hire Local Professional Magento Experts

If you are running a large size ecommerce business then you should avoid using themes that are available on public domains such as template markets. Every business has some competitors and using contents that your competitors have access to can be potentially harmful for your business.

Take the service of a professional developer or Magento customization company to have a fully customized theme that is unique to your business. This way you have complete rights of the theme and you can add design elements such as colors and layout that looks good with your products.

4. Web Based Web Development Companies

There are hundreds of web based companies that can design a Magento theme for you. Most of these companies are based offshore especially in Asian countries. You can hire such a company to design a theme for an affordable price. Many offshore companies have a workshop in a room while some have large working space, and they can complete projects in a couple of days.

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Professional Website Design Companies - An Important Tool for Small Business

As anyone who has worked in web design (or attempted to design his or her own website) can probably attest, one of the most important components is the understanding of exactly what makes a website work - in other words, understanding the important of web design. It is a recognized fact that a website which has been poorly designed or constructed creates two problems. For example, a subpar website is simply unable to remain competitive with one that has been professionally designed and customized. In addition, a poorly designed website will not generate enough internet traffic to give the site a high SEO (search engine optimization) rank - which is considered almost as important as generating clients. There are many programs and templates that promise to help you "design your own" website for a fraction of the cost of professionally designed services, but most have a great deal of shortcomings. The simple fact is that it is usually better to rely on the services of professional website design companies.

Professional Website Design Companies - Are They Worth It?

The answer to this question is an unequivocal "yes"... for the most part. As with any professional service, experts who have been trained and work for professional website design companies are far more capable of delivering a superior product than amateurs or novices. Let's start with the home page. A common issue with web design is that each browser will often display the page differently than the others. A picture or logo that works great on one browser may not look as nice on another. Specialists at professional website design companies are trained at designing programs for websites that will provide the most uniform an appearance as possible across all platforms. Although this could be more important for some websites than others, it is still one of many concerns for those attempting website design for the first time.

Professional Website Design Companies - Are They Necessary?

When a company attempts to create its own website, the goal is usually to try and reach as many viewers as possible. Retaining professional website design companies can be helpful in this regard as well. These companies are also experts with SEO, and they know exactly how to use certain programs which can be read by and are compatible with a variety of different browsers and platforms. This is part of the customization process. Isn't it more important for customers to be able to upload their images and information onto the site in the required places than for the home page to have a flashy intro and a lot of "bells and whistles?"

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Content Is King: Show Us What You're Made Of!

Engaging, engaging 1 2 3...

A website needs to address it's audience in their own language. We find a good place to start is by demonstrating knowledge of issues the user may be facing and highlight potential solutions. We broadly tend to use these three steps:

Pose a scenario - preferably one the user may not even realised they have encountered Highlight the severity of the issue citing references Explain how your product or service offers the best resolution.

Get the right person for the job

Having a decent copywriter is more important than people tend to realise. If' your writer is worth their salt, they will understand the tone of voice needed. Their skills will allow them to balance the difficult task of demonstrating your industry skills and knowledge, while addressing them in a language your audience can understand.

Nobody likes to feel they're being bamboozled

In our industry for example: a client will need a new website 'because it doesn't work on iPads or they've 'decided to move into ecommerce', they don't really care what code we use to get there, just as long as it works, looks good, and ultimately brings them results. What they do need is to know is that we are competent and pragmatic with our technology, and that we have the right tools and systems to deliver the perfect website for them.

Wow... I don't get it

We see too many websites that, without mentioning any names, where it is near impossible to work out what it is they're offering. Sadly they're often the most interesting creatively, with great lay-outs, innovative navigational themes and striking graphics. But as to informing us of what the company does, we're left feeling a little bit lost. Whilst we agree that the quest for innovation is a worthy pursuit, the mantra of form follows function should never be ignored or forgotten. Ironically, a lot of the culprits, once the site is eventually deciphered, profess to be website designers.

