Post Archive by Month

Below you'll find a list of all posts from June, 2013

How to Build an Ecommerce Website?

There are many steps one must take to successfully create, and learn how to build an ecommerce website. You must take into account a variety of factors, and use them all together. Although the process itself can appear daunting to someone who has never done it before, learning how to build an ecommerce website isn’t overly complicated. With proper planning, and following the steps outlined below, you too can create your own ecommerce website in no time. Step 1 – What are you going to sell? The most important question you must ask yourself when building an ecommerce website is what product are you going to sell. Let’s assume you’ve already chosen a product at this stage, or at least have one in mind. You must do extensive research if you want to succeed. You have to look deep into the numbers, and accurately gauge what costs you may encounter along the way. This should always be the first step in building an ecommerce website. Some potential questions to keep in mind are. – What profit margin can you expect after all operating costs? – How many products must you sell to reach these profits? – Is the profit margin worth your overall effort? – Are people going to buy your product, and if so why? As you can see, there are many questions you must answer when deciding what product you’re going to sell. The above list is only a small sample of the many questions you should be asking yourself. Take a hard look at the numbers, and be realistic. You don’t want to waste time and money selling a product that won’t sustain your business efforts. Step 2 – How are you going to sell it? The next question in learning how to design an ecommerce website is deciding how you’re going to sell your products. Yes, this is going to be done online, but how? Here are some of the questions you should be asking yourself. – Are you going to use an existing ecommerce platform, or build your own website? – If using a platform, which one should you choose? – How will you accept payments? – Are you selling one item at a time, or by wholesale? Obviously if you have web design experience, you may consider building your own ecommerce website, but what if you don’t have any? Luckily for you, there are …

How to Create an Online Store

By creating your own online store, it gives you the freedom of providing your customers what they want. Learning to create an online store is not as complicated as it may seem. You do not have to be a web design expert to create an attractive e-commerce platform to promote your products and services. Before you begin, you should have a general idea of the type of products you want to sell in your online store you want to build. Once you have decided on the type of online store you want, here are a few important steps to follow: Engaging Web Design An online store with an attractive web design typically gains more customers than a boring, unorganized website will. Your design should complement your brand name. If you know how to create designs or want to hire a web designer, you can create an attractive design. You can also choose from a predesigned e-commerce template that will fit your industry and products or services. The design you choose should have colorful, well-designed images with very little text to distract the customer from your design. Interesting About Us Page The “About Us” page should be informative for your site visitors, without adding information not relevant to your services or contacting you. It should tell who you are, what your vision or goal is, what products or services you offer. It should be clear to visitors how to they can contact you, place an order, and where you are located. This page is a good place to put customer reviews and attach links to your social media networks. Online Support Customers enjoy the convenience and ease of shopping at an e-commerce store on their time. When a customer runs into a problem with ordering or needs more information on a product, having online support available will ensure your customer is provided all the help they need. Multiple Payment Options When choosing a payment method gateway, ensure it accepts various payment options such as PayPal, major credit card, e-check. Your shopping cart should be easy to navigate and use. Ensure your customers have a way to save the products they want in case they need more time to decide. The most popular payment gateways include Authorize.Net, Google Checkout, PayPal. Major shipping carriers to use for your online store are USPS, UPS, and DHL. Advertise on Social Media Using your social media …

What is Ecommerce?

Ecommerce covers very diverse areas and fields, with one common denominator – All transactions are conducted through the internet. Both for-profit and non-profit organizations have sprung up and blossomed as result of the internet. Millions of transactions, if not billions, are conducted every day on the web, using business models and procedures undreamed of thirty years ago. What Types of Businesses Use the Internet? What business does not use the internet today? There must be a couple of them out there, but not too many. Ecommerce covers literally every type of online transaction: buying and selling of products and services, Electronic Funds Transfer between buyers, sellers, banks and credit cards, Inventory Management Systems keeping track of a manufacturer’s supply of raw materials and parts, reordering from a designated supplier when the inventory level drops too low. Online Marketing and Advertising presents some unique and challenging experiences for an old trade. These Online Retailers, or e-tailers, can list, advertise, market, sell, ship and collect money on a transaction without leaving their home, office cubicle or store. Online transactions can take place Business-to-Business (B2B), or Business-to-Consumers (B2C). Are They Strictly Online Businesses? Online businesses are either called Pure Click or Brick and Click. A Pure Click business is a company that ventures into business with no previous experience. Since their transactions are rarely face-to-face, a dynamite web site and superior customer service is extremely important to increasing the online exposure and business. The other online business is called Brick and Click because they started out as a company prior to the advent of the internet, and have expanded to include an online business. Some Brick and Clicks keep both operations running, and some close down their Brick presence and operate strictly online. How are Businesses Online Regulated? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates Ecommerce. They generally investigate the same unfair business practices that may exist in the brick and mortar world. The Federal Trade Commission monitors things like false or misleading online advertising, fraud involving credit cards, or mail fraud. They also investigate online companies’ solicitations of consumer’s personal information as to the validity of the solicitation, and the promises of security a company might make about keeping that personal information safe. The rapid creation and development of the internet has brought about immense changes in the world of ecommerce. Some personal examples I can relay to you concern a hobby of …

Ecommerce Integration

  We live in a connected, small world where reaching the other end of the world is just a click away. This interconnected world also means that for businesses, the world could be a marketplace. Products and services can reach the farthest corners of the world giving new opportunities for an exponential business growth. However, unlike a local store, your customers cannot swipe a card or pay cash to the cashier. So the challenge of receiving payments, giving receipts and other aspects of ecommerce make it necessary for websites to be able to generate invoices, receive payments and give receipts without human intervention. This is where ecommerce integration comes in.   What is Ecommerce Integration? Ecommerce integration is about integrating a payment gateway, shopping cart and other elements of ecommerce into a website to facilitate buying and selling of products and services online. Technically speaking, the two way communication between the visitor through the website interface that a visitor sees and the databases and back-end systems that allow online ecommerce. It is the system that lets the website know what the customer wants, what color, how much, any other specifications, shipping details, and much more. Ecommerce integration gets an entire process rolling that includes inventories, accounting and billing, customer history and relationship management, logistics, cancellations, refunds, returns, feedback and much more. Importance of Ecommerce Integration Success in ecommerce is much more than merely integrating a shopping cart and payment gateway on the website. These two would give ecommerce capability to your website. But ecommerce is also about the experience of doing business with a website. This is where back-end ecommerce integration can make a huge difference by eliminating inefficiencies and building an integrated system that ensures customer delight. For instance, how do you track a customer’s past purchase history and make recommendations? A simple thing like knowing that a customer purchases a certain brand and quantity of coffee in the first week of every month — and then suggesting it while the customer returns to the site in the first week of the month can go a long way in delighting the customer. Or suggesting a gift purchase a week before an anniversary or sending a discount gift cart just ahead of an important date can mean maximizing business in addition to building customer loyalty. These are just two examples of customer experience. Like this, there can be thousands of …

How to Do SEO?

