AddMe Blog » Web Design

SEO-Friendly Tips on Choosing Your Next Website Designer

Steve Baik — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:36:31 +0000

Website development and design can be a bit too complicated, especially to those with no previous experience in programming. This is why web developers offer their services to those who want to have not just a professionally designed and eye catching website, but one that will also have a high ranking in search engine queries. However, one must be very careful when hiring website developers as some will completely ignore search engine optimization in favor of creating a flashy and visually attractive web design. While it may be pretty to look at, design is not the main factor when it comes to search engine rankings. As SEO specialists have clearly stated, “Content is King”.

Flash may be an impressive addition to any website, but it should not be the developer’s main focus. Be cautious with web developers that seem to think that flash is the only important element in web developing. Flash animation does absolutely nothing to increase a website’s rating, and the huge bandwidth needed to display one can reduce the website’s loading speed to a crawl.

Web developers must also include the right amount of backlinks in the website. Web designers who have an affinity for overusing images may also not bode well for the website’s search engine rankings. Remember that keywords in anchor text are one of the most vital pieces in SEO. Finding the middle ground between artistic design and functionality is the best way to approach SEO development. A webmaster who has no idea in how an organized HTML code looks like may find some difficulty with this issue. A sloppy web developer that creates intangible HTML code is the worst kind. Not only is it unprofessional, the website will also suffer greatly from this as a messy code can exclude it from search results because search engines have difficulty reading the codes.

JavaScript, like Flash, is another thing that search engines are not very fond of. Sites that overuse JavaScript, especially a JavaScript that has not been encoded properly will totally leave that site hanging in the wind. Web developers must also be aware that over-optimizing a website is just as worse, maybe in more than an under optimized one. Keyword stuffing of the content can land the website in hot water and be labeled as using “black hat SEO” tactics which can lead to a permanent ban on search engines.

Developing an SEO-friendly website is a must for any webmaster, and finding the right web developer for the job is just as important. Always check the portfolio of the developer and look at some of the sites they have previously worked on. It appears that when it comes to advertising a website, all traditional rules in advertising go out the window. Many website owners and developers would attest that SEO is the main driving force in search engine ratings and the higher the ranking the better chance of being discovered by users which equals to better web traffic and that is the quality of a successful website.

About the Author:
Sandie McGrey has been in Search Engine Optimization industry for 10 years. Her inspiration to succeed is Eric Schiffer. At present, she works as an SEO Manager in New Jersey.

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Getting a Professional Logo Design at an Affordable Price

Steve Baik — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:50:21 +0000

Having an eye-catching logo design is one of the most important aspects of any business. If a company has a logo that doesn’t attract customers, sales are going to struggle no matter the industry. If you’re struggling to come up with a logo here are a few suggestions.

Option 1: Hire a Marketing Agency

These guys are the experts, right? Why not hire them to create a logo that will most definitely attract customers. Chances are you’ll be pleased with your new logo, but at a price. Marketing agencies usually come with a steep price and there are much better options for getting a custom logo design.

Option 2: Hire a Freelance Designer

Hiring a freelance designer is a great way to get a logo professionally done. Design is their job so they’re usually good at it. You can expect a few great designs at a decent price. The problem with this is there won’t be very much variety in the design. Sometimes it’s tough to get across the idea in your head to the designer to put on paper, and this can be a major problem.

Option 3: Do-It-Yourself Logo Maker

Creating a logo in house is a great idea; the only problem is you’re not an artist. This can lead to a sloppy, unprofessional looking logo. DIY sites like LogoSnap.com and LogoGarden.com provide a great opportunity to make a professional logo without the expensive cost of a marketing agency or freelance designer. Go to these types of websites and follow the instructions for a professional logo. Using this type of service will establish a professional brand leaving the competition behind.

Logo design and branding will continue to be a huge part of any business. Don’t get persuaded into spending big bucks on a logo that you might not like. Set a logo design budget that you’re comfortable with and get your money’s worth.

About the author: Zach is an experienced web designer that specializes in logo design and graphics for marketing material.

