Understanding the Creative Construct

Design is creation. There is no going away from this fact. Whatever the web technology available for use, you must have imagination to create designs that work.  If you are thinking about becoming a web designer, the first question that you must answer honestly is why do you want to be a designer?

Now, there are many reasons why you might want to become one:

• You love the art of creation
• You think it will make for a successful profession
• You don’t really like it but are doing it just because others say it’s a good thing to get into it.

Let’s take a closer look at the first reason. Creation and how you create something is subjective. You might like your creation but others might not look at it favorably. In terms of website designing, you must create a website seen through the prism of your target audience. You need to know what they will appreciate and accordingly create an online presence.

This, as can be imagined, might limit your creative space. Are you willing to shackle your creativity for bringing forth websites that are audience oriented? Ask yourself this question and only then think about becoming a web designer.

It’s not that you will need to leash your creative spirit, but designing a website is a profession, wherein you are creating websites for somebody else. It’s what they think about the website design that matters. If they have firm opinions on how you must handle their designs, you will need to create keeping their (client) expectations in mind.

The Technical Construct

In the early days of website designing, there were plenty of designers who were self-taught. They had the time to get the hang of the web technologies at their disposal and put this learning into practice. They kept adding to their learning, by working on new projects, challenging their skill sets and discovering newer and better ways of creating great websites.

Contemporary website designers can’t learn on the job. They don’t have time to learn designing technologies on their own. Make no mistake, they can do that and the kind of resources available for learning, makes this task simpler. But there are plenty of institutes coming up offering courses in Adobe Photoshop, HTML, CSS, PHP etc. and companies and clients want their designers to have a certificate of learning these technologies with them.

Trust is something that is in short supply these days, and nobody is going to trust your abilities if you say you have learnt your web designing skills at home. If you want to make this your profession, get expert help to learn the basic web design technologies. Learn from the experts, but don’t just depend on them to become a skilled hand at designing websites.

Learning never stops in designing, once you have a solid base behind you, you will have the capability to learn the use of the latest technologies yourself.

As a designer it doesn’t make sense to limit your knowledge of designing technologies; in order to become a master of the trade, learn how to use JavaScript, AJAX, PHP, ASP, C, C++, Flash and MySQL and the many more web technologies available out there. Today, the line between designing and developing is becoming thinner and you need to have knowledge of both to become a good designer.

Understanding the Market Construct

So, now that you have decided to become a website designer and you have the skill sets to get you started, it’s time that you understood the market, if you haven’t already done so. If you are hunting for a job, apply to the website designing companies who are respected names in the domain. If you are prepared to move out of the city you are living in, apply across the country.  When you get a call from a company, give it your best shot. Once you join a company, you will be all set for a web designing career.

But what if you want to start off on your own, you want to open your own business. Well, first understand your local market and its demand. Also get an idea of the competition, the big players and the smaller ones. Get to know about the projects they have worked on and if possible get an idea about their marketing strategy. Build a website, promote it and see where you stand. Start off with small projects to get the hang of designing websites and then progress onto the bigger ones.

Remember, if you are starting your own business, work will be hard to find initially. But, slowly and surely you need to keep at building your reputation on the market. Integrate a blog on your website and write on various topics related to website design. Identify the problems that potential clients are going to suffer and solve these problems through your write ups. Do a bit of guest blogging on high authority sites to build up a reputation as an expert; and have an active social media profile. What you are essentially doing through all this is marketing your name amongst your target audience, and improving your visibility.

Work will come, only when your potential customers begin to trust you.

Understanding the Client Construct

Whether you are working for a company or have your own web design firm, it’s important to understand that it’s the clients show all the way. They come to you with certain specific requirements and they want their website to achieve a specific set of goals. You can suggest some ideas that will improve the concept they have in mind or work together to work out a concept that helps them achieve their goals; but at the end of the day, the clients’ word is final. You can show them the way, but they have a final say in deciding whether a particular kind of website works for them or not.

As a designer, you need to learn the fine art of convincing clients. You need to be able to tell them what is right and what is wrong and you need to be able to explain it to them; this needs to be done in a manner that is simple and easy to understand. This way you will be able to get your point across clearly and who knows, you might be able to design the way you want the website to be designed.

All the things mentioned above, will require a lot of effort out of you, but if you stick at it, the dividends that you reap will be tremendous. Both at a financial level and at a more personal level, the business of website designing can be a very satisfying one. So, no reason why you shouldn’t put in the effort needed.

Author Bio

Pete Juratovic is the Strategic Director and founder of Clikzy Creative, a website design company in Washington, DC. Clikzy Creative also offers fashion website design, search engine optimization, and many other services.

