Recently, one of my clients was struggling with how they wanted to show their company information on their website. We had a conversation about how I thought the page flow should be designed.

Good web design manages the content and creates a layered structure so that we are gently guided to the right place to find our answers.

The challenge is making the visitor experience as simple and straight forward as possible. Good user interface and information management is a must to meet the needs of today’s online visitors.

Crafting the Website Content

Organize the information like you’re planting a garden. Each pot should have exactly the right mix to be a complete ecosystem, but is also an integral piece of the entire garden and its overall beauty. As such, each page should be a standalone chapter to the entire website story and must be a necessary part of the whole.

Tip: Start with an outline of the pages you want on your site. Flesh out the outline with your page content. Ask yourself these questions before you begin: 1. What does the visitor need to know on this page to make a decision? What is the action I want the visitor to take? Where should I direct them if they want more information? Knowing these answers will make writing the content more focused and will create a much more effective web page.

Digging Deeper Into The Web Page

Defining the Use of Space

I often think of each web page as positive and negative space. And with each page, there are so many goals to achieve.

• Fill the space with only the information needed,
• Guide your visitors to various areas of your website for more detailed information,
• Provide ways for clients to interact with your business at various stages of their decision process,
• Brand your company with visual messaging,
• Craft the content message to pull visitors into the site.

The challenge is accomplishing each of these goals in the right balance to be effective. If done right, navigating through the information on a website becomes an intuitive journey.

The end page is a product of careful consideration of design, color, space, content, message and message delivery. It’s a subtle dance of form and function. Too much of any one thing and the page is not in balance. Without balance, it cannot effectively support the entire website story.

Remember: Give content space to make an impact.

Just like in real life, too many things demanding our attention on a single web page gives us the sense of being over-crowded. Each action must be bold to stand out –all competing for our attention. Rather than make a decision, we choose to click away and go to a website that doesn’t assault our senses and provides an easier decision process.

Entrepreneurs and business owners tend to be “doers” who like to dive into things and then sort everything out as they go. There’s a time and place for that, but not when it comes to website design and redesign!

Like it or not, it’s best to take a breath and do a little planning and research before you meet with your website designer. He or she cannot read your mind—the development process will be less frustrating for you and much faster overall if you bring some basic information to the table.

First, take some time to define what you want to accomplish with the redesign. Does your site need more pizzazz and eye-appeal? Has your message or brand evolved? Do you need to add features and tools that better tell your story and will help sell your products and services?

Next, zero in on that features and tools question. Do you want your site to tie into your Customer Relationship Management workflow? Is it time to sell products directly through the site with a marketplace function. Do you want to use videos to showcase some of your messages? Dream big and make notes! Later, in discussions with your web designer, you may find some of these won’t fit in your budget…but you never know until you ask! Just in case, be sure to prioritize your goals, differentiating between the “must-have” and “nice-to-have” features.

Throughout this process, take special note of the websites you come across during business and after-hours. Look for two things: sites that are visually appealing/inviting and sites that have features that would enhance the experience of visitors on your website.

Now you’re ready to meet with your web designer. Share your goals, rationales, priorities, the model sites you’ve found…basically all your hopes and dreams!

A good designer will then take this discussion even further – asking you to envision your workflow and business strategy and helping you determine which of those elements can be supported with features on your new website. For example, your website can and should mimic your best sales pitches, reinforce your brand, augment your strategy for gathering leads, and be an integral component of your customer service process.

In closing, it’s to your advantage to do your homework, come to your design consultation meeting well prepared, and then clearly communicate your desires and expectations. You’ll be well on your way to having a new premium site that you’ll be proud to promote and that will drive business.

But first let’s look at the big picture. Remember, your blog is another opportunity to tell
potential clients about yourself and your company. And what should it tell them? The same
thing(s) you would try to communicate if you met a potential client face to face in a social setting
(not a sales call).

