Articles

What is RSS and Why Is It So Simple?

December 9th, 2007

RSS, it’s so easy that SIMPLE is its middle name. RSS is short for Real Simple Syndication. Syndication means to supply for simultaneous publication. In the print world things like newspaper columns get syndicated because it is an easy way to distribute news. On the internet, RSS is a perfect way to distribute any type of content that is frequently updated such as news, blog entries, podcasts, articles, or job listings, lost & found items, personals, and headlines.

It gives internet users the ability to quickly scan the sites that interest you without being bombarded by unwanted email or newsletters.

There’s tons and tons of information on the internet. RSS is an automated way to keep current with your favorite website.

What Is an RSS Reader?
RSS is usually called a feed or web channel. You read the feed through software called an RSS Reader. RSS Readers are a dime a dozen. Actually, they are free – so is the content that you get from them. Using your RSS Reader you subscribe to a feed. There are a few ways to subscribe to a feed: you can enter the feed’s link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. On a regular basis the reader checks your subscribed feeds for new content, downloading any updates that it finds.

How Does RSS work?
From a high-level technical perspective, an RSS file is written in a simple (get it? simple) language that is called XML. Think of it like HTML’s simple cousin from the country. Information is put in the file and the recipients of your RSS receive that information through an RSS reader.

Now, for the BIG Question: How RSS Benefit Your Website?

• Convenient
  Instead of looking at 20 different websites, you can get an update on 20 different websites at a single glance. You don’t need to wait for a single page to load!
• Customizable - With a click of a mouse you can add or replace RSS feeds to your reader. In most cases it is faster than signing up for a newsletter.
• Dynamic - When your website has new content, users know it instantly.
• Anti-Spam - Since users opt-in to receive RSS feeds, you bypass spam filters, firewalls, and avoid spreading viruses.
• Unobtrusive - Allows users to see some of your website’s content without needing to visit your site.
• Fresh - When you add an RSS feed to your site you provide fresh content without lifting a finger.
• SEO - Search engines favor websites that have new content on a continuous basis. When you add an RSS feed you provide that new content on your site.

Do You Have Questions About RSS?

Please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.

Posted in Website Tips, Search Engine Optimization
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The “Must Have” for 2008: Every Company and Organization Should Have A Web Strategist

December 2nd, 2007

Every business has a plan, right? Some aim to make money and some want to find world peace. Whatever your goals are, you need a strategy to achieve them. Whether your business is strictly online or completely offline, a website is no longer a good-to-have item. A website is a necessity and a strategy for your website or web product is equally as important.
That’s where a Web Strategist comes into play.
A Web Strategist is responsible for defining the near- and long-term direction of your website. In order to succeed at this, they must have a keen understanding of your business, your customers, and the tools that are available to help you.
This is how it works.
Whether you are an established business looking to leverage your know brand assets, a small-sized company who needs to adapt to the internet or a new startup looking to quickly get up and running, a Web Strategist asks three crucial questions:

1. What is your website’s purpose and who is your audience?
2. How will your website get enduring results?
3. Will your audience find what they need?

The bottom line is that a fancy design alone isn’t going to define your company. Or a new marketing strategy. Or a better interface. It’s only when you consider all these elements simultaneously that you have the power to reshape your business into something enduring and category defining.
In today’s internet landscape, it’s essential for forward-thinking developers to conceive new ideas that strategically speak to your audience. A Web Strategist asks a lot of questions, they study how your audience uses the internet, and they learn about your industry.

Talk to Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist about our time-tested process that will produce a website that is totally aligned with your audience.

Posted in Website Development, Website Tips
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Dot the I and Cross the T: A Smart Web Design Contract

November 30th, 2007

Ask for a Signed Contract and a Project Schedule

Like any other business relationship, you should make sure you have a signed contract before the relationship begins. The contract should include the start and completion dates for the project, as well as a firm budget for the project; the complexity of your site will be the primary determinant of the overall cost. Obviously, if you require streaming video and flash presentations, the development time will cost more than a simple, informational site. It is also important to get a flat project rate rather than an hourly rate because then you know what the total cost will be provided that you adhere to the terms of your contract.

