Ecodazoo.com

I love the three dimensional interactive format on this site. The colors, shapes, and sounds are masterfully crafted together to make a very unique online experience for anyone, while maintaining a completely user-friendly format.

Phong.com

I got hooked on the way this site interacts with a user. It takes a very chaotic jumble of shapes and through moving the cursor over them somehow provides every link without much effort. It’s simple, yet complex…and interesting.

Buero-buero.org

As I scrolled down the page I instantly felt a loss of vertigo. Images move through a plain white background from any of the four directions onto the page. Some of them are still frames while others shift and change. I felt a disconnect from the format of the page since it wasn’t typical and was then forced to focus on individual pictures as they moved in and out of the screen. However, it really is an unusual design and certainly stands out. And pictures do stop moving when you stop scrolling so that you can take as much time as needed to view whatever is on the page at the time.

Basilgloo.com

I love the strong three dimensional feel of this site and the way it flows out toward the screen. I also like the way information is organized between the website owner’s personal info on the left and business info on the right.

Mikimottes.com

This is a great website full of incredible illustration work. I can tell a lot of time and effort went into its design. The entire site is a three-dimensional landscape with unique and funny cartoon characters living throughout its blocked worded section. I love how moving the cursor over any part of the site instantly puts the cartoon creatures in motion.

Soft.se

I love the way moving the cursor over the white web page brings white shapes out of the page in a very brilliant and almost disorienting way. There isn’t any color except black and white, allowing the shapes in the background to almost float in and out of focus.

Sensisoft.com

This sight is extremely complex and visually stunning. Not only is it a feast for the eyes, but it also has a very interactive component to its design.

Saizenmedia.com

This site generates one beautiful picture after another with a high quality polished look that I haven’t seen rivaled on any other site I’ve been to over the years. The color quality is vibrant and the lines are sharp.

Bokicabo.com

Seamlessly designed, this site allows a viewer to simply move the cursor around the screen to see one beautiful picture after another. The design really makes the experience fun and difficult to break away from.

Syfy.com/tinman

The design of this site is the most detailed I have ever seen. It takes a good five minutes of the camera traveling forward through incredibly detailed still frames. I love the way the site invokes a sense of wonder that keeps me enthralled until the last moment when I realize the site flawlessly returns me to the original scene and repeats the journey.

Waterlife.nfb.ca

I love the water effects on this page. Entering the site is the true experience it offers, though. The way the designers created the light effects on the water as it reflects down through the choppy waves into the web page is stunning.

Bootb.com

This whole site feels like a big sketch pad of creative drawings. The basic chalk on chalkboard look provides a tangible quality to the page that makes it visually palatable.

Ryanscherf.net

I love the warm feel to this site. It incorporates fall colors over gritty textures and is focused on an outdoor scene at night. Even the textures have lines and shapes moving through them to make the site feel like something one would be drawn to touching.

Razvangarofeanu.com

Right away, I was drawn to the picture of Garphee, which the creator describes as his virtual persona. I love the intense and visually stunning features on the site that would keep me hooked for hours if I had the time. The humor is very original, and will keep you chuckling as you move through the site.

Teamfannypack.com

This site replicates the look of a gritty old circus advertisement and reads just as dramatically. I love the way each aspect of the page strives to entertain and doesn’t leave an inch of space unused.

Wakwaw.com

Simple and straight-forward, I enjoy the way the graphics seem to be stretched over a material of some kind. The information on the site is displayed through a very interesting font that jumps off the screen.

Werkstette.dk

I love the unique way this site changes every time I revisit the main page. Each site has the same options bar across the page but a different picture which takes up the entire screen. Each picture is full of character and visually stunning.

Kuperbergweddings.com

This page is designed in a very simple and elegant format that allows a user to view each picture and gain a quick assessment of the product being offered. The simplicity of the site focuses on putting emphasis on each picture in the center of the page and yet doesn’t lose any points for style.