Website owners and developers know how important search engine optimization or SEO is to the success of any website. Proper SEO is vital in obtaining a high ranking in search engines. Unfortunately, many web developers do not master the basics of optimizing a website which can lead to disappointing results. On the other hand, knowing how to do SEO results in a website that consistently produces the desired outcome. Identifying the Audience The first part of learning how to do search engine optimization is marketing to the right audience. It is useless to know how to optimize a website if the target audience is unclear. Start by attempting to get into the mind of potential viewers. Think about what terms they would search for if they are looking for the product or service offered. This will help you to choose terms that are in line with your goals. Consider the specifics of the audience and what their motives for searching may be. For instance, whether they are window shopping or are ready to spend. Knowing this will lead you to choosing search terms that entice buyers. Once the target audience is identified, it is easy to come up with a relevant list of keywords. The Importance of Page Titles One of the most vital elements in search engine optimization is the title tag or page title. The page title is visible at the top of the web browser on any page. The words of the page title also are displayed as blue links in Google search results. Knowing how to SEO your website effectively means making the most of this exposure by placing the search terms in the page titles. Keep the titles brief but appealing and place the most important keywords in the beginning of the page title. While this may take practice, it will pay off in the long run. Displaying Contact Information One tip that web developers use is to include the address and phone number of a business on each page of the website. This strategy is not only convenient for visitors to the site, but also serves to strengthen the location within search engines. Businesses with several locations usually have a separate web page for each location and link them to several pages within the website. Usually, another page is created that has a list of all of business’s locations. The home page should have …

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Anyone who uses the internet on a regular basis will frequently come across the term ‘search engine optimization, also known as SEO. Someone who is merely browsing the internet may see the term and ponder over the meaning of search engine optimization? But while the average person may be simply curious about its meaning, website owners are fully aware that answering the question can be vital to their marketing strategies and website success. Definition of Search Engine Optimization Most often, websites and web pages are found on the internet through search engines. In essence, SEO is used to improve visibility of a website within a search engine. The basis of search engine optimization is using various tools to increase search engine rank of a website and placing it in the most favorable position so that it appears more frequently when a person makes a query through a search engine. When a person is looking for a topic through a search engine such as Google, search results will appear in a list. Higher ranking sites in the list of search results are displayed first, which draws more visitors to the website. What is Search Engine Optimization Used For? On the internet search engine optimization is most often used as a marketing strategy. SEO targets different types of searches such as local, news, images and videos. This information is used to track what people are looking for, including the exact terms that are typed into the search engine. A website can be optimized to make it relevant to specific keywords or phrases. SEO is also used to eliminate some indexing obstructions contained in some search engines. This includes the ability of a search engine to index information contained within forms and other content such as frames, flash and Java applets. Content and Search Engine Visibility Important to the basic understanding search engine optimization is awareness of how search engines function. Even if the website is technically built correctly, there may be issues that prohibit a search engine from seeing some of its content. For instance, if a website contains broken links or insufficient link structure, search engines will not be able to read all of the website content. The reason for this is that search technology displays results based upon relevance and importance to the search term. In order to generate website popularity, which is the job of the search engine, the …

What is SEO?

Are you wondering What is SEO? You have more than likely come across several online marketing ads promoting SEO on social media sites and business sites. Search engine optimization (SEO) is basically a method used to improve the visibility of a web page or website in search engines (e.g. Google, Bing, etc) through organic (un-paid) or natural search results. In other words, it is a technical form of web marketing that attracts people to websites. What is SEO Useful for? Think about how many times you enter words, phrases or a question into the Google or Yahoo search engine. The words that you enter draw up websites that contain the exact query term. For example, if you type in “healthy recipes”, a listing of recipe sites will populate onto the screen. Websites that get listed high within the search engines are the ones that perform SEO the proper way. Website owners with SEO optimized content are more likely to be noticed by their target audience than those who do not. Optimized content is simply web text that contains carefully research keyword phrases related to a website’s theme, product or service offering. SEO is Efficient SEO is a legitimate technique to use to help get your website rated higher in the search engines. Search engines pick up on the density of the SEO in a website and then it ranks the website in response to the search query. If you are looking to build more traffic on your website, using SEO is the best way to do it. SEO is also a very a cost-effective and efficient strategy that can boost your online presence and help your website become more profitable. Once you have a better understanding of how SEO works, you no longer have to wonder what does SEO stand for. Why Should I use SEO? Is SEO necessary for every website? If you want to drive more specified traffic to your website and actually market your website, then yes you need SEO. Whether you’re promoting an e-commerce website, affiliate marketing site, small business, corporate services or a non-profit organization, Search Engine Optimization is crucial and irreplaceable. One way to help boost your online ranking is to hire an SEO consultant to help revamp your website content. There are also multiple resources and services that you can use to boost your SEO content. Black Hat SEO Search engines follow a …

How to Increase Website Traffic?

Every serious website owner has one thing in common – they all want to learn how to increase website traffic. The best thing about increasing website traffic is that there are several ways of going about it. If you want to become a pro and learn how to increase site traffic, try the following website traffic building tips: Become a Guest Blogger Becoming a guest blogger is an excellent way to help boost traffic to your website or blog. All it requires is a little research to find the best blog sites out there and reviewing their blog writing guidelines. Most blog owners will allow you to include a link directly to your website. Then it takes time to create the blog article. If you don’t enjoy writing, consider hiring a professional blog writer to create the article for you. Article Marketing When you write interesting articles and publish them on popular article directories, you can increase traffic to your website. The most popular article directory sites include: Article Dashboard, Article Base, Ezine Articles, Go Articles and many more. Create a Facebook Fan Page Creating a Facebook fan page will help increase your exposure. Consider hiring a web design company to create a custom designed page for you. This will not only improve your brand image, it will separate your page from the rest. Whenever you write a new article or a blog post, you should tweet it. This will help increase traffic to your website. You also will increase your exposure every time a person re-tweets or shares your post. Twitter Whenever you write a new article or a blog post, you should tweet it. This will help increase traffic to your website. You also will increase your exposure every time a person re-tweets or shares your post. Forum Posting Posting comments and posts on forums can help increase your traffic if it’s done the proper way. In order to increase traffic, you must be able to provide your fellow forum users with engaging topics and conversations. Make sure you are subtle about promoting your site. Most forums will allow you to post a link to your website in your profile. Some are even more generous by allowing forum guests to post a link to their website after posting a comment or a new thread. Comment on Blogs Don’t comment on just any blog. Make sure you post comments …

What is Website Traffic?

If you are new to the online business world, you’re probably be wondering what is online traffic? Understanding what is web traffic will help you establish a successful website. The majority of your success will stem from the amount of website traffic you receive. Think about it, if no one sees your website, then you are not going to gain sales or subscribers. If you have been asking what is website traffic? The following article will help shed some light on the subject matter. How Many People Visit My Website? Although most people compare the word ‘traffic’ to being stuck in commuter traffic, in the Internet world, the more traffic you have, the more successful your website becomes. Website traffic is actually the measurement of how many people visit your website daily. This number will vary from day to day. In order for a website to be successful, you need to have people actually visiting your website. Why is Website Traffic Important? If you ask yourself what is website traffic? Then you probably have never thought about the number of people who will actually visit your website to research and read your website content. You need to have a website so that you can bring more action to your cause or reel in more interested clients for the services that you provide. Without people coming to your website, it is pointless. There are many ways to generate this sort of traffic whether it is via a newsletter, search engine optimization or linking from one website to your own site. How Many People Should Visit My Site? The amount of people who visit your website depends on multiple factors. If you are a business owner and want to make online sales, then it is imperative that you have as much targeted website traffic as possible. Remember, you do not want just any kind of visitor. There’s no point in owning an online couture jewelry store if all of your visitors are interested in buying used car parts. You want visitors who will actually be interested in what your site has to offer. This is the only way that you can generate a sale or fulfill the overall purpose of your website. There are many techniques that can be used in order to drive the traffic up for your website. You can use PPC (Pay-Per-Click), social media marketing, link building and more. …

What is Online Marketing?

Every business that owns a website utilizes online marketing, or at least should. Business owners either do their own online marketing or they pay professional online marketers to promote their business for them. With online marketing, your target market can be local or global. Regardless of the target audience, every business needs online marketing. Without online marketing, it will be impossible to get noticed online. Online Marketing Definition Online Marketing (or Internet Marketing) is basically the promotion of products and services by way of the web. Online marketing provides a variety of benefits. Unlike traditional marketing (magazine ads, newspaper ads, radio ads, TV infomercials, etc.) it is more cost effective and you can reach a broader spectrum of people. If your website is promoted the proper way, it has the potential to reach thousands (if not millions) of prospective customers. This is very difficult and expensive to do by using traditional methods. In order to reach people with online marketing, you need more than a great product to sell and an attractive website to display it on. What is online marketing and how can you benefit from using it? Here are a few online marketing tips: Article Marketing The good thing about article marketing is that it is a very affordable online marketing solution. The only investment is the time you put into creating the articles. If time is not on your side, you can hire professional article writers to handle your online content creation. Once your articles have been written, all you have to do is submit them to online article directories. You might want to consider hiring an article marketing company or SEO company to handle the article submission process for you. This will save you a considerable amount of time. Blogging Creating a blog is an excellent way to connect with your existing and potential customers. The purpose of a blog is not to post random blog articles just for the sake of having a blog. The overall purpose is to develop rapport with new prospects or educate your readers about a particular subject matter. Plus, the search engines love blogs that are well maintained and provide relevant content. Online Video Marketing Online video marketing is a great marketing tool to help promote a product or service on the web. In addition to blogs, the search engines also love to rank video results. If you want to …

What is Joomla?