It's a process, and shortcuts can lead to disaster

The key to all of this is taking time to do the groundwork. When Jabberwokie puts together a new website proposal, we don't start with how we are going to develop it. We start with research, workshops and ideas. We look at the type of company and the audience they need to reach out to. We engage the information architects and UX team to work out the users optimum information journey. The creatives then provide the visual wonders that will become the site's concept from this skeleton. Once everybody is happy, we roll out our design alongside the communications team who, working closely with the client, assemble the content. Then, and only then do we get to building. By taking this approach, we avoid any issues with 'waiting for content' and working together with the client, we get the best results.

Challenge us to challenge you...

Send us a link to your website, either by commenting on this article, or email hello@jabberwokie.com. But don't tell us what you do... we'll try to work it out, and then reply with some feedback.

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How Silver Light Applications Are Better Than Other Rich Internet Applications

Most probably it must have crossed your mind and caused you to wonder how some of the web pages wok like the standard applications on your desktop without the need of physical installation. The concept is all based on some Rich Internet Applications (RIA), which is being used by companies worldwide as a platform to create and deliver perfectly reliable and highly functional web pages.

Now, Microsoft Silverlight being strong application framework has been used by the Silverlight designers for designing Internet rich applications flaunting advanced features like the adobe flash. Microsoft Silverlight is perfect for designing applications that include Animations, Mobile applications, Games, Photo applications, Music box, Silverlight website applications, Videos, Chat rooms etc.

The main features of the Silver Light applications that separate them from other RIA are as under:

* Silverlight applications are good at integrating the plug-ins along with the existing Internet applications.

* They have rich network support.

* Image Enhancements (high resolution Images)

* They perfectly support managed extensibility framework.

* They make use of XAML.

* A huge range of compatible third party codes.

The reasons that make the Silverlight designs preferable over the other RIA are as under:

* Browser and device compatibility:

Being a product of the software industry giant Microsoft, compatibility with different devices and browsers could only be expected to be perfect as compared to any other Rich Internet Applications. The compatibility is bound to be perfect with different technologies, operating systems, browsers and devices for all the applications developed using Silverlight. And since the era flaunts its use of different devices and browsers all round the world, Silverlight applications are the most ideal technology to be used.

* The ease of development:

The fact that Silverlight is built using XML and.NET technologies, works for the benefit of the technology as any developer who has any idea of XML and.NET technologies need just a little practice to excel at the Silverlight technology as opposed to any other Rich Internet Applications. Now, this eases the need of search for a well versed developer, as there might be lots who are skilled enough to create some very powerful Silverlight applications.

* Resource efficient:

Now, as the Silverlight helps with ease of development, it also helps in minimizing the time taken to create, test and maintain the test web applications. As opposed to the applications built using Ajax or JavaScript, the apps that are built using Silverlight have better consistency across browsers, thereby reducing the time taken to test the browsers. The ease of development makes sure that the efforts are reduced and thereby the cost of development too gets reduced.

When the other platforms similar to Silverlight are great at providing support to designing, with Silverlight you can have complete support not just in designs, but also in development. Now, to entice and attract the users one needs proper and aesthetically designed website but the more crucial requirement is the perfect website development so as to make sure the website functions perfectly.

Now, as the Silverlight designers could comfortably create applications that could be run on all major operating systems, is compatible with all major devices, is supported by all major browsers and has a lot of other benefits to offer, the fact gets confirmed that the Silverlight application development could be considered as one of the best available options.

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Affordable Website Design in 3 Simple Steps

Any one that's ever needed affordable website design services knows this can be a daunting task. Budgetary concerns and the need to have a highly functional website with stunning graphics can be a challenge. Although this process requires some research and a little bit of luck, it is possible to have both.

Here are some considerations you can use as a guideline to follow when searching for affordable website design.

Budget: How much will it take to create a website?