The contract should stipulate how many revisions are allowed; at what point phases are finalized; and specifically what is being delivered.

Additionally, it should be clear that you own the completed project and domain name (you should require that the contract states that all content and graphics, and the domain name, become your property). Accompanying the contract should be a timeline of the project, as having a schedule will help keep things on track.

Use a Website Design Firm that is a One-Stop Shop

Unless you have the knowledge to host your own web server, you ought to hire a web design firm that can provide more than site design and development. One of the best ways to know who the professionals are and who are not is whether they offer additional services like hosting, domain name registration, search engine optimization, and ongoing maintenance. That’s not to say you should wash your hand completely of these processes. Find out what the average price is for hosting a website of your size and bandwidth requirements so that you know you are getting a fair price. For example, our web design and development firm offers hosting packages starting from $10 a month – so there is a package made for all budgets. In addition, they should be able to guarantee reliable uptime for hosting, at least 95%. Receive, in writing, the cost for monthly maintenance and what this maintenance entails. Finally, as your company grows so will your website, and your designer should be able to keep up with those changes. If you are dealing with an individual or just two people, chances are they will not be able to meet your growing demands. If you plan on success and growth you will be wise to seek out a web design company that has a full team of designers, developers, programmers, seo specialists, and strategists.

Other Questions to Ask…

• Can you develop a Content Management System so that I can edit my site?
• How long will it take for my site to load?
• Do you validate your code?
• Can you develop back-end functions (such as a database)?
• Will my site be compatible for multiple browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
• Can you develop secure e-commerce solutions?
• Do you have the capabilities of using creating hybrid flash, streaming audio/video, etc.?

Having a presence online is becoming a requirement in nearly every industry. By having a strong partnership between you and your web designer, you will have an effective, attractive and user-friendly website that attracts customers, builds customer relationships and helps your company grow.

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

Posted in Website Development, Website Tips, Web Design
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How Much Does a Website Cost?

November 28th, 2007

Fees for website design and development can range from a few thousand dollars to half a million dollars. In trying to understand what costs are right for you, it might be useful to think of your website in terms of a car. Everyone knows that cars vary widely in price. A Hyundai is a car and so is a Mercedes Benz. But there is an ocean of difference between these two vehicles. In the same way that things like engineering, features, functions, design, safety, and service factor into the cost (and appeal) of a car so, too, does design and programming for a website.

Even when you select the make and model of a car, the cost of accessories can cause the price to vary drastically. There are choices to be made: 6 Disc CD changer vs. single CD, ipod dock vs. no mp3, dual-sided climate control vs. air condition, 1-touch automatic windows vs. automatic windows, heated leather seats vs. leather seats, and the list goes on and on. Each of these decisions will be reflected in the final price of the car.

A website comes with “accessories” too. We refer to these as “features and options.” Within each feature there can be any number of variables that dictate the simplicity or complexity required to develop a feature. Just like there is an extra fee for a car with a multi-disk CD player vs. one with a single-disk CD player so too is there a premium for a website that has Flash in the header vs. one that uses basic HTML in the header.

In nearly every aspect of website development, there are design features and programming options to take into consideration. To help you better understand the individual costs, below is a list of features and options that one takes into a consideration when developing a website. Typically a web design firm will bundle costs together so treat these are estimates. Cost will vary depending upon complexity of each item.