If you’ve found yourself asking the question, what is Joomla?, then you’re in luck: this article will detail exactly what you can expect from Joomla, including why it’s one of the best content management systems out there for website owners, developers and Fortune 500 companies alike. What is Joomla? To put it simply, Joomla is a content management system (CMS) that allows you to control and track every component of your website from an easy-to-navigate user dashboard. Joomla is incredibly popular due to its uncanny ability to be used by individuals with a range of technological prowess. Whether you consider yourself a newbie to building websites or you could build one in your sleep, Joomla can be used by anyone. Additionally, Joomla is an open source content management system, meaning it’s free to use. Given that Joomla is such an innovative CMS, it’s regarded as the go-to content management software system online today. The Benefits of Using Joomla Now that you know a little more about what Joomla is and how it works, let’s take a closer look at the incredible benefits of this free content management system: If you need multiple users for your website (and chances are, as a busy website owner, you do!), then Joomla has exactly what you’re looking for. Joomla allows you to set various permission levels for your website’s users, meaning that the structure or content of your site won’t be accidentally changed while you’re on vacation. Joomla works off an easy template format, which is visually simple and incredibly user-friendly. For example, if you want to update a webpage or create a new one altogether, simply drop your new content into the template and your website will automatically adjust itself to include this new addition. Website building and updating has never been this efficient! As previously mentioned, Joomla requires little to no technological experience to use it. Unlike older content management systems which required significant coding knowledge, you can build web pages without even knowing the difference between HTML and CSS. Finally, as Joomla is an open source content management system, you can expect that it will continually be updated with even more efficient tools and resources. Recently, Joomla has incorporated WordPress and ecommerce software options into its CM software, which makes it the perfect choice for entrepreneurs looking to build an online empire. A Powerful Content Management Option While there are some …

What is a URL?

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is often described as an identifying resource on the Internet. The URL was created by Tim Berners Lee in 1994. Parts of a URL A URL has a scheme name, also called protocol, followed by colon, two forward slashes, a domain name or IP address and a port number. The purpose of the scheme name is to define the namespace, syntax and the purpose of the other part of the URL. A software processes the URL by its context and scheme. For instance, if you type https://xyz.com:80, the web browser will reference the URL by sending an HTTP request to the xyz.com host through port number 80. Likewise, if you type the URL mailto: admin@xyz.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , the email composing application on your PC may launch to execute the said task, with the email address admin@xyz.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it listed in the “To” field. Some other scheme names include ftp, https, gopher and ways. An https scheme ensures that the requests and responses are only made across a secure connection to the site. For schemes that require greater security, authentications in the form of username and password may be embedded. The domain or IP address used in the URL points the location where the requested web page or website exists on the internet. For instance, the domain “facebook.com” is the address of Facebook website. Domain names are not case-sensitive. It is optional to enter the port number. If you omit the port number, the default port for the scheme will be used. For http scheme, 80 is the default port number, whereas for an https scheme, the port number is 443. What is URL : Absolute VS Relative? When you have uploaded a Web document or image, you will need to think how to best link to them. Generally, there are two accepted ways of creating links: Absolute paths Relative paths Absolute URL As the name suggests, absolute URLs refer to a specific location that includes the domain name. For instance, the absolute path to a document can be: https://xyz.com/sports/football.html.The absolute path is typically used to point to elements of a web which are on a domain other than your own. On the other hand, if you refer to an element that …

What is PHP?

Many of us have heard the term PHP but do not know what is PHP? PHP is one of the most popular and widely used scripting languages for the development of web pages. Working with PHP scripts is fairly easy if your server supports it. All you need to do is create your files with .php extensions and upload them to your web directory. The server will take these files and parse them without any extra compilation steps. PHP is used for server-side web development and hence is deployed on web servers, operating systems and platforms. PHP is a free software and also has a command line interface. It is packed with multiple features that provide enough controls if you want to move into advanced programming. How to Use PHP? The main areas where PHP is used are: Server side scripting: Most widely used, where you can run the web server with PHP support and create dynamic pages Command Line support: Run the PHP script without any browser. In this case you will only need PHP parser. Desktop applications: PHP is not very widely used for desktop applications but an advanced programmer can use it with separately available PHP programs like PHP-GTK. Features of PHP The following are the major feature sets and functionalities supported by PHP: The operating systems supported by PHP are Linux, UNIX variants, MS Windows, MAC and RISC. Most web servers support PHP like, Apache, IIS, and any server that utilizes Fast CGI PHP binary. You have the flexibility of many outputs like, HTML, images, PDF files, Flash movies, XHTML or XML files. There are many databases supported including DBA, ODBC, MySQL and many more. PHP can use variety of communication protocols like, LDAP, IMAP, SNMP, NNTP, POP3, COM and many others to communicate with other services. Text processing features are very useful where PHP standardizes all XML extensions on libxml2. PHP Against Other Web Programming Languages ASP – ASP is used only on the Microsoft Information Server (IIS) Platform. This is one of its major limitations. If you are using IIS platform, ASP comes by default and might be a good starting point but you will need to buy additional components for advanced programming. ColdFusion – It is available only on Windows, Solaris, Linux, MacOS and AIX. An excellent competitor initially but the latest PHP version matches its performance on error handling, database abstraction and …

Starting a Blog

Congratulations, you’re thinking about starting a blog. You can finally join the ranks of thousands of blog owners on the web who are connecting with readers daily. Whether you’re starting a blog to promote your business, to sell ad space or to promote affiliate products, there are a few things you need to know. After you have selected a catchy blog name, domain name and hosting company, make sure you consider the following tips for blogging: Focus on your audience. Many people will start a blog without even considering the preferences of their future readers. It is important that you think about your audience before starting a blog. Many blogs fail because they don’t focus on their readers needs. If you want to find subscribers (and keep them), you have to be willing to provide content that will actually interest your readers. For example, let’s say that you want to start a fitness blog to promote your new fiber drink. If all of your content reads like a 2 for 1 sale advertisement, you will lose your readers interests. People could care less about your products. You have to be able to hook their interest with content that will provide solutions to their problems and answers to their questions. Then offer your product as a solution without sounding like an annoying sales pitch. Provide user-friendly content. Unless your blog audience consists of techies and science geeks, avoid using complicated words or technical terminology. There’s no point in using complicated words to stay-at-home moms who just want to learn how to save money on home school supplies. A blog’s written content should be easy to read and scannable. This is how you generate interest and credibility among your readers. Add quality photos. Make sure you add eye-catching photos to your blog. You can purchase quality photos from stock photo sites if you don’t have your own photos to post. Avoid using photos from free-based sites and never steal photos from your fellow web bloggers. When you use photos from other sites without getting permission, you could run the risk of getting sued. Be consistent. If you want to receive good results from blogging, you must be consistent with providing content regularly. Often times, many new bloggers are gung-ho at first and then their enthusiasm dwindles. If you’re unable to feed your readers with great content regularly, consider hiring a professional blog …

How to Design a Blog?