Think of blogging as another chance to demonstrate your value, experience and approachability.
“Approachability” in these settings is accomplished by projecting a sense of humor and a
pleasant conversational tone. By the way, both of these are perceived as indicators of your
customer service skills. (No, I’m not a psyche major, just a long time observer of human
behavior!)

With that, here are the top five things to avoid when blogging:

1. Don’t complicate the look! Keep it simple – don’t distract the visitor from the message. For
one thing, make it easy on the eyes. Black text on a white background or white on black are the
easiest combinations to read. While your brand and logo should be present, back them off one
notch and place them subtly in the background.

2. Don’t sell! Just like at a cocktail party or networking event, the quickest path to standing
awkwardly by yourself is to toss in a heavy-handed sales pitch. Your blog is a way to begin a
conversation, share original valuable information and create comfort.

3. Don’t forget to use your networks! As we’ve said before, all of your social media should be
interwoven and cross-promotional. An off-shoot of this is that your blog information can and
should be recycled as twitter messages and Facebook or LinkedIn posts. Sure, change it up a
little, shorten it and/or chop it up into bite-sized pieces. Recycling lightens your workload and it
reinforces your message as it’s repeated in multiple settings.

4. Don’t be caught unprepared! You should invite reader comments and that means at some
point you will receive a negative comment. Often it’s from someone trying to build a name
for him or herself using your platform. If the person’s point has value, give him or her credit
and then build on what was said, re-taking control of the discussion. If the person’s comment
is idiotic or inane, maybe just allude to the right of free speech and choose to disagree! In any
event, figure out your strategy ahead of time so you can react with your head and not your heart.

5. Don’t over-commit to posting! It’s more important to post consistently than frequently. So adopt and stick to a schedule that is do-able within your work-life balance. Maintain a running list of topics to help avoid the stress of a deadline.

Donna Galassi, is the President of Blue Zenith, offering website and blog design services.

Let’s highlight some of these blog promotion ideas in no particular order.

1. Help the search engines find your blog.  Write consistently about interesting topics that you know something about. Listen to your clients and address the interests, questions, and concerns they’ve expressed to you. Suffice it to say that good, focused website and blog content, along with frequent blog postings and reader interaction, will help you get ranked higher on Google and other search engines.
2. Submit your blog posts to one or more blog search engines.  There are many services that monitor blog posts and changes. When you update a blog, you’ll need to tell these services that you’ve just submitted new content. This is done automatically when your blog is hosted on WordPress technology – assuming you turned that feature on in the WordPress settings. You can also use Technorati—this is one of the best known blog search engines and it monitors blogs from all over the world.  Just go to Technorati.com and claim your blog—it’s easy to use and it’s free.
3. Announce your blog posts on your social media business pages. Use Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn as ways to get the word out about your new blog post. You already have networks of people interested in you, your company, your products, and your services – take advantage of that by announcing your new posts.
4. Comment on other industry blogs. Submitting comments on other blogs helps you get outside your networks and gain exposure within your industry. Find other reputable blogs in your field and contribute substantive well-written comments and perspectives.

Blogging takes commitment and simply putting your material out there, hoping someone sees it, isn’t enough these days.  With at little promotional effort, you can expand your readership (and influence) exponentially!

Note:   To claim your blog on Technorati, first fill out the form you’ll find on your profile page. Then, check back on the progress and find your Verification Code. It’ll look something like this:  V2HXVRWZ72D3 Once you have your verification code, you’ll need to embed that code into a post (like I just did above).You’ll need to tell Technorati you’ve done this – so click the button “Verify Claim Token”.

• Have a clear business vision
• Identify your objectives
• Know your target audience

The next challenge in website development is to define your style.

