Testing 1, 2, 3

Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, Google Chrome... So many browsers out there to choose from now and all have their pros and cons. Could be a web designer's nightmare, though, when it comes to web design.

Each browser has their own 'issues' with dealing with certain HTML code, CSS styles, etc. Be sure to test your web site in several browsers to make sure all your users see your site the way you intended.

While you are at it, test your website in several different screen resolutions as well. Though there are still some 800x600 resolution monitors out there, most are viewing your site at a higher resolution, but you need to think about EVERYONE.

Happy Halloween!

Let's go phishing. Let's not!!

While I would love to have won 500,000 GBP (what is a GBP anyway), I know better than to believe this phishing scam. Make sure YOU know better. If it sounds too good to be true (and this one is just too silly to be true), then it is probably not.

Please be CAREFUL!

EMAIL I RECEIVED:

We are please to inform you that you just won the sum of 500,000.00 GBP,from our YAHOO/MSN RAFFLE DRAW 2009. Fill the details and send it to claims agent.

1.Full Name
2.ResidentialAddress
3.Age
4.Sex
5.Telephone
6.CellPhone:
7.passportcopy
8.Occupation
9.FaxNumber


SELECT A MODE OF DELIVERY:
1. BANK TO BANK TRANSFER.
2. COURIER DELIVERY.

Regards,
Mr. Howard Paul
Email:claimsagentofficer07@gmail.com
Tel: +447024082613

Site Statistics

If you care enough to know how many visitors are coming to your website, you really should consider caring MORE. While it is nice to know how many visitors are coming to your website, it is more important to know things like what pages they visited on your site, how they navigated your site from page to page, and also what pages they were on when they left your website -- to name a few things.

There are some great tools out there to help you see all this for your website. Google Analytics is a great FREE tool, you can incorporate into your website. Call Crystal Clear Solutions if you need help setting this up. You won't regret it!

Bad dates and bad websites

I remember when I was single and dating. I can recall a number of first and only first dates. Why only one date? Usually it was because he just did not have the qualities I was looking for...and, no, it was not just about looks!

Funny, but that's how it is with your website visitors. If they come to your site for the first time and they do not find what they are looking for, chances are likely they WILL NOT come back.

Whether you are preparing for a first date or a first website...always make a good first impression!

Google Calendar

A client called and asked if there was a way to use Outlook to share calendar information in her office and sync to her director's Blackberry.

I had looked at Google calendar briefly once before, but decided to give it a second look. What a wonderful FREE tool!

I was able to (relatively easily) take the Google calendar I established and sync it to my Outlook AND to my Blackberry. Now my schedule is always at my fingertips. I called the client back and told her about this FREEBIE! She emailed me a while later, very excited, to tell me she set it up and synced it to her director's Blackberry.

Now everyone is happy. You'll need a Google account, but click here to get started:
http://www.google.com/calendar.

What's the Plan?

One thing I have learned over the years is that to have a good web design, you must have a good web design plan to start. Before creating your web site you need to know what you wish to convey, who you wish to convey it to and how to organize your ideas into an easy-to-navigate and user friendly website.

I have seen and acquired numerous websites that seem to have tons of information thrown together on one page and I have seen sites that contain very little information at all. I have looked at sites...and then looked at them again and again, trying to figure out what this company did..it just wasn't "Crystal Clear".

Plan it out. Write it out. Think it all out...before you start creating your web site.

K.I.S.S. Websites

Keep It Simple Stupid. This catchy little acronym (KISS) and phrase applies to so many things in life, including web sites.

That is not to say that a web site cannot have loads of great content and relevant information pertaining to your business. It should. But by KISSing your website, you want to make sure that:

1) you don't bore your visitors
2) you don't overwhelm your visitors.

Unless you are some type of educational site (and even then I'd recommend being careful on this one), you want to make sure that what you have to tell your visitor is clear and concise. Use bullet points rather than long stretches of paragraphs. Don't bore them into leaving your site. Entice them into calling or emailing you.

You also don't want to overwhelm your visitors with too much 'stuff' - flash, scrolling text, tons of boxes and pictures. While you may think having Flash on your website will really jazz it up, statistically speaking, most users press the 'skip intro' button on the opening page and never see the Flash...can sometimes be a waste of money, quite frankly.

As always, continue to provide great, relevant content on your website, but think about your audience when you do.

New Year's Blog Resolution

I really hope I don't break this resolution because, in doing so, it only makes me and my web design company look bad: I vow to keep my blog updated regularly, at least once a month.

As a web design and search engine marketing expert, I am always asked about blogs. Should you or shouldn't you. A blog on your website can be a valuable tool for your potential customers, as well as existing customers. You can use your blog to share tips relating to your products or services, articles pertaining to your company's industry or even to post news on your company's new products or services. A blog is another great way to help improve your search engine rankings, as long as the blog content remains relevant to the products or services you provide.

BUT...If you are going to have a blog, be sure to be consistent. You want visitors to keep coming back to your site for blog updates. Don't make them wait 6 months or a year to see your next posting.