• Meta descriptions and meta keywords missing entirely – I mean, none, nada. The big 4 search engines don’t pay much attention to these any more, but there are other search engines that do.
• Seven H1 tags on one page (Search engines like one H1 tag, preferably containing your targeted keywords).
• Messed up CSS style sheets, with some of the text centred, and other left justified
• Spelling, grammar, and poor construction throughout, as they tried to edit the text.

This was another one of those “too good to pass up” deals that wasn’t so good after all. The big shame here is that this site was already showing up in the top 3 or 4 places for any number of popular search terms. Instead of improving the ranking and saving some money, this guy is now going to have to pay us just to get things back to square one.

The other problem we run into these days is with web designers holding their clients hostage. Some just disappear entirely, leaving the client without access to domain names, hosting servers, or ftp accounts. Others do it deliberately, such as registering a client’s domain name in their own name, or deliberately withholding passwords. In many cases, the client himself is not entirely blameless. This is one area where some proactive work at the beginning will pay dividends down the road. For instance:

• How well do you know your web designer? How long have they been in business? Do they have previous work to show you? Will they still be in business next year?
• Do you have all your user names and passwords for the website? FTP server? Domain name registrar?
• Do you have a backup copy of your site?

In this case, it’s not only “buyer beware”, but “buyer protect yourself”. Even the most honest and stable design firm in the world can suffer a natural disaster, so having everything in two separate locations should be good for anything but the end of the world. It just makes sense to have everything at hand to pass off to another designer if the worst should happen.

Another thing we are seeing now are businesses that have had such a bad experience with so-called web designers that they have just given up entirely. Most of these are businesses that would really benefit from a web presence in terms of expanding markets, online sales, or even saving their staff time answering repetitive questions. The funny thing is, these same people wouldn’t shy away from spending top dollar to buy a professional grade tool or machine to enhance productivity, but turn around and accept the cheapest bid for a website, or even worse, have a friend do it. A website, just like any other tool, is there to make money. As such, it deserves the investment and time to put a tool in place that will do the job.

The title of this post is: Be Careful What You Wish For. Of course, the last part is: You Might Just Get It. In this case, that means, if you wish for a cheap website, that’s exactly what you are going to get.

That didn’t happen by accident. Every aspect of the customer experience has been carefully thought out, from the design and functionality of the product, the packaging, the advertising, the purchase, and even what happens when things go wrong. After years of steadfast reliability from our many Mac computers, we finally had a problem with a brand new MacBook Pro. Every aspect of the repair experience was designed to make it as painless as possible. From booking the appointment online, to being seen on time at the Apple Store, to the speed of diagnosis and repair, to dealing with pleasant and upbeat tech staff, we were moved through a process so smoothly and professionally that we came away with a more positive outlook than when we went in. The point is this: good design is a huge component in the success of many companies.

Good design isn’t just a pretty logo. It encompasses the entire customer experience. Of course, it starts with your products and services, and how they will have a positive, beneficial impact on the lives of your customers. If your customers can’t see value in your wares, they won’t buy them, no matter how pretty you look. Now you have to step back and look at your company as if you were a customer. What do you see, and how would you like to be treated? What does your customer see when he looks at your place of business? How do you answer the phone? Do you have an employee manual, or at least a set of guidelines so your employees know what is expected of them? There are a thousand details to designing your “user interface”, and they should all lead towards attracting a customer, leading them through the buying experience, and leaving with a feeling of satisfaction.

Design should always follow function. A logo should make a simple, all inclusive statement about your company. It’s the result of planning, forethought, and research. As a matter of fact, good designers will spend one third to one half of the total time on research. Only by knowing as much as possible about your company, your products, and your market, can they make informed decisions and produce something meaningful. A good designer will also need to consider how the logo will be used down the road. Will it eventually show up on billboards? What type of advertising will be needed later? How will it show on packaging, or vehicle signage? Above all, how well does it represent your company, and your mission?

A poor website can actually turn customers away. Your website may be the point of first contact between you and a potential customer, and you will have about 5 seconds to either persuade them to look deeper or go on to other things. There are millions of websites out there, all competing for your customer’s time. If it’s too complicated, or too many clicks, or too hard to find, they will leave. The first thing a website must do is establish trust between you and your customer. Does your website reflect your company values; its look and feel? Is the information easy to find and navigate? Is there enough information and images to properly display the product? Finally, does your website lead the customer through to the desired action? In a well designed website, these things don’t happen by accident, even if they aren’t apparent on the surface.

