Blogs
Web Site Not Mobile Ready — Beware?
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
Google Penalizing Non-Mobile-Ready Sites (Starting in April 2015)
What does this mean? Google rolled out new algorithms that change rank (that means penalize or down-rank) for sites that aren't optimized for mobile devices. You may not have noticed, but they have even been telling mobile users which sites are responsive in their SERPs (search engine results pages), so that users can choose results that provide a better user experience.
What's a Responsive Web Site?
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
It doesn't talk back if that what you thought.
Used to be a time when smart phones (and later tablets) had made their impact and companies had their designers create multiple versions of their sites. For phones, for tablets and each with the different operating systems -- Android, IOS, etc. (different encodings). When a site was called up on a device, it recognized the device, and selected the proper version to display. Needless to say this was cost-prohibitive for most companies except the larger, deeper-pocketed ones.
SSL Certificates — And Why You Need One
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
Ever wondered why some websites begin with “http://” and others with “https://”? That “s” stands for “secure,” and indicates that the site you’re browsing is using a protected, encrypted connection. This level of security has become increasingly important for all sites on the web—both to protect users’ sensitive information and to improve SEO.
Google pulling the plug on non HTTPS sites in July 2018.
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
This has caused a lot of panic among users, and has got the blogs in an uproar. Most everyone knew it was coming for some time but not the end date (Google usually keeps everything close to the vest [do many men wear them anymore?]).
Why do you need HTTPS and SSL?
It was last year that Google announced a plan to improve overall web security by encouraging website owners to make the switch from HTTP to HTTPS. As part of this plan, their popular Chrome web browser would mark all websites without a SSL certificate as “Not Secure” starting July 2018.
What is a Content Management System and Do I Need One?
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
If you don't have one installed, you've probably heard of Content Management Systems.
ADA Compliant Websites
- Category: Web Blogs Web Blogs
Businesses risk lawsuits if they do not corform to the guidelines, besides being the right thing to do.
Businesses that have an online presence should provide accessibility to disabled users. Not only are there ethical and commercial justifications for implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, in some countries and jurisdictions, there are also legal reasons. In some cases if a business's website is not accessible, then the website owner could be sued for discrimination.
Does Your Copy & Design Mesh Well Together?
- Category: Print Blogs Print Blogs
To make a truly effective printed piece your visuals must blend well with the copy. We've all seen advertisements with inappropriate illustrations, photography that was out of focus or images that were far too little, or that had far too much copy. But perhaps worse is when the message of the visuals does not quite match the copy content.
Not Just a Designer
- Category: Print Blogs Print Blogs
Often the work of a designer is that of a problem solver, not just a visual creator. Sometimes that includes organizing lots of information, but other times require challenging logistics.
A Case in Point
I had been referred to a new client by a photographer who did work for them. The company produced machinery from pretty small to very large (some stories high) that chopped varying materials into smaller pieces. There were numerous types of equipment, some related but different, and many had numerous models to choose from. Additionally, there were also two types of end users of the equipment — municipalities and industrial users.
Unique Designs
- Category: Print Blogs Print Blogs
I take great pride in designing uniques pieces. As most designers I'm sure, I have had clients ask me to reproduce a printed piece of another designer's work that they took a liking to. While certainly easier and less time consuming, I gently refuse. This has caused some consternation with some clients, but in the end I prevailed.
Here is a story you might find amusing.
A number of years ago, I produced a direct mail piece for a very well known New York City institution. This institution used different designers for a number of
Which Type of Client Are You?
- Category: Print Blogs Print Blogs
There are usually 3 categories a designer's clients fall into.
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Those who know they need something designed but are completely in the dark of what they are looking for. These are people who usually state one of the following or something in a similar vein:
- Show me some things and I will let you know what I like and don't like.
- I like red.
- I saw something I liked and can't describe it but it had shapes in it.
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Those who have some idea of what they are looking for and provide some initial feedback of likes and dislikes:
- I like colors in the blue family.
- I definitely want an icon in the logo.
- I like bold lettering without serifs.
- I want it to be feminine.
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Those who pretty much know what they want:
- I can draw what I have in mind but don't know how to produce it (for print or online).
- Has a very strong sense of the colors they would like used.
- Can name the typeface(s) they would like incorporated.