Weborization | Wordpress Web Design | Email Marketing | Social Media | SEO | Online Reputation Management

Logos

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LogosEvery now and then things come in threes and it’s time to pay attention to them.  This time around it is logos.

Over the past month or so I’ve been presented with three brand new logos by various clients excited about a new brand or direction they are taking their business, only to be disappointed when they see the logo in action.

Here’s the deal – a logo has to work everywhere.  Not just on a card, or postcard that is designed by your graphic designer for print. It also has to work on your website, social media and other web presences.

Sizing

So while that “tall” logo looks really cool on your card, it takes up a lot of expensive real estate (or is mighty small) on your website/social media, etc.  Having something recognizable when it is used as a social media profile graphic may be an important consideration as well.  Take into account everywhere your logo will be used and design accordingly.  You’ll be much happier.

Color

The next consideration is color.  In the old print world, a pantone color used to be a pantone and that was that.  Now with the web and digital printing, many times CMYK color is “translated” (sometimes poorly) into RGB.  Add in the various different monitor settings and the color you started with may not be all that appealing to some of your users.  For best results, use websafe colors.

It’s simple and it’s not – be sure you work with a graphic designer who can help you take both the web and print into account and you’ll have results that you love and that really work.

Passwords

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LockOver the past several months I have encountered at least half a dozen (if not more) prospective clients who have found out the hard way that failing to know your passwords can translate into having no way to access your website (and in some cases having to abandon a domain and start over).  And yes, you know what is coming . . . my recommendations:

  1. Always, always, always have all the passwords for your domain, hosting, ftp access, cms website access, social media sites and email marketing account.  You may have the best web person ever and what happens if something happens to them or they leave the business? (None of us like to think like this, and yes, it happens).  Even if you don’t know exactly how to use the passwords yourself, having them allows someone who does to assist.
  2. Your own account – Whenever possible be sure your domain, hosting, website, etc is in its own separate account with your name on it.  You don’t want to be left unable to access your account if something happens to the main account holder or payment becomes an issue.
  3. And if you find yourself in this situation, most reputable registrars provide a way to prove ownership – although you may not appreciate the hoops you’ll be jumping through.

This simple safeguard can save you time, money and headaches – know your passwords.

The Mysteries of SEO

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WebWith the possible exception of overall marketing, search engine optimization is probably the topic most written and speculated about online.  Carefully guarded by the search engines themselves, and changing all the time, there is clearly an evolution taking place that includes social media and attempts to interpret what we’re looking for beyond the keywords we actually use to search.  (Read more about Google’s Semantic Search here).

The best overall advice I can provide is to think organically – and remember what a web looks like:  the more connections you have, the stronger and more staying power you have (why do you think we picked this as part of our logo).

Basic SEO tips:

  1. Consider the search engines as well as name recognition as you choose your domain
  2. Add links to (and from) your blog/website everywhere you can – this should include all your social media pages, your email signatures, blogs you comment or guest post on, and all printed media – anywhere you can
  3. Use alternate text for all images to increase keyword density (as well as keeping your site available for the site impaired)
  4. Create listings and submit your website with all the search engines:  Yext or getlisted.org
  5. Keep information current – blog posts are a great way to do this
  6. Add (valuable) resources

SEO Resources:

Google Adwords Keyword Tool – free tool to research Google keyword usage

Domains: How Do You Choose?

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DomainsConfused about selecting a domain? Consider that you want more than one.

Just because you want your name and/or your business name recognizable, neither of these may convey what you actually do to the search engines – a key factor.  So consider using a domain that does just exactly that for your main domain and hosting (for the search engines) and then forward (and use) other domains (your name and/or your business name) for marketing and name recognition.

Tips for domain selection:

  1. Pick more than one (see above)
  2. Never use hyphens or combinations of numbers and letters that are difficult to convey – remember you’ll be saying this over and over again – don’t make it difficult for you or them
  3. Short is almost always better than long
  4. Easy to remember is good too

Do you want to buy a domain?  Weborization is a domain reseller through Weborization.net.

Oh Yeah, Color!

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Color

Color is another important facet of your site that you’ll want to consider carefully – both in how colors are perceived overall and – more importantly – how they resonate with you.  And – this is important – when you love the color palette you’ve chosen, you’ll want people to see it.