When I think of Apple Computer in general terms, I think of a black turtleneck and jeans. The whole Apple identity reflects the kind of laid back, dress down lifestyle, surrounded by beautiful things that function extremely well. The word to use here is congruent. Every piece of Apple’s corporate identity fits into building Apple’s brand, from the first concepts to what happens if something goes wrong. “Apple is huge!” you say. “How can I do that?” Well, Apple started with a couple of guys in a garage, and an idea. A bit of planning and forethought in the beginning can make a huge difference down the road. It’s a lot easier to start off in the right direction than it is to do a U-turn at 60 MPH. Here are some thinking points:

What are you selling? Think in terms of how your product or service will have a positive, beneficial influence on the lives of your customer. If you can describe that in one sentence, you have a mission statement. Chiropractors don’t sell spinal adjustments. they offer a pain-free life. Insurance isn’t for disaster recovery; it’s for financial stability. Purchasing decisions are based on value, and price is only one factor. Establish superior value, and you have a sale.

Who are you selling to? Every last company on Earth would love to attract an 18-30 year old market share and keep them as loyal customers until they pass off this earth, unfortunately, that’s not always possible. Eighteen year olds don’t buy a lot of time shares, or lawn maintenance. Figure out who is going to be attracted to your products, and then figure out how to get to them. Fish where the fish are.

Above all, be consistent. A good designer can help here. Pick someone you can work with, and take the time to establish a relationship. It may look cheaper in the beginning to get a logo here, a brochure there, maybe let the Yellow Pages people do your ad. In the long run, it’s not cheap at all. It’s difficult to maintain a strategy doing it this way. If your advertising media doesn’t have a consistent look and feel, the brand recognition isn’t there, and each new piece you do has to go right back to the beginning, rather than build on what’s gone before. You will miss a lot of customers this way. The other advantage of a long term relationship with a designer is, in fact, price. As your relationship grows, your designer will need to do less and less research to accomplish their ends. Better product, lower price. It’s easier on your time, too. Rather than having to spend time shopping, or “breaking in” a new person each time, your designer can usually hit it first time around, saving you both time and money.

The point of all this, is that good design doesn’t cost money. It makes money. It leads your company strategy; drives identity and innovation. Your customers feel as if they are dealing with a first class company that cares about its business. Recruiting and retaining engaged employees becomes easier. A smooth, well planned customer experience can save employee overhead. In short, design, good or bad, affects just about everything about your company, from your bottom line, to how your employees behave. A bit of forethought in the beginning can make a huge difference down the road.

• Reach a wider customer base
• Make a good first impression
• Tell your story
• Build credibility
• Qualify your prospects
• Give directions to your business/provide contact information
• Answer questions for you
• Offer support services
• Collect a mailing list
• Sell directly to customers
• Make money

What is CMS?

Simply put, websites are either static, or dynamic (nothing to do with design). HTML websites are static. Each page is contained in a file which contains the HTML code that tells your browser how to display the page, place the images, et cetera. A dynamic, or data driven site is a bit different. When your browser calls for a page, software on the web hosting server calls information from a database, builds the page, and sends it to your browser. The huge advantage of this is that websites can become interactive. If you have ever bought anything online, or posted in a blog or forum, you have interacted with CMS software. Customers can register on your site and store their information in a secure database, opt in for email newsletters, and save themselves the inconvenience of entering the information each time. The other meaning of CMS is Customer Managed System. Your business will save time and money by having information readily available online, reducing the need for your staff to answer the phone and provide redundant information. You can manage a support ticket system, and save money on postage by collecting a database of email addresses. The CMS system can also manage bulk email campaigns to customers, or groups of customers in your database.

The really neat thing about a CMS website is that it can be managed with a web browser, anywhere in the world, on any device that can connect to the internet. Selling goods at a farmer’s market or a trade show? Update inventory in your online store with your smart phone. Are you a one person business? Set up a sale, and schedule an email blast while on vacation. Because a CMS system separates design, function, and content, the workload can be shared among several users. Someone can update the online store, for instance, while someone else can administer the blog or forum. CMS portals come in 2 parts: a front end, where the public can interact, and a backend, which is used to administer every aspect of the site, depending on the permissions granted to the user. Most CMS backends feature a user interface that is no more complicated than using a word processor, and many of the icons will be familiar.