Show your human side

Don’t be afraid to demonstrate your passion and originality and to present your personal and business vision. Who makes a bigger impression—someone who comes across as stoically competent or someone who is passionately engaged? Obviously, there is a line you shouldn’t cross on the spectrum between personal and professional but most people don’t even get CLOSE to that threshold, and THAT’S a lost opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

Keep it simple

With webpage layouts, the goal is to present a comfortable mix of images, white space, and text. Don’t overwhelm your viewers with dense pages and lots of moving parts. For example, you should think twice about intermixing audio and “busy” imaging. When both happen simultaneously, neither one makes an impact. Don’t get me wrong, an audio clip on a website CAN be great—I just recommend presenting it on a relatively simple page and/or setting it up with something like “Click Here to Hear our Story” so visitors can listen on THEIR terms.

Link it with your marketing strategy and brand

This last point often goes by the wayside. Everything on your website—the graphics, audio, written content, even subliminal impressions, should support your brand and your marketing strategy in terms of target audience and message. I’ve come across too many websites that have succumbed to “mission creep” and lose message continuity.

Websites are a critical marketing tool. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them do not make a good first impression and the user quickly moves on. Blue Zenith can make your website the exception.

On December 12 WordPress 3.3 – named Sonny – was released. It’s got some major improvements – especially in the media interface. They’ve implemented a drag/drop media upload. Makes it so much easier to upload media files to your wordpress site.

Check out the official release of WordPress 2.2 “Sonny”.

I’ve upgraded it now on a few of my client sites with little or no problems. The only issue I found was the lightbox feature of the portfolio galleries no longer worked. But, with a little research and finagling, I finally found the Shadow Box plugin solved all my problems.

Here’s the download for the WordPress Plugin – Shadowbox JS/.

WordPress App for Android 2.0

Another huge release is the WordPress app for Android 2.0.  Why is this a huge release you ask? Well imagine, an improved mobile blogging experience. The app makes it easier to interface with the WordPress dashboard on the go. As if you needed another reason to choose WordPress for your blog and website.

Here’s more information and a link to the download for the WordPress App for Android 2.0.

Define and commit to your business vision

Whether it’s in writing or not, I’m sure you have a clear vision about your business. How will you fill a need better than anyone else? What is your niche? How and to whom will you reach out with your marketing? How will you, your company or your product change the world?! Think big and then make sure your website supports and matches this lofty vision.

Define the objectives for your website

Your website should align with your marketing in the broadest sense. Marketing is all about creating visibility, enhancing credibility and showcasing ability. A professional website can overtly and subliminally accomplish all of these. Also, remember that your social media presence should seamlessly lead to your website and specific pages on your website. Maybe someday Facebook will replace websites, maybe not. But we’re not there yet. The website is still the place for the most substantive messaging about an organization.

Know your Target Audience

While you have your marketing hat on, think creatively about your target audience. Define the groups by demographics (age, gender, income level, etc.), level of hipness, IQ, or whatever. Once you’re focused on your ideal customers, put yourself in their shoes as you create the website’s look, feel, content and maneuverability. If you can’t get inside their heads, run the beta site past someone who can in order to make sure it resonates. After all, lawyers don’t want to see cartoon characters and teens don’t want to read about your Mission Statement!

Happy December holidays from Blue Zenith Web Designs. Rest up—I have a feeling 2012 is going to be incredible!

But how do you make a website viewer feel at home? In large part, it’s a function of the visual and design.

For one thing, it literally puts a face on the company. Remember the late Victor Kiam (“I liked the shaver so much I bought the company”), former President & CEO of Remington Products? In the heyday of that ad campaign, you couldn’t see the name Remington without hearing his voice and that tagline in your head. Remington wasn’t a corporation, it was a non-descript businessman with a slightly nasal tone! Make sure readers know you’re not a soul-less corporation and that they’re connecting with real people. Include pictures and images reflecting the company, owner, employees and customers.

Then, of course, there is the subtle use of color, fonts and layout. Your website shouldn’t look home- made but you don’t want to come across as a Manhattan investment bank either. The happy medium is a professional-looking site that is pleasing to the eye (and brain) in terms of layout and flow. Part of this is a comfortable balance of written and visual messages. An imbalance between these two will be jarring to the subconscious and will prevent the personal connection.