Much like anything else, you get what you pay for and affordable website design is no different. It's like buying a pair of shoes. You can spend 30 dollars or you can spend 1000 dollars, and while they both serve the same purpose but they will differ in style and the materials used to make them.

The best place to start is functionality. What do you need your website to do? How many bells and whistles do you need, what platforms does it need to run on? Once you can answer these questions, they you're ready to determine your budget needed to get the ball rolling.

Graphic Design: Expressing Your Brand

Every business needs a logo. If you don't have one, most web designers can handle this for you as well for an additional fee, or you can discuss a total package price that includes your logo and any other graphics you will need. It's always best to discuss all of your needs with the designer before you begin the project to get the most accurate quote right from the beginning. Remember, affordable website design can still be sexy, so don't think you have to sacrifice quality to get a more affordable quote.

Website Design/Development: Static vs Dynamic

Once you've decided on the logo that best suits your business or brand, it's time to move on to the actual website design and development. This process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few months. Again, if you determine your functional needs first, this speeds along the entire process of finishing your affordable website design process.

In speaking about the design and development phase it would also be good to touch on static vs dynamic websites. Static websites are HTML websites that serve one single page of content at a time. If you have nine different pages of information, then you will need nine different pages. Dynamic websites, on the other hand, are web pages served in either PHP, ASP, or .NET. These pages don't exist on the server until the user pulls up the information from a MySQL database using a menu item. The advantages of a dynamic west can be seen on large websites with lots of content and information to display.

So keep in mind, every website is different with different needs, and just because you need affordable website design, that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice stunning website design and development. With a clear goal in mind from the beginning, you will be able to avoid the unforeseen pitfalls of getting your next website up and earning revenue.

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How-To Pursue a Career in Web Design?

Pursuing a successful career in Web Design requires more than just having the right equipment or a tasteful eye for design. Website designers often lose perspective and get hung up on their tangible skills, like Photoshop skills or mastering of various script languages. Here you'll learn some very important things that any aspiring designer should keep in mind when building your professional web development portfolio.

Gaining a Clear Perspective

Besides designing an eye-catching design and balancing a huge amount of information, the challenge the majority of web designers face involves effectively managing their professional careers. Building websites that look good doesn't stop there; you'll also have to manage all of the things that combine to form a successful business, from planning and execution to marketing and communication. A designer has to be astute as well as professional with each step taken.

These are things that cannot be obtained quickly by reading books or sitting in a classroom; Rather, many of these are skills that take time and experience to perfect and when properly applied over time, will help you attain success in your career.

Efficient Communication Skills

Effective communication is a skill that can either make or break you in any field and an absolute must in web development where communicating with a client, art director, or developer can dictate the success of a project.

Presenting yourself and selling your work, you'll need to be assertive and clear in your communication with the client. You need to be able to speak intelligently about your design choices. You'll need to project confidence when explaining why you chose them and how your design choices are the right fit for their business. Most disputes can be resolved easily if your efficient at communicating. Learning to communicate and communicate well will help determine your success.

Selling Yourself

The career of a Designer is a very competitive one. In order to make yourself stand out from the competition, you need to let people know about yourself and your skills. There are numerous ways you can do this. Word of mouth marketing, social media marketing and even business card marketing can be effective. However, if you sit back in and wait for clients to come to you, than your doomed from the start. You'll need persistence and a 'never give up' attitude in order to make it in a career as a web designer.

Planning Your Design

It's vitally important to plan and research well before going into the designing process. Many Web Designers skip or rush this process however; pre-design planning can save you time, money and resources. Pre-planning includes; Researching about the client's company, asking the client what he/she wants and expects from the web, and examining what your client's competitors are doing and the related industry trends.

Sure, many designers approach projects waiting for inspiration to take over, however the fact is that with planning. inspiration can form much more quickly.