Your-majesty.com

I love the way the chain mail is designed into the web page. It adds to the depth of the page and gives it a very polished and professional appearance. It is a very unique and engaging design as well. I like how they commit to a design concept and integrate it into every element in the design.

Northkingdom.com

The video designed on this website is amazing. The graphics are extremely detailed and each little clip inside the video shows an amazing ability by this company to provide high quality digital media services. This is an example of a minimalist design that allows the work of the designer to speak for itself.

Estudioagraph.com

I love the unconventional look of this site. A picture dominates most of the space while information will shift into view based on a couple of obvious commands. The design is unique and full of visual depth. I especially like the way the angles slam into each other. A very stunning look!

Thisisgrow.com

This an example of how a little design goes a long way. The graphics and motion don’t take anything away from the purpose of the site and adds a sense of quality to the website through displaying interesting little animated presentations.

Puma.com

This site leaps off the screen with vivid color schemes and interactive features. Through simply moving the mouse over the screen, I was able to interact with the features. It is very intuitive while also visually engaging.

Yugop.com

This site’s got balls. Lots of them. I like the way this site toys with the physics of objects as they bounce off each other or in the case of moldable material such as clay, the way they form together or pull apart. It’s very interesting and detailed.

Skydiver-mike.de

Scrolling over this site adds dots and lines to the background. It also plays a song as well, which can be annoying but works well for the creativity and interaction of this website. The design is simple and elegant. I appreciated the way it flowed from one page to another as well.

Atutiplen.es

This site is very bizarrely crafted. I love the way it integrates real creatures with man-made products. The colors and different textures are amazing to see all in one frame.

Wechoosethemoon.org

Amazing! I love how this site is designed around the launch of Apollo 11 and allows an individual to walk through the different aspects of the launch in a very interactive and user-friendly way. The design is very helpful in balancing between an emphasis on design and functionality.

Mono-1.com

You have to see this site to appreciate the visual effects. This website allows a user to see what this design company is capable of. I love the way they display their skills through allowing a user to manipulate the site and change the image in many different preconceived ways. It’s also very sharp and clear.

Wired.co.uk

I love the subtle depth in this site. The gears in the brain, the cut out picture of the face, and the different bubble blocks that elude to the brains thoughts are all seamlessly woven together to make an attractive and engaging website design.

Krolikov.net

The three dimensional rendering on this site is beautifully incorporated throughout the website. The designer used the space very effectively, and the color scheme is quite impressive.

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Lack of Legibility

Have you ever faced difficulty in making sense of the text on a website, and scrunched your eyes in an effort to understand the content. That is a website’s legibility, which measures of how easy it is to distinguish one letter from another in a particular typeface. Unfit font family, color and small font size creates legibility problems and this is one of the mistake that simply need to be avoided. Problems such as small or even a lack of contrast between the background and text create legibility issues, which have a bearing on the overall website design and the popularity of the website.Lack of readability in website content smacks of unprofessionalism. A negative opinion of your website can lead to significant loss of face characterized by your online reputation taking a big hit. There are many factors that control a website’s readability such as typefaces, letter spacing, line-height and more. Most these are can be easily fixed by understanding how typeface works and appropriate use of them. For example : Georgia will work better with in a corporate website which create a sense of authority and Helvetica in a portfolio website that represent modernism and creativity. However, that does not mean you cannot mix and match and there is set rule for it. As a designer it is your job to decide and choose the appropriate font for the website.

Related

• Typography Tuesday: Legibility 
• The Readability Test Tool 
• Choosing your typeface: Serif or Sans Serif
• Legible Text In Web Design
• Legibility And Readability In Typographic Design

Improper use of Flash

“What! You have heard that before?” Well, you are going to hear it again and again, because many designers cannot seem to get Flash right. More than giving the web page better interactivity, certain Flash designs actually annoy website visitors. The focus is on making pages move or peppering visitors with extravagant Flash animation that has nothing but irritant value and takes the visitor’s attention away from the purpose of the website. A cardinal sin that some website designers tend to make is using flash for navigation; most visitors do not like such navigability and prefer a navigation menu that is static and very predictable. The reason many web designers try to avoid because it client deepened and not cross browser compatible such as browsers for iPhone, iPad. Now that everyone is trying to embrace HTM5 and CSS3 your best bet is stay away from flash. However, If you must use flash try to make it simple, minimal and for love of god DO NOT AUTOPLAY the music.