We all know the importance of good, relevant, quality content in any marketing and advertising communication. Your website and its content is key to your business. It is important to keep your content updated regularly for search engines to index more pages and display your website at the top of search results. A blog reflects what your company stands for, acts as the company voice, and is a great way to reach out to the target audience. It is also a channel that lets you communicate in an informal – and often humorous – tones to your audience. Blog posts have the potential to be shared on various platforms, thereby increasing reach. Blogs also enable comments from users around the world and serve as a great platform to interact with existing or potential customers. Businesses strive to reach their target audience with superlative, keyword-rich content and blog. However, they often overlook a vital factor that is essential to attain and more importantly, to sustain the attention of visitors: Design. In the words of Thomas J. Watson, Chairman and CEO of IBM (1914-56), “Good design is good business.”   How do you design a blog? Below are factors that can help you create a well-designed blog – or improve your existing blog. Blogging Platform: There are several blogging platforms you can choose from – Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr and the more recent Squarespace and Ghost. If you are not sure which one to finalize, you can test out their trial offers. If you’re well-versed with coding, you can even create your own blog from ground zero and make it an extension of your existing website. Template: Select a blog theme and a design layout that supports your business goal. If it resonates with your brand and your website without compromising on user experience, then you have made the right choice. A lot of ready-made (free and paid) templates are available to choose from. You can customize the templates to suit your blog purpose and need. Colors: If your company has brand guidelines, don’t veer too far away from them. Explore the primary, secondary and tertiary colors that you can incorporate and use them as standalone or in aesthetic combinations. Do not use too many colors and several bright colors in the same space. Search Box: If your latest post is not what a visitor to the blog is looking for, he/she can …

What is HTML?

Today there are many computing and computer programming languages that are in use. Different programmers have different languages that they are fluent in. As a computer programmer, it is usually important that you make sure you understand a particular language to be able to use it adequately. One of the most widely used computer languages is HTML. HTML simply means Hyper Text Markup Language. This computer language is one of the most basic, and almost all computer and web programmers know about it. As a matter of fact, it is considered a basic requirement for anyone who wants to have a great career in computing and web design. Though you can advance to some other web languages later on like PHP and Java, you need to gain a basic insight on how to work with HTML for you to advance to greater things. The importance of HTML cannot be emphasized any further than necessary. If you are to understand something about web pages and their design, you will realize that the pages usually have a way of linking between each other and communicating with each other. The language through which the web pages communicate is called a hypertext link. Therefore, whatever computing language you use, the basics and the building blocks of these languages has to be HTML. The Importance of HTML Apart from being the starting point of all the web design languages, HTML does have a lot of other uses. First of all, it is through HTML that all the web pages within a website are linked together. Besides linking pages within a website, you are also able to create multiple links from your web page to so many other web pages on the internet, thanks to HTML. Understanding HTML is very helpful, especially if you are a web designer. Knowing HTML will open up several pathways for you to get creative with your web page. So many people today are running flash and other applications on their web pages, and the only way through which they are able to do this is by making use of some of the knowledge that they have mustered about HTML. With HTML, you are able to introduce a lot of new and interesting features to your website. This includes the use of multimedia messages and interfaces on which users can share and enjoy the functionality of your website. The other reason …

How to Build a Website?

Just about anyone these days can build a website. It has become easier over the years with website building tools available online. You can choose to use a website builder such as Squarespace or Wix or use a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress or Drupal to have more creativity. This article provides steps on how to build a website in a short amount of time. Step One -Choose a Platform There are several platforms to choose from, all of which are easy to use. However, you need to ensure the one you decide works for you and your business. If you are not familiar with HTML or CSS coding, it would be wise to select a website template-based platform that you are familiar. However, the second alternative is to hire a web designer such as Flying Cow Design. WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are all CMS platforms where you can be more creative with the look of your website. Step Two – Register Your Domain Name Go to ballisticdomains.com or any other domain site and search for a catchy domain name. Make sure you choose a domain with keywords relevant to your business and content. Keep your domain name short and sweet. Avoid numbers; people do not want to remember if they were supposed to spell out the number. Choose a name people will remember and one that is easy to type. Make sure your domain name will stand out from others in your industry before choosing it. Ballistic Domains offers affordable pricing for a multitude of budgets. Step Three – Select a Reliable Web Hosting Provider. Do not just choose any web hosting provider, find a reliable web hosting provider. The company you choose could make or break your business. It is important you choose a reliable hosting company that helps guarantee your customers access to your website 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Depending on the hosting provider you choose, many providers offer domain names and hosting plans under one roof. You can choose a variety of extensions (.com, .net, .org, .us, etc.). Step Four – Choose a Template You have one of two options. You can buy a pre-designed template or hire a professional web designer to create a custom designed web template. The advantage of purchasing a pre-designed template is that you can purchase, download, and upload it directly to your website within …

Static Vs. Dynamic Websites

A static site is usually written in plain HTML, and the content that gets created through this code is the only matter which is displayed to the user…

RandomKid Website Designed by Flying Cow Design

MENLO PARK, CA – October 8, 2012 Talia Leman was interviewed on Today.com on October 5, and talked at length about her journey from the tender age of 10, when she started motivating other kids to trick-or-treat for Hurricane Katrina donations. The effort resulted in donations of over ten million dollars, making her the Chief Executive Optimist (CEO) of RandomKid. Now 17, Talia Leman and her nonprofit, RandomKid continue to raise money for everything from disaster relief to clean water projects. In the interview with Today, Talia shared what inspires her. In the interview Talia says that she thinks of herself as a random kid who saw a problem and wanted to do something. She says if kids can raise ten million dollars to for hurricane relief, then we can do anything. The interview also covered Talia’s book “A Random Book about the Power of Anyone” and www.RandomKid.org, her recently launched website, designed by Flying Cow Design Studios. The website will now help RandomKid and Talia Leman connect with millions around the world, who support her cause. “Talia has been an inspiration, not just for kids around the world, but even for us grown-ups.” said Peter Brown, founder and CEO of Flying Cow Design Studio, the leading New York Web Design Company that gave shape and form to RandomKid.com. “It has been both a pleasure and an honor to have been involved in the creation of the Randomkid website and we hope that this website takes the good work being done at RandomKid to children and adults around the world.” The complete video of the interview with Talia Leman can be found at Flying Cow Design. ABOUT FLYING COW DESIGN Flying Cow Design Studio is a private web design services company. Flying Cow Design has grown through the dot com implosion as a design studio specializing in web design, flash design, ecommerce design and online marketing. Keywords: new york web design, web design services, professional website design, website design, talia leman, randomkid, randomkid.com, teenage philanthropist Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Building Web Presence, not just Websites

MENLO PARK, CA – October 8, 2012 Talia Leman was interviewed on Today.com on October 5, and talked at length about her journey from the tender age of 10, when she started motivating other kids to trick-or-treat for Hurricane Katrina donations. The effort resulted in donations of over ten million dollars, making her the Chief Executive Optimist (CEO) of RandomKid. Now 17, Talia Leman and her nonprofit, RandomKid continue to raise money for everything from disaster relief to clean water projects. In the interview with Today, Talia shared what inspires her. In the interview Talia says that she thinks of herself as a random kid who saw a problem and wanted to do something. She says if kids can raise ten million dollars to for hurricane relief, then we can do anything. The interview also covered Talia’s book “A Random Book about the Power of Anyone” and www.RandomKid.org, her recently launched website, designed by Flying Cow Design Studios. The website will now help RandomKid and Talia Leman connect with millions around the world, who support her cause. “Talia has been an inspiration, not just for kids around the world, but even for us grown-ups.” said Peter Brown, founder and CEO of Flying Cow Design Studio, the leading New York Web Design Company that gave shape and form to RandomKid.com. “It has been both a pleasure and an honor to have been involved in the creation of the Randomkid website and we hope that this website takes the good work being done at RandomKid to children and adults around the world.” The complete video of the interview with Talia Leman can be found at Flying Cow Design. ABOUT FLYING COW DESIGN Flying Cow Design Studio is a private web design services company. Flying Cow Design has grown through the dot com implosion as a design studio specializing in web design, flash design, ecommerce design and online marketing. Keywords: new york web design, web design services, professional website design, website design, talia leman, randomkid, randomkid.com, teenage philanthropist Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

