Merry Christmas

And A Happy New Year!

Online Music

Sam the Record Man recently shut its doors forever, leaving the building and the neon sign to Ryerson University. I used to buy my classical music CDs from there, for bargain prices of around $7. There were also knowledgeable salesmen who could advise me on the smallest details from the quality of the recording studio to the proficiency of the musician.

At another music store, this time a second-hand one, the owner was describing how he was losing customers due to online music stores for CDs and DVDs (Amazon.com is a well-stocked online store), as well as downloadable music (iTunes is a popular download program available for free).

Patrons can also find all kinds of help online, including a community of like-minded aficionados, where discussion boards, blogs, and other sources of information have replaced the music store salesman.

These digitized music sources are a great advantage for music on websites. Downloadable music from iTunes (or other web sources) are relatively easy to acquire since you can usually buy a single piece of music at at time, rather than whole CDs.

Once at iTunes, you can convert these songs into the appropriate files, which you can then incorporate into your website for whatever purpose you desire: either as samples of music, or as a background music for your website.

Or, if you have even the rudimentary software, you can convert your songs from your CDs into digital files, to use for your website.

Of course, you have to provide credit for the music, to avoid copyright issues.

Here is a good comprehensive web article which describes all the various facets of online music.

Website Navitation and Layout

This blogger provides the same kinds of tips that I do in my articles and blogging topics.

His main advice is:

A clean layout and neat navigation... enhances its looks.

Not only does a clean layout and neat navigation enhance the look of our website, it will also attract, and keep, your visitors since they will find it easy to get around your website the get the information they need.

Here is the rest of the post titled: "Give importance to layout and navigation", which I've posted in its entirety (with a few of my additions, in italic). You can read other tips and recommendations here.

Give importance to layout and navigation

· Prepare your site navigation before designing to prevent cluttering up the site with forgotten links.

· A clean-cut and uniform navigation system is a must.

· If you have too many links then you should use drop-down menus for your main topics.

· The navigation should be flexible enough to accommodate any amount of additional links since you probably will be adding pages periodically. For this using drop-down menus or section home pages is a must [Not necessarily a must, since you can add more links horizontally. But drop-down menus will accommodate a large number of links.]

· Keep your main links together as much as possible so that visitors can absorb them at one shot and know what your site conveys about your company. Check out how all our major links appear in our top navigation bar and all related section links are listed in the right hand side menu.

· There is no harm is showcasing important links (even repeated links) that you think might interest the visitor. Small boxes describing the link should look good.

· If you like a graphic intensive site and find there is not much space for accommodating all your links, you can have a separate home (splash) page and all other pages as content pages. Thus your home page can have visual appeal and your inner content pages can have elaborate navigation structures while focusing on the content.

· Use your navigation space efficiently. Use short, clear and precise words in your links so that your visitors know what the corresponding page will contain.

Background Colors Revisited

I am reposting this important blog entry on background colors.

The background color of your site affects how people read the information at hand, and is therefore extremely important.

News sites, which mostly on text almost always have a white, or very light, background. And most professional museums and galleries, whose main attraction are the images, also use white as their background.

My recommendation will always be: keep the background light. A little creativity (pale yellow or cream) may add to the uniqueness of your site, but for maximum clarity, keep the background light.

Addendum: Try the link at the end of the post to view different background colors with a multicolored of text.
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Background Colors

One of the most difficult decisions to make with a website is the background. Text is usually best read when on a contrasting background. But, usually, it is much easier on the eyes if the background is light, and the text is dark. Even different colors are easier to read if the background is lighter.

Think about it, most of the time we're looking at things in daylight - a light background. At night, a dark background, even with as many lights as we shine on things, it is still more difficult to see our way around things than during the day.

See what you think (and see) by clicking on different background options at this very ingenious link.

Websites Can Counter the Economic Crunch

Websites catering to small and mid-sized businesses report increased demand for their services - some as high as 24% - as a result of the economic downturn.

Most savvy business owners have already realized that a website provides for exponential benefits if it is designed well, and advertises cleverly. But, especially during harder economic times, small and mid-sized businesses are beginning to realize the benefits of having websites.

