Building a website that will serve as a home-base is the number one reason you should start a site. Plus, it gives you the best digital asset you could possibly need to make your mark in the eCommerce world.

Choosing a Web Host

One of the most difficult tasks in building a website is not in building the website itself but in choosing a platform that will work for what you wish to achieve. You also need to evaluate and think about whether you will be using raw code to build your site or using the tools available to create your site.

To help you decide, we are previewing three sites in this post shown below.

WordPress

WordPress is an increasingly growing platform that offers a way to publish quickly and easily on a user-friendly platform. WordPress.org is the site to go to if you want to publish on their online platform without downloading the program. If you want the downloadable program, you will want to go to WordPress.com. There you can download the full version along with any plugins you want to use with the program.

WordPress has a lot of advantages over the other platforms. First, it is one of the most popular platforms out there so that means it already has its own traffic. People who use this platform have access to their own internal search engine and you may get more traffic due to being on this popular platform, as well. Secondly, WordPress has a user-friendly interface that can be expanded upon by adding plugins. You can get plugins from the site itself or from third-party developers.

WordPress functions like a blog so you can easily include a blog on your site or incorporate it into your website so that people can follow your posts. They also have several different formats and templates so you can decide how you want your website to work and what features you prefer. There are many benefits to using WordPress to power your site, and if you are looking for, even more, you can read up on five of the best reasons here.

If you want a platform that offers a variety of pre-made templates and tools, you may prefer the ease-of-use of the WordPress platform. Their pricing ranges from free to $24.92 per month, billed annually.

Weebly

Weebly is another platform that is popular with many website owners and builders. It is easy enough to create your own website on the Weebly platform or you can outsource it and have someone else do it. You can create your own eCommerce store on Weebly and sell your products in a variety of ways, according to their website. They combine the best of eCommerce, marketing, and inventory management all in one place.

You can start a basic Weebly website for free but you need to pay up to $25 per month for a business package if you want to expand and grow your business. The business version also has unlimited storage for your files. There are many advanced features and benefits to hosting and building a site through Weebly, which you can read on here.

Wix

Wix is yet another popular website building platform that offers a variety of features. They brag about their ads that you can easily and quickly create your own website in one afternoon.

Their best feature is probably the easy drag-n-drop interface that allows you to drag and drop files to your page and put together an impressive page on your own. Their site takes a “minimalist” approach to website building, and you can create a modern-looking eCommerce site without a fuss. You can learn more about Wix and the many premium services they offer through this review on blogging.org.

The pricing for the Wix platform ranges from $5 per month to $25 per month, depending on the features you want and how much bang for your buck you are after.

SquareSpace

Squarespace.com is the fourth platform we are evaluating today. Squarespace has a minimalist look to their own website and they feature a number of things you may like when considering what you want to include like:

• Professional Templates
• Easy interface
• Custom domains
• Mobile apps
• Free typekit fonts
• Built-in mobile websites
• Image manager
• Audio and media collection
• Social media connection capability
• Blogging an commenting section

These are just a few of their many, many features on Squarespace.com. Check out their site to learn more and check out their features.

And the winner is…

This is always the section we dread talking about because the sites we review all have their value points. However, there were some specific features and things that we thought stood out with some of these platforms. For example, Squarespace wins in terms of the sheer number of features. With all of the plethora of functions that they allow website designers to do, there is no need to go elsewhere to get your site to do what you need it to do. There are some great advantages to the idea of “colocation of services” which includes a central dashboard like they have on Squarespace that allows you to do whatever you want with your design.

When it comes to simplicity, however, we think that WordPress is probably the best bet due to its easy interface and features that allow anyone to create a nice-looking website for their organization or business.

Many people like Wix and Weebly due to its modern appeal and the ability to drag-and-drop items with a template and other tools that take the guesswork out.

But sometimes it’s best to find a hybrid type of system that allows both drag-and-drop technology and coding within the system.

The Need for Creative Freedom

The best idea when you are planning a website for your business is to write down what is important to you. How much space do you need? What types of things do you plan to include on your page? Do you want to implement a blog? What about social media and multimedia sharing and mobile app connectivity?

All of these are important questions to ask when planning your website. Ideally, you should find a platform that allows you to use their platform to easily put up the site, while also allow HTML coding and other creative tools to add to what you already have.

One idea is to hire a professional web design team. By doing this, you will be getting a dedicated group of people who know how to implement the platform you are using into your website while allowing you to expand by using raw coding and other tools.

If you are looking for a professional web design team, try us. We are webdesignteam.com and we offer a way to have the best of both worlds when it comes to utilizing integrated technologies while allowing creative freedom.

Visit our website and check out our portfolio to learn more. Then get a free quote to learn about what we can do for you.

Your website is too important to leave it to chance. So get started today with a free estimate and put your site out there. No matter which platform you choose, remember that the appearance and functionality of your site is imperative to succeed in the online world.

Visit webdesignteam.com to find out more.

The post WordPress vs. Weebly vs. Wix vs. Squarespace – Which is Best for Site Building? appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

Pepsi is also a well-known brand and while it has not been able to beat the Coca-Cola company in many ways for branding, it’s still a brand that needs no introduction.

Both brands started in a world much different than the world we live in today. It was full of real-world advertisements in newspapers and videos, analog radio and TV ads, and other branding tools that had to be created in the physical world.