The Importance of Having a Compelling Logo Design

Many business owners are unaware of the importance of having a logo. Some people will go as far as building a website and print brochures before they even consider having a logo created. A company without a logo is a company without an identity. Whether we want to believe it or not, people will judge a company by the appearance of its logo design. According to reliable logo design news sources, a logo design can actually have an effect on a person’s buying decision. Creating a powerful logo design should be the top item on every business owner’s priority list. Regardless of whether you hire a logo designer or you create your logo on your own, there are certain guidelines that should be followed. Here are a few important logo design guidelines, The logo you create should reflect your business in a unique and sincere manner. When a logo design is unique and professional looking, it will automatically stand out from the competition. Another mistake that many people make is mimicking the logo design of their competition. When you create a design that’s similar to your competitor’s logo, it will make it very difficult for people to distinguish your business from the rest. Before creating a logo, think of a dominant trait that you want your potential customers to remember about your company. If your dominant trait is quick delivery, use objects that signify speed, for example, a time clock. It’s okay to be a little whimsical, just as long as it is clear and concise. Logos that have a simple design are recognized a lot faster than complicated ones. The best logo designs are the ones that are simple and unique without being contrived. Notice how the top companies like Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Applebee’s all have simple yet compelling logo designs. In addition, your logo should also be scalable. In other words, it should look attractive regardless of whether it’s small, medium or large. Your logo should look striking whether it’s on a blimp advertisement or on a 3.5 x 2 business card. A logo should also be well balanced. The shape, line density and color can have a great impact on the balance of a logo. A well designed logo can last up to 15 years, according to logo design news sources. Once you have decided on a logo design, make sure you have it in the …

Logo Design Tips for Internet & Affiliate Marketers

Most Internet and affiliate marketers have great products to offer their target audience. Unfortunately, having a great product is not enough — it’s the brand that counts. To be successful in online marketing, one must have a well designed logo. A logo represents a company’s brand image regardless of the industry. In order to stand out from the competition, an entrepreneur must be willing to invest in creating a well designed logo. The most successful online marketers are the ones that have a unique brand. A unique brand starts with the logo design. The following are logo design tips straight from the most recent in logo design news: White & Black A colorful logo can attract a crowd. However, it is important to make sure a logo design looks attractive in black and white. Entrepreneurs are advised to avoid adding too much color because it creates a confetti of confusion. Plus, it can cause complications when it comes to printing. A great way to test out a logo design is to see if it looks attractive in black and white when it is photo-copied or faxed. Pay Attention to Detail A logo design should have a simple design. Complex images should be avoided at all costs. A logo not only has to look attractive on a website or a social media page, it also has to look good on letterhead, flyers, business cards, brochures and print ads. Logo design news experts suggest that entrepreneurs review their competitors’ logo designs before going to the drawing board. Another valuable tip is to make sure that the font is kept simple. Using complex fonts will make it difficult to read. A font should look attract regardless of whether it’ small or large in size. Culture The world is a melting pot. Make sure the graphic images you use do not offend any culture or group of people in a negative way. A logo design has a lasting effect to the mind — a negative or positive effect. Logo shape Decide what kind of shape you would like for your logo. Experts suggest that circular and square shapes are considered more practical. Rectangular shaped logo designs can be more of a challenge because of the longer ‘awkward’ shape. Internet and affiliate marketers should consult with professional graphic designers to create the perfect logo designs. This logo design news piece was written by Flying Cow …

4 Effective Logo Design Tips

When creating a logo design for a business, there are few mistakes that should be avoided. One small graphic design mistake can have a negative effect on a brand. Creating a professional looking logo design is more of a challenge to create compared to other graphic images. Unlike a graphic design image for an online banner ad, a logo design represents a company’s overall brand. The following are four helpful graphic design tips every entrepreneur should follow: 1. Avoid using more than three fonts. Many amateur graphic designers commit the deadly sin of using more than three fonts on a logo. A logo with more than three fonts not only looks unprofessional, it can cause confusion. According to logo design news experts, a logo should have a lasting impression on a target audience. You can only accomplish this effect when a logo design has a clean and professional look. The general rule in creating a logo is to use one font for the company’s name and one for the slogan. Then you may use a different font for the logo’s text. This will make the logo design look more professional. 2. Make it Readable. Top logo designers featured in logo design news articles stress the importance of making a logo readable. If a logo design doesn’t appear readable, a company’s message or slogan will get lost. Experts advise keeping a logo design simple as possible. You can still create an eye-catching logo design while using a simplistic style. 3. Pictures & logos don’t mix. Often times, many entrepreneurs will use a photo and try to throw up a catchy slogan and pass it off as a logo. Adding pictures with a logo design has no branding value. A professional logo has a variety of symbols that compliments the theme of a business. 4. Avoid using logo fads. There are many logo fads out there that come and go. If you want a logo that people will immediately recognize, you will need a logo that stands the test of time. Notice how Fortune 500 Companies like Amazon and AT&T have logo designs that have a classic look and feel regardless of the year. Whether the year is 2002 or 2011, these top companies will always have an innovative looking logo design. Every business (small and large) should have a classic looking logo design. The key to having a great logo design …

A Logo Design Says A Lot About A Company

A logo says a lot about a company. It is one of the most important aspects of a company’s brand image. It should also be easily identifiable to a target audience. One mistake to avoid when shopping around for a logo design is choosing a graphic designer that doesn’t have a proven tract record. A professional logo designer not only has the skills and the know-how, they also have good marketing sense. They can design a logo that will instantly attract a company’s target audience. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, marketing experts suggest that business owners craft their logo design carefully. What a logo design looks like says a lot about a company. When choosing a logo design, especially for a business, avoid online logo design mills. These so-called logo design companies generate cookie-cutter logo designs at low rates. The problem with choosing this type of design service is that it doesn’t offer the client any uniqueness to their logo. It is more difficult to stand out among the competition when a company has the exact logo design as hundreds (or thousands) of other companies. When choosing a logo design, it is important to choose one that is easily recognizable by people. For example, popular logo brands like Brooks Brothers, Starbucks or Juicy Couture are easily recognizable by their target audience. The same rules apply to the average small business owner. Companies are also advised against hiring a graphic designer solely on price. Many companies are choosing designers that charge dirt-cheap prices just to save a few extra dollars. Choosing a company based solely on pricing can actually back-fire. When designers charge very low rates, there is usually a reason why. One of the main reasons why amateur designers charge cheap rates is because they lack the artistic ability to create an award-winning logo design. Before choosing a graphic designer, companies should choose the designer that provides the best portfolio samples. Samples should display creativity and professionalism. Pricing will always be a deciding factor when choosing a logo design but it should never be the only reason. It is better to invest a little more money for a high-quality logo than save a bundle and receive sub-par results. This logo design news article was written by Flying Cow Design, a web design and graphic design firm. They specialize in high end web design and graphic design services. To find out more …

Tips on Creating a Winning Logo Design

The purpose of having a logo is not to show off one’s graphic design ability or to flaunt the latest logo design trends. The overall purpose of a logo is for people to remember who you are as a company and a brand. Contrary to amateur belief, people do judge a logo by it’s design. First impressions really do matter. In order to create a winning logo, it must be memorable and unique. Here are a few logo design tips to live by: Make your logo unique Your logo design should stand out among your competition. People should have no problem distinguishing your logo from other logo designs within your industry. According to the latest in logo design news, experts suggest avoiding logo fads and trends. A well designed logo is timeless. Notice how top companies like BMW have a classic modern look. Experts also warn against copying other company’s logo design. When you copy another company’s logo, you’re not only risking getting sued but in a subtle way, you’re telling the world that you don’t have a brand identity. If you want to impress your target audience with your logo, having a unique logo design will make a great first impression. A logo should be adaptable Your logo design should be flexible and adapt to any situation. In other words, a logo should look great on a website, business card, brochure, magazine ad, etc. Another important thing is to make sure your logo looks good small. The text on your logo should be easy to read large or small sized. Keep your logo simple The latest logo design news revealed that large corporations tend to stick with basic fonts such as Times New Romans, Helvetica and Arial. In addition, the majority of Fortune 500 logos use less than three colors and fonts. Statistics show that using too many colors and fonts can spoil an image and make it less retain-able. A logo design is more than just a mark. It represents your brand and it helps in establishing trust in the mind of the consumer. This logo design news piece was written by Flying Cow Design. Flying Cow Design is a leading web design company offering a myriad of web solutions ranging from logo design to web development. To find out the latest logo design news, visit: FlyingCowDesign.com. Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in …