The cost of designing and maintaining websites are minimal, compared to print and third party advertising venues. The web, like its name indicates, builds an endless network of contacts, attracting clients from far and wide, increasing its business base through low-cost and high visibility.

So, now more than ever, a website will definitely bring in those extra benefits, and the gains will certainly exceed the costs.

Reading Online

People read websites differently than they do books or other printed material.

One pattern of website reading resembles the letter F:

Reading the first few lines from all the way horizontally from left to right, with vertical scanning taking precedence going down the page.

Another online reading behavior is that people will look for outstanding cues like bulleted words, changes in color, type-face and font size variations and supporting graphics and images.

What is happening is that online readers want their information quickly, easily and fast.

Unless readers come to your website purely for the writing (and there are websites which are primarily there for reading long articles and essays), the reality is that they want a web version of writing.

I discuss this in my article: "How to make the most of your website", which is in fact written in the exact manner that I describe above, with bullets, font changes and color variations.

To obtain this article, both as an example of online writing (of a relatively long article) and to improve your website, you can purchase the article for only $5, and read a preview of it by logging into the membership section.

Here is an excerpt from "How to make the most of your website" which focuses on writing online:

How can you make your website a success?

• One of the most important things about a website is that you say everything you want to say in an organized manner, in a way that whoever is reading will easily remember by connecting with you.

How can you do this?

• Make sure your website address is easy-to-remember
  • Use your name or the name of your company for your address
  • That way your website address alone can become your publicity
• Most people scan online, they don’t really read
  • Don’t write too much
  • Make it easier for people by bulleting and highlighting your text
• Try to use some images in your website
  • Don’t rely only on text
  • Find the appropriate images. For example, people really like to see photos of the people involved in the website and the business
• Have an interactive space
  • Have a comment box for your email so people can write back to you on the website. That way they feel like they’re talking to you
  • Try to have slide shows and other galleries. By clicking buttons, people feel they’re participating in the show
• Make it easy to browse through your website
  • Have a simple design
  • Edit out as much as possible – text, images, buttons, etc…
  • Have clear links
• Finally, don’t forget your external links
  • People always want to know who you are associated with
  • Have carefully selected links to other websites in your Links section

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Reference:
Online Literacy Is a Lesser Kind
Slow reading counterbalances Web skimming
By MARK BAUERLEIN
The Chronicle for Higher Education

To Flickr or to Youtube

There are many professionally designed methods to put photos and videos onto your main website. This is the recommended route if you want your website to look serious.

But, there is no reason why you cannot put in photos and videos onto your blog, using the many free or low-priced website sources.

The most popular, and the most user friendly are Flickr and Youtube.

Part of the charm of Flickr and Youtube is that they act like a type of a blog. Some people opt for purely a Flickr or Youtube presence, uploading their videos and photo and posting them with comments, to maintain a photo or video journal.

You can connect to your Flickr and Youtube posts by simply having a link on your blog, or by actually downloading a video onto your blog posting. Unfortunately, you can upload only from your Youtube account directly to your blog. Photos need to be uploaded from your files (from your hard drive, or other file sources, not from Flickr), or just linked to from a Flickr page.

Movable Type, Wordpress allow a seamless website/blog look

Older blog software were limited in their function. Their primary purpose was to let you post your blog articles on regular intervals, have your readers comment on them and provide an easy way for them to find older posts (usually by date or by category).

Many individuals and companies have been adding blogs to their main websites for a while now. This gives their customers and readers a place to find a variety of updated, current information, and even interact with the website besides just sending emails.

What is happening now is the reverse. Many bloggers are finding that they want to add a website-like appearance to their blogs.

For example, they may wish to sell some products (often books or artwork), they may want to add an extensive "Abouts" page, or a section for scheduled events , and a special menu for their links (to other blogs and other sites), an articles section if they also write for other journals or online sites, and of course the requisite "Contacts" page.

The site then seamlessly functions both as a website, and as a regularly updated blog.