Now, we have the online, digital world, a world that is endless in possibilities and includes websites, blogs, and other digital assets that are designed to increase branding in the virtual environment.

No one can deny that the website of a brand is the most important part of this mix. No matter how good your podcasts, videos, and other assets are, your website should stand out.

When we look at the websites of these two big brands, we can learn a lot by comparing them and evaluating what makes them great.

Coca-Cola

When you first come to Coca-Cola’s website, you are greeted with an attractive, minimalist design that focuses on what the brand is about: Coke. It’s interesting that the Coca-Cola brand focuses solely on the soft drink on their website because most of their other advertising deviates from this notion.

Instead, their videos on YouTube and other digital media seem to focus more on the personality of the business rather than the drink itself. The idea in most of their ads is to “share a Coke” with others. This theme is still prevalent on their website, but first the customer sees a statement about their product in which they say, “The refreshing taste of Coca-Cola beverages paired with new and rewarding experiences.”

This seems to create a marriage between the great-tasting Coca-Cola product and the personality of the brand which seems to be all about sharing and caring.

As you scroll down the site, you’ll also see two of the staff of the Coca-Cola company, one dressed in a server’s hat. The video featuring these two talks about who the Coca-Cola company is as it relates to their staff.

They create a community-based, staff-friendly message for the brand and it communicates that the company truly cares about their people who work for them.

Further down the page is a section dedicated to Christmas and holiday offerings, which the Coca-Cola company has always been actively involved in, featuring contests and other things that seem to add to their customer value.

There are other opportunities offered to their customers who visit their website such as mobile app downloads and games, product facts, and more.

The site is modern while also traditional, simple but stocked with value. This reflects the dedication the company seems to have to both the physical product they create and the human side of the business.

Pepsi

The Pepsi site is also very interesting. When you come onto their site, you are instantly greeted with a tidal wave of Pepsi flowing out of a can of their popular drink that seems to almost pour over the sides of the can and down your desktop or mobile device. This gets the visitor’s attention, no doubt in a big way and lists the following adjectives as complete sentences at the top of the page:

CRISP. SMOOTH. REFRESHING.

Notice the break away from proper grammatical form such as the all caps lettering and the period at the end of these words for emphasis.

If that isn’t enough, after you’ve taken a bath in the virtual Pepsi flow, scrolling down the page, you’ll get a lesson in the history of the Pepsi company. It also offers you a chance to shop on either of these stores: Amazon.com or Walmart.com. So you can shop for all Pepsi products with your favorite online conglomerate.

After this, you’ll see a quick tutorial on how to create a unique “mixed drink” composed of liqueur, Pepsi-Cola, and a lemon that is garnished on the side. It features a can of the 1893 first edition of Pepsi that is mixed with the liquer that was used years ago to create mixed drinks. Wow! We assume this section is for adults only.

Lower down the page, you’ll see a number of social media options that allow you to connect with them through a variety of options such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

Comparing the Two Sites

When we go back and look at the Coca-Cola site again, we can see several comparisons to Pepsi such as the large, dynamic imagery and bold colors, the impactful wording, and such like. It’s almost as if the two brands have looked at each other’s sites. (Who reading this articles doesn’t know that they did!) Anyway, they are similar but they both feature some different approaches to their brand that seem to communicate to the viewer right away what the brand is about.

Our Ranking System

When trying to decide which one is best, we set up a short point system that included the following aspects:

1. Ease of navigation- Coke: 4 Pepsi: 4
2. Customer journey-friendly Coke: 5 Pepsi: 5
3. Interesting and engaging Coke: 5 Pepsi: 5
4. Interactivity Coke: 4 Pepsi: 5
5. Connection to social media Coke: 4 Pepsi: 5
6. Branding aspects- Coke: 5 Pepsi: 5

The Coca-Cola site has strong branding, as does the Pepsi site, so we gave them both one point for this. A visitor could go on both of these sites and know what the brand is about. So they both scored a 5/5 on this aspect of their design.

On point #1, ease of navigation, they were both easy to navigate. But, because we don’t always prefer the scroll only mode, we gave both sites a 4/5 on this aspect.

Both sites should score a 5/5 on the customer journey, as well as #3 (interesting and engaging) because of the high level of engagement that both sites provide. Where it started breaking down a bit was the level of interactivity and connection to social media. These are two of the most important aspects of a site as you want part of the customer journey to take the customer to other places where you have some digital assets such as Facebook or Twitter. Pepsi got a 5/5 on this part of our ranking, while Coke got a 4/5. This is because Coke just featured the links to their social media in a place near the bottom that was barely conspicuous and Pepsi seemed to make it a main feature of their page.

Using our simple scales on these factors alone, Pepsi scored a 29 and Coke scored a 27 due to the less prominent social media section.

This alone is not much but if you believe that social media is a major part of branding, you would want to follow the example of Pepsi in this example, rather than Coke. However, both sites are doing very well and seem to both reflect some of the most important aspects of their brand.

Where We Come In

Need a website design of your own? Even if you’re not Coke or Pepsi, you need a smart design that will capture the attention of your target audience, draw people in and get them to engage.

We can help. We are webdesignteam.com and we have years of experience in smart web designs. Visit us online and ask for a free quote. Everything great starts with one step.