Website Programming Services

Customization type	Details	EstimatedCost
Contact Form	1 - 10 text fields without any controls such as radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes.	$200
Advanced Contact Form	1 - 15 text fields + controls (radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes)	$450
Sign up for a Newsletter	Script with the admin panel that includes the list of subscribers and the interface for writing emails. Options to choose subscribers and groups from the list of PHP admin panel, subscribe - unsubscribe	$850
News	Script that allows to update the following type of the news content: Text blocks on the existing news page, articles with the full text linking to read more on the main news page blocks	$810
FAQ	Script that allows to update ( delete/edit) questions/answers in the FAQ section, add new questions/answers, supports categories, search on the page	$820
Content Management System	Script that allows editing all the existing blocks on the page: text, images, titles	$1500
Simple Calendar	The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing	$130
Advanced Calendar	The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing. An event can be set for the date ( text format). When clicking on the date the pop-up will come up with the event description	$930
Date and Time	The recent Date and time shows up on the website	$150
Tell a Friend	The script that will send the email from the visitor of your website to his/her friends with comment and link to the website	$250
Google Search	The scripts that allows to use Google search engine without leaving your site and show search results on your website	$480
User Authentication and Management	Script that allows restriction to specific areas of your website, only registered/allowed users can access this section; includes login page, registration, user management, restriction of the pages ( same for all registered users)	$900
Basic Site search	Script that allows web site visitors to search for information on your website; includes search field (one parameter) and search results page	$750
Poll(Voting)	Online poll ( up to 10 questions), with possibility to view voting archives	$910
Image Gallery	Script that allows management ( add, replace, delete) of the gallery/portfolio or any other section of the website containing 5 or more images and the images description (text format)	$1,400
Mp3 player	Adding the mp3 player to your website allowing to play online multiple compositions	$650
FLV player (video)	Adding the FLV player to your website allowing to play video file	$250 per movie
E-Commerce Shopping Cart	Full functionality of standard osCommerce package ( the structure based on the selected features), installation included	$2,000
Blog	Full functionality of the standard Blog package ( wordpress software), installation included	$1,600

Website Design Services

Customization type	Details	EstimatedCost
Image animation	HTML picture in the header or body	$160
HTML header animation	Graphical customization	$450
Header flash loop development (text/images, up to 4 slides)	With customer’s images	$1250
Adding buttons	Flash menu	$210
Adding rollover effect	Flash effect	$280
Creating a drop-down menu	One level	$420
Creating Corporate Identity	Logo – print and web version	$1,500
Design a unique flash template	Homepage design	$1200
Unique banner design	Depends on banner size and details	$300
Unique icon design	Per icon	$450

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.

Posted in Website Development, Website Tips, Web Design
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Hiring a Good Web Designer: The Dos & Dont’s

November 28th, 2007

Unless you have been living under a rock or in Pakistan where the government can curtail or even cutoff your internet access, you know that the internet has changed the way we acquire goods, services, and information. If your corporation doesn’t have a website today, it is like you don’t exist.

However, even with this never ending explosion, many small and mid-size businesses are still hesitant about adding a website to their marketing plan. I am not telling you this just because I produce websites. I am telling you this because common sense dictates that I do. It is the common sense in me that says having a good website will not only give your customers access to your services 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, but it will also expose your company up to a wider customer-base.

Unless you feel confident about designing, developing, and programming your own website, you need to hire a professional website development company. But, before you interview web development companies, you should first determine what your goals are for you website, including:

• Are you strictly interested in e-commerce?
• Do you want to attract more customers?
• Do you want to give your existing customers better service?
• Do you want repeat customers?
• Are you interested in showing video, commercials, interviews, etc.?
• Are you looking for an informational site that would introduce your company to individuals or companies?

Once you determine your goals, you are ready to begin the process of hiring a web development company. But, simply doing a Google search won’t do; you must find a web team who will help promote your professional image to your customers while making the online process as easy as possible for you. Below are some basic steps to take in order to find the website development company who will build the perfect site for you:

Do Your Homework: Examine the Competition’s Websites

Before you hire a web designer, you should have an idea of what you want for your web site. Sometimes the best place to start is with your competition. Research your competitors’ sites and take note of who designed them (it is usually listed at the bottom of the home page). Take notes about what you do and don’t like about their sites. What do you think of the design of their website? Does the functionality in their website make sense? Do they offer shopping or are they purely informational? Is there enough of what you are looking for or too little?

Then take your research a step further. Start combing the internet for any type of site that you like. A good starting point is reviewing a web design company’s portfolio. Two of the best web design portfolios are: Digital Peabody Portfolio and Unleaded Software.