Popular blogging software such as Movable Type and Wordpress have come up with just this version of web+blog.

Here are some examples of websites and blogs that combined together to provide the functions of both.

* Serious Eats very successfully merges both the functions of a blog and that of a content-driven website.

Regular bloggers post daily on a number of topics, and readers can interact with comments, and even participate by asking questions and making entries in the "Talk" forum*.

Besides blog posts, there are also columns which provide article-style posting.

* The Torontoist website posts daily information about Toronto. It has categorized its topics in its menu on top of the page, as well as adding a more conventional website menu including "about", an interesting "schedules" menu to know when the various topics will be posted, and a "staff" link with emails and contacts also added.

The Torontoist is part of a large, urban-based network of websites/blogs also found in New York, Vancouver and London, England.

* Even big organizations and institutions are using the Movable Type and Wordpress web and blog combination to greater effect, allowing for regular updates of news and events, some with commenting possibilities, and others with blog-like features for sharing and emailing these posts.

Almost everyone is now used to some kind of interactivity on websites. They also expect regular updates on information on events, specials (sales, items), schedules and other news that regularly change.

I have written briefly about this in another post.

*A forum is an online place where members login to discuss issues of similar interest. There are thousands of forums out there from discussing the latest reality TV episodes to intricate mathematical questions. Many websites are now including forums as well as blogs.

Promoting Your Website

In my article, How to Make the Most of Your Website, I have a section called:

How serious are you about promoting your work?

Here is a list of my recommendations.

The most important being:

Use every setting possible to publicize your website.

* Post on online sites

Find other websites to link to yours (and link theirs to yours)
Post your website on blogs and online groups
Start your own blog, and link to other like-minded blogs
Leave messages with comments and your services (subtly) on online boards
Send out your website on E-news letters
Find commercial websites that can advertise your site (usually for a small fee)

* Sign off everything with your website

On your business card
On your brochures
On any article or piece of writing

* Tell people your website address

Try to make your website easy to remember. This could be through a short address, a meaningful address (i.e. it spells out your company name clearly) or other ways to make your contact remember your website.
Just saying your website address can trigger someone to look it up later

* Put your website in visible places

On t-shirts
On paintings or craft work
On cars
On carry-on bags
On other merchandise

* Make sure that search engines like google can easily find your website.

For more information on how to obtain the article: How to Make the Most of Your Website, please go to kidistdesigns.com, and follow the membership information.

Introductory Animations

Do introductory animations enhance your website?

Here are a few golden rules to follow.

- Make sure that the theme of your animation fits your website.

- The length of the animation is also important. Many animations give you the option to "skip intro." This is usually because the animations are so long that the website viewers may lose interest and leave the site before the animation is over.

- So, short, (5-10 seconds) animations will make everyone happy: the website has an interesting introduction, and it is not too long to lose readers.

- Make the website animation part of the logo and overall look of the website. That way, there is a continuity between the introductory page and the rest of the website.

- Add sound if it is necessary. Animations work well with or without sound.

- But, many readers may not want any sound, since they would have to adjust the volume of their speakers to hear your animation (or turn it down).

- There is nothing wrong with a little bit of creativity and motion. It is after all the bells and whistles that sometimes add the finishing touches. So work hard to produce a creative animation - put some work into it - rather than just doing one for the sake of it.

- Finally, such details in design - color, composition, layout, and also animations - are the extra elements that enhance your website to keep your visitors coming back.

Here are a couple of introduction animation samples that follow (most) of the rules outlined above:

- A rotating globe as an introduction to a website whose theme is "nation to nation"

- An animation of a book opening for a library website

The Advantages of Web Video

In my earlier blogs, I wrote about the useful additions of images. A picture is (sometimes) worth a thousand words. But of course, the picture has to be a good one.

The same with web video. Often, a a video can interest a reader to further investigate what else is available on the website.

Some helpful ways to use videos are:

• Videos to show short samples of the organizations activities.

This of often used to introduce the reader with the website writers and contributers. It also provides information on the main projects and involvements of the website's members. It is a video version of a photo gallery.