Businesses that utilize enterprise VoIP services and virtual phone systems, like those provided by Broadview Networks, may see tremendous growth in both efficiency and productivity by their employees. Never before have small businesses been able to operate on the level of mega corporations without substantial capital investment to set up a network of databases and switches, and employing full-time technicians for maintaining such systems. Instead, features like Auto Attendant, Mobile Twinning, and compartmentalization come standard and are digitally maintained by the software residing in “the cloud.”

VoIP has excelled over traditional analog technologies with its ability to centralize several phone systems into one location and allow users to make calls directly from their computer or mobile device, as well as automatically organizing voicemails to be delivered straight to the intended recipient’s e-mail. Furthermore, any compatible device can be integrated with the system to allow mobility and increase productivity, such as cell phones and tablets, as long as a broadband internet connection is present.

However, the appeal for businesses to utilize VoIP doesn’t just stop there. The ease of access which VoIP provides has allowed smoother customer transactions by streamlining communication patterns and establishing a virtual office environment for employees on the move.Italso has enabled businesses to accumulate the data necessary for targeting the needs of their customers. More businesses today are monitoring employee to customer interactions and adjusting for consumer demand accordingly.

What used to be out of reach for start-up businesses is rapidly becoming an industry standard with the use of cloud phone systems. Businesses that require a call center are able to get up and running at a fraction of the cost they would have expected to pay just a few short years ago. Additionally, one of the biggest factors for VoIP’s emerging trend in business communication is not just its low cost, but also its simplicity of expansion. Because VoIP phone systems are digital, additional departments can be created and can grow as needed almost instantly, without additional contracts.

What are some other emerging business communication trends that you’ve noticed this year?  How are you using them to succeed?

The Shock Bundle is a huge bundle that contains a lot of quality designs from ThemeShock, this bundle includes all kind of resources with sources that any web ninja would need to make his or her new project, like, for example: WordPress themes, GUIs, realistic and flat icons, backgrounds with multiple textures, lots of logos, and many many others that can be seen at the Shock Bundle page. ThemeShock  are the masterminds behind some stunning projects like Grid Layout Shock, a fantastic WordPress plugin to make Pinterest layouts.  Shock family, we wait, will continue amazing us in the future.

About the rules

• Follow themeshock in twitter @themeshock and @directoryfm
• Share the post via social networks (Facebook, twitter, Pinterest)
• Comment what do you need the Shock bundle for (including the sharing state)

What’s Google+?

The media is doing Google a disservice in suggesting the tool is of little use. Although it may seem as if no one is online when people see their stream as it has been documented most people only log into Google+ around ten minutes each month. However, for any business this dearth of activity won’t matter, and it certainly shouldn’t keep you away from the tool. When business owners log in they will encounter those of their inclination and it can lead to some very effective networking. Getting in early will make vast inroads into marketing their firm. This is as simple as:

*Adding a +1 button to content,
*Touching the +1 button to share good content,
*Add a “Follow Me” button to the site,
*Share the best content, and,
*Circle great additions to the business,

Profile Links

Google+ allows you to embed followed links into your profile using pertinent anchor text. If a small business owner is using other social media to market the brand, these links can be used in the Google+ bio. These links show up in Google rankings. If the business owner builds the brand by gaining followers and becoming a person of interest or a thought-provoking commenter, the links will get him further up the Google rankings. Links are links and Google indexes all of them.

Sharing

Social media is about sharing. Establishing a Google+ page for a business enables the owner to share only things which will grow the brand; building circles around those who have formerly influenced the branch or business involved can lead to even better networking than on many of the more popular social media sites. Sharing this information, along with views and ideas, form the basis of influence for the circles’ followers.

Community

As with most social media tools there is a sense of growing community values to Google +, and a business should not let their brand suffer through inactivity. Answer any followers’ questions, comment on information shared in addition to sharing information followers have +1ed. Interaction is the keyword here and it will build the brand. You should also communicate with other brands and services to boost your presence.

Hangouts

Sharing how your products work is key area to Google+. Using Hangouts, businesses can give tutorials, how-to sessions, or even question-and-answer programs to demonstrate their products to their clientele. These Hangouts look professional and can be uploaded to the business’ YouTube channel. The products and their functions will reach a larger audience, thereby growing the business owner’s brand. Other social media tools do not have this function. Group discussions among business owners, thought leaders or entrepreneurs can use this function for new ideas and practices as well as helping others grow their brands.

