Four Ways to Give A Boring Website Life

Posted by:  Denver web design

Here are a few great ways to give a website some life.  Many people and businesses try and get people to their website to help advertise their products or services.  The problem many of them have is dealing with a boring website.  You need to give your visitors a reason to chose you and your company over the next website listed in the search engines.  Follow these tips below to help liven up your website:

Use Podcasts
Podcasts are easy to create and easy to include on your site as a download. You could upload a discussion about important happenings in your industry or provide an audio guide on how to get the most from your products. As long as it is interesting, you could even make it into a weekly event to keep customers coming back for more. Once you've purchased a website design package then get to work and you could have some podcasts up in no time.

PDF eBooks & White Papers
Downloadable documents are one of the best ways to provide visitors with information when they land on your website. Simply create a few short documents that provide details of your products and services, trying to include information on how they answer a common problem that your customers face. Make them informative, easy to read and helpful, and you'll be making your website much more interesting.

Presentations
People love presentations because they provide them with another way to get access to your content. Using Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple iWorks Keynote, create a presentation that covers the main benefits that customers get from using your services, or one that showcases your key products. It's easy, effective and will definitely help to liven up your website.

Insert Videos
Nowadays people expect to find videos on websites. Luckily for you, it is very easy to add a video into a web page or blog post, which often involves no more than copying and pasting a URL.
You could include a welcome from the managing director, a how-to video showing how to put your product into practice, a helpful or entertaining video that you find on YouTube - there's no end to the possibilities, and it is an easy way to make your site a whole lot more interesting.

Make Your Website Exciting
There are so many ways for you to make your website more exciting. Getting a web design package is just the first stage, and after your website is up and running it's up to you to keep it original, interesting and constantly updated to stop it becoming boring. People like to access content in different ways, so the more potential customers you can reach through providing a selection of videos, podcasts, presentations and documents the better.

For more website tips, check out the blog: Colorado Web Design

Finding A Local Web Designer

Posted by: Denver Web Design - Written by:  Ryan Wentworth

Picture this situation - you've just started a company that you are trying to get off the ground, but you have no web presence; these days, this means your company may as well not exist. So you want to have a website created for you and you know that it is going to be an investment to have a website designed and developed for you. Your options at this point are to either do it yourself or hire a local web design firm to do the site for you. Chances are if you are in this debacle to begin with that you don't have the capabilities to design and develop the site yourself, thus it is important to know what qualities to look for in a local web design firm.

Often times small firms are actually quite good, as they consist of people who are very passionate about what they are doing. The bottom line is that you want to select a firm that is going to give you a good deal for what you are getting. In other words, you can find a firm that will give you a reasonable quote for a website, but does the package come with the ability to edit the site yourself afterward? Does it include SEO? These are the type of things you must consider, as your website will not perform for you if there isn't any traffic.

That said, consider quality over price, shop around and then choose the best value. You want the firm you work with to be adamant about giving you access to the back end so that when the project is complete you are able to switch out copy and images on the fly. You also want the firm to help you with search engine optimization so that you have a strong presence on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. But perhaps the most important thing to do is to view the most recent work of all the firms you shop your ideas to. Choose the one that best fits the style you are going for, and be sure that they will work with you rather than just for you.

To learn more about the principles of website design from a local Web Design Agency, visit http://www.GrooveCommerce.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Wentworth

Top 7 Web Design Mistakes

Posted by: All Web Design

I know there are several lists out there for what not to do in your web design or top design mistakes but I think these seven happen the most and dont get taken seriously.  Websites are created for the visitors not for the company.  Keep these tips in mind during your next web design.

1. The user must know what the site is about in seconds: keeping a visitors attention is the most valuable factor of a website. If a visitor cannot figure what your site is about in a couple of seconds, they will probably move onto the next site and find what they are looking for. Your site must be obvious what your site is about and should have various conversion techniques on the home page.

2. Make the content scannable: this is the Internet, not a book, so forget large blocks of text. A lot of people are visiting sites while at work so they do not have time to read your content.  Not to mention people's willingness to read is decreasing daily.  Bullet points, headers, subheaders, lists. Anything that will help the reader filter what he is looking for will help with the conversion of your site and keeping the visitor on the page.

3. Do not use fancy fonts that are unreadable: sure there are some fonts that will give a sophisticated look to your website. But are they readable? If your main objective is to deliver a message and get the visitors reading your stuff, then you should make the process comfortable for them. Most people use the round fonts like Courier, Helvetica and Verdana.

4. Do not overuse Flash: apart from increasing the load time of your website, excessive usage of Flash might also annoy the visitors. Use it only if you must offer features that are not supported by static pages.