The post Coke vs. Pepsi – Who has a Better Website Design? appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

As creative as it is to be a designer or marketer for a brand, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, it’s important to also be organized. By creating a systemized order of things that is easy to manage and maintain, you can cut out a lot of the confusion and chaos when you are creating a design or planning a design logo for yourself or a client.

21 Point Checklist

We have created a 21-point checklist that you can use as a great resource when you are planning a design or marketing project. Some tips apply to design only or marketing only while others apply to both.

1. Study your target audience and run experiments.– If you are going to create the best logo or graphic design for your brand (or our client’s brand), you need to get to know your target audience. You can do this in a number of ways such as studying your customer service emails, doing split A/B testing or experiments on your target audience, and other lean UX that will help you know who they are.

2. Think about the functionality of your design.– One of the most important things to consider when planning your design is to consider the purpose and functionality. Think about how and where your logo will be used and plan it so that it will be compatible with all channels and contexts where you will use it.

3. Make a list of the social media networks where the design will reside.– If you are going to create graphics that will work on social media, it’s important to know what type of specifications are required for each one. Facebook has very different specifications and requirements for logos and graphics than Twitter does, for example. Pinterest and Instagram, though they are both photo-based services, require various measurements for the photos for them to look right on the platform. Study the requirements before creating the graphics and logos so that you won’t waste time having to do it over.

4. Check for uniqueness– As you start creating the design, you should ask yourself if the logo or graphic is unique. If it is not, what can you do to improve on the graphic? If you got the graphic from an online service, be sure it is not copyrighted or you may not be able to use it in a commercial setting.

5. Consider the evergreen status– If a logo is “evergreen,” it means that it will last beyond the circumstances of the present day. Your business logo should be able to be used in a variety of contexts and to work for your business for a long time. You don’t want to have to make too many changes too often.

6. Line up your resources and tools– In order to create a strong and lasting logo, you need to have the tools to create it. Consider and shop around for the best design software before starting on your design. Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw are two you may want to consider.

7. Create video ads using the graphic– Videos are a great way to create your marketing ad. Think about how to include your logo or graphics within the video ad. Make a list of ways you will use the graphic within the video ads. Then create a motion graphics video with the graphic as part of the ad.

8. Make a list of freelance designers that you can outsource to.– When creating a logo, you may want to make a list of potential freelancers that can help you to design your logos or your clients’ logos if you decide to take it on yourself.

9. Create a marketing budget for your ad strategy.– It’s important not to overextend when it comes to budgeting for your marketing and design. Plan your digital design project carefully and allow for more time and expense than you think it could take. You never know what kinds of issues you could run into once you get into it.

10. Create three versions of your logo.– By creating at least three versions of your logo, you can look at each one and decide which one is best.

11. Consider colors and fonts carefully.– One of the most important aspects of a logo is the color and fonts that you choose. Think about and compare different colors that will influence the overall impact of your choices.

12. Look at other logos to get ideas.– If you look at what others have done with their logo, you can make a more informed decision for your own logo.

13. Check out design portfolios.– By looking over the design portfolios of various designers and marketers, you can see what professional designers or marketers can do for you.

14. Make sure it is versatile.– Versatility is important for your logo if you plan to market it on multiple channels and platforms.

15. Ask for revisions if hiring a professional design team.– Most design firms will allow you to ask for multiple revisions in order to get the result you need.

16. Ask for input from the target audience.– Do a short experiment that will give you input from your target audience so that you can create a design that they are more likely to respond to and like.

17. Ask for previews along the way.– By knowing how the progress is going along the way, you will be able to judge whether you are getting the results you want.

18. Create an automated social media posting schedule for your logo and ads.– We all know social media can be one of the biggest time wasters on the internet. The same holds true for online businesses and brands as well. Save time and get more done by automating your social media updates, outreach, and scheduling.

19. Use creative design software to fine-tune your design.– While everyone might feel like they are a designer, it’s really the design tools we all use that make us experts. When attempting to create a website or logo design, be sure to play around with a wide range of design tools and software. Some of the best tools on the internet are free or come with a free trial.

20. Bookmark digital marketing sites for later reference.– When is the last time you came across a really great online resource or tutorial that provided you with value? It probably happens quite often, but many times we will forget when or where it was. Build up a solid collection of online tools and resources by starting a new bookmarking list within your browser. This wil definitely come in handy later on.

21. Check out a professional design team like logodesignteam.com.– When all else fails, or if you simply would like to outsource the process to a professional design time, consider you options with Logo Design Team. With thousands of designs already created, there is no doubt you will be happy with the final result.

Work with the Best. Work with Web Design Team.

At Web Design Team, we understand that there are many things to remember when designing, organizing, and creating your online website, brand or graphic assets. We have been creating professional logos and site designs for businesses for well over a decade to help online business owners to promote their business and brands.

Check out our online portfolio and then contact us for a free quote. We will give you as many revisions as you need and stay in touch with you as we progress so that you will know what the final result will be.

Don’t forget to use our checklist if you plan to do it yourself or contact us and we’ll help you get it done! Either way, make sure you focus on quality. Your online logo, brand, and identity may be with you for a very long time!

The post 21 Point Checklist for Every Designer and Marketer to Follow appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

We found some great web designs from some of the top brands that you may like to see. Look at these models and think about what makes them work for that name.

TechCrunch

TechCrunch is a well-known British online publication that focuses on the world of technology. The look says, “Tech” and the logo works nicely with the brand, as well. Their site was built on WordPress, which is a good platform for online publications and it works nicely for this brand. The colors are predominantly white and green.