You’re the Expert

When the business owner gains perceptive and inventive persons in the circles, the owner sets her/himself up as the expert. After all, no one knows more about the business than s/he does. In the circles are people that agree and enhance his/her knowledge and capabilities. It’s not a leap of imagination to see the business owner’s picture beside the link in the Goggle rankings as the expert on the subject. It happens every day. Why not let it be you as you build your brand and your reputation? Helping other business owners achieve this standing is a matter of circles and Hangouts.

What Not to Do

What a business shouldn’t do is become lax regarding who to add to their circles. Just anyone may not help grow the brand or contribute useful knowledge or experience to the business. By the same token, sharing content or ideas not enriching to the experience is a ticket to nowhere.

A business must always keep an eye out for those persons and information that will add some value to the business and its clientele. Being consistent in the sharing of information and commenting is important, as is showing a human side away from common business spiel.

Don’t Be Overwhelmed

With the introduction of a new social media sites all the time, businesses hop on the bandwagon to promote their brand. Every business feels the pressure of maintaining a sound social media presence, and it can be somewhat overwhelming. Google +, thankfully, is one of the more simplistic pieces of software. It’s well organized and thoughtful in its content and intent. It is what and how you, the business owner, make it. It isn’t excessively hyped (as with Facebook) and this gives businesses the quiet and organization they need without sinking in a sea of social media waves. And without all the hype, Google can do what it always does: put your business on top.

Alex Morris is a writer for an online cartridges for printers firm in Manchester, England. Our printer supplies have been boosted by Google+, so after some persuading he’s beginning to enjoy the social media tool.

Different for different people

Effective web design for an artist’s website would mean aesthetically displayed images, nice looking background and appealing look. On the other hand, a website on amoeba would call for a different approach. Its horses for courses. You must create an effective interface to attract an audience – even if it’s for amoeba. It calls for a planned approach towards web design. The elements of your website must be well thought of. The layout and look depends greatly upon your initial assessment. Focusing on SEO and such pulls you away from your main objective.

What are the key elements of effective web design?

There are four factors which will determine whether your website design is effective or not.

Clear objectives

Here we are talking about the main page. Look at any website. Mostly you will never be able to make out the objectives of that site. You face a mass of clutter, advertisements, banner ads, colorful images and little else. The main content and message is lost. In such a situation what do you expect from a visitor?

Your website’s home page is the place where you attract and hold your audience. You have 5-10 seconds to catch your visitor’s attention. If you can’t do this, you are lost. Your web design should focus on the main page and deliver.

Effective navigation

Now that you have grabbed the attention of a visitor, you have to tell him where to go. Notice the words ‘tell him where to go’. This is where your design comes into picture. You have to shepherd, lead, cajole and push your visitor to the page you want him to go. This needs imagination and the subtle art of persuasion.  Your web design must deliver on this count. There are many ways in which you can do this.

Creating Fulfillment tunnel

What is a fulfillment tunnel? It’s the path which your visitor must take to arrive at the fulfillment page. Fulfillment may mean purchase page, download page or the page which completes the objectives of your website. There may be different ways to reach fulfilment. But all roads must lead to Rome – fulfilment.

Reinforcement and providing alternatives

Human mind is a strange animal. We want alternatives, we want choice, we want to choose and select. It’s always wise to provide this choice. Even if it’s superfluous – like choosing between red and blue. When you provide alternatives, people usually tend to go for one or the other rather than none at all. This is a lesson which must be incorporated in an effective web design.

John is a keen follower of technology and likes to write on its practical aspects. He recommends affordable bar flyers  for a good mix of traditional and internet marketing.

Improving your Google rankings through Twitter is a task easier said than done. A strategic and methodical approach is required, for it to be efficacious. Any negligence here or there could very well hamper the ultimate result. With that said, the following points will help you to create a positive impact on your on Google rankings, provided it executed properly:

Utilize Different Twitter Tools Available

Twitter provides many good tools to build up your profile and increase your online presence. Two of my favorite tools include Paywithatweet and Twtpoll. These tools have proved to be great for business and marketing purpose. They are quite useful generating valuable retweets.

Import Contacts From Other Social Networks

If you really want your Twitter profile to be influential, then you got to have all the big names related to your niche. Therefore, importing contacts from other social networks such as LinkedIn, Google+ etc will really help to strengthen your follower-base, adding great influence to you profile.

Post Content That Offer Value

This probably one of the most important rules of SEO, and yet many people get it wrong time and again. The importance of quality content cannot be denied. If users find your content enthralling, then they are likely to re-tweet it, which raises it chances of getting a good ranking in Google’s search. So always ensure your quality content.

Include Hashtags In Your Keywords

If you really want to improve the SEO of your tweets, then ensure a hashtag is added to all your keywords. For instance, your keyword can be like #socialmarketing.

