Website Annoyances

Posted on April 9, 2013 by JP

There are many options when building web pages today. Most people focus on what they think they should be doing – and ignore everything else. Effective design and creating the best pages also includes making sure you know about things that you would be better off without.  So in order to avoid some common issues with web pages beware of the following pitfalls:

Browser Specific Versions: Make sure your site isn’t designed for only one browser. Designing a websites that doesn’t function on all browsers properly is a bad decision.  Many people still use Internet Explorer, but many more are using Firefox and Chrome.  If you limit your pages to only working on one browser you will be eliminating a large segment of visitors from viewing your site they way it was designed to be seen.

Widespread use of Flash: Flash can be a great tool, but there are many usability issues with Flash.  Flash isn’t viewable on mobile devices and many search engines don’t index Flash content well.  Customers don’t like sites where the back button doesn’t work. This frequently happens with Flash websites.

Video that starts automatically: Most people, even if they like video on websites, don’t like it to start automatically. If you do have video and/or sound on your website that starts up right away at least have a way to turn it on and off that’s easy to find (preferably easily seen at the top of the page.)

Lastly, keep your navigation simple and visible.  Hidden or disguised navigation may seem like a clever idea, but can just frustrate users.  Turning your “about us” page link into a photo of something will just be too hard for anyone to use and figure out.  Rather than intriguing them you’ll lose them.

So remember things you don’t do – can be as important as the ones you do when designing your site.  Always take time to think about what makes your site pleasing and simple to use – for everyone.

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
Design Rant; Interesting Articles; News; Web Design

LinkedIn Improves Search Function

Posted on April 4, 2013 by dzineit

LinkedIn – the social media site used by millions of professionals has streamlined its search function. Now instead of looking for people, companies or jobs separately, users can get comprehensive results in the same search.  When users visit the site all they will need to do is type what they’re looking for into the search box and they will see a results that pull content from across all LinkedIn groups.

The improved search function also includes auto-complete and suggested related searches. Users can save their search queries and receive automatic notifications when results for that search change. – As they type their search term they’ll be prompted with options for what they may be looking for. Now when they type in a search term such as “project manager” they’ll see example search queries for people or jobs related to “project manager” as well as a preview of top results to help them find what they are looking for in one click.

LinkedIn hopes to get more functionality and usability into its platform as it continues its transformation away from being a simple database and point-to-point communication platform, and into more of a social network.

In addition to the improved general search function LinkedIn also added other features.  They include:

  • Smarter query intent algorithm – The more you search for content on LinkedIn, the more it learns and understands your intent over time to provide the most relevant results.
  • Enhanced advanced search – Advanced search gotten a new look.  It’s also easier to deepen one’s search with filters like location, company, school and more.
  • Automated alerts – Users can save time by saving individual searches and receive alerts when the results change.

This is one of the LinkedIn’s first big overhauls to its search function in years.  LinkedIn sees an average of 475 million searches a month, according to the company. The network has 200 million members.

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
Digital Marketing; Internet Marketing; News

What do you know about Google+ ?

Posted on April 4, 2013 by dzineit

Google+ has been viewed by many as the search giant’s answer to Facebook.  A lot of people believe it’s just another social networking service where friends share photos, status updates and messages with one another.  The company’s foray into the social media space has been a mystery to some and has its share of doubters.  But it’s really more than that.

Google+ is really Google’s value added contribution to its already dominating search. Sure, there’s a social networking aspect to Google+.  But the real value to Google+ is its groundwork for an enhanced level of search quality.  It’s Google’s way of starting a hub that will ultimately connect all the other Google products like Google Maps, Images, Offers, Books and more. Piece by piece Google is starting to roll out these products and combine them into a user experience by way of Google+.

First let’s start with Google Authorship.  Bloggers can link their Google+ profile to the content they create. A Google+ account with a headshot that is attached to all your posts can offer value to bloggers who can now claim their posts instead of having Google show ‘another’ version ahead of their own.  It allows the searcher to find the person who truly generated the content and lets the content provider know the real author will be found.

Want your business to appear on Google Maps, Google Local, etc. so that you can tell your prospective customers where you are, what you sell and your business hours?  You need a Google+ Local Business page now.  This way reviews, hours, pictures, videos, local search are all housed in one place.  This account must be managed by a real person with a real Google+ personal account.

The newest introduction of Google+ Communities gives you the opportunity to connect with those who help enhance the things you already love.  You want better music, book recommendations, can’t remember the name of something—or want to find a community of skiers?  When you have Google+, those communities and that book recommendation just appear when you search for your best guess.

Simply put – imagine if Google knew all the info about you that Facebook knew.  They would be better equipped to serve you and what you are looking for. By gradually absorbing bloggers, small businesses, etc. they will ultimately make all of us – social media fans and doubters – users.