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The Important Shift towards Responsive Web Design

Steve Baik — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:58:38 +0000

Many people believe the Internet is going through fundamental changes. While the Internet itself has gone through minor changes, the real change has been how the internet is experienced. From large and clunky desktop computers, to sleek laptops, and now to powerful smart phones and tablets, the web experience is evolving at break-neck speed. While many sites have elected to use a mobile friendly design, there is a shift occurring amongst both large and small businesses towards mobile web design.

What is Responsive Design?

Responsive web design is simply a webpage designed to respond to a specific screen size, whether a computer, smart phone or a tablet. Instead of having two versions of a page for mobile and computer users, the same page is shown with small variations based on the type and size of each screen.

Why Responsive Web Design is Vital

There are several major benefits offered by electing to implement a responsive design over other mobile friendly options.

The first is the issue of branding. A website’s design is an important part of the company brand. The colors, design, and functionality of a website influence how users recognize its brand online and offline. A mobile site may preserve some of this, but a responsive design does so in a much more complete way.

The second is the impact on user experience. Mobile sites may load quickly, but navigation can be difficult, and they also put a limit on some of the ability of today’s powerful smart phones and tablets. Since a responsive design adjusts to screen type and size, it allows the a page to stay nearly identical, and for the power and speed of any device to perform at its peak.

The third important point is that some of the biggest brands have moved to responsive design in favor of dedicated mobile sites. International news sites like the BBC are using responsive design on some sections of their sites. If small brands should look to big brands for cues to success, then web design is an easy trend to identify and follow.

Are there Drawbacks?

The main drawback is that a responsive design may result in slower website load speeds. A slow loading website can result in lower search engine rankings, as well as a poor user experience.

In order to make a website responsive, additional code must be added. This code is then called upon every time a page is loaded, regardless of what a visitor is using to surf the web. A mobile design relies on a script or a website plugin to detect whether a visitor is using a mobile device, and then to redirect them from the standard page to the mobile version. This helps to minimize load times as extra code is not loaded on each and every visit.

In most cases, concerns about slow site speeds are overblown. In situations where a site is loading slowly for other reasons, this will not help matters. However, in almost all cases, any loss of speed will be so small that search engine rankings and user experience will be unaffected.

The Way the Web Should Work

In short, responsive design is the way that the web has evolved to work. Mobile sites may load quickly and be simple to set up, but as mobile devices become more powerful, responsive design will only grow in importance.

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5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Website’s Legibility

nicholas — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:56:45 +0000

Websites that make their customers work to read them are not the best way to get business. Minuscule fonts, text in colors that make it hard to see against the background color, and lines that are piled on top of each other are problems, but they’re easy to correct.

Let’s jump right in and look at five easy fixes:

1. Format your text using CSS.

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are the way to go – use one style sheet and control how text looks on your entire site. Make a change to the style sheet and your whole site is updated. It makes life a lot simpler.

2. Make the font size big enough to read.

Consider your target audience. Even if they are a group of teenage girls looking for new shoes, it’s never a good idea to use tiny type. It doesn’t have to be enormous, but up to a point, larger type is better. 12-pt Verdana is better than 8-pt Verdana.

3. Make the text contrast with its background.

The more contrast, the better. Black-on-white or white-on-black are examples of the highest contrast you can get. Use colors if you like, but if you squint at the page and your text basically vanishes, there’s not enough contrast.

4. Give the lines room to breathe.

Don’t stack lines on top of each other. Use the line-spacing directive in CSS and give it some space; I’ll often set line-spacing to 140% of the height of a typical line.

5. Break text up into chunks.

No matter how good a writer you are, people don’t want to read endless pages of text. Break it up by using headlines that reflect the subject of the paragraph(s) to follow so people can scan down to the parts that really interest them, or use bulleted lists to change the pace of the writing and slow down the scanning.

And finally (not one of the 5 Easy Ways to Improve Legibility but still quite important) check your spelling. Nothing irritates me more on a web page than spelling errors – it simply makes you look like you don’t care enough to get it right. Use that ubiquitous spell check tool.

Making your websites content more legible is easy. It doesn’t take a lot of time, mainly common sense. The payoff will be text that’s more readable, customers that stick around long enough to get your message, and improved credibility with your visitors.

About the Author:
Sohpia Alexander is a contributing writer for http://www.trifectaky.com/

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5 Steps to a Successful Website

Addme — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:38:57 +0000

1: Create an Attention Grabbing Headline.