Don’t Protect Your Tweets

Don’t impose any restriction on your Twitter profile. It must accessible to all who search for it, because only then you would be able to enjoy its benefits. So make sure your profile is a public one.

If you employ twitter (or other social media networks) for the purpose of brand promotion, then the last thing you would want to arouse in the mind of your followers is obscurity.

Businesses are all trust and confidence. So if you are just a bland tweeter, with no real identity, it’s gonna be difficult for your followers to know you and more importantly “trust you”.

On the contrary, if your relationship with your followers is strong, then they are more likely to purchase your product or service. So the question is “how do I instill that kind of trust and personality in my tweets”.

Well, the answer is quite simple. Just follow the given points:

Be Yourself

This point is of utmost importance. You must include your real name in your twitter bio. This helps the users know that they are conversing with one particular person and not a series of officers. Having your own photo as your avatar may also help in depicting this point.

Be Interactive

Regular interaction is a great way of building your relationship with your followers. In addition, try to be swift in responding to your followers tweets. Failure to do so will show your lack of presence on Twitter. And as you know, it’s impossible to build strong relationships with people if you are never really there.

Try To Be Social

Having a professional twitter account doesn’t mean you can’t engage in conversations, unrelated to your business. Try to be social (since it’s a social network, not your company’s website). Talk about things that personally interest you such as your hobbies, favorite movies and so on. Doing so will definitely strengthen your relationships, which will further lead to sales.

Write The Way You Talk

I know this point is pretty obvious; nevertheless, it is important to know that you must write the way you would speak personally. After all, twitter is all about conversations with your followers.

With that said, the following New Year’s resolutions will help you in achieving your goals and objectives, provided it is properly executed:

Increase Your Interaction On Facebook

One mistake I have noticed more often than not is that businesses, after creating their profile page become dormant. In other words, they only visit it once or twice a month. Therefore, it’s high time you get serious about your business page. Try to interact with your fans as often as possible. You can ask them for their insights; provide solution to their problems, post daily tips and so on. Frequent interactions will help you tremendously in strengthening the bond with your fans.

E-Mail Marketing

This is probably one of the oldest and most efficient ways of reaching out to your potential audience. In addition, it’s a fantastic of strengthening your relationship with your existing clients.

However, for this medium to be fruitful, it has to be used frequently. Instead of sending mails to your clients periodically, try sending them on a weekly basis. This helps in maintaining communication on a regular basis, which ultimately builds confidence in the mind of your clients.

Turn To Mobile

With the recent proliferation of mobile phones, businesses are more likely to extend their online marketing campaigns to mobile as well. Interestingly, people are now searching online for people they would like to do business with. So if you’re not online, then you’re as good as non- existent.

Moreover, given the increasing popularity of mobile phones, it seems pretty logical to set up a mobile website and app too. This will only make your site more accessible to your prospects.

Post Content As Often As Possible

One great way of improving your SEO, is by adding content as often as possible. Now content may include videos, interview with experts, blog posts or whatever you deem relevant. If you want to create a positive impact on Google search engines, then this is a great way to go about.

However, when it comes to advertising on twitter, people are quite perplexed. Probably because they are unsure about know how twitter operates in the first place. So in this post I’ll explain how to effectively advertise your brand on twitter.

Choosing An Advertising Medium On Twitter

The first and foremost step is choosing an advertising medium. There are a couple of options open to you i.e. Promoted Accounts and Promoted Tweets. To help you in picking a suitable one, I have given a small description of each of these mediums:

1. Promoted Tweets:

How does it feel, when you put up a fantastic tweet, but it doesn’t get the exposure it deserves? Pretty exasperating I reckon. Well, fret not. Through promoted tweets you can ensure that your tweets are seen by a bigger audience.

Making a promoted tweet is quite simple. Just send a tweet to your followers and promote it. The tweet that you have promoted will then show as content in the search results.
Promoted tweets are quite similar to paid search ads, because when a user will search for a keyword, you have a bid on, they (promoted tweets) will show.

2. Promoted Accounts:

A promoted account is probably one of the simplest ways of advertising on twitter. Through promoted accounts, your profile will be displayed conspicuously on the “Who-to-follow” list (as shown in the following image). It’s all about enticing more and more people (with similar interests) to follow you.

In the past, building a long list of followers seemed like a formidable and tedious task. But with the introduction of this medium, it is relatively straight-forward.

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About Designer:
This Icon set is designed by Jennifer Ivy, She works at CouponAudit as a designer, where thousands of valid and working online coupons are available for different stores.