Paula G. Web Design

Whenever you are creating a new website it is imperative to begin with the end in mind. You might not have the time or resources to implement everything you ultimately want your website to do right away, but you need to plan taking the big picture into account. Why is this so important?

Besides the fact that beginning with the end in mind is simply a sound strategy for most things (just scan the chapters on this topic in Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” book if you want to go in depth), it is crucial for both the graphic designer and the web programmer so they can ensure they build a strong foundation for your site.

For instance, if you think only about the next 3-6 months and Phase I of your project which consists of just a few pages but fail to mention to your web team that in 12 months you’ll be rolling out and launching a large number of products for sale, you may find yourself with a site that cannot easily accommodate your business’ strategic plans and growth. I’ve been invovlved in more than one project in my 12+ years of doing this, especially while working internal to organizations, that went wildly over budget and awry because no one ever took the big picture into account. Read the rest of this entry »

Just recently a major upgrade to one of the most popular browsers was released. Firefox 3  is now available (and of course remains free). There was also an upgrade to the browser Opera 9.5.

So, my question to you is — do you know for sure your website works in these new browsers? Whenever I launch a new website I always test it in Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 7.  There are definitely differences and if you’re not careful your site can end up looking, well, not quite like you hoped.

I wasn’t expecting Firefox 3 to pose any major challenges, since it is one of the most standards compliant browsers out there. Yet, I found, much to my chagrin as I was doing some developing that it was not working in Firefox.  Usually it is Internet Explorer that gives us web folks fits.  I ultimately resolved the problem but it got me wondering what else out there might be breaking.

That is when I stumbled upon a major website for my industry no longer works in Firefox.  Now this is a worldwide site used by thousands and thousands.  Suddenly none of the links on the home page work.  It works fine in Internet Explorer 7 but I am left stranded like a plane crash survivor when I try to use the site in Firefox.

As far as Internet Explorer is concerned, a new one is in the works. However, many people STILL aren’t using Internet Explorer 7, they stay stuck in the age of the dinosaur with Internet Explorer 6 which quite frankly has an unpleasant way with websites built properly according to current standards.  So, I can say that Leah MacLean took the words right out my mouth when she said on her blog this week:

In my book there is no reason for anyone to be using Internet Explorer 6 anymore (it is 7 year old technology)!! In fact if you or anyone you know still uses IE6 then let them know it is time to upgrade.  Even if they don’t want to move away from the Internet Explorer brand to a better browser like Firefox or Opera, then at least to Internet Explorer 7 (IE7).

Absolutely! It is free and will make your online life much easier.

People often ask me if they can quote other content and bloggers online using small snippets and a link back to the source as a modern day footnote if you will. This is certainly acceptable practice under the fair use exception to copyright law, unless of course the source you’re citing is the AP.

TechCrunch shared the madness of AP’s stance in their post “Here’s Our New Policy on AP stories: They’re banned” :

They do not want people quoting their stories, despite the fact that such activity very clearly falls within the fair use exception to copyright law. They claim that the activity is an infringement.

A.P. vice president Jim Kennedy says they will issue guidelines telling bloggers what is acceptable and what isn’t, over and above what the law says is acceptable. They will “attempt to define clear standards as to how much of its articles and broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt without infringing on The A.P.’s copyright.”

Those that disregard the guidelines risk being sued by the A.P., despite the fact that such use may fall under the concept of fair use.

The A.P. doesn’t get to make it’s own rules around how its content is used, if those rules are stricter than the law allows. So even thought they say they are making these new guidelines in the spirit of cooperation, it’s clear that, like the RIAA and MPAA, they are trying to claw their way to a set of property rights that don’t exist today and that they are not legally entitled to. And like the RIAA and MPAA, this is done to protect a dying business model - paid content.

It makes no sense to me that an organization whose purpose is to disseminate information wants to limit its distribution. I certainly understand paid content is the business model they employ, but a few sentences quoted with attribution and link back? I smell frustration and desperation…but most certainly will steer clear of them when it comes to content sourcing.

