Any career in a technology-based field is going to require quick thinking and a growing skill set, so graphic designers starting a career in the web industry have to hit the ground running. Here's the top ten things every beginning designer should know.
Search Engine Optimization is no longer just a buzzword--it's a science. And it's critical for your website to be found.
Unfortunately, SEO is as entrenched with myths and untrue rumours as the internet in its early days. Even today, it's easy to find poorly repeated material spread around the web full of false information. To make matters more esoteric still, major search engines such as Google guard their frequently-changing algorithms with a careful eye, releasing only the need-to-know information to the public as they see fit.
Nevertheless, there are best practices for SEO--practices that make a difference when done correctly. Here's 5 lesser-known elements that affect your search engine ranking--for better or worse.
It's true--content is king. The power to make or break your website, to land or lose a lead, lies in the copy. When a potential client lands on your website, an impression will be formed in their mind within seconds. Studies have shown that the very first thing a visitor notices is the design and overall aesthetics of the website--which can certainly be impressing itself--but the ultimate deciding factor is the message that the copy delivers.
As the web continues to evolve and it becomes even more commonplace for businesses of all sizes to have websites, excuses for bad web copy are diminishing rapidly. But what defines "bad web copy"?
We've outlined seven common web copy mistakes that can turn away potential clients.
When you're in the planning stages of a new website or you're thinking of incorporating a corporate blog, the first thing you're likely to do is a quick Google search in the hopes of finding the platform that will suit your needs. Google will display a long list of articles discussing the best CMS or the best all-in-one WYSIWYG editor, usually sponsored by a party with well-defined allegiances. So where should you begin?
Let's say you've narrowed it down between WordPress and Drupal. Another Google search will render you speechless at the near-infinite stream of forum threads containing emotionally-saturated discussions, none of which are likely to prove too useful without significant sifting time and an hour or two of therapy.
Comparing WordPress and Drupal isn't entirely unlike comparing apples and oranges--but if you're in the picnic-planning market and you need a straightforward fruit, I mean answer, this will help set you on the path to choosing the right one for you.