The Official Star Wars Blog

Another great website that was put up by the “Star Wars” people can be seen here. It is also a WordPress site. What makes it so great is the excellent use of their logo at the top of the page and the black color that is typical of the Star Wars movie background and other assets. They feature their blog on this site as well, and their navigation menu is extensive with many different links to different sites that allow you to buy merchandise, games, and apps.

Investopedia.com

Investopedia has created a name for themselves by being one of the most credible sources for business and investment news. They focus on financial news, as well and even offer some high content articles on insurance and business that helps people make more informed decisions. Their website seems to fit their brand nicely and has the format of a newspaper publication, which is appropriate for this type of business.

Apple.com-Pretend the Universe

The Apple.com site has always been a nice, clean-cut site that emulates the beauty and simplicity of the Apple and iOS products. But right now in 2017, they have a minimalist look that seems to top all of their previous versions of their website. The site opens with the traditional white background, and all you see is the beautiful, sleek, new iOS X (new edition iPhone). But even more enticing than this is the text that is seen on the phone, “Say hello to the future.” It reminds us a bit of the famous line that Steve Jobs said to his new board when he returned to Apple and reclaimed his company. One board member said, “So what are we going to do now?” He replied, “We’re going to pretend the universe.” This site design seems to suggest that same invincible spirit of Steve Jobs and the company he created that suggests that anything is possible.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s site makes you hungry. There are so many closeup images of their food and goodies that it’s hard to ignore. Right now, they have their main background with burgers and fries, but they have created the site in such a way that another moving panel comes to the forefront with their Peppermint Mocha, being front and center. Why do they do this? Obviously, because it is one of their “hottest” items during the cold winter and holiday season and they are gearing up for it. The photography of their food and drink items is superior, and this adds to the attractiveness of this site. They have also added to the look of the site by adding a four-panel graphic with clickable links to join their email list, get in a soft drink deal, explore their nutrition facts, and look at deals in their mobile app. With so many choices to choose from, McDonald’s has the corner on the market in fast food with this engaging site.

Target.com

The Target site is an attractive and interactive site that rotates their new items around to place it in front of their visitors, while also offering many specials as well. Their navigation is divided into categories that are listed at the bottom of the website so that shoppers can follow the type of search they want quickly and easily. This site adds to the customer journey and keeps things simple for the customer. It is easy to use with plenty of options.

Rolex.com: The Luxury on your wrist

For those who have ever dreamed of having the world’s most expensive watch, here is a site you should look at. It’s the official Rolex site, and they feature movie clips that show actors wearing Rolexes as well as several rolls of attractive Rolexes with a scrolling navigation. The site is a minimalist site that is simple but beautiful and appeals to the man who wants to wear the “best watch in the world.” Rolex is a status symbol, whether it is truly the best watch in the world or not and they have been able to use their website to communicate this through their web property.

What makes these websites so great?

Well, there are seven of the best sites out there in 2019, in our opinion. We could have included many others, but these stood out to us due to their original look and how they seemed to fit perfectly with the brand that they represent. They all have some things in common such as ease of navigation, beautiful photography and backgrounds, graphics, and so forth. But the content is also important. Even with the minimalist style sites, the information and links that are available for visitors increase the level of engagement and interaction while providing users with the best options.

What about your own website?

If you are ready to create your website, you may want to take a few notes on the components of these sites to see what works best. Having attractive graphics, unique scrolling or designs, and even custom navigation can all add to the value and the customer experience.

How you create your site should be unique to your brand, and it should focus on bringing out the most critical aspects of your brand without sacrificing quality. Whether you are an online publication, eCommerce business owner, or other, you want your web design to symbolize your brand in the best way possible.

If you don’t know where to start, check out our online portfolio and then sign up for a free consultation. We are here to help you grow your brand and create the perfect site that will attract the types of people that you want as customers.

Knowing your audience is a big part of creating your perfect website. We can help. Bring us your information and talk to us about a custom-designed website from webdesignteam.com. We can incorporate your site into WordPress or any other type of format or platform that you want to use. Our cutting-edge technology and programming tools can help your website rocket your brand to the top in the new year.

The post 7 of the Best Web Designs from Top Brands in 2019 appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

You will need to also consider the following aspects of your website construction:

• UI (user interface)
• UX (user experience)
• Mobile-friendliness
• Shareability factors
• Social media integration

Why are these factors important?

All of these factors should be considered when you are considering building your website. You need your site to have a positive user interface and provide a positive user experience for your users. You need to provide a mobile-friendly interface that allows users to access your content on their mobile phones. You’ll also want to create a website that is shareable on social media. If you have the tools, skills, and time to devote to making your site work the way it should, you may want to consider doing it yourself. However, you should think about the advantages and disadvantages of designing your site before you proceed.