4 Important Facts to Consider When Designing or Re-Designing a Website

When building a website, creative design is only one aspect of having a successful website. There are important facts every website owner should follow when building a new website or re-designing an existing website All serious website owners have one thing in common – they all desire to build an online presence and increase their following. In order to accomplish this goal, there are certain rules every website owner should follow. The following are four important website design facts: Fact #1: A domain name should be simple. A domain name is like a brand. It should be simple enough for a web user to type it into a browser effortlessly. For SEO purposes, dashes and numbers should be avoided. These odd symbols may cause confusion to visitors. As far as the domain extension (.com, .us, .me, etc) is concerned, non-profit organizations should stick with .org and businesses should use .com. Although there are many creative domain extensions available, it is highly recommended to keep it simple because most users are conditioned to typing standard extensions. Fact #2: Contact information should be viewable. A web user should easily find contact information on a website without hassle. Most users do not have the patience to search countless pages just to find a phone number or an email address. Web design news experts suggest placing contact information at the top right or left-hand corner of the home page. Additional web pages that follow should also contain easy-to-find contact information. Website owners should provide more than one way of contact, for example, email, phone, contact form or chat. Fact #3: Provide a strong call to action. A website should be able to guide a visitor on ‘what to do’ once they have landed on a particular page. For example, a website owner may want a visitor to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, register for a n event or request a quote. This should be clearly displayed on every page. Fact #4: Adding ‘relevant’ client testimonials establishes trust. Online visitors love reading client testimonials. Adding testimonials to a website reassures a potential customer that they are making the right decision to register or purchase a product/service. The facts presented in this website design news article only scratches the surface. There are several other important web design facts. These facts can help website owners’ jumpstart their websites in the right direction. This website …

Website Design Tips to Help You Gain More Clients

Every website owner desires to gain more customers and increase website sales. To accomplish this goal, there are three basic tips every website owner should follow. Entrepreneurs, small business owners and large corporations all have one thing in common, they all desire to increase website sales. To achieve this, a website needs more than a great product to sell at an affordable price. The following are a few tried and true tips successful website owners use to gain more clients.   1. Provide a Powerful Hook Many websites fail because they don’t have a powerful hook. The most successful websites are the ones that provide the end-user a special offer. Your website hook can be a 25% off coupon, a free e-book download or even a free product trial. This encourages web visitors to purchase products. 2. Branding Services & Web Design Should Compliment a Product/Service The graphic design images and web design layout should compliment the product or service a seller is offering. Often times, many entrepreneurs will sell a great product but the website design and graphic images spoil the whole look and feel of the site. Website design news experts suggest using original photos and well designed graphics on a website. They also recommend hiring a professional web designer and graphic designer to perfect a company’s brand image on the Internet. A professional will create graphic designs that will enhance a company’s product and services. 3. Answer Web Visitors Questions Immediately The moment a visitor lands on a web page, they should immediately find answers to their questions. Here are four basic questions every website should answer: 1. What website is this? 2. What is this website about? 3. Do they have what I want? 4. Are the products superior to the products I’m currently using? A website owner should use a combination of engaging content (text, video, etc) and creative graphic designs to answer the above questions. If a web visitors questions aren’t immediately answered, they will more than likely abandon the site and never return. There are many other website design tips to follow. The tips above can help any website owner improve their web presence and help increase sales. This website design news article was written by Flying Cow Design. Flying Cow Design is a top website design company providing a variety of web solutions. Their web solutions include website design, logo design, web …

3 Important Things Your Website Needs before Attending a Speed Networking Event

Attending a speed networking event offline is an excellent way of building up your client list. However, before attending your next event, your website must be up to par. There is nothing more embarrassing than witnessing your prospective client logging onto your site, from their iPad, only to discover a disorganized website. To avoid this from happening, make sure your website has the following: Choose a Simple Domain Name According to website design news experts, a website should have an easy to remember domain name. This is one of the most common website essentials. Whether you’re attending a networking event, trade show or you’re sending out email marketing letters to prospects, it is important to have a simple domain name. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of creating complicated domain names. In today’s hectic society, people don’t have the patience to type in long and complex domain names — the shorter the domain, the better. For example, if the name of your business is Jane’s Landscaping Services, LLC, a domain name such as janeslandscaping.com will suffice. For SEO purposes, avoid using numbers or dashes within a domain, the search engines usually frown upon strange characters. Provide High-Quality Content Another mistake many entrepreneurs make is rushing to get their website launched and neglecting their content. During a speed networking function, a prospect may not have time to sit and read web content word-for-word. However, they will take a brief moment to scan through your content. Web content should be scannable and easy to read. Make sure you include catchy titles and subheadings. If you want people to bookmark your site, you have to give them a reason to return to your site. Provide Multiple Forms of Contact It is important to post more than one form of contact on a website. Providing an email address is not enough. It is amazing how so many entrepreneurs only provide one form of contact. In addition to an email address, make sure you include a phone number and a physical address. Visitors usually avoid companies who don’t provide at least two forms of contact. This website design news article was written by Flying Cow Design. They specialize in a variety of web design solutions including, corporate web design, logo design, print design, eCommerce design, flash design and much more. To find out more such website essentials and get the latest website design news, visit FlyingCowDesign.com …

Easy WordPress Contact Form Plugins

Website owners no longer have to pull the hairs out of their head by the handful any longer when creating contact forms for WordPress. These four new ‘must have’ plugins will help make life a lot easier.

For people who dread creating contact forms for WordPress websites can now consider this frustration a thing of the past. There are a few new wordpress contact form plugins to choose from that will save designers a significant amount of time and energy during a web design project. In this web design news article, you will find the following contact form plugins:

Wordpress Contact Form Plugin 1: Tiny Contact Form

Website Design Mistakes to Avoid

Your website design can make or break your business. Whether you need a new website designed from scratch, a redesigned mobile responsive design or a complete website make-over, there are a few mistakes you should avoid. This article covers common mistakes that are made and should be avoided. Have a Clear Call to Action One of the most common web design mistakes is website owners fail to place a clear call to action (CTA) on their websites.  If you do not have a call to action, you will lose potential customers. There should be a call to action on every page of your website. Visitors should not have to search around to find out what to do next. They need a clear path to follow through. According to website design experts, many visitors abandon websites simply because the sites do not possess a clear call to action. When visitors enter a site, they do not have time to waste. They want to access information immediately. Mobile Responsive Website A mobile responsive website will ensure all of your customers and potential customers can find you wherever they are. Choosing to skip the mobile responsive design to save money is one of the most common mistakes. Website Load Time If your website takes longer than three seconds to load, you have just lost potential customers. Online shoppers do not have time to wait on a website to load. With clean code on your web design, you can prevent this common mistake. Small Font Another common mistake is trying to be creative with your website and use creative font styles and sizes. However, if a person has to squint to read the content on your site, they will find a different website they can easily read and find the information they are looking for. Links Opening in New Browser Windows When your links open in a new browser window, the back button will not take them back to your website. Your customer may not know how to get back to your site. Therefore, they will go back to the search engine and begin their search again. Social Media Icons Misplaced Placing your social media icons at or near the top of your website encourages your visitors to leave your website before they get a chance to see the rest of the page. A common mistake is thinking your visitors will come back to …

Websites with Readability Issues Can Hurt Business

Website owners with websites that are difficult to read will have a difficult time accomplishing their bottom-line. Businesses lose thousands of dollars in revenue annually for failing to apply basic web design rules. According to web design news experts, many website owners focus more on design than readability. There should be a happy medium when it comes to web design. A website should not only be visually appealing, it should also be easy to find information. Use Headlines and Sub-Headings Every page on a website should have headlines and sub-headings that highlight the overall theme of the site. Once a visitor lands on a web page, scanning through the text should be effortless. When a website has headlines and sub-headings, it makes a page look well organized. For SEO purposes, keywords should be added to the headlines and sub-headings. Use Mini Paragraphs Often times, website owners will fill a web page up with large paragraphs without any breaks in between the text. Pages that contain text without paragraph breaks are difficult to read. Hard to read text should be avoided at all costs. A website is easier to read when paragraphs are broken up into blocks. The general rule is to use 3 to 5 sentences per paragraph and the more white space on a page the better. Use the Correct Text Size Not every web user has perfect vision. Website owners should avoid using tiny size text. Otherwise, people will have a difficult time reading. An example of a good website text size is Font size=12. Use Bullet Points When there is a list of points that need to be stressed on a web page, use bullet points or numbers. This will break up the text and make it easier for visitors to scan and read. Converting Visitors into Paying Customers Every website owner desires to convert visitors into paying customers or leads. The more readable a website is, the longer a visitor will remain on a page. Websites that are easy to read and browse through are more likely to convert visitors into customers. This website design news article was written by Flying Cow Design, a full-service web development company. They cater to small businesses and corporations globally. To find out more website design news, visit: FlyingCowDesign.com. Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Web Design Elements Visitors Expect to See on a Business Website