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
Digital Marketing; Internet Marketing; News

Improve Your Website Security

Posted on March 27, 2013 by dzineit

Many website owners don’t pay enough attention to their site’s security. They often think “why would anyone target my site?”  But, it can happen. Websites are compromised all the time. There are several ways to help keep your site safe.

Make sure all your software is up to date.  This applies to both the server operating system and any software you may be running on your website such as a CMS or forum. Hackers are quick to attempt to abuse them when security holes are found in software. WordPress and many other content management systems notify you of available system updates when you log in. If you are hosting with a hosting company they should take care of this.

Use strong passwords to access your websites. Place scripts and tools in password protected directories.

Keep your error messages vague. Don’t give away too much info by providing hints. You should use generic messages like “Incorrect username or password” as not to specify when a user got half of the query right. If an attacker knows one of the fields is correct then they know they have one of the fields and can concentrate on the other field.
File uploads can be a big security risk.  Even the most innocent looking of files can contain a script that puts your website /server at risk. Don’t assume hidden files are secure.  It is recommended that you prevent direct access to uploaded files all together. Store the file outside of your document root. Create a separate directory and use it to store uploaded files.

Use an SSL Certificate. SSL is a protocol used to provide security over the Internet. It is a good idea to use a security certificate whenever you are passing personal information between the website and web server or database. Potential attackers could be searching for this information and if the communication medium is not secure use this information to gain access to user accounts and other personal data.
It is important to play it safe to keep both your website and servers secure.  Pay attention to passwords, files and software. In doing so you just might avoid a security disaster.

 

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
Interesting Articles; Internet Technologies; IT Technology; News

What Makes a Successful Web Video

Posted on March 15, 2013 by dzineit

Creating a video for your website is an effective tool to engage your audience and increase search engine rankings – that is if done right.  Simply sticking a video on your site without giving any thought to its content and images will not attract page views. So when producing a video for your site you must be sure to keep certain production and content tricks in mind.

The key to creating an effective web video is planning.  Decide on the primary objective of the video.  Is the video selling a product or service? Is it informational?  Your video must have a single purpose or your audience will get confused. Focus on your target audience and make the video with them and their needs in mind.  Plan the structure of the video – beginning, middle and end.  Will it be narrated?  Will you have music?  Organize the video. Create an introduction to grab their attention, middle with info and facts, and end with a call to action.

Make sure viewers have something to watch, not just something to listen to. Telling a story in video is more than just talking into the camera. You have to show people your product or service. Video is a visual medium, and you need to think about what images you want to use to convey your message. It doesn’t have to be clever or funny. It should be comfortable and natural.

It is important in a web video to get the attention of your viewers quickly.  People have a short attention span when it comes to viewing online.

People like videos.  A nice video can deliver your message that will engage your viewer much better than any text or photo can.  A successful video can attract hundreds or thousands of new visitors to your site, many of whom will buy products or services recommended to them in the video.  It works for any industry.

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
News; Web Design; Web Design Info

What a CMS Can Do for Your Website

Posted on March 15, 2013 by dzineit

A CMS or content management system is a great tool for many businesses and their websites. It allows you to manage what’s on your site’s pages by providing simple tools to create the content and publish it.

Content management systems offer easy to use administration that helps you to manage the content of your website when it suits you.  You can edit, maintain and extend content when you need to. A CMS allows you to get content changes live on your website quickly. It provides you with the ability to quickly react to changes in the market place.  If you want to create future content – a CMS will allow you to do that as well. You can prepare material to publish for a specific date, e.g. new offers, sales, marketing campaigns and PR. It’s easy to write content and then save this as a draft.  With a CMS, it is possible to control who can write and who can approve content. It ensures that only content that is approved beforehand is being posted on your website.

A CMS makes it simple to keep track of all the pages on your website regardless of how many you add. Additionally, you can publish the same content with different themes, which can be tailored for desktop, tablet and mobile. You can run marketing campaigns and create landing pages for your site.

Content management systems are also a good way to support your e-commerce activities.  Combining a CMS system with an e-commerce store allows you to create keyword rich, SEO friendly product content and reviews to support your online marketing and enhance sales.

Updating your own website allows you to lower your costs. The ability to change content yourself saves the cost of going through an agency to make changes each and every time your website needs tweaking.

Overall, a CMS gives you better control over your website. Using one will help all kinds of businesses with the need to capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver data on their websites in a practical, efficient and cost effective manner.  Content management systems offer many advantages.  If you are considering a new site – or updating an existing one – you should consider a CMS to facilitate your efforts to manage your online presence.

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Peter Crisafi (Peter Crisafi dzineit)
dzine it, inc. +1.212.989.0813
26 West 23 Street
New York, NY, 10010 U.S.A
Specialty:
News; Software Development; Web Development; Web Programming
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