PROS of Creating your own Website

• Gives you complete artistic freedom– When you create your own website, you’ll be able to design it like you want, without restrictions. You can write raw code if you have the platform that will allow the import of a raw HTML file and you won’t be limited to the backend technology of a web server, in general.
• Allows you to make changes faster– If you design your website, you will be able to go in and make changes faster than if you have it designed by someone else.
• Doesn’t tie you down to a template– Most online web design platforms have specific templates that you choose to design your site. You can use these templates, even if you create your website on your own, but you’ll be limited to the template unless you do your site from scratch. If you do decide to create your website within one of these templates, you’ll still be able to control much of your site’s changes and design. You will just have to work within the template to some degree. Many of these predesigned templates allow you to insert HTML boxes where you can insert your code.
• Lets you decide which aspects to include– When you are in charge of your design, you get to decide which aspects and graphics to include, whether you want to include video, infographics, and other aspects, and the overall look of your site.
• May save money on design costs– If you have the time to design your site yourself, it will likely save you quite a bit of money on design costs. Since you are not hiring others to create it for you, you save the cost of design charges that web design firms charge you for this highly technical work.

CONS of Creating your own Website

• May require knowing raw code or using an alternative program to design– Sometimes you may find that your web server platform does not offer all of the tools or options that you need to control what your website does. In these cases, you may need to use an alternative program that lets you design what you want with an outside design tool. This can be tricky because not all third-party software will be compatible with your web server. You may need to contact support for your web server to find out if the software will work on your page.
• May require debugging of code from time to time– If you are designing your site with raw code, you may need it to be debugged from time to time. This is because the raw code is prone to problems and tends to have some issues that need to be occasionally fixed. This is one of the problems in designing your site with raw code. You need to be an expert in both coding and debugging so that you can handle any programming problems that you encounter.
• It may lack the structure of a predesigned template– When you try to code your website on your own, you may not be able to produce the polished look of a predesigned website template.
• May look less professional– Designing your own site may result in a less professional look than those created on a formatted template. A lot of thought in design is put into the online web templates so you may want to consider using these to avoid having problems in how your site displays if you do it yourself in raw code.
• May not be user-friendly or mobile-friendly without optimization– Another disadvantage in designing your own site is that it may not result in a user-friendly website. This is very important especially with the increase of mobile users where Google has emphasized having an optimized and mobile-friendly page.

So, you have a choice. You can do it yourself using the raw code and deal with the technical aspects that this avenue may cause, or you can create a website on your own within an online template. The latter may be the better choice if you want to do it yourself, but you are limited in your coding skills or debugging options.

The goal of creating a website is to produce a site that results in a higher degree of engagement and conversions. It doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you succeed in creating a positive user experience that will result in higher ROI for your brand.

If you want to try this on your own, give it a go! You’ll never know what you can do until you try. But if you’ve tried this method and want some professional advice or assistance with your web design, we’re the ones to call.

We are webdesignteam.com, and web design is what we do. Contact us and fill out our free form online to find out more and get a free quote. We’ll be happy to talk to you about your web design needs and create a plan of action to help you create a website you’ll be proud of.

Visit us at webdesignteam.com to learn more.

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10 Web Design Tips from the Experts

You need to keep your rankings in Google high, and that requires following their standards such as readability and mobile responsiveness. Check out these ten tips from expert web designers to figure out how to optimize your web design for the best results.

1. CodeKit for Web Developers– For Mac developers and web designers, Keir Whitaker recommends using CodeKit. It’s a browser reloading feature that allows you to reload your pages quickly to see your changes. Keith is the co-founder of Viewport Industries and an accomplished web developer.

2. Apply Global Changes– Web Developer, Elliott Fienberg suggests using the wildcard CSS rule to speed things up in the early stages of your design. Use an asterisk as the selector to globally apply changes to a specific parameter such as changing all of the fonts on a page. An example of how it might look is: {font-family:arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;}. Putting the asterisk at the beginning of this line of code will change the font on the entire page. Consider this a shortcut method to changing fonts or other assets on your page.

3. Set Garish Outlines– Chris Murphy of Web Standardistas shares a tip about cross-platform design. He says to set outlines in a garish color so that it will work on other platforms. This is a coding tip. He says that using a code line such as {outline:10px solid green/red/yellow/blue;} allows you to see which standards you are applying before making it final.

4. Check your character count– Consider how many characters you are using and stick to 45-75 characters per line for comfortable reading. Trent Walton, founder, and designer of Paravel, recommends this standard as a way to ensure your design remains responsive.

5. Use FitVids for video embedding– Embedding video has become easier due to the ease of use of HTML5 coding. But responsively sizing video for mobile users and some platforms is a problem for web designers and developers. A jQuery plugin that supports Flash when using HTML5 may help, according to some experts in web design.

6. Smushit for Image Size Reduction– The key to a responsive website is to make sure it is optimized. This includes optimization of images for best quality while limiting the loading time to a minimum. Web developer and Microsoft brand advocate, Martin Beeby says that SmushIt is a great option that allows you to reduce the image size.

7. Export images as an 8-bit PNG– Martin Beeby also offers a tip about exporting images with PNG image files. When exporting from Photoshop to PNG format, export it as an 8-bit PNG file. This will create a high-quality image that won’t affect the original image.

8. Increase font sizes– Increasing your font size can help improve your readability and engagement with your readers. Don’t overdo the fonts on your entire page, but consider using an 18-point font where you want to create the most focus on your written content.

9. Use Typecast with Google Fonts– There is a new public version of Typecast that you can access through Google Fonts. It allows you to select any font from Google Fonts website and follow the link to the Typecast app.

It also allows you to work with fonts of any size and a wide range of control to build readable type systems on your site. It also lets you control parameters such as size, weight, and line spacing. Then you can export it as H TML, PNG files, or CSS to share with others.