Often, movie trailers for film festivals and introduction to box office shows can be used in these introductions.

These videos tend to be short, usually 3o seconds-3 minutes long.

The Hot Docs film festival for documentary films has its trailers running as short as 30 seconds.

They have uploaded all their trailers on Youtube. You can also watch the trailers on their website with Flash Video.

• Videos presenting information and direction.

These videos tend to be medium length - usually 5-10 minutes long.

Martha Stewart's website has a whole link of videos where she demonstrates anything from flag folding to cooking chicken dishes.

This information tends to be complete, from beginning to end.

Martha's videos were done in Flash Video.

• Videos for complete speeches or interviews.

The CBC News Sunday often has full interviews posted on their website.

Here is an example of an interview on the 2008 Olympics athletes uniform. The interview is posted using Media Player.

These videos tend to be long, from 1/2 hour to one hour long.

Although the size of the video (1/2 an hour or 30 seconds) is no longer an issue in today's web technology, it is still always important to keep the size down to a bare minimum. The larger (the longer) the video, the more space you will need to store it. And why use up space unnecessarily.

So, like everything else about websites, editing is a very important step to keep your own website functioning well. The smaller the video size the better. Of course, that doesn't mean affecting the quality of your video. If a 1/2-hour is really necessary, then keep the video that long.

There are many ways to install video into your website; Real video, Media Player, Youtube and Flash Video are some of the options.

To decide on which one to use, it is best to discuss the options with your website designer.

Your Own Image Libarary

Many sites want to promote their images without necessarily selling anything. Usually, the reason for their site is to inform people about their collections. This type of website slightly differs from a site whose main function is to promote and eventually to attract a market.

Online libraries, or galleries have to carefully display their images, and provide pertinent information on their images.

Here are some ways to do this.

• Start with clear thumbnails, which can be clicked to view an enlarged version of the image

• When making thumbnails, make sure that the smaller images are clearly visible, so that they direct the viewer to the enlarged version.


• The thumbnails should really include the whole image, rather than a cropped section, to make it easier to identify what the image is.


• A long, scrollable thumbnails page is a good idea whenever possible, since viewers often don't want to click to the next page just to get another list of thumbnail images.


• A good number of thumbnails to have per page is between 20 and 40.


• The enlarged image of the thumbnail can open up in a new window or a new page. Either way, the viewer will have to click the new window closed, or link back to the original thumbnail page.


• If you're going to open a new window, make sure it is large enough to fit the image and the text, and your viewer doesn't have to scroll up or down to find all the information.
  


• I tend to prefer linking the larger image onto another page. That way, I can write as much as I want when describing the image.

Online galleries and image libraries are a good way to introduce your collection of images, whether for non-profit reasons, for a blog, or as a virtual gallery/library.

Here are some good examples which use online galleries using the list I've described above.

• Armenian miniature illustrated manuscripts: This site displaying 20 thumbnails per page, each one clearly visible. The large version opens into a new page.


• Virtual Museum of Canada featuring here A.J. Casson's work: Again with clearly identifiable thumbnails. The larger version opens into a new window. This window is a little cumbersome, since it is scrollable, and you have to adjust the size to see all the image.


• The Metropolitan Museum of Art with a page on Christian artworks in Ethiopia: Notice how the main page has extensive writing with cropped off thumbnails (not recommended.) But each thumbnail opens to another page of a larger version. You can even enlarge the image more by opening it in a new window. Text is a very important part of this web museum, which is why they've opted to have the image open primarily in a new page, rather than a new window.
  

Preview from article: Where Should You Put Menus? And Should You Have Sub-Menus?

Websites often have lots of menus to list. The standard About, Contact, Biography and Services are often not enough.

The dilemma is where to put all those menus and sub-menus.

Here are some options:

- List everything horizontally across the top

• Advantages: People can see every topic and item you wish to cover as soon as they enter your website


• Disadvantages: If you have a lot of content, your web page has to be pretty wide, usually extending from one side to the other. Otherwise, you would have to edit very carefully what makes up your menus.