There are certain web design elements that every website should have. The key to retaining web visitors is to provide them with a smooth web experience. If your website doesn’t provide the user with what they want, they will abandon the site and never return. More and more people are conducting business on the web than ever before. Many web users have become savvier over the past few years, especially when it comes to making online buying decisions. Your web visitors will expect to see certain features on your website and if those features are missing, they will take notice. The following are a few web design news tips every business owner should follow. Web Design Element 1: Smooth Navigation Navigating within a website or blog should be easy and consistent. This is one of the most important web design elements. Visitors should be able to roam without difficulty. Avoid trying to re-invent the wheel when it comes to a website’s visual images and if web text is used as a form of navigation, it should be succinct. When hyperlinks are embedded within a site, they should stand out from the web text. Make sure you test your website for any broken links. Avoid anything that may create confusion or wastes the valuable time of your visitors. Here are a few quick navigational tips: Use textual descriptions for links to make it a smooth transition to the next page. Offer alt text for images. Utilize alternative text description methods for Javascript links or Flash. Organize the site’s navigation along with the theme of the website. Web Design Element 2: Include a Search Box Whether you own a website or a blog, you should have a search box. A search box is basically an archive of information. This is also one of the important web design elements to have in case a visitor decides to search for information that is concealed within the website. Remember, if people are unable to find what they are searching for, they will more than likely ditch the website. It is important to provide them with an easy way to search for information. Web Design Element 3: Avoid Complicated Registration Forms When creating registration forms keep it simple. Most users don’t have time to fill out long registration details. Some website owners create long-winded forms to help prevent spam. In reality, you’re doing more harm than …

How To Get Web Visitors Excited About Buying Your Products

Website owners are constantly searching for new ways to get web visitors excited about buying their products. There are a few basic things that can help improve a website to encourage people to buy online and boost sales. With millions of websites online today, a website owner needs to offer more than an attractive looking website and a great product. Website owners must be capable of getting their visitors fired up about buying their products. Here are a few tips web design news experts recommend to improve online purchases: Provide Website Impulse Buys Big retail store chains provide shoppers with impulse buys all the time. Impulse buys are often placed near the checkout counter so shoppers can make last minute purchases. According to web design news experts, when website owners place impulse buys on their website, it can get more people to purchase online and thus increase sales. For instance, a company that sells skincare products can create an interesting article about skincare and run an online ad to sell moisturizer alongside the article. Then link the ad to the skincare product page. This is also a smart way of letting visitors know about additional skincare products available on the website. Offer Something of Value For Free Often, start-up businesses and Internet marketers offer a great product for sale. However, they struggle to get sales because they are considered the new kid on the block. To get more people interested in your products, offer them something for free. For example, you can offer them a free e-book download about your products or a free online video seminar to promote your business. Just make sure you’re giving people something they can utilize – something of value. Offer a Feedback Form Every website owner especially one where people can purchase online, should provide visitors with a feedback form. A feedback form provides valuable information from clients. They will be honest and let a website owner know exactly what they like about their web experience and what needs improvement. Websites that lack having a feedback form or some source to gather information from clients can run the risk of losing potential business. Provide Various Buying Options Offering customers only one form of payment can be detrimental to a business. Providing customers with more than one way to purchase a product can actually help increase sales. For instance, clients who purchase online but prefer …

How To Find A Good Web Design Company

It wasn’t too long ago that having a website was considered progressive. Having a website became as essential as having a business card.  The future continues to evolve as accessibility to the internet through mobile phones and tablets grows. Today, not only is it essential to have a web site, but your business might even be judged by how your website, looks, what it says, how quick it loads, how easy it is to navigate, whether it is mobile friendly, or whether it is secure. Equally important is how easy is it to find  your web site. Statistics show that a web search precedes a purchase or business decision. If you don’t have an impressive website, it can be a deal breaker, and that is a reality most businesses have yet to realize.The traditional world of marketing and advertising also has evolved. Businesses around the world are rapidly growing their investments in online marketing – through paid advertising, search engine optimization, social media, email marketing, affiliate marketing and media relations. But before you even begin to think about online or digital marketing, it is important to have a good website. Let’s start with understanding what makes a good web site: A good and well-designed website should highlight the key information, be easy to navigate  have a strong value proposition  concise messaging an effective communication plan and frequent outreach. The website should anticipate what the visitor would need and provides that information quickly and in a way, that would delight the visitor. Instead of saying what the business is offering, a good website talks of solving the visitor’s problems or meeting their needs. It puts the visitor first. In a competitive market, though, good isn’t good enough. Once you address the functional needs of communicating to the audience, you need to think of the brand experience your web site provides, and the personality it exudes. With so much competition out there, the brand value and personality are often the differentiators that separate the highly successful websites from the rest. This is where experience, and expertise in web design play a huge role. This is where you need to decide between hiring a web designer in-house or outsourcing to a web design company. Let’s say you have decided to work with an agency. The next question would be to pick between freelance web designers, boutique web design firms or full service agencies …

The Power of a Custom Facebook Fan Page

Facebook is one of the most powerful social networking sites online. It offers businesses from around the world the opportunity to connect with friends, relatives, clients and even competitors. If you’re thinking about promoting your business on Facebook, there are a few things that you will need to consider. Read the entire website design news article… A Facebook fan page can really help an entrepreneur boost his/her bottom-line — when it’s done the right way. If you’ve been on Facebook lately, you would have probably noticed the sponsored ads that offer free Facebook fan page template designs. Website design news experts suggest that entrepreneurs avoid using free pre-designed fan page templates. The majority of these templates possess sub-standard designs. For example, a typical pre-designed Fan page template will have bright flashy colors with teenie-bop graphic images. More conservative designs appear generic and monotonous. The first thing that followers notice when they land on a fan page is not the products (or service) a company is promoting. They notice the brand, profile images and the color schemes. A Facebook fan page can be compared to a window display at a boutique on 5th Avenue – NYC. In order to attract window shoppers; you must hire the best in the business to create an eye-catching window display. Facebook fans are like window shoppers. If you want your Facebook fans to share your page with their friends and co-workers, you’ll need to design a custom Facebook fan page. Entrepreneurs who are serious about attracting potential customers on Facebook should hire a skilled web designer to ‘invent’ a customized Facebook fan page. In addition to having a customized Facebook fan page, it is important to select a good name for the fan page. If you have an existing fan page and you’re having difficulty receiving visits, this is a strong indication that your page name is not communicating to people what your page is about. Make sure you select a name that includes your business name or at least relevant keywords within the title. When you follow the web design news tips above, it will help add value to your business. This is how you improve your web presence and increase sales. This website design news article was written by Flying Cow Design. Flying Cow Design provides professional web design, logo design services and much more. To find out the latest website design news, …

Teen philanthropist has raised millions for charity

“TODAY | Aired on October 05, 2012 Teen philanthropist has raised millions for charity At the tender age of 10, Talia Leman motivated other kids to trick-or-treat for Hurricane Katrina donations. Now 17, she has her own nonprofit, RandomKid, which has raised money for everything from disaster relief to clean water projects. She shares what inspires her to help others.” Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