10. Use a 12-column grid– Rhys Little, a well-known web developer for several different companies and applications, recommends using a grid with columns that are divisible by 2, 3, and 4. A 12-column grid is a popular grid that is both web design-friendly and user-friendly.

How to Apply Web Design Tips to your Page

Many of these web design tips involve the use of code that you have to implement on your site using either HTML, CSS, or other means. If you are not comfortable with inserting code, you can check out other web design tips at Elegantthemes.com or the Web Design Team blog.

Not every change you make to your website has to be a coding change. Many online web design platforms allow you to quickly move graphics, text, and other elements around through a drag-and-drop procedure.

Choosing the right web design platform is an important part of this procedure. You should check out the features of your web host and design platform before joining. Some web servers allow easy editing within the platform while others require you to upload files that you have created offline.

How to Choose a Web Design Firm

If you decide you don’t want to bother with learning to code or how to insert HTML lines within your web code, there is another option. Just look around for a professional web design team that can do it all for you.

At webdesignteam.com, we have the skills to help you improve your website based on years of experience. We can apply our knowledge of engineering, coding, and creative web techniques to bring you the best results possible. Our server is efficient and reliable, and you can make changes anytime with our help.

Contact us to get a free estimate, and we’ll get back with you about your website. Let us put our skills to work for you. Mention any of the tips mentioned in our post, and we’ll be glad to discuss them with you.

Visit us today at webdesignteam.com.

The post 10 Web Design Tips from Popular Web Designers Around the World appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

HTML is also making a comeback in the form of HTML5 which is the core programming language of app development and other design projects. HTML5 allows you to use the primary language of HTML while combining it with more modern programming languages.

But, if you’re a business owner and the purpose of learning about HTML is just to help improve the look of your website, that’s understandable. We don’t all have time to learn programming or coding. All you want to do is to improve the look of your website and the various ways that HTML affects your results.

HTML can be fun and creative to learn. It tells your website what text, fonts, videos, photos, and colors that you want to display.

That brings us to the topic of HTML color codes.

What are HTML color codes?

HTML color codes are the hexadecimal numbers and letters that you must combine to produce a particular color on your website. Don’t worry, though. You don’t have to learn the codes to do this. You just need a few resources that you can refer to from time to time to learn how to apply the different colors.

Below are seven great HTML color code resources you should bookmark now so that you can refer to them if you decide you want to change the color scheme of your websites or web properties.

1. HTML Color Codes.com– This resource is a great, comprehensive resource if you want to know the codes for many different colors. These codes will work on various types and formats of HTML including: RGB and HSL values, CSS, and SCSS styles.

2. HTML Color Code Names gives you a visual look at all of the major color variations that you may want to use for your website or other web properties. As you scroll down and view all of the different color names, you’ll start to see the differences between colors that you never knew existed before.

You can “shop for colors” this way and look at the various shades that you can use for your website. All of the hexadecimal values are listed so that you can plug them into your HTML code once you find a color you like.

Of course, to do this, you’ll need to know where to place them. Color codes are general found after the <html> <body> and <heading> closing tags within the top part of your HTML script in your web code. You have to create a new parameter known as BGCOLOR (all capitalized) to tell the browser that you are defining the colors of your pages. You also have to list the colors of your text, font, links, active links, and visited links, if you wish to define these, too.

If you don’t want to learn basic HTML, you may want to get a professional web designer to do this part for you.

3. Color Palette Generators– This resource is another subdirectory page of the HTML color codes page mentioned earlier. It is a great resource to show you other resources that will automatically generate a color palette that you can use for your website.

4. HTML Coding: Colors and Backgrounds– This site was produced by The University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire. They focus on the scholarly approach to choosing colors. The approach to this page is less creative than the others we’ve shown you, but it has an advantage in that it shows you in a “text book” way the important components of HTML and its use in your web design.

There is one difference in this resource that you won’t find in the others. It allows you to study basic HTML in the coding box in the middle of the page that shows you where to place your color codes and other HTML coding language within your page.

Use this as an extra resource that you can turn to if you want to refresh your memory on how to set up basic HTML, as well as how to choose the right colors and backgrounds for your business site.

5. Color Palette Tools– This resource has multiple different resources and links that you can go to in order to create your own color palette. There are several tools mentioned, and links are provided so that you can decide which one might work for you. Some of these tools allow creative techniques such as sending an image to an upload server and finding the colors you want from the image.

6. Color Logo Picker– This site lets you upload your logo and then test it using various colors to see how they work with your logo. This is extremely important when designing your website, as well as your logo.

You don’t want the colors from your logo and website to clash or to cause the viewer to be distracted by colors that are not complementary to each other. Bookmark this easy tool to use as you need it when testing your logo and web colors.

7. HTML Color Picker– is a simple tool that lets you click on a section of color and waiting for it to return the color values. It’s very easy to use and allows you to quickly grab the HTML codes of various colors.

Keep in mind that this resource does not show the names of the colors, only the hexadecimal color values that you will place in your code.

Another Solution: Hire it Out!

Okay, there are some resources for you to use if you do decide to apply your HTML codes in your web design. Don’t want to code at all? Placing the color values in HTML code are simple once you get the hang of it. But some online editors do not allow you to have access to the entire code. That’s because they are designed to function as an easy drag-and-drop interface for users who do not do HTML.