5. Do not play music: on the early years of the Internet web developers always tried to successfully integrate music into websites. Guess what, they failed miserably. Do not use music automatically.  If you have a


6. Do not require a registration unless it is necessary: lets put this straight, when I browse around the Internet I want to get information, not the other way around. Do not force me to register up and leave my email address and other details unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e. unless what you offer is so good that I will bear with the registration).

7. Make forms easily found: if you are trying to get a lead or information from your visitors make sure you offer the form on various pages.  I have also found that a different form on different pages has grabbed attention of the visitors better than having the same form throughout the site.

If you are thinking about redesigning your website, make sure to do your research.  Look at websites you like and pay attention to what they are doing.  When working with a Denver web design company bring up these tips and make sure the development goes as planned.  The best way to assure your web development goes smoothly is getting involved in the process!

The Importance of A Good Website Development for your Business

Posted by: All Web Design

These days, possessing a good web presence can go a long way in giving your organization that small edge you've been looking for in the competitive atmosphere. In order to do this, you need to have to have a website layout that is consumer-friendly, looks trendy possessing an adequate quantity of functionalities, yet has a expert look that motivates individuals to peruse your website.

On an average, 15 seconds is all it takes for a individual on the web to judge your site and he/she should spend far more time exploring your website. So, its recommended that your web design planning ought to be appealing sufficient to make a beneficial very first impression on your prospective investors and buyers. The internet is literally brimming with web design companies to aid a individual in need to have of efficient organization options. A study performed by a well-known internet style and design business shows that a user settles for a maximum of 17 searches on Google to zero in to his preferred search consequence. In such a case, it is even far more essential that your web page has a very good look & feel to it.

To generate an analogy, imagine the web as a shopping mall and the internet developing of your new organization as one of the quite a few stores craving for consumers to come in and buy your product. If the store doesn't have a beneficial electric signboard, has a shabby appearance from the inside, you as the owner will be forced to make some changes.
This also applies for your new business's website. There are various steps by which you can marketplace your new organization via your net developing. With out a doubt, the information goes to the top of the priority list. No matter how excellent the website is developing, if the subject material if flimsy, your site is counting its days till your competitor provides far more valuable or satisfying info.

That being said, the next crucial step is to make the style of your new business's web page appealing. Care need to be taken to not go overboard with the flashy graphic designs, nevertheless, settling for some thing as basic as FrontPage need to also be avoided.  Hire a top Denver web design company and you'll be sure to walk away from the development happy and excited!

At the end of all, its all about how your customer feels when he interacts with your website. The design should be in such a way that the user feels at home; simple, comfortable and last but not the least, satisfied.

Inspire Smart Solutions is the most recommended Denver web design company that have been offering innovative website design services at accessible price points to businesses across the globe for several years.

6 mistakes ECommerce Sites Make

Posted by:  Web Design Blog

Search engine optimization has become one the hottest marketing techniques of 2010.  SEO companies have become as important to a company as their salesmen and for some even more important!  When created a website the Colorado web design companies now have to take into account how the search engines rank sites as well as what visitors are looking for.  Designers cannot simply make a site that looks good or "flashy" they need to design for conversion and appease the SE too!

Check out this video about about E-commerce sites and mistakes people make when creating the sites:

Website Mistakes Made by Most Businesses

Today it takes more than just having a website to make the Internet work for your business. Sites are highly competitive, and proper web design has become an area of concern to businesses that want to use the Internet to the fullest. Below are 10 common website errors that many business owners make when developing their site:

1. Inappropriate domain name: Pick a domain name that is memorable and relates to your business. Since people are likely to forget very long names, shorter domain names are typically better, but not always. For example, a name like Peter.com can be too vague and says nothing about the content of the website.
2. Poor design and functionality: Why have a Web site with content if no one can access it? Good design is largely based on consistency. Menus should appear in the same place on every page, links should all be the same color/typeface, and a logo of some sort should be clearly visible at all times.
3. Too complicated or too slow: Although flash animation may look amazing, it may be too complex for casual Internet users. Though aesthetics certainly matter, it must be in balance with functionality and ease of use for the typical user. Also, a more complex design takes longer to load on many computers.
4. Stagnant site: Not only is content time-sensitive, so is format and design. There will always be new tools available to make Web sites better looking and better performing. It is not cost-effective to create a Web site and let it sit. Update content regularly and take advantage of (appropriate) new technologies to make the site look better.
5. Broken links and 404 error messages: Make sure every link on your site works. You'll lose users quickly if they see a "404 file not found" error message or find broken or incorrectly labeled links. If you have a large site, consider adding a form so users can submit a broken link, which lets users know you are on top of any problems they discover.
6. No contact info: Users need to be able to contact you with questions, complaints, and suggestions. A Contact Us page, like an Internet business card, should be available from any part of your site. Also, be sure to actually answer these messages either personally or through an auto-reply.
7. Ignoring statistics: Detailed reports of visitor traffic are available for your Web site. This service may be offered by your hosting provider or obtained through a third party. By monitoring your statistics (such as visitors-turned-customers, users on broadband, etc.) you can tailor your marketing and design toward those who visit most or find weak spots based on who you are not attracting.
8. Free or cheap hosting: As attractive as some of these services are, realize that the reliability of your business depends on the reliability of your hosting. A good host service should have minimal downtime, offer services such as shopping cart systems, and have good customer support. Be sure to read reviews and apply for free trials (if possible) before you commit to anything.
9. Avoiding spiders: Spiders are what search engines use to find your page. You want to make sure your pages are designed so that you show up high on search engine rankings. This process is called search engine optimization. There are, however, ethics and strategies to SEO. Some practices (such as hidden text, redirects, etc.) will result in you being banned from search engines.
10. Not hiring a professional: Search engine optimization is complex. To move up in the listings on Google and other search engines, you may want to hire a professional, especially if your business relies heavily on generating business from the Web. Consult with a SEO Company or a qualified Denver web design firm that has experience or understand SEO.