So the moral to the story is… link away and share the wealth when it comes to information on the web; except if you see the source is AP. Then, you can just scratch your head, wonder about the old school mentality, and move on.

What are the top core values of your business? Who are you and what do you stand for when it comes to your business?

I believe orienting your business (and life for that matter) around your values is the surest way to ensure you are on track and feel great about what you do and offer every day. Not to mention I’ve found that people who orient around their values are far more successful at wealth creating than anyone else.

However, many people have trouble thinking in these terms, especially when faced with their website. One of the best questions (and often a stumper) that I ask when speaking with potential clients is this:

• What are your top 5 values? What would you like clients to say about you? (ex: honesty, integrity, timely, quality)

When someone visits your site, what do you want it to say? Do you want it to scream that you are a person of integrity? Are you super high quality? Perhaps speed, cost, or ease is what you value most. Whatever it is, your site needs to speak it loudly and clearly.

Whether you already have a website or are just planning for one, take some time today to ask yourself this question. Just notice what comes up for you…

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RSS is at the heart of blogs yet many people don’t know what it is and why it is so great. I want to help you better understand not only the term but how you can use it to your advantage.

RSS stands for RDF Site Summary or Rich Site Summary. It is an XML format for delivering Web content. What that means it follows web standards in a way that is accessible across many different technologies. Think of it as one of those universal adapter type thingies you might buy for the house. Whether you have one brand or another, it works just the same.

RSS is at the heart of blog content allowing updates to be delivered to other Web sites and individual’s RSS readers as new content is added. This is the most exciting and important part of it.

Why?

Well, information coming at us from all sides on a daily basis. You might wonder, why do we need yet another delivery channel? Read the rest of this entry »

If you are in or around the Doylestown, PA area (just outside of Philadelphia, PA in Bucks County), here’s the scoop on a speaking engagement I have coming up this week…

Blogging is all the rage and part of a savvy Web 2. marketing strategy. But, it is right for you & your business? Join me as I  share with you the ins and outs of getting started with blogging. In this seminar you will learn:

• What a blog is and why it is such a popular marketing tool
• Questions to ask yourself before you get started
• How to get started with your own blog and what tools to use

When:      Wednesday, June 4th, 2008    8:00AM
Where: James Lorah House, Doylestown, PA
More Info: http://www.womensbusinessforum.org/

This event is free and open to the public as part of the regular monthly meeting of the Doylestown Women’s Business Forum.

I ran across this excellent blog post today “7 Signs of SEO Scams”. It is well written and really debunks the common myths of SEO. Before I share a little excerpt, let me say that while I am not an SEO expert (at least not yet!) I do work closely with several people on my team who are so I can offer my clients the best expertise possible. I am smart enough to know what I don’t know — admit it and then partner with experts I trust.

That being said, web clients will come to me and say things like “I want to be #1 in Google for Real Estate in Philadelphia” or better yet #1 for “business coach”. Well, I hate to say it but that is short-sighted and unrealistic. No one can promise you #1 rankings for anything ever. Just not possible. It is like asking a financial adviser to guarantee a certain rate of return - out of their control, can’t happen. What can be offered is a sound, SEO strategy that takes ongoing work and effort. That includes finding the right keywords to target (for you).

Doing so is a time intensive process, so expect to pay for good service. It is more than just sprinkling a few words in your copy and calling it a day.

Here are two of my favorites from Josh Garner’s article:

1. We can rank your site in 48 hours!
Boy, I wish this was possible. It sure would save me a whole lot of time slaving over my computer like a maniac, pouring over search term trends, conversion reports, traffic and ranking reports, etc. I wouldn’t be spending hours on end modifying and optimizing content until my SEO fingers bleed. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. It takes hours to find the right search terms. Depending on the size of a website, it can take days to implement changes. It takes weeks to see the initial effects. It can take months to get things going in the right direction. If you’re being promised results in a few days, your being offered a money pit and little more.