Which CMS?

CMS software can be divided into two main types: Proprietary, and Open Source. Each have advantages and disadvantages.

Proprietary systems are developed by companies, and carry a price tag, usually from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. These systems may have a lot of features built in, or available as optional extras. The developers offer support systems, either built in to the price, or on an ad hoc basis, but any problems can usually be resolved quickly. Companies that have special requirements have ready access to custom coding, and add-ons or custom features integrate seamlessly. There are a number of solutions available, but before laying out the cash, make sure that the software will do what you want it to do, and that the company will be around a while to stand behind it’s product. Be aware that the code used in the software is copyright protected under intellectual property laws, so if you need custom coding, you are pretty well stuck with the software developer, and that can be expensive. You may also need to find a web developer that is familiar with the software, or is willing to learn it.

Open Source solutions are usually developed by groups of developers, sometimes with sponsorship from a large organization. They are free to use and distribute, and the source code is readily available, and can be modified by anyone. The most common portals in this category would be Joomla!, WordPress, and Drupal. These systems provide a basic installation, and there are thousands of free or inexpensive add-ons to increase functionality, such as blogs, forums, storefronts, or emailing software. Because the code is open source, it can be modified by anyone with the knowledge to do it. If you need something special, you can usually find someone willing to do it for you at a reasonable price. One drawback of open source software is the lack of a dedicated support system. If you run into a problem, you can get help through forums, or Wikis, and if all else fails, you can key a question into Google, and get a few thousand answers. Most open source CMSs will get you where you want to go, so the key here is to consult with your developer, list your requirements, and pick a system that will do the job. Above all, make sure your developer is familiar with the system you choose, because they will become your main source of support if anything goes wrong.

The Hosting Server

All web servers are not created equal. Before you get into a long term contract with a web hosting company, make sure that their servers are able to support the CMS system that you ant to run. Don’t take their word for it. We had an experience with a particular host who told us: “Oh yeah, no problem running Joomla! on out servers!” Well, as it turned out, they had all the permissions turned off for security, and were very reluctant to turn them on (which we needed so Joomla! could update the database, and modify files. A word of advice: if you don’t have access above your public.html directory, if they don’t have a control panel that you can access, or if you don’t have access to the php.ini file, don’t go there. It pays to work with your developer here. They will know what they need, and can help you find a hosting service that is both cost effective, and useful. It may save you money in the long run, too. If you are on your own, you may want to buy one month’s worth of hosting to try it out, then switch to a yearly subscription later.

And finally…

A CMS system is infinitely expandable. Even if you only need a “business card” website right now with basic contact info and directions to your store, adding another page later is as easy as writing or pasting an article, selecting a category, and making a menu item, all with a few clicks. If you want to add a storefront later, it’s as simple as installing the appropriate extension, setting up shipping, etc., and adding items for sale. There are added advantages in the back end as well. There are extensions that locate you on Google maps, automatically generate meta keywords and titles, and generate a revised Google sitemap each time you add content. No matter how big or how small your site, there are always things that a CMS can do to make your life easier.

• Unlimited disk space and bandwidth
• Stack unlimited domains on one account
• Free Domain Name renewal
• Domain Management
• 2500 e-mail accounts, with unlimited mailbox size
• Free tools, including WordPress, Shopsite Starter, Website stat reporting, and more.

Please contact us for details.

The concept of a logo, or logogram is not new. For centuries, countries have flown flags, military units have used banners to identify themselves and rally troops in the heat of battle, and noble houses have used a coat of arms. In most cases, these objects used symbolism to represent some unique feature, or some significant or heroic deed from the past. Since these early symbols would most likely be involved in the fog of war at some time, they had one feature in common: they were instantly recognizable at a glance from their unique design, shape, or colour.

In today’s business environment, where information flows at the speed of light, and a business may have only a few seconds to make an impression, simplicity is even more important. A simple, unique design, recognizable by its shape more than its content, provides an anchor point for customers to distinguish an organization from the millions of others in the world, many of whom are competing for the same business. In some circumstances, a logo can even become a “badge”, that says something about the person that displays it, like a Molson’s baseball cap, or an Apple sticker in a car window. It is not uncommon for companies that sell huge volumes of a particular product to develop a logo that specifically represents that product. The Microsoft Windows logo would be an example.