So, this Thanksgiving, as you enjoy the warmth and company of family and friends, take a second to process what makes those connections so powerful. When you get back to the office on the 31st, call us while the afterglow is fresh in your mind. THAT’S the look and feel you need for your website and THAT’S what we can design for you!

Happy Thanksgiving from Blue Zenith Web Design!

When you are contemplating your layout, consider that the current trend is more casual than in year’s past. People want content that is concise and in laymen’s terms. No fancy terminology that doesn’t resonate with someone who isn’t in familiar with that field or business. There are still some industries that will use the formal verbiage due to their function. For instance, a law office, finance and doctor’s offices will be using the more formal terminology when others will opt for the casual language.

The days of having menu bars only at the top and simpler layouts have now gone to the cleaner look and more white space. You want to encourage your visitors to scan the entire site. If they get to the home page and it’s not engaging, they could leave without going any further. You want to match the tone and mood of your competitors, friendly, belonging and a feeling of being connected. These are ideas that help me think ahead when looking for trends.

1. Look at the popular websites visited often. These are the websites that have been integrated into our culture (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn).  Keep an eye on their ever-changing look to gauge what people are familiar with.
2. Keep an eye on television commercials,  magazine art to watch the use of color and font interplay.
3. Trends are more than just looks. I try to find the feeling invoked by the advertisement, images, words. This is the true path of the trend. Bold. Whimsical.  These are just two words that describe some of the current trending that I see.
4. Look for things that could be considered disruptive. Not everything translates into good web design.  Know the difference between eye-catching and a nuisance.
5. Distinguish between the long-term trends versus the current fad.

To maintain the casual stance for your website here are a few tips:

1. Use concise, grammatically correct conversational terminology
2. Use real life verbiage
3. Avoid using industry jargon
4. Provide information that isn’t stating the obvious

To make sure that your website doesn’t become obsolete:

1.  Use mouse-over  tool tips for context controls.  Provide that extra help when needed.
2.  Show interactivity on your screen. This can be as simple as images coming into focus when you hover over them. Encourage your visitors to explore!
3. Don’t be clunky with your functionality. Design your web pages with your visitors in mind, keeping the process as easy as possible for them – not the developer!
4. Include the human element in your images. Your visitors can spot a stock image a mile away. Provide that personal touch by using real photos versus stock images.
5. Remember the saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth”. The author of your content should be writing as a representative of the group, and should not be the entire group throwing in their two cents.  Your message will be more concise and cohesive with one or just a few authors.
6. Always add quick links to your social media elements
7. In the About Us section, try to make it personal  by using real photos and bios.

With a few of these tips, your website will remain engaging, interactive and easy to understand. And isn’t that the whole point?  Getting your visitors to engage with your website and your business.

“Content Is King!”

We’ve all heard the saying. We know it means growing and building your online knowledge base gets you better results over time. It also means you must contribute to your blog on a regular basis, focusing your content on how you want to be found. Hiring someone to improve your SEO is always an option. There are many qualified professionals that specialize in this field. But, if you’re looking to improve your SEO with no budget, you can do a few simple things to improve the effectiveness of your blog. Getting started is the first step.  Here are a few tips to get you going.

Be Consistent

Remember – all your work takes time.  It takes time to establish yourself and your credibility.  It takes time to build a community of followers that are searching for and connect with your message.  And it takes time to move up in the search engine rankings to be in a prime spot on the search engine results page.  To do so, you must be consistently writing and focusing your content on what people are looking for.

Be Relevant

Being relevant is by far the most important thing you need to remember.  Write about things that people are looking for. And write about it in a way that is readable and interesting. Find blogs that you find interesting and subscribe to them. Browse to see which articles get the most response and follow the conversation. By taking some time to research what you would want to read, and what you wouldn’t want to read, you’ll be ahead of the game knowing how to set the tone on your own blog. Keep in mind that this is something that should be ongoing. To stay relevant, you must know what people are talking about in your industry, how it’s being said, and how you can set yourself apart within that conversation. There’s always room to learn from others.