Related

• Replace Flash with jQuery:Tutorials and Resources 
• What Is The Future of Flash in Web Design?
• 65 Excellent Flash Designs

Little or No Contact Information

This is a no brainier. There are some websites that have absolutely no contact information or any other company information that allows visitors to get in touch with the company. Even if there is some contact info, it is hidden in the depths of the website somewhere that a visitor has look for five minutes. This is something that should be a key element of any website and be prominently displayed on a website. Designers can very well be accused and convicted of criminal negligence if they ignore this fundamental requirement. Contact information encourages credibility. The absence of any contact information in a website arises doubt. You should have this important info in the footer section of the website or in a contact us page that is easily accessible.

Related

• Creating a Usable Contact Form
• Example of Useful Contact Us Pages 
• Web Form Design: Modern Solutions and Creative Ideas

Browser Issues

This is also a mistake that keeps cropping up time and time again even though both website developers and designers are well aware of the need for cross browser compatibility. A website absolutely needs to offer the same kind of visual and functional experience across all browsers. There was a time when IE was the preferred browser, but today browsers such as Safari, Firefox, Opera and many others are making their presence felt. So the website needs to look and act the same on all browsers. By not ensuring that the design meets the accepted standards of compatibility, you are actually ignoring the needs of the website visitors who will ignore the site, if it is unable to meet their standards. While Internet Explorer does not support CSS3 properties like drop-shadow, box-shadow, rounded corner there are many  javaScripts and alternative  solutions for that. When can only hope for a day when everyone in the world will start using HTML5 and CSS3 supported browser. Since that is not going to happen any soon as a designer your are responsible for making the website look same in all the browser.

Related

• How Do You Cross-Browser Test? 
• The Best Free Cross-Browser Testing Tools

As can be imagined, these mistakes are not something that can be ignored and if designers do, they do so at their own risk. Also, these are by no means the be all and end all of designing mistakes that website visitors absolutely loathe. There are many more, but having a look at these will help you get an idea of the direction in which the wind blows.

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Design Sensory

The folks at Design Sensory are pretty keen on the value of words. Right beside the contact form they placed a motivational paragraph so that you will know you do the right thing when contacting them. The physical address and phone number of the company is relevant for their public so you may find these details here too.

Vebbu

The placement matters as much as the contact page itself, Vebbu knows that. In fact, it’s not a separate page at all and that makes it distinct. The contact form is placed right at the bottom of the main screen, no scrolling required. A testimonial accompanies the form – subtle but efficient. The entire picture makes a very powerful statement.

Web Media Alliance

Keep it short and simple, this is the principle of the Contact Us page here. However, notice the right side of the screen, with plenty of contact options for you, so the company makes sure it doesn’t lose a customer. The feeling is that they basically have everything included. Need an attorney? Got it too!

Dumbwaiter Design

No waiter has worked on this page for sure, but a professional designer at Dumbwaiter. As you land on the Contact Us section at the bottom of the screen, you have a tiny lightbox announcing you can view a case study, if you are still not convinced they are the best choice. The vintage looking form is another very aesthetic element.

Clay Ant Creative

The guys at Clay Ant are minimalistic, that you can say when seeing their contact tab. Delicate colors, no clutter and the wise allusion “Use the form if you’d like”, all put together make a relaxed atmosphere that’s just irresistible.

Ryan Scherf

To reach the contact form on Ryan’s page you first have to scroll down a gallery with his works, so that you are well informed and quite impressed when you reach the bottom. You surely have your message in mind already.

Mitch Designs

The map on Mitch Designs’ Contact Us page is very innovative. Its benefits are obvious: the visitors won’t get lost, it spares time in doing searches and speaks about how thoughtful the company is. Good kick-off!