Modern business logos are mainly noted for their simplicity. The best examples render the essence of a company into one unique symbol or piece of typography. The worst? Well, let’s just say that they exist. Logos come in 3 main types:

• Logogram, or symbol: The Nike Swoosh or the Pepsi Rubber Ball, for example
• Logotype, or Word Mark: Oracle, IBM, Pepsi Cola all use word marks
• Combination: Most logos are a combination of the two, like Coors Light, for example. Some companies, like Pepsi Cola use both types, in different situations.

Symbol only logos are well suited to large companies with international sales, and huge advertising budgets. Symbols are well suited to “badge” products, but to achieve this requires a huge expenditure of resources which may not be available to smaller businesses. A symbol logo for John Doe Financial Services, for instance, may not be recognized by anybody outside of his immediate family, whereas the Nike Swoosh would be recognized by anybody who isn’t a recent visitor to Earth.

It makes sense, therefore, for a smaller or newer business to choose a combination logo, at least to start with. This type of logo can be used in a number of different ways. The symbol alone, for instance, can be used for a watermark on stationary or wrapping paper, or in advertising situations where the company name may be prominently displayed elsewhere. The combination version may be used for signage, embroidery, or a printed piece where the company contact information may be displayed on a different page. The logotype can be separated from the symbol and used, for instance, on a website header where it may be combined with a cutline quoting part of a mission statement.

A good logo should be simple and recognizable, but what makes it “good”? These are some features that make a logo stand out from the crowd:

1. You should be able to describe the logo in words (one sentence is better). If you can’t describe it, it is likely too complex and difficult to remember.
2. It should be memorable. It should be simple, unique, and say something about the company it represents.
3. Is it just as effective in black, or monocolour? Shapes are more recognizable than colour.
4. It should be scalable. It should work equally well oin a business card or a billboard.
5. Is it relevant to the industry in question? A juvi design is great for kid’s toys; not so much for a bank.
6. Is it timeless? A logo should relate to the long term shape of a company, not to products, services, or fads that may change over time.

Last but not least, a few words about usage. Consistent, correct use of a logo is extremely important in building a strong and recognizable corporate identity. Large, successful companies are very strict about how their logos are used, with good reason. Instructions, in the form of a style manual are available that dictate placement, proximity, relative size, file type, and typography, among other things. Cost can vary from a full colour bound volume, complete with paper samples, colour examples, containing a complete description of every aspect of corporate communications, to a simple pdf that can be sent to distributors or resellers as a guideline. However complex, a style manual is a necessary part of a corporate identity that ensures control of the company image right from the start.

Planning a strong corporate identity requires a relatively small outlay in relation to the other startup costs of a business, but it does require attention and thought. It is one investment, however, that will continue to pay dividends for the life of the company.

George Norman
Hello Design Studio

1. Keep your web site simple. Plan what you want to say and say it, in a simple straight forward way. Work with features and benefits. Bullet points are great because they’re concise. Remember less is better.
2. Make it easy to navigate.
3. Make sure your visitors can tell at a glance what your site is about. Most people will leave in the first two seconds if it’s not immediately clear what your site is about.
4. Make it pleasing to the eye. Use colours that are pleasing and easy on the eyes.
5. Use an easy to read standard font and use it throughout your site. Be consistent.
6. Make it easy to read, use a type size that is easy to read and well spaced.
7. Use terminology that your visitors can understand.

Don’ts

1. Don’t use a Flash introduction. The majority people click off when they see it loading.
2. Don’t try to cram everything into one very long endless page.
3. Don’t put music or sound files on your site. It startles people when suddenly music starts blaring. The reaction of most visitors is to back track immediately.
4. Don’t use slow-loading images. Optimize your images
5. Don’t use too many images on a single page, it slows page loading.
6. Don’t use pop-ups. These can be really annoying.
7. Don’t leave your website to compost, keep it updated.

You’ll find freebies as well as items for sale.

Click here to have a look.

The Joomla! Project is pleased to announce that the first Joomla World Conference will occur in November 2012. We are very happy that eBay has graciously offered significant support for this event, inviting us to use their facilities in San Jose, California.Here are the preliminary details for the Joomla!

World Conference:Date: 16th-18th November 2012
Location: eBay Town Hall2161 North First StreetSan Jose, CA 95131USA
Tickets: Price for a 3-day Ticket is $199 USD

via Joomla! Official News.