Do Identify Your Individual Business Needs

Once you have done your homework and have selected a web design firm that meets your needs, you ought to present your business’s key objectives to the web design firm. In addition, make note of your customer-base, as they may look for certain functional or design aspects in your website. Think about the types of information that you need in your website. For example, if you have a new or growing business you may want a section about “Employment Opportunities” Or another example is a “Terms and Conditions” section that explains your company’s policies. Each business is unique and will have a different set of requirements for a website.

Once you have a solid definition of your requirements, and your likes and dislikes in terms of website design, you will be able to present them to a web design firm. Hashing out all of this before you chose a web design firm will help you get exactly what you need in your company’s website.

Do Research the Web Designer

It is very important to work with someone you trust, so before you begin interviewing designers you should review designers’ on-line portfolios to see if you like their particular style. Ask the designers to explain design decisions in the portfolio and request a brief description of the overall process. In addition, make sure you check references. Ask the references if the web design firm meet their expectations, satisfied their timeline, and were they easy to communicate with. One of the reasons why you should work with a professional web design firm vs. a freelancer is that the professionals tend to be significantly more responsive than somebody who works by and for themselves. Talent is one thing – but reliability is equally as important. So while professional web design firms may cost a little bit more than freelancers do, the peace of mind that you will have is priceless.

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

Posted in Website Development, Website Tips, Web Design
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Top 5 Common E-Commerce Mistakes

October 26th, 2007

Ready to embark upon the world of e-commerce? Wait – not so fast! Make sure you avoid these pitfalls.

1. Not investing in quality design

Many new comers to e-commerce attempt to keep their cost down by using a template shopping cart website or hiring the cheapest designers around to build their website. This may help you budget-wise but it will never help you build your business. Customers will view your website and business as unprofessional and will figure that you are not a place worthy of their spending. There couldn’t be a worst first impression if you tired! So, be smart! Invest in a web firm that can create professional looking graphics that help bolster your business and your sales.

2. Lack of Follow-Up and Auto-Responders
Whether you’re selling t-shirts or cell phones, customers want to know where to begin. When you send your product be sure to include a “Read this First” or “Getting Started” document to help them through your product step by step. In addition to this you should have an auto-responder sequence that is generated from your website that follows up with them and reiterates this information.
Whether it’s Wash and Wear or Plug in and Play…help your customers understand your product as best as possible.
After the product has shipped, get in touch with your client. Let them know you care.

3. Weak Product Line
At best, there are a couple of dozen success stories as a result of selling a single product. If you are relying on selling to new customers then your chances of long-term success are minimal. It is well known that overcoming the sales hurdle is much easier when you are dealing with an existing customer. Without additional related products you cannot upsell. Moreover, you reduce the possibility of starting a relationship with your customer if they have no reason to return to your website.

4. Living In a Virtual World
Don’t underestimate the value of human contact. As much as we love all the conveniences of technology, your customers will appreciate the ability to talk to a real person – especially when they have a problem or a question. Use e-mails, forms, and support tickets as an option but always offer a live representative for your customers. This will go a long way with building the rapport and trust that leads to long-term business relationships.

5. Inconsistent Branding
The value of brand recognition is huge! You need people to recognize your products. Give a consistent look and feel to everything you do online and off. Your website should look like it is related to your products and your customers. Think of it as keeping it all in the family.
Whatever you sell online, your offline materials and the look and feel of your website should be related. Just like with twins, people will know that they are related. It’s easier to sell a product to someone who is comfortable with you and branding is a critical aspect of increasing consumer’s comfort level.

Posted in Website Tips, Web Design
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How To Get A Custom Website for FREE!

September 17th, 2007

The quick answer is: You don’t. Your odds of doing this are about the same as winning the lottery.

In website design and development, just like most other things in this world, the adage of ‘You Get What You Pay For’ stands. But this adage applies ten-fold in website design and development.

With the proliferation of freelancers who call themselves website designer to the thousands of off-shore companies who work for a few dollars an hour, you can, indeed, have a very inexpensive website built for your business. Unfortunately, you will get exactly what you pay for: poor design, sloppy programming, confusing navigation, and so on. Not to mention the miserable customer experience you will have. If you think calling the toll free number for Dell customer support is bad, then sit down, because you have a whole new type of misery in store for you when you work with freelancers and cheap web development firms.