Plaveb

Now here is an effective contact form. Not only it requests contact data from the potential customer, but it also asks for budget estimates and project description, so that the company can figure which are the basis for the gig. It spares time in further inquiries and filters vague entries. By the time the visitor has finished filling in the form, he is already half a customer.

Esparkinfo

This company has made wise use of all the space on the Contact Us page. You have their contact form, email address and social media ids, so that you can choose the most convenient way to get in touch with them. Notice the powerful slogans and the call to action button Request a Quote.

LeXolutionIt

The Contact Us page of LeXolutionIt is state of the art in lead generation. This company is very much aware that this page sits at the very bottom of the conversion funnel. You have not one but three call to action buttons, the follow-up perspective is already present in the title of the form (“Request Callback”) and the contact details are noticeable from the first glimpse. Not to mention the bright colors you cannot pass by.

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 Online Storage for Teams Eliminates Duplication Errors

One of the best ways to use online storage is for team-based projects. Historically, when a team works together on a file or document, it has to be passed from person to person. Each time it changes hands (whether via removable storage or email) there exists the potential for duplicate file versions. Online storage virtually eliminates this kind of duplication-based error.

Helps Teams for Speed Development

When you are using a shared online storage repository, you do not need to wait for emails to travel back and forth. You do not need to take the time to save a new version of the file and email it back. You simply make your changes, save the file, and it is ready for the next person to work on.  It makes you and your team more time efficient and collaborate from different places.

Empowers Team  with Real-Time-Collaboration

Some online storage services offer concurrent editing of documents. That means your team – even if you are spread across the globe – can all look at the same file at the same time. You can supplement this with communications technologies like Skype to dig into a particular document together. This is especially useful when looking at web coding line by line together. Also, sometimes the work is outsourced and online storage makes it easier to share files with the developers. Of course a rule thumb is to remember to comment your code  to make it easier for everyone.

 Online Storage Offers Teams Security

Working in a team requires sharing file securely with a lot of people. Some companies has confidential files that they like to keep it private. Just uploading the files to a web server or FTP is not secure enough. Online storage services use world-class security measures because they have clients in fields all across the spectrum, they are constantly looking at issues of compliance and confidentiality. You do not have to worry about setting up your own secure server when you are using online storage, because it is already been done. They have layers of security measures to protect your files from hackers, phishing and many other kind of attempts to gain access to your files.

Online Storage Gives Your Team Agility

If your website development team needs to ramp up its storage space, you can do it almost instantly with online storage. Online storage providers have serious amounts of capacity; it is simply a matter of allocating more to your account. They can deploy additional gigabytes of space faster than you could dream of doing internally.

The bottom line is this: if you are not already using an online storage solution for your web team, you should be. It all adds up to efficiency. Online storage is an essential tool to boost productivity, speed development, increase agility, and more.
Related Post

• Five Best Online File Storage Services
• Useful Dropbox Tips for Designers and Bloggers

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Epipheo Studios

Epipheo Studios have a truly inspired “About Us” page that is not afraid to show off their quirky & weird personality.

Cultured Code

Cultured Code, famous for their task management app “Things”, has always been a company with a very professional image and meticulous design, but with small hand-drawn elements to their site. The About Us page is very much in keeping with this, with caricatures of each team member helping to show off the team’s personalities while still remaining professional.

Airbnb

Airbnb, this website that allows you to rent out your house easily, uses big & bold imagery to show you who the founders are.

GiftRocket

GiftRocket’s website has clearly been very thoughtfully designed and has a very clear visual style – and this is also reflected in the “About Us” page. The page reveals a bit more information on the founders and the business, while looking great and fitting in with the site theme perfectly.

Kyan

Kyan is a web design agency with a reasonably large team , but they have taken the time to provide a bit of information on everyone along with a carousel of the team to help prevent the agency from coming across as just a faceless business.