10 Tips For Investing in A Domain Name

1. Attempt to Predict the Future
You may not have the genius of renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil who has been hired by Bill Gates on numerous occasions just to talk, but you can still predict the future of the domain industry. By the time a child born today graduates from college, Kurzweil believes that poverty, disease, and reliance on fossil fuels will be a thing of the past. Ray bases his predictions on the exponential growth in the power of technology, or as he calls it–the Law of Accelerating Returns. We can apply futuristic predictions to valuable domain name investments. Think outside of the box; education & technology, information syndication, social networking, robotics, alternative energy…you get the picture.

2. Stick With the “Dot Com”
This suggestion could be argued, but generally successful investors and domaining old schoolers will tell you that they will put their money on “.com” remaining at the top of the food chain for quite awhile. If you get in the market early for a popular ccTLD (country code top level domain) like .us, .tv, etc.; you may be able to snag a great name. The risk factor for “.com” is significantly less than the other extensions. Maybe we should ask Kurzweil what he thinks.

3. Keep it Short and Sweet
In the world of domains, generally speaking; 2 letter names are a fool’s dream; 3 letter names are king; 4 letter non-sense names are an easy sale; 5 letter names bank a small fortune. You would, however, be hard pressed to find any of those to add to your portfolio. My best suggestion to you is not to stray past two words within a domain name. Memorability, ease of typing and visual aesthetics play a big part in a domain’s value.

4. Keep it Brandable
Make sure the words you choose in your domain flow well together; repeat your name aloud several times to see how it sounds spoken. Ask your friends and family what their first impression of your name choices are. Does your name relate well to the industry or audience the website would be targeting?

5. Keep it Real
We have all seen them, invented names or characters mashed together that form pronounceable syllables–Yahoo, Google, Twitter, Tumblr. While many popular websites today have done well with these odd brand names it would be hard to market a cheaper version of these names to anyone, which brings me to my next point.

6. Have a Buyer in Mind
Before investing your money into a domain name, ask yourself a few questions about your future buyer. Would anyone want to buy this domain name today? What niche industry or population could I market this name to? Is this domain relevant to a small business industry, a single person or a large movement? The more potential buyers the better.

7. Don’t Spend More than Current Value
Do your homework. Research aftermarket domain sales portals such as Sedo, TDNAM, Afternic as well as domain forums for current sales prices of similar names. You can get a good idea of the value of your domain and some insight into how its value may mature in the future. I suppose there can be some exceptions to this tip if you’re Mr. Moneybags and find a name you are just sure is going to be a hit.

8. Don’t Sell Until it’s Ripe
Imagine you’re at the 1923 World Series and Babe Ruth tosses your baseball back to ya with his name jotted down in fresh black ink. A friend of a friend of your second cousin offers you $50 bucks for the ball a week later… you simply don’t sell your green bananas! The amount of people logging on to the internet and developing their own websites increases tremendously each year. If you think you’ve got a keeper, do just that.

9. Develop Relevant Content
Search Engines today are a key element to driving traffic to our names and essentially allow certain websites to be discovered. There are vast amounts of information and domain names that are essentially hidden to the world simply because webmasters do not take the steps to publish and promote quality information. If nothing else, setup a WordPress blog script on your domain name, get some quality web hosting and regularly publish relevant content to your domains.

10. Nurture Your Name
Incoming unique visitors, Google’s PageRank, backlinks and web reputability can add significant value to any domain. While publishing current events and related content to your domain name, manually submit your site to quality web directories. Social networks such as MyBlogLog, StumbleUpon and Bumpzee can also add reputation and send visitors to your name.

Article Source: http://www.dotsauce.com/