If this is the case, or if you just don’t want to place the codes yourself, contact us, and we’ll help. Additionally, you may want to use the above resources to take down the HTML color codes of so me of your preferred color choices, then send it to us. We can look at your website and see what result we may get from our web design tools.

If you don’t have time to learn HTML or just want professionals to handle the technical details, contact us at webdesignteam.com to find out more.

The post HTML Color Codes: Color Codes and HTML Resources You Should Know appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

What to Look for When Choosing a Web Hosting Plan

Take a look at the following components and concepts of web hosting and think about what your priorities are as you shop for a web hosting provider.

1. Understand the costs.– One of the misunderstood notions about web hosting packages is that the start-up costs for a web host are much less than what you’ll pay for the renewal. Domain renewal can be more expensive than the hosting plan so you should check both the domain renewal cost and the hosting cost per month.

2. Look into shared hosting plans.– Shared hosting plans are plans that allow you to have multiple domains that are hosted on one server without having to open a separate account. If you have a business that you plan to expand to include multiple websites with domains, you may want to look into shared hosting.

3. Look at email solutions.– If you plan to host your email accounts for your business with your chosen web hosting provider, understand what their policies are and how many emails and space you’ll have to use this function.

4. Cheaper is not necessarily better.– With the growing number of websites that are mushrooming up every day in the world, there is a huge supply of new web hosting companies. Some are offering extremely low monthly costs at the rate of $2.95 per month or less. This sounds appealing, especially if you are going to build several different websites on their platform. But remember that your price may go up substantially at the end of the trial period, and there may be other problems with the host that you are not aware of. Hosting is just one of the many costs associated with a website, but it can also be one of the most affordable as well.

5. Choose a well-known brand when possible for hosting packages.– The best way to make sure you’re getting a quality hosting service is to go with a well-known hosting company such as Bluehost, Host Gator, or GoDaddy. Each of these services is unique, and they are offered at different prices. But they all have a reputation for offering exact features that you can count on that many website owners have found to be satisfactory. Check reviews for each company as you are making a decision.

6. Consider co-location of services.– Colocation of services is a concept in the technology world that allows you to put all of your services under one roof. There are times when this is highly advantageous because it allows you to pay your bill all in one place and manage your accounts under the same umbrella of services, as well.

7. Don’t duplicate services.– One mistake that some web owners make is to duplicate services. Check carefully to see what your domain service offers as well as what your web hosting provider offers to see if you have what you need. Don’t duplicate services such as email service or media storage if you already have a solution for that.

8. Test drive before buying.– One thing you can do if you want to try out different types of web hosting services is to test drive it first. Sign up for the trial that is usually offered to start a package then thoroughly check out all of the features to see if you like it well enough to subscribe.

9. Check their customer service– See what kind of issues the server has with other clients and how well they resolved the issues. Remember that technical problems are just part of the problems you’ll encounter when dealing with web hosting and design. But having 24/7 customer support is important when you do confront these issues. You need to keep customer downtime to a minimum so that you won’t lose customers. So check to see what their customer service is like before signing up. In addition to checking customer service and support information on a hosting site, you can also view these hosting reviews from 83 different site owners around the world.

10. Don’t fall for free extras.– When you are looking for a web host solution, be careful not to fall for the free extras that many companies offer. While some of these might seem to be a good incentive, such as $100 worth of AdWords or other perks, they are only worth it if you like the hosting provider. Purchasing a web service solely because of the free extras is a bad decision because you may find that the server does not do what you need to maximize your website.

These are some of the important concepts you should keep in mind when choosing a web hosting plan. Make sure that your content will be compatible with the server that you wish. If you have dynamic and rich content such as Flash videos or other media, it’s possible that it may not be compatible with all web hosts.

You also need to see if the host focuses on mobile-friendly and responsive web sites. It’s too important to make your site mobile-friendly to risk getting on a server that doesn’t optimize for mobile users.

For example, the webs.com server allows you to optimize your page for mobile users right on their site. This is a great tool to see if your site that you built on their server will be up to par when serving up your content to mobile customers.

Alternately, you can use the Google mobile optimization tool. But it’s important to know that your web hosting server will be compatible with mobile devices so that your mobile customers will be able to navigate around your site without issues.

One Note About GoDaddy.com

We thought we’d include one extra note about GoDaddy Hosting. They are not only a web host, but they also offer an auction platform where you can auction off domain names. Buy or sell domains that you own on their site to make extra money or to find a domain name for your websites. This is not a reason to join their hosting plan, but they do have a good reputation, and you can make extra money by buying and selling domains if you learn the tricks of the trade.

An Easier Solution

If you decide that you’d like to have your websites, hosting solution, and content all on one server, you can look into webdesignteam.com. That’s us. We are web designers, web hosting providers, and artists who can help you design, maintain and host your website all in one place.

We customize your web site the way you want it. If you don’t know what you want to do with your design, we can advise you on that, too. We can include the following languages and options with your website:

• HTML & CSS
• Responsive websites
• WordPress
• Joomla
• WooCommerce

Ask about our other services such as graphic design, 2D, and 3D animation, and infographics, to name a few. We simplify the process of creating a stunning website while offering you top-quality hosting at the same time. Feel free to send us an email if you have any questions. We’ll be glad to help you create a website that you’ll be proud of.

Contact us on our site at webdesignteam.com.