6Wunderkinder

6Wunderkinder, makers of task management app Wunderlist, have always put a great care and attention into the design of their site & apps, and this is clearly true of the “About Us” page too. High quality imagery and insights into the team help to make them seem more friendly and approachable.

Bread & Pepper

Bread & Pepper is a software company that clearly has a sense of humor. It is shown by the images of their team all obscured by their MacBook Pro’s. A little bit of creativity & humor is a great way of showing off the team’s quirky side, without necessarily being unprofessional.

Lateral

Lateral have decided to inject some creativity into their “About Us” page by having the snapshots of the team follow the mouse cursor around the screen. Try pressing the arrow keys to make the team look in the that direction.

Bump

The guys at Bump have decided to make their About Us page a little bit more interesting by including a big photo of them doing what they do best – using their phones (and presumably using the Bump app) – instead of facing the camera.

Fixel

Creative design agency Fixel use big, bold imagery to show off their team – and also include sliders so that you can mix & match the faces. It’s a fun and interesting display that shows that they are not afraid to be a little bit different.

Are there any About Us pages that you think deserve a mention? Let us know in the comments.

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Delicate

This classic theme uses a familiar look with some trendy typefaces to communicate clearly. The fading header and simple color scheme really have an impact on the overall look and feel.

Suffusion

As a simpler looking theme, this layout design organizes all the page content neatly within round cornered boxes. Using a less saturated color theme allows easy reading with emphasis on the important items.

ColorWay

For more commercial bloggers, the home page of this theme creates a welcoming cover page to the blog. Without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary information, this theme still uses a touch of color to create the feel of a unique blog.

zBench

Another familiar looking layout with a spin off of the tabbed browsing navigation we are all too familiar with. The widgets are nicely organized and look great with the complementing colors.

Magazine Basic

This theme does a great job of highlighting all the entries recently posted to the blog. Serif typography and simple colors help allude to the visual likeness of a magazine.

Platform

The Platform theme takes a step toward minimal design with its classic black and white design. Hair-lines and subdued blues paint the organized layout of this blog.

Custom Community

Taking a step away from the traditional, The Custom Community theme is a great demonstration of photographic powered blogging. Recent posts show up in the featured slider and images help to create a preview of the content within.

Graphene

For a more classic blogger, this theme has a familiar layout but uses a slider to feature posts in the feed. A dash of blue and white over the black background set the important content apart from the great design.

iFeature

Similar to the previous theme, the iFeature speaks to its name. A more fashionable featured slider mirrors the color scheme of the rest of the theme quite nicely.

Coraline

Skinnier than some, Coraline uses the space it takes wisely. Bold black lines and headlines helps direct the reader to where they need to be.

Atahualpa

Atahualpa expands wider than most blogs to accommodate the 3 column design. A soft blue accent rests nicely in the floating theme design.

Liquorice

The Licorice theme screams throwback. Its rusty colors and classic typography generate more than a modern blog theme.

Adventure Journal

Looking for a journaling blog? This is the theme you need! A scrapbook style header makes for a really interesting welcome.

LightWord

Another more modern design can be found in the LightWord theme. The designer uses floating navigation and entry-dates to really emphasize the text within the posts.

News

The News theme communicates a lot information efficiently at one time. Darker red helps set the theme apart from the familiar style found on many blogs, and many other neat features truly optimize communication.

Annotum Base

Looking for a simple way to organize your blog into a traditional looking website? Try Annotum. The blue header along with the basic navigation make using this blog easy to the average web user.

Admired

More playful themes welcome more creative writers. This simplistic yet fun theme helps maintain the familiar blog layout with added energy.

Brunelleschi

Minimal themes have a great look that don’t get in the way. The Brunelleschi theme does just this and is still considered visually appealing.

zeeBizCard

The zeeBizCard theme enables the writer to display posts in a non-sophisticated way. For creative writers, this theme may be right for you.

Wu Wei

Wu Wei literally means without action. This seems to be the motivating idea behind this great minimal theme. Orange is the only accent color among the white and light brown.