It is widely agreed that a website is a reflection of your business. If you want to appear shoddy and cheap then perhaps this is the route for you. If, however, you are serious about your business you will need an intelligently designed website. This means you hire a web design firm that has years of experience in design, website strategy, and technology.

Look for a web design firm that has that perfect blend of the three divergent capabilities it takes to produce compelling design. A great web development firm fuses art and science, solid logic and inspiration, primitive intuition and cutting-edge know-how to build fabulous websites.

Will it be expensive? That depends on the features and functions of your website. For any web design firm that is worth their weight, you can expect to pay a minimum of $5k for a basic business website. Prices range from there on up. The bottom line is, when you want results that are both refreshingly enticing to your site visitor and exactly what you envisioned for your company’s website only a proven professional design firm can get you there.

Talk to a Web Stragist at Digital Peabody, a leading Denver and Chicago web design firm, to learn more about the cost of web design and development.  You can call 303.468.5707 for the Denver office or 312.933-3430 to reach the Chicago office. If you prefer to send an e-mail, click here.

Posted in Website Development, Website Tips, Web Design
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How to Make a Good Website - The Key Ingredients

September 17th, 2007

• Intuitive Navigation
• Fast Loading Pages
• Attractive Colors
• Smart Page Layout
• Browser Compatibility
• SEO Friendly

Intuitive Navigation

When you run into the store to buy a gallon of milk, you want to find the dairy section immediately, right? The same thing applies when a visitor comes to your website. They want to find information or products quickly. By using intuitive navigation, site visitor will be able to find important information with ease. It is always a good practice to place your main links at the top of the page as well as the bottom. Sometimes it is more convenient for your users to click on a link at the bottom of your page than to scroll to the top of the page.

Another important part of the navigation is the menu design. Use drop down menus. With drop down menus your visitors can easily see where they may navigate in the web site.

Slow Loading Pages

Internet time is warped. Seconds seem like minutes. Nobody, not even the most patient person in the world, wants to wait for a page to load. You literally have a few seconds to for your page to load or your visitor will click on to the next site.

High resolution graphics and rich interactive media are the typical culprits for slow loading web pages. When you work with a good web designer, like Digital Peabody just as an example, graphics are handled in a special way so that you can achieve fast loading pages.

Appealing Color Scheme

This is an important and underrated element in web design. This is feel good time. This is time to add a little extra sugar to make it sweet. You want your visitors to enjoy and savor the website - not to strain their eyes. A professional web designer knows how to use contrasting and complimentary colors just right.

Steer clear from dark backgrounds or bright ones like red, yellow or green which can draw attention away from the key messages. In addition, do not use dark text on a dark background. That’s like burning the chocolate chip cookies. Above all, make sure your text is easy to read and is more prominent than the background.

Page Layout

Be consistent. Create a model in which carries throughout the site. If, for example, you use a two-column layout, then every page should have a two-column layout. The top and bottom navigation should always be in the same location. Have the important information located in the section that is most easy to find. Most of us are trained to view a web page starting with the top right corner and then going down toward the lower left on a diagonal. Layout your key points with this in mind.

Cross Browser Optimization

Just because your website looks perfect in Internet Explorer does not mean it will look the same in other browsers like Firefox or Safari. Each browser and version of that browser will handle HTML Tags differently. A web programmer or developer who is at the top of their game will know the tricks of the trade to make your website compatible across all commonly used browsers.

Take Advantage of SEO

You wouldn’t think of having jelly without peanut butter. So, why would you have a website and not optimize it? At the very least, you should add a title to your website, META tags, ALT tags, relevant content, title tags on links and other SEO practices. Internet marketing is its own beast to tackle.

Internet marketing takes a lot of time and dedication, but making sure your website is SEO friendly is the first step to attract targeted visitors to your website.

WRITTEN BY:

Lauren Engel: President of www.digitalpeabody.com. Lauren is widely acknowledged as a leading Website Strategist in Denver and Chicago.

Posted in Tips, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design
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