• Example: Artdaily.org. Art daily has placed all of its menus (all 11 of them) across its website.
  

- List the important menus where they're most visible, and subsidiary ones like About, Contact, Privacy Statements etc... either at the very top or at the very bottom

• Advantages: Frees up more space horizontally


• Disadvantages: Could be difficult to find the subsidiary menus


• Example: Paypal has put it's most important menus to get you started (Home, Personal, Business, Products & Services) horizontally about 1/4 from the top. At the very top, and at the very bottom, it has a large list of subsidiary menus for more detailed and additional information.

For more information on the article, please register here, or purchase it at the store .

Good Architecture

Web design is sometimes called web architecture, equating websites as three-dimensional objects with different levels. The placement of these levels (web pages) and their navigation becomes similar to how one places rooms in a house, and goes through the house from one room to another. The other elements in those rooms - furniture, accessories, colors, etc. - also relate to how one arranges the rooms.

Christopher Alexander is an architect who has written an epic encyclopedic manual of how to design the optimal homes in his four volumes of The Nature of Order.

Here are the outlines of the Fifteen Fundamental Properties from Volume I of the Nature of Order. It is well worth to get the book and read the details, examples and photographs. I think they relate very well with web design.

1. Levels of scale: A balanced range of sizes is pleasing and beautiful

2. Strong centers: Good design offers areas of focus or weight

3. Boundaries: Outlines focus attention on the center

4. Alternating repetition: Repeating various elements creates a sense of order and harmony

5. Positive space: A background should reinforce rather than detract from the center

6. Good shape: Simple forms can create an intense, powerful center

7. Local symmetries: Organic small scale symmetry works better than precise overall symmetry

8. Deep interlock and ambiguity: Looping, connected elements promote unity and grace

9. Contrast: Unity is achieved with visible oppositions

10. Gradients: The proportional use of space and pattern creates harmony

11. Roughness: Texture and imperfection implies uniqueness and life

12. Echoes: Similarities should repeat throughout a design

13. The Void: Empty spaces offer calm and contrast

14. Simplicity and Inner Calm: Use only essentials; avoid extraneous elements

15. Not-separateness: Designs should be connected and complementary, not egocentric and isolated

Book Review: The Irresistible Offer

Mark Joyner has a series of books out with no nonsense strategies about how to sell you product.

The Irresistible Offer: How to Sell Your Product or Services in 3 Seconds or Less (TIO) of course starts with the premise that you have something to...offer. And not only that, that you have something to offer to some-one (some group) which is "thirsty" - his words - for your product or services.

In TIO, Joyner stresses the TOUCHSTONE, an integral part of your business idea which will give the irresistible offer to your clients.

The most interesting example he gives is the touchstone for Domino's Pizza: "Delivery in 30 minutes or money back" became a phenomenon. Whether people liked the pizza or not (although Joyner always stresses quality), people would order Domino's just to be guaranteed a hot pizza delivered in record time.

Joyner's next book, The Great Formula for Creating Maximum Profit with Minimal Effort takes off where TIO left, and this time his idea is how to continually sell the product once we have the TIO and the thristy crowd.

One ingenious idea, from some case studies he presented, is an e-book publisher who used a simple concept to get his clients continually interested: Volume I, Volume II, Volume III... You get the picture.

Both books are chock full of ideas. They are written in an easy, conversational way, and can enhance anyone's library.

Excerpts from article: "The Whys and Hows of Adding a Blog to Your Website"

Here is a section from my article "The Whys and Hows of Adding a Blog to Your Website."

To access the full article, please register - for free - in the Members Area.

The members section also features:

- Other articles
- Specials of the month
- Updates on new services and products

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The Whys and Hows of Adding a Blog to Your Website.

A. WHY ARE BLOGS IMPORTANT?

1. Blogs personalize your website

There is the "About" section with the biography, and the "Gallery of Photos" section with photos to put a face to the website contributors, but there is no direct interaction with the reader with these one-off posts. A blog, with repeated entries, is about giving the point-of-view of the webmaster, allowing us to know him better than what his website says.

