One thing I've noticed, is that while working on other companies web sites, the one web site which tends to get updated the least is.... my own. This apparently isn't specific to me, as I've talked with many other web designers who have the same issue. I've even heard of web designers hiring other web designers to do their web site. Since it has been a little while since I did a major update to my site (this past summer when I added the blog), I decided I should be performing some updates. … [Read more...]
posted on December 29, 2007 by
Web analytics series coming soon
I'm working on finishing up a series of articles for the new year on Web Analytics. What is web analytics? Glad you asked. People build new web sites every day, but most have no idea how they are doing, if they are getting better or worse, or why. Web analytics can help you answer those questions. However, we need to know what numbers are important, which to ignore, why, and what we can do about it. This series is designed to be simple to read, and easy to follow. While not an in-depth … [Read more...]
posted on December 15, 2007 by
Getting Ranked in Google
Everyone wants to be ranked in Google - and who doesn't. As the #1 search engine, people go there before the other search engines over 50% of the time. This means that a lot of Search Engine people will focus on trying to get their customers on Google. This can be relatively easy for niche-markets, but harder for more general terms. For example, I have a customer who ranks in the top ten for about 11 search terms on Google. It varies depending upon what shows on the Google report. He … [Read more...]
posted on December 4, 2007 by
On Page vs. Off Page SEO
There was recently a good article explaining the difference of On Page vs. Off Page SEO (Search Engine Optimization). What many people fail to realize, is that what is going on in their site is often as important or more important long term than what is going on outside of their site, and can be done easier. For example, it would (probably) be easier to ensure that page titles had better value for the page, than to get 10 people to link to a brand new site. I say probably because it takes … [Read more...]
posted on December 3, 2007 by
Maybe I should use Linux instead?
Some days you feel like your getting a sign. I got this error message when I booted my computer this morning. See which program Microsoft Windows thinks might cause an error. Maybe it's time to move to Linux. Note: No PhotoShop involved. Just a screen shot. … [Read more...]
posted on November 27, 2007 by
Dayspring Community Church Web Site Update
I am proud to announce the updates for Dayspring Community Church's website. As they just merged with Plymouth Church, it is fitting that they should have updated the UI for their site. Updates include: Restructuring the menu to be easier to read Improving the Search Engine Friendliness of the site Modification of the page layout Optimizing the web pages to load faster Adding a Web 2.0 style picture gallery … [Read more...]
posted on November 16, 2007 by
How to reduce your bounce rate
In our last post, Why People Leave Your Web Site, we referenced the Bounce Rate, and why its not something you want your site to have much of. In order to understand how to reduce your bounce rate you need to know why it is happening. Here are some unacceptable reasons why you might have a bounce, and what you can do to fix it: Your site takes too long to load. This could mean you need more bandwidth/better server or, more likely, you need to optimize your site. Your presentation is … [Read more...]
posted on November 15, 2007 by
Why people leave your web site
When I introduce someone to Web Analytics for the first time, they generally go through several “light bulb” moments. They usually include things like: That’s how many users I get?!? (either with glee or frustration) So that’s where I get people from. This will often lead to questions they didn’t know they could ask such as: Why don’t I get more sales? Why are people leaving the site? What is this bounce rate? Why don’t I get more sales – a whole other article could be … [Read more...]
posted on October 30, 2007 by
How to get more knowlege on the web
As a college professor I am often asked how did I learn "all this stuff" - lets face it most of what I do wasn't taught in college when I attended as a student. (I graduated in 1998 - most colleges cannot change quickly enough to keep up with web trends as they can change from year to year, and sometimes faster - especially back then.) What I do is follow several websites and blogs. They cover everything from copy writing, to design, to programming. I also use Stumble Upon to find fun … [Read more...]
posted on October 29, 2007 by
The Importance of Honest Estimations
What happens when someone gives an estimate knowing it won't take as long or cost as much as quoted? When I give a client an estimate, I am trying to give them an accurate estimation as to the time and cost of what they want. I am not trying to be a pessimist, and give them a due date two weeks longer than what they ask, just in case the worst happens. By being honest, my clients can accurately plan their own activities and budgets. But what happens when someone wants to appear like a … [Read more...]