Let me know which themes you liked and which ones you hate. What observations can be drawn and applied/removed to your design?

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1. Not Including Logo

Not adding logo on a business card is equivalent to inviting friends over for cocktails and serving them no food. It is not the image that you want to project as a first impression. It can devise a lot of bad impression such as : you have not defined your business in your own mind, you are a spendthrift and cut corners at every possible turn or it can signal your inattention to detail. Logos are an integral part of your brand, and therefore, must be included on all printed materials in order for the brand to become associated with you and your business.

2. No Personalization or Personal Name

This is a no brainier. Have you seen business cards without any personalization, or worse, the ones with a blank line for the employee to write his or her name? If you are not going to personalize the business card with a name printed on it, do not bother. The negatives far outweigh the advantages. Also, if you have been in business for a number of years, include a statement that says something like “serving the area for X number of years.” Sometimes, an ill-conceived idea is worse than no idea at all so spend some time personalizing your business card.

3. Full-Color Printing vs Black &White

Certain businesses, such as photography, art galleries, etc., require full-color printing on the business card. Remember that the business card is an extension of you and your business. Color creates interactive, dynamic  and visually appealing business cards. Some people will stick with black and white business card which acceptable depending on the niche, industry and design.  Simply define your audience and then design your card. If you are graphic designer or illustrator it will be best to design something that expresses your knowledge about colors.

• Business Cards – Full Color Or Black and White – What Should You Choose?
• The Simplicity and Elegance of Black & White Business Cards

4. No Bleeds

If you include a photograph on your business card, be sure to bleed the photograph to the edges of the card. Without a bleed, you will have a border all the way around the card. Not only is that unattractive, but the business card is so small that you want to take advantage of every millimeter of space when including a photograph.

• Getting Illustrator files print ready
• What Is a Full-Bleed Business Card?
• Business Card Specification

5. Cheap or Thin Card Stock

When someone extends a limp, sweaty palm for a handshake, you almost expect that a cheap, thin (flimsy) business card cannot be far behind. And, nothing screams cheap like a flimsy business card. If you do not care about your business card your do not care about your business and therefore the clients. Today, there are several ways to choose stock finishes and sometimes a material other than card stock, such as leather, metal or plastic, may be appropriate for your business. You can also get creative with the design and appearance. Design a card that will make people go ” Oh that is clever .” If you are not sure what we mean check out the link below.

• Creative business cards

6. Difficult To Tell What You Do

Take nothing for granted when you design your business card. Often, people will distribute business cards for “mystery” business, businesses that are difficult to identify. Make sure that your business card is designed to leave no question about what your business does!

7. Incomplete Contact Information

Your business should be approachable, and that means that people should have no trouble contacting you. Your business card must list all forms of contact, including your email, website and cell phone, if applicable, in addition to the usual phone and address.

Related

• 30+ Business Card Design Ideas That Will Get Everyone Talking
• 25 Calligraphy Fonts for Typographic Business Card Design

In conclusion, you want to be proud of your business card, something that people will show to others. If you are in any way reluctant to hand out your business card, it is time to go back to the drawing board and start over. Remember that your business card acts as a stand-in for you and your business.

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Are there any logos that you think deserve a mention? Let us know in the comments.

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Understand the difference between ‘Pull’ and ‘Push’

First, you need to comprehend the basic of online marketing through the social channels. Your presentation style is more important than your product or service. So, make your social profile according the point and it should be attractive to your targeted audiences. In this way, people will definitely pull towards to your profile and then to your services or products. So, it is the policy of ‘Pull’ and ‘Push’ is the just the opposite of it. Most of people use the ‘Push’ technique by directly mentioning about the services or products. Hence, you can understand that the ‘Pull’ technique is more effective than the ‘Push’.