When a visitor arrives at your website you only have a few seconds to grab there attention before they click the ‘back’ button and leave your site. A clear headline that encourages your visitors to read more will keep them on your website longer.

2: Provide Unique Quality Content.

People search the Internet for information so providing good content will make your visitors spend time on your site and revisit. Search engines also like unique content so this will help your rankings.

3: Provide an Easy Call To Action.

What do you want your visitors to do before they leave your site? If you are selling products on your site you will want them to buy something, or you may simply want your visitors to email or telephone you or give you their email so you can contact them. The call to action must be clear and concise and easily accessed from any page.

4: Make Your Site Easy to Navigate.

Your website must have a good ‘flow’ and be easy to navigate so your visitors know exactly where they are on your site and what page to visit next. A logically menu system either across the top of each page or in the margin of each page is what most visitors will expect to see. It is also useful to have links to other pages at the bottom of long pages so visitors do have to scroll back to the top to go to the next page.

5: Eye pleasing Professional Colour Scheme.

Your visitors may get put off by a colour scheme that is hard on the eyes or hard to read. Text and background should always be high contrast (black on white or white on black) to make it easy to read. The font should also be a reasonable size and type, Verdana or Arial are the most popular as they are easy to read. The actual colour scheme should be contrasting shades and colours and appropriate to your product. (i.e. a blue scheme for food products will put people off)

Guest blog post by:
www.build-a-web-site.co.uk

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Top 10 Deadly Web Design Sins

Addme — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:51:51 +0000

Many webmasters repeat the mistakes made by their predecessors. Take a look at these Top 10 most common web design sins. Have you fallen victim to any of these?

Sin #1 – Using Techie-Speak

Many websites fail to communicate in terms that website visitors can understand. Set the technical jargon aside, and use simple language and words that will be easy for your audience to understand. Web copy should be written in simple terms. Also, keep in mind that the Internet audience is global, and using language that is more common and easy to comprehend will often expand your reach, even to include non-native speakers.

Sin #2 – Poor Navigation

Many webmasters fail to provide visitors clear and consistent navigation. Visitors will quickly become frustrated if they cannot easily find the information they are looking for.

Sin #3 – Technology

Technology is a great thing, but it also can be a problem. Not everyone uses the latest plug-ins or has any desire to download add-ons simply to view your website. Many others may intentionally block such features for security reasons. Stick with web technology that is widely supported so you don’t alienate your potential customers.

Sin #4 – Globalization

A website that fails to globalize will limit the area in which it is able to sell. If your audience is wide-spread, globalize your website. For example, accept alternate payment options, use forms that ask for postal code rather than zip code (which is only used in the United States), provide pricing in various currencies, etc. For more information on Globalization, see this associated article: http://www.small-business-software.net/globalization.htm

Sin #5 – Spelling And Grammar Errors

Professional websites should be just that — professional. Be sure to spell-check all pages on your site to eliminate typos, and have a copy editor proofread the web copy for readability and to catch any grammatical errors.

Sin #6 – Inconsistency

An inconsistent website shouts “amateur” to the visitor. The website should be consistently branded, and the navigation, color scheme, and font, should remain consistent as you move through the various pages on the website.

Sin #7 – Too Many Choices

Do not confuse website visitors by bombarding them with too many choices. If you provide customers too many choices, they may get confused or frustrated, and simply choose to leave your website. Keep the number of options to a minimum, and clearly explain the differences between the options that are provided.

Sin #8 – Lack Of Visuals

Customers want to see what they are thinking about buying, so be sure to include a visual image of a tangible product, such as a boxshot. This is important even if the product is only delivered digitally.

Sin #9 – Failure To Use Adequate White Space

Visitors do not normally “read” a website. Instead, they are far more likely to just scan it. With that in mind, it is important to use a sufficient amount of “white space” around the important web copy, in order to break the copy into smaller, scan-able, and easier-to-read chunks.

Sin #10 – Writing For Search Engines

Rather Than Visitors In an effort to optimize a website for search engines, some webmasters often lose focus of the true purpose of the site. Write web copy for actual visitors, and not for the search engines.

When you are designing your next web site, or updating an existing site, be sure to avoid the Top 10 deadly web design sins!

Thanks to Sharon Housley from http://www.feedforall.com for this great post!

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