Have Your Work Evaluated and Get Feedback

Professional designers should have the ability to place themselves in the shoes of their target audience. Being able to point out mistakes in your own work and handle criticism as well as positive feedback are traits that success-oriented designers possess. Having other people check your work for mistakes will help greatly.

Focus on Becoming a Web Designer not a Graphic Designer

It seems to be a general misconception that graphic designers and web designers are relatively the same field which might be true in theory however, the majority of graphic designers never bridge the gap between print-based projects and web-based projects. Target audience and objectives of websites are entirely different compared to graphic design work.

Keep Updated with New Technology

If you don't want to see your competitors take away your business by appearing to be more with what's new, keep an eye out for emerging trends. Stay in tune with the latest in technology as the industry changes. Make sure you stay true to your own signature style and don't get caught up too much in trends but be aware of them as some may turn out to be short-lived fads.

Don't Forget Your Soft Skills

Soft Skills are some of the most important skills to master. It's important to have a full grasp on subjects such as, the modern HTML coding, high quality CSS for best cross browser compatibility, proper search engine optimization (SEO) practices, JavaScript UI techniques, and to build a dynamic site in that scales with the addition of more pages or content over time. Understanding these multiple skill-sets will assist in landing more work and make you more desirable to potential clients.

Gaining Experience

Experience helps lend credibility to your overall qualifications and skills. A designer's success depends greatly on your amount of experience in the field and employers and potential clients are interested in knowing how much previous experience you have, which companies have you worked with, and what projects you have worked on relative to their project. Having a broad experience in the field will help you to quickly identify design solutions to be presented in your initial consultation. Point blank, the more experience you get under your belt, the better designer you'll be.

Be Organized

Being organized is important in the case of web designing, your work can get very messy at times, and this may lead to many issues. Start with organizing your computer by classifying texts, pictures, graphics, videos and sound files in separate folders and label them appropriately. This will help designers keep themselves organized, utilize their time efficiently and finish the job easier.

Business Sense

Web Designers, whether freelance or salaried employees, should have a business mind when approaching any project as successful designer don't only design websites for their clients, they create business solutions for them as well. Web Designers need to understand salesmanship, making value assessments, and balancing costs to have an edge on competitor. However, if managing the business side of design becomes too difficult to do, it maybe worth looking into working with a larger studio that will take on the major those responsibilities for you.

Portfolio

Maintaining a current portfolio is an absolute must or any designer's success. Your portfolio is the best way to showcase your abilities and aesthetics, but more importantly, it shows potential clients that you are current, relevant, and active in the design world. A portfolio gives solid evidence to show what your capable of. You'll want a portfolio that covers every aspect of designing including layouts, content management, composition, typography, colors, techniques, and design rationales. Displaying the full scope of your work to potential clients will gain more clients, and justify the amount money you charge to your clients.

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The Cultural Considerations Of Using Black In Your Web Designs

These days, the internet is an entity that can be accessed almost all over the world; a web design that is created here in Australia can be viewed by users in countries as far away as England and as close as Indonesia. This diversity has made colour considerations more important than ever before - how do other cultures view the colour black, for example?

Middle East

In the countries that make up the Middle East, black actually has some very contrasting associates. It is used to represent both rebirth and mourning, for example. The ideas of evil and mystery are also linked closely with the colour.

South America

These cultures associate the colour black with themes of masculinity and, as such, is actually the colour of choice for most men's clothing. It is also has correlations with mourning.

Eastern and Asian

People in these countries believe that the colour black represents masculinity, but it is also commonly used in web design to evoke ideas of wealth, health and prosperity.

Western (Australia, North America and Europe)

In these cultures, black is seen as being the colour of death and of finality, formality and mourning. In some cases, black is used to represent power and strength; it is often used to imply a sense of control and even force.

As you can see, there are a number of different connotations associated with the colour black, but there is certainly a theme that carries on throughout most of the cultures of the world - black is, generally, a bad colour.