7. We guarantee page 1 rankings!
Nobody can do this. Nobody. In SEO, there are no guarantees on rankings, traffic, or any other measure. Think of SEO like advertising (that’s really all it is, just online). The best marketing guys don’t guarantee anything either. Neither do doctors or lawyers. You hire these professionals based on the questions you’ve asked them, their past successes, experience, etc. SEO is no different. Good SEOs are good SEOs because they have spent years learning and testing, and know of the measures most often needed to produce results. So if anyone guarantees anything, they are only guaranteeing that you will be wasting your hard earned money.

Head on over and check out the full 7 myths. For anyone seeking to understand what SEO is even at its most basic, it is worth your time. That way you can be sure to avoid getting scammed or wasting your pipe dreams on unrealistic expectations.

So you’ve set up your email newsletter publishing system and you have launched your blog. Now you need to come up with regular, valuable content. It is at this point that I often hear the screams “What do I do? How will I ever figure out what to write about?” It is a worthwhile concern. After all, one of the things that make email and blogging effective marketing tools is the fact that it is regular and consistent. So if you’ve decided that a blog and email newsletter is right for you, you need to stick to a schedule.

Sticking to a writing schedule, for some, might seem like a neverending bad nightmare of last minute paper writing in college. However, it doesn’t have to be hard. In fact it can be fun. If you’re not having fun with it (at least most of the time) it is not the right marketing tool for you (but that is a different topic altogether).

So, here’s my top ways for beating writer’s block and keeping your blog posts and email newsletter content flowing.

1. Pick a reasonable schedule for you. Sure there are blogs out there that update content 24/7 multiple times each day. Unless that is how you want to live and run your business, I suggest picking something a little more in line with what you really want. The important thing is to make sure it is regular and consistent. At a minimum — at least weekly is recommended for blogs and every other week for email newsletters (although weekly is better there too).
2. Write about what you know and enjoy. If you’re in business for yourself I surely hope you enjoy what you are doing because you’ll spend a lot of time doing it! If you don’t enjoy it — well, that’s a question for my coaching business. Write about your expertise and write in a way that feels good to you. This isn’t English lit… relax a bit and let your personality come through. Stay professional of course but let your written voice align with what you stand for.
3. Content is everywhere. Running out of things to write about? Not possible. Read the rest of this entry »

With email marketing it can sometimes feel like you spend time crafting your articles, bless them, send them off,and then wonder if anyone is every opening or reading them.  How can you know?  If you’re using a professional email publishing system you have easy access to basic statistics about your broadcast.

Information you will want to know about each broadcast includes:

• # of emails sent
• # and % of undeliverable emails
• # and % of people who opened your email

Any system you use should also automatically manage any undeliverable emails.  For instance, attempting to deliver the message a certain number of times before it considers it a “bad” email address.

As with any statistics, they are a benchmark, not an absolute. For instance, I use Aweber and while they can tell me the open rate of my broadcast, they cannot track this figure for emails that are sent plain text (vs HTML).  So, I can usually assume my open rate is “at least” whatever percent it is showing in the report.  I always include a plain text version of my HTML newsletters for people who either choose to receive plain text only or for email programs that do not support HTML (or have the settings turned off). Read the rest of this entry »

As a business owner who wants a website that works for you, why should you care about web standards? I’m all about a plain English approach so while I don’t expect you to have to understand or navigate the world of standards, validators, and well written code, I do expect you to care about what’s under the hood.

Before I give you some hard and fast reasons why what’s under the hood of your website matters, let me give you an analogy to help you understand what I am talking about. Because, after all, if you’re an end user of a website, and not a programmer, it is possible that you have no idea what code standards are or how they could affect you.

Let’s say you are in the market to buy a new car. You want one that not only looks good but also feels good. You want safety, reliability, and to feel a sense of pride when you drive. Business has been good to you so you decide you are going to splurge and buy a new BMW. Nice! Those 3 letters say a lot. Now, let’s say that instead of going to a reputable dealer, you decide to buy it from a random friend. The papers are signed, and you’re all ready to drive away in your new piece of materialistic bliss. Off you go. Feels good to you. What no one told you though is that while it appears to look and feel good, in fact the engine was built by a 12 year old who had a class in machine shop and assembled all the parts according to a cliff notes guide he bought on eBay. Read the rest of this entry »