Related

• Push Versus Pull Marketing
• Push and Pull Marketing, CRM and Social Networking
• Push Pull Public Relations and Social Media PR

Importance of content

This is the most imperative area where you need to show your actual smartness. You should publish or post those types of contents, which are related to your goal. Most of all, it should be to the point and attractive. Therefore, your blog or article is supposed to be attractive and it never should be too long. Lengthy blogs become boring and therefore, people stop visiting your website. Hence, try to make your content useful as much as possible.Moreover, if it is a personal blog do not hesitate to express your opinion. It allows your reader to connect with you and create discussion which is always a good thing for traffic.

Related

• Writing Good Content
• Good Content Doesn’t Get Buried By Bad Content
• The Secrets to Writing Good Content for the Web

Backlinking to your site shows amazing results

Link building is the most effective part of online business. While it comes to do the same with the social media sites, it becomes more interesting. There are many things that you need to know regarding the link building in social sites. Many people use common anchor text in their back link such as “Click Here”. This style of link building is very old technique. So, you have to think something innovate as well as attractive. Try to use creative and appropriate keywords as your anchor text. You can also use banners for link building.

 Identify the targeted people

Now, let’s come direct to the marketing field. First of all, you have to search for the readers/customers that would be interested in you products. For example, if you are selling cell phones or iPods, then have to go for the college students or young crowd. Conversely, if you are offering financial or loan services, then you have to look for the middle-aged people. Try to identify your targeted customer first, then approach them.

Related

• Using Analytics To Take Audience Targeting To A Whole New Level
• How to Promote Your Blog Without Feeling Like a Sleazeball
• Designing and Developing for the Target Audience
  

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Naming Files

Boost print efficiency by using a specific file name for all files sent to the print house. Try to make the file name as relative to the job as possible as this will help the print house order files and keep them filed with the initial order from you and your company.

The Vital Importance of Resolution

When working with a commercial print house you must get the right dots per inch (dpi),a measure of the resolution of printers, scanners, etc. They will usually require files to be at 300dpi. If not they will stretch the image up to 300dpi, but remember files less than 72dpi cannot be used. Higher DPI will produce clearer, sharp and more detailed prints. Therefore, if you are going to design something for print as soon as you start be sure to set a higher DPI.

Related

• Misunderstandings about dpi
• Image Resolution for Printing
• Image Resolution And Print Quality

Remember the Safety, Bleed and Trim

The safety area is crucial. Quite simply, this is the area where your content, layout and design can be placed safely. Check with the printer when you submit your work.Equally as important is the trim, which is a 3mm space that begins after the bleed, marking a distinction between where the content and text is placed between the edges of the design.The bleed is what reaches beyond the size of the canvas. While you will have 3mm on each side that is trimmed, it is wise to add another 3mm to compensate for the bleed. Keep you text within a safe area 6mm from the edge.

Related

• Trim, bleed and associated safety margins
• Cut Area, Bleeds, and Safe Zone Demystified

What to Keep in Mind When Using Color

It is important to be clear about the two color spaces used for graphic design and print. Red, Green and Blue (RGB) are the colors your computer monitor use to display all colors. However, the colors used by the printer to print your design are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK). It is important to note that solid and rich colors can be altered in the color conversion process. Whereas these are easily overlooked, it is vital that you take a very close look at the printed design.

Related

• Design Tips for Commercial Printing
• Preparing Artwork for Screen Printing in Adobe Illustrator

Printing in Black

Using 4 color build black is often the right choice, however it should be avoided if you are using small text, simply because it can cause a lot of blurring, making your text indecipherable. The 4 color rich build black process utilities 4 plates that will definitely shift, hence creating a blurry ghosting look.Rich black should always be used on large black areas to avoid the design job taking on a gray look. However, normal body text should not be printed using rich black.

Related

• Rich black versus plain black

Efficient Font Sending

What is the key action to take when sending fonts to the print house? Remember to convert all fonts to paths. Use Illustrator and FreeHand to convert the fonts to easy to use paths, this changes them into vector shapes and helps the print house to the keep the fonts to the original form.

If you are using Photoshop the text will be rasterized meaning the fonts are not required. Once rasterized, no alterations can be made to the text, so be sure to thoroughly proofread first.

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