When used in web design, you must think carefully about the kind of image you are trying to project and ask yourself whether black achieves this.

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Reasons You Should Add Icons To Your Website

When it comes to modern, contemporary web designs, icons take center stage. Web designers concentrate on icons since they are a significant part of the finished product. Icons have become a crucial part of the web design process because they communicate a strong message, make a lasting impression, reinforce your branding effort and even inspire users' imagination.

Astute web developers realize that a majority of computer users tend to skim through a site on their initial visit. They deduced that their graphics should be interactive to encourage visitors to immediately go to their site. They use enhanced icons that work well with illustrations and the rest of the content, with these principles in mind:

Rather than lists, apply icons

It is appropriate to use lists when creating a website that requires you to proudly display your merchandise. The problem with this process is that it is sluggish and maybe even boring. Building a list would most likely irritate users since most people have better things to do. Icons have the immediate effect of making the site elegant and attractive. These graphics also make the website more interactive, attracting more users in the process.

Icons must become a form of illustration

The cool thing about icons is that they can be placed in any kind of website because of flexibility. If your site is packed with different services and merchandise, icons can be used to represent these offerings. The best areas to use icons are in representing various organizations, categories and subcategories, as well as collections and galleries. The overall appeal of the site can be boosted with the addition of special icons that are stylish and well designed.

Icons can highlight features that are new and exciting

While icons are small, they still attract an online audience. This is why icons have to be applied strategically. Web designers have to make icons reflect innovative features to the point that the users are instantly attracted. If the graphics follow this process, the succeeding services and amenities would not have to rely on multiple sources for publicity. All of these elements are components of a sound marketing strategy.

Icons can aid acquiring attention for a specific part of the webpage

Ever saw a website with a unique icon featuring a link to another webpage? It could be cute, distinctive, floating icon with unique animation to catch a visitor's attention and direct to a necessary link. The right icon design can do wonders for a website.

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Websites Are Effective Marketing Tools For Tradesmen

If you are an electrician, plumber, or some other type of tradesman, you operate your business a little differently than a standard store that sells a variety of products. Although you sell products too, your main value is in your ability to provide a much-needed service. The average person certainly can't wire a new outlet or fix broken water pipes. While your services may be vital to homeowners in your community, you have to find a way to let people know you exist and are ready to help.

You may not even have an official business site. Maybe you work from a home office and operate from your mobile van or truck. No matter how your business is set up, it can benefit from having an online presence. A website will act as a source of information for your customers and a source of new business for you.

To be effective, your site must look professionally done and it must rank well in the search engine results. While your site doesn't have to include a lot of pages, it does need a few essentials, and it must be designed in an appealing way. A web design company can handle all of those details for you. You don't want a goofy looking site that casts your services in a bad light. Consumers today expect every business to have a website and expect a certain level of professionalism in the design.

A well made site will make you look like a true professional tradesman. Tradesmen websites need to offer pertinent details such as contact information, services provided, areas serviced, prices or a form for price quotes, contact form, hours of operation, and testimonials from previous clients. Although it isn't necessary, your customers may also appreciate articles that help them with simple problems such as how to unclog drains or how to maintain a septic tank.

You can put the URL of your website on your business cards, the side of your van, and in your TV or radio commercials. If your website name is something catchy and memorable, your customers may think to call you the next time they need your services. The best way to advertise your website is to get it ranked well in the major search engines.

A customer who needs work done around their home will probably go to Google and search for a local service provider. You want your company to be at the top of the listings returned in the search engine results.

Consumers usually select among the few top listings, so if your site shows up on page 2 in Google, it won't draw in much business.

The problem is your competitors want high listings too, so you need a professional web designer who can properly optimize your site to beat your competitors. It may sound complicated, and it would be if you did it yourself. If you choose the right web design company, all you have to do is supply them with the details of your business. They will handle creating your site and getting it ranked well so you can draw in new customers and increase your profits.

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