Website developers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and those in the industry can never be considered 'one size fits all.

A business should never assume that a potential website developer is good or bad until they can compare his or her skills to their own unique business needs. What may be a poor designer for one business owner, for example, may be perfect for someone else.

First, the client must assess whether or not the potential developer's design portfolio can meet his or her unique needs. Businesses must ask themselves whether or not they need a graphic designer, an Internet marketing, or both.

Business owners must ensure that anyone they consider adheres to website design best practices, because not every developer understands best practices and usability is a key component of a successful website.

Another 'must' in today's competitive world of online marketing is the ability to develop a website that pays attention to organic search engine optimization. If you use that term in front of a potential candidate, and they look at you as if you have ten heads, you may want to choose someone else.

Finally, a good website developer will have a firm grasp on social media and will be able to offer a client the tools necessary to market their business across various social networking platforms.

Copyright 2011 dzine it, inc. web development All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

While large companies have tested and proven some new and exciting video trends for 2011, retailers who have been slow to become adept at video marketing will be left behind.

Consumers have come to rely on the rich experience of online video and are starting to demand it as part of their shopping experience. For this reason, those of us in the industry predict that 2011 will be the year in which ecommerce video becomes a standard in online marketing and retail sites.

This holiday season, online retailers learned that for consumers, it was all about price. But price is only part of the equation.

Online video is the best way to demonstrate a product's fine details, extra features and various functions, differentiating certain products. Ecommerce video also provides online retailers with the ability to enhance the online shopping experience, allowing them to better engage with the comparison shoppers.

In 2011, video will also augment the growing power of social commerce. From daily deals to flash-sales, retailers are beginning to capitalize on trends set by websites like Groupon and Woot.

Hundreds of well-known retailers have joined the party, using daily offers to stay responsive to their consumers. The mass movement toward this type of ecommerce will force companies to search for a leg-up. In so doing, I predict that online video will naturally become a key component of social commerce.

In 2010, video became a conversion catalyst for online retailers. As the volume of online video increases in 2011, ecommerce website owners will have to become more responsive to consumer demands. Serving up product videos, however, won't be enough to quench their thirst.

In 2011, online videos will become more pervasive. This is why every serious online retailer will need to come up with a plan to compete in the video arena.

Copyright 2011 dzine it, inc. Website Video All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In today's digital information age, in which technology is growing exponentially, small businesses are often left to wonder whether or not people are paying attention to their message. In order for a business's message to stand out online, both on social networking sites as well as on their own website, it is important to always remember that less is more.

Because the average Internet user takes only seconds to decide whether or not they want to stay at a particular site, small businesses need to stand out instantly. If a web page is so full of too much information, they won't stay to sift through it. Instead, they will just look elsewhere.

The true simplicity, when it comes to a website, comes not only in the design, but in the content as well.

When it comes to online copywriting, many of the old rules no longer apply.

The best course of action for small businesses is to take on a more conversational tone when it comes to website copy. Businesses do not get extra points online for using big words. If anything, they lose credibility with the person reading the copy.

After creating a first draft, businesses cut the fluff from their online content. This helps to ensure that information is presented succinctly and clearly. Simple formatting practices can also help to increase the likelihood of a business's message being read.

First, use bullet points as much as possible, because they can help present information in a clear and concise manner. Second, keep your paragraphs to no more than three or four lines. This helps readers feel as if they are moving along quickly and will make them want to keep going.

Finally, small businesses should embrace other media, such as video and pictures, to help bring the company's information to life.

When writing for Facebook, Twitter or a blog, it is important for small businesses to remember that they are competing with millions of other pages. The best way to keep readers interested is by getting to the point quickly and giving them information that they can use.

Copyright 2010 dzine it, inc. web marketing All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.