Example: The Times online has a blog section with several writers (including the featured web writers) who give their own perspectives and opinions on current news.

2. Blogs update visitors

A static website, with irregular updates (usually on services, which don't change that much) cannot give a well-rounded picture of the goals and plans of the website. A good blog will discuss new ideas before they are implemented, and explain current services to give its visitors the workings behind the idea.

Example: The Art Gallery of Ontario has a blog section which focuses on the renovation, comments on gallery projects, and other related topics. This kind of information would be hard to document on the regular website.

3. Blogs provide information

Much better than links, blogs can be a great resource for like-minded websites, projects, communities and individuals. A well-archived blog with easily classified topics can be a wealth of information

Example: bbrooks fine flowers has a blog to give seasonal and other information about flowers. The information doesn't necessarily have to be about the flowers in their store.

To continue reading, please join the Members Area.

What to look for in a good hosting company

There are many hosting companies that provide you with server space to store your files. But a good hosting company isn't just storage space.

Ultimately, you will want to have as much control over your files and their manipulation, especially if you decide to create a website. Hosting companies should be able to provide you with as many features as possible to make your web and internet presence easy and manageable.

Here are some points to consider when looking for a hosting company.

- Make sure that it provides you with Domain Name registration and renewal. There is nothing worse than finding you DN has expired because it was monitored by a company other than your hosting company.

- You shouldn't have to pay more than $10 (I would say $8) a month for good, basic services.

- The company should provide you with sub-domain options so that you can have secondary websites.

- There should be good email services, including web-email.

- Free amenities (like blog builders, web design tools) are standard features in all competent companies.

- At least one type of e-commerce service should be available.

- Make sure that there are current databases available.

- Other programs and software should be current

- Additional storage space can be purchased

Members Section and Interactivity

I have been working hard at re-designing my current website to include more features. The most important is the members section. By logging in, members can enjoy some features like articles that I have written on website design and management, get information on specials and recent updates to services, and qualify for periodic sales and offers.

Now, is a members section necessary?

These days, the problem with websites is how static they are. Visitors come over once in a while and even if they return only six months later, nothing has changed. Not only nothing has changed, there is nothing for them to experience or benefit from the website.

If they feel that their presence is important enough that they are asked to sign in, which then allows them privileges from the site, that is one way of providing service to your visitors which isn't directly based on your actual business. In my case, I may not be building their website, but I am offering my (potential) clients special articles, reduced prices, and information on new and improved products.

The same with a blog. By keeping an active account on relevant information, your services to the clients and visitors becomes more than just a website that lists your services. You can actually provide a service, free or with minimal input like membership, that will help you interact with your clients and keeps their needs as your primary goal.

Excerpt from article: "Cutting Website Costs with Client-Centered Options"

Website design services that provide pre-designed web templates

Website designers often provide pre-designed web templates to jump start your website. Eventually, they will provide other services to enhance your template and site. They can vary from simple Html sites to templates which include some Flash animations.

Examples

• Fortune City has several hundred samples of static and animated templates
• World Wide Webdesign.ca includes web hosting, design and template services

What are the benefits?

• The templates are usually unique and original
• Some templates can be customized moderately with colours, fonts and backgrounds without extra charge
• For an additional, usually small, fee, you can add more customization
• Many of these sites are available with full web design services, which you can upgrade to
• Lower cost than full customization

What are the disadvantages?

• You may not find the design you like
• Upgrading and adding more customization may be increases the costs
• Usually, it is only a limited number of pages that are part of the template.

Excerpts from article: "How to make the best of your webiste"

[Please contact me for the full article.]

Here is a section from the article "How to make the best of your website."

For the complete article, please email me. This will also put you on the monthly newsletter, for updates on specials and newer articles.

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How will a website help you promote your work?

One of the most advantageous things about a website is you can say so much more than you ever could just by talking to someone.

- A website allows someone to view all your work in the comfort of their home or office, at their time and leisure

- You can simply give your card with your website address to anyone, at any time

- Your website becomes your 24/7 portfolio

- Your website is your portfolio

- You can make all kinds of promotions and advertisements on your website