New York Times backs Talia for President in 2044

  Whether it is being appointed National Youth President by UNICEF or getting the backing of New York Times for President in 2044, accolades for Talia Leman’s continuing effort to make a difference keep flowing. Talia founded RandomKid, a worldwide non-profit to support causes around the world and the Randomkid.org website, recently designed and launched by Flying Cow Design will help her connect with millions of children who share her vision around the world. Below is an extract from New York Times citing support for Talia as President in 2044! Talia for President – The New York Times For those of you who don’t happen to be named Barack, change in the next four years might seem a spectator sport. In the aftermath of a campaign, it’s natural to think that the agenda now is in the hands of our newly elected leaders, and that the agents of change will be government officials in Washington. Yet the best proof that you don’t need a White House pass to accomplish change comes from youthful social entrepreneurs around the country. Too naïve to realize that they are powerless, these kids are flexing remarkable muscle. If your image of a philanthropist is a stout, gray geezer, then meet Talia Leman, an eighth grader in Iowa who loves soccer and swimming, and whose favorite subject is science. I’m supporting her for president in 2044. Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Worldwide non-profit, RandomKid stands for “Giving”

For Talia Leman, the founder of a worldwide non-profit – Radomkid, “Giving” was the main ingredient of success. The spirit of giving continues to grow for Talia and for RandomKid, through its website Randomkid.org, recently designed and launched by Flying Cow Design. The website will now connect children and adults from around the world in a worldwide effort at giving to those in need. Below is an excerpt from the USA Today feature on Talia Leman and RandomKid. A new breed of kids tries altruism on for size – USA Today By Jessica Durando, USA TODAY Talia Leman did not climb the corporate ladder like many other CEOs. For the 13-year-old, who co-founded a worldwide non-profit called RandomKid, her recipe for success involved one main ingredient: giving. “It’s my fuel, it’s my energy, it’s my power drink. I love it,” Talia says. “I just think when you see the impact you’re making, it is incredible to see.” Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

You’ve Got a Friend in Me – Sings Talia Leman

At the age of 10, Talia Leman collected donations for Hurricane Katrina survivors, through Halloween trick-or-treat, dressed as a Quarter. She wanted to help and she wanted to let the survivors of Katrina know, “You’ve got a friend in me”. She joined hands with UNICEF in an effort to raise funds and was named the UNICEF National Youth Ambassador for 2005. This newscast, aired years ago, rings true even to this day as Talia continues her efforts to help others through her website RandomKid.org, designed and developed by Flying Cow Design. You’ve Got a Friend in Me – 90.9 wbur Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Talia Leman National Youth Ambassador of UNICEF

When a 10-year used Halloween trick-or-treat as a fund raiser for Katrina victims, it became an inspiration, not just for the kids around the world, but for grown-ups as well. So much so, that UNICEF named Talia Leman as its National Youth Ambassador for the year 2005. Now 17, Talia continues her efforts to help those in need through her website RandomKid, recently designed and launched by Flying Cow Design. Below is a news excerpt from CNN.com, where Talia was featured. American Morning – CNN.com VERJEE: Our weekly “Extra Effort” segment pays tribute to those going the extra mile to help others. Now, this morning it’s 10-year- old Talia Leman from Iowa. She basically got a jump on Halloween with a trick-or-treat fund-raiser for Katrina victims. In fact, UNICEF has named her its national youth ambassador for 2005. And she is our guest this morning. Wow! That’s pretty good. Are you excited? TALIA LEMAN, UNICEF NATIONAL YOUTH AMBASSADOR: Yes. VERJEE: That’s amazing. How did you come up with this idea? LEMAN: Well, I really wanted to help out. And, well, I figured if I didn’t do it, well, how do you know that someone else is going do it? Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

RandomKid Works to Get Water to Children of African Villages

RandomKid has been working to ensure children in villages of rural Africa get clean water. By selling bottled water in the cities of USA, students have been raising funds to ensure children in the villages of rural Africa get good, clean, healthy water. Death of children from bad water is five times more common than death by AIDS. Trevor Field of Roundabout Outdoor has invented a merry-go-round powered water pump that would pump water as children play. Children in the US managed to raise funds to install one such pump in just six months — giving a whole new meaning to child power. RandomKid is a non-profit founded by Talia Leman, a teen philanthropic who has been using child power for making a difference from the tender age of 10. Now, with Randomkid.org, designed by Flying Cow Design, RandomKid can connect to children from around the world for charitable causes. Peter BrownCEO, Flying Cow Design Attended University of Auckland Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Leading Atlanta Law Firm gets a New Web Presence

MENLO PARK, CA — December 10, 2012 — Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP, a leading Atlanta based law firm recently launched their redesigned website with a new look web presence designed by Flying Cow Design. Their new website is designed to address the changing legal needs and connect with a growing web-savvy audience. The law firm is among the leading law firms in Atlanta, specializing in the fields of Labor and Employment, Domestic Legal needs, Commercial and Civil Litigation, Insurance and Defense, Real Estate, Trust, Wills and Estates. With the changing social dynamics and legal needs, Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP recognized the importance of having their website communicate their expertise better to a growing audience online. Having a website that merely listed their areas of specialization was no longer enough and the law firm needed to build a web presence that would not only reflect their expertise but also engage their visitors with useful information and legal insight through a number of sections on their new website including Employer Training, Mediation, Legal Alerts, Legal Glossary and more. Understanding the changing and growing legal needs of an increasingly web friendly audience base, Flying Cow Design, a leading web design company recently redesigned and launched the new look website for the law firm. Talking to the media, Lauren Armstrong of Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP said, “I had a terrific experience working with FCD to create our Firm’s website! Laura and Peter were always quick to respond to my questions and were easy to communicate with. I do not have a technical background, so having Laura “hold my hand” through the process and teach me how to make my own changes to the website once it was completed was invaluable! Cheers to Flying Cow Design!” “The legal landscape is rapidly changing and so are people’s legal needs. For a leading law firm, having a website that recognizes and addresses these needs is critically important. For us, bridging this gap and establishing connections with an audience that could benefit from the services of Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP, was an enjoyable challenge in web design and communication. We are proud to have been the designers of their new web presence”, said Peter Brown, CEO of Flying Cow Design, a leading Atlanta Web Design firm. ABOUT FLYING COW DESIGN Flying Cow Design Studio is a private web design services company with a presence …

New Web Presence for Emergency Veterinary Hospital

MENLO PARK, CA — January 20, 2013 — Emergency Veterinary Hospital / Animal Urgent Care recently launched their new website, designed and developed by Flying Cow Design, a leading web design firm. Based in Menlo Park California, Flying Cow Design has worked with hospitals and other medical establishments over the years developing not just websites but helping their clients in the medical industry build a strong web presence. The changing medical and pet care needs have redefined the online needs for veterinary hospitals around the world. Emergency Veterinary Hospital recognized that it was no longer enough for a veterinary hospital to have a website that had dated, sketchy information about the hospital. Responding to the changing veterinary care needs of a growing web audience concerned about the medical care for their pets, Emergency Veterinary Hospital’s new website promises a lot. The website is rich in informative content about their veterinarians, referring veterinarians, newsletters, FAQs, and more. Talking to the media, John Anderson of Emergency Veterinary Hospital/Animal Urgent Care said, “Laura, Peter and the entire staff at Flying Cow Design have truly been a pleasure to work with during the design of our new website. Projects of this nature can truly be intimidating to undertake, especially when one has very little experience in the area, and they were always patient, professional, accommodating, but most importantly they made the process an enjoyable one. Thank you again for your great work on our new site!!!!!” “Animal care seldom gets the attention and visibility it deserves. While animals are the best of companions, friends and support system for people, when it comes to animal care, there seems to be a silent assumption that things would somehow happen automatically. We believe that every bit of visibility that the Emergency Veterinary Hospital can get would only help them continue and further the great work they have been doing in providing high quality animal care. For us at Flying Cow Design, it was not just another web design project, but a project that we identified with. It was both a matter of pride and pleasure working with the Emergency Veterinary Hospital”, said Peter Brown, CEO of Flying Cow Design, a leading Medical Website Design firm. ABOUT FLYING COW DESIGN Flying Cow Design Studio is a custom web design services company with a presence across multiple metros of USA. Flying Cow Design has grown through the dot com …




Need help with your web presence?

Write to us with your project details and we will get back to you shortly.