Color meanings from the “Ultimate Non-Designers Guide to Branding” (blog article, link broken so we can’t attribute)

  • White: Clean. Pure. Clarity. Simplicity. Innocent. Silent. Airy.
  • Black: Mystery. Powerful. Dramatic. Elegant. Expensive. Strength.
  • Red: Excitement. Energy. Danger. Sexy. Aggressive. Hot. Stimulating.
  • Pink: Romantic. Soft. Tender. Cute. Delicate (Light Pinks) Exciting. Happy. Youthful. Spirited. Trendy. (Bright Pinks)
  • Orange: Playful. Happy. Gregarious. Childlike. Vibrant. Whimsical. Friendly.
  • Yellow: Warmth. Enlightenment. Cheerful. Mellow. Alert. Rich. Comforting.
  • Brown: Stability. Earthly. Wholesome. Organic. Masculine. Woodsy. Warm. Durable.
  • Blue: Trustworthy. Reliable. Committed. Confident. Calming. Serene.
  • Green: Nature. Healing. Refreshing. Prestige. Healthy. Quiet. Traditional.
  • Purple: Creative. Spiritual. Sensual. Sophistication. Royalty.
  • Neutrals: Timeless. Solid. Enduring. Quality.

Color Scheme Resources:

Kuler by Adobe

ColourLovers

Great Free Graphics Resources:

Photoshop Tricks You Can Do Without Buying Photoshop

GIMP Image Manipulation Progam (free)

Inkscape Open Source vector graphics editor (free)

Fotor Online Photo Editing (free)

Our Stock Image Site Recommendations:

What About Graphics?

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DesignAlmost as soon as you begin creating your new site, you may realize that something you failed to take into account is the need for great looking graphics.  Having a visually appealing website is  nearly as important as the functionality.  A professional look is good.

The tips:

  1. If at all possible, have your logo designed by a professional
  2. Use stock images (see resource links below for affordable sites) to avoid problems with copyrights
  3. Resize your images – even though WordPress will “resize” them within it’s functionality, use this sparingly, otherwise you can end up with pages that take a long time to load because of the original size of the graphic

Great Free Graphics Resources:

Photoshop Tricks You Can Do Without Buying Photoshop

GIMP Image Manipulation Progam (free)

Inkscape Open Source vector graphics editor (free)

Fotor Online Photo Editing (free)

Our Stock Image Site Recommendations:

Fonts, Typography and More Fonts

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Free Font ResourcesSo, what are the rules about fonts? 

Once upon a time (before web), serif fonts were used for text and sans serif for headlines because they made for easier reading.  With the advent of the web, this has been reversed and sans serif is used almost exclusively for standard content while serif are employed in more decorative ways, such as use in headers or as emphasis.

Here are the rules I’ve assembled over time from a myriad of places:

  1. Keep it legible – even the most interesting font is completely ineffective if no one can read  it
  2. Three is the magic number – two is good and never use more than three different fonts on a site/page
  3. Increase your line height – this more than anything you do with text on your site will increase legibility and the “ahhh” factor – white space is good

Great Free Font Resources:

Google Web Fonts

Adobe Edge Web Fonts

Smashing Magazine Fonts 2012

The Next Web 2012

Where Will I Get My Content?

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ContentThe single biggest stop I hear when business owners begin to think about email marketing and social media (besides getting it all set up) is, “Where will I find content?”

It’s easier than you think:

  1. Google Alerts – set up search phrases for topics you want to hear about, as well as the frequency, and Google will email you.  Here is a great blog post that provides more detail on using them http://foodblogalliance.com/2009/04/how-to-use-google-alerts—5-quick-ways-to-get-news-about-you-your-blog.php
  2. Industry Experts – this can include blogs, emails as well as social media – add the ones that really speak your language and you’ll be amazed at what they inspire
  3. Industry Publications – although more and more these may be electronic and included in the above

Beyond that, remember to:

  1. Keep it simple – none of us have time to ready lengthy emails/posts
  2. Keep it original – if you use other’s content, share your comments and reference the original post
  3. Keep it interesting (to the point)

Domain, hosting . . . what does it all mean?

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HouseThink of your website like you would a piece of property and it becomes very simple:

  • The domain is like the street address
  • The hosting is like the land on which your home sits
  • And the website (or files themselves) are like the property improvements, i.e. the house, garage, etc.

We recommend Weborization,net* for domain registrations.  For hosting, we recommend WP Engine* unless your budget requires something lighter – in which case SiteGround* is recommended.

* Weborization earns an affiliate commission from our recommendations, but that’s not why we recommend these services.  We use them ourselves and strongly believe in them.

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Do you have a project in mind…perhaps a new product/service or a revamp of something already in existence?

Maybe you’d be interested in a review of your current site.

I’m always happy to have a conversation about weborizing.

Contact me.

Weborization/Tylerica Systems,LLC
1801 Copper Point Ln
Pflugerville,TX 78660

Austin: 512.522.8750
Houston: 832.862.7200
info@weborization.com