The post 10 Tips and Concepts of Choosing a Web Hosting Plan appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

They also allow web owners to create and maintain a website on their platform and they offer some different options and plugins to include within their site.

On their site, they say that it is an open source software that allows you to create a blog, website, or app. They provide some different ways that you can create a web presence that will resonate with your target audience.

If you are an eCommerce owner searching for a way to promote your brand, WordPress offers one option that you may want to look into.

What can you do on WordPress?

WordPress is a versatile platform with plenty of options to choose from. Below are some of the best things that WordPress offers eCommerce owners that can help you promote your brand.

• Customizable designs– One of the best things about WordPress is that you can customize your designs to fit your brand quickly and easily.They have hundreds of choices and designs to choose from that will help you shape your brand around your eCommerce site. Choose from hundreds of different colors and designs.
• SEO friendly content– If you want a platform that allows you to utilize SEO friendly content to promote your products and services, WordPress is a good place to do this. They have plugins that help with SEO as well as a host of other tools that will meet your eCommerce needs.
• Responsive websites– Creating responsive websites is critical in making your eCommerce site successful. This will ensure that your mobile customers will appreciate the ease of use and that you can maximize your impact to your target audience.

Tips for Building an eCommerce site on WordPress

If you want to tap into the power of WordPress, you can start building an eCommerce site right away. Just get an account and start building a customized site. Follow these tips for the best results.

1. Have great images and graphics.– WordPress is a visual site. If you want to attract clients that come to your site on the WordPress platform, you should have visually-appealing images that appeal to your target customers. WordPress is a platform that allows you to post beautiful images on your site while providing the best content for your prospective customers.

There are many sources where you can get excellent images including Wikipedia Commons, istockphoto.com, and others. If you want to make sure that you have unique images that no one else uses, you’ll need to either purchase unique images or take the photos yourself.

2. Create a professional business logo.– If you want to make a bigger impact on your customers with your WordPress site, you should create a professional logo that reflects your business personality. WordPress is a great way to showcase your brand so start with a great logo.

3. Choose an industry-specific look.– Do some research to see what kind of website look people in your industry are projecting. It’s not necessary to copy what they do, but you may get some inspiration from other industry leaders who have already developed their brand.

4. Keep it free of clutter.– WordPress is an excellent streamlined platform that lets you present your brand in an orderly fashion. If you clutter it up too much with an extemporaneous bombardment of a material, you may confuse your message. Keep it simple while focusing on the most important things you want your viewers to know. Avoid pop-up ads and other things also that Google has warned against, to avoid being penalized.

5. Get a good hosting plan.– Having a hosting plan that is compatible with your website content and the WordPress platform is important. Some people decide to use one of the WordPress recommended hosting plans. Others choose to use a host that they are familiar with in other contexts. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that the web hosting solution you select will be compatible and complementary with your WordPress site.

The WordPress site says that the WordPress websites work best in a “rich hosting environment.” So this means that you need to locate a web hosting solution that allows for rich content such as multimedia-rich sites and other aspects that contribute to the customer experience.

6. Keep it mobile-friendly.– If you have a site on WordPress, you know the importance of making your site mobile-friendly. This is one of the most important aspects of a website today, and it’s needed to allow your mobile customers to access and navigate your site.

7. Get a great designer.– If you are an expert developer yourself and like to design websites, you may want to create your own. However, if you are like many business owners, you simply don’t have the time or the know-how on web design to do this.

Hiring a web design team can be confusing at first. But you should think about the things that matter most to you and find a web team that can deliver what you need.

How to Find the Best Designer

If you are not sure where to start in the search for a web designer, here are a few suggestions.

• Focus on the goal.– Remember what your purpose is when creating a website. Do you want to use your website to pull in new customers and leads? Is your purpose to generate sales or to allow customers to contact you? It’s fine to have more than one purpose, but you should focus on one primary goal, as well so visitors will know what your website is about.
• Check their portfolio.– Most web designers, whether freelance or otherwise, have a portfolio on their website for potential clients to view. This allows you to see the kind of work they’ve done in the past so you can see if you find them compatible with your website.
• Choose someone you can communicate with freely.– When selecting a web designer, you should choose someone who listens to your ideas and tries to do what you want for your website. Once you turn this job over to someone else,it’s easy to lose control. So make sure it’s someone who understands your goals.
• 24/7 tech support– Having 24/7 support is an added advantage. But if this is not available, make sure your design team has a toll-free number or email that you can use to contact them when problems arise. Keeping your site going full-time is important, and you’ll want to keep “down time” to a minimum.
• WordPress compatible– If you are going to create a website on the WordPress platform, you need to make sure it is compatible with your web host and server.

About Web Design Team

If you are looking for a professional design team, contact us and view our online portfolio. For busy eCommerce owners, we can create a WordPress eCommerce site for you or host your WordPress site with no problems.

Contact us to learn more at webdesignteam.com.

The post 7 Tips for Building a WordPress eCommerce Site appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.

Your blog is a valuable asset of your online virtual property as well. It gives you a way to communicate with your audience in a less formal way and provide them with the information that they need to understand your products and service. You can also use your blog to increase your level of engagement and encourage questions about your services.

If your website or blog is not up-to-par with what you’d like it to be, perhaps these seven entrepreneur blogs may inspire you to take your business blog to the next level.

Tim Ferris: Author of The Four-Hour Work Week

Timothy Ferris’s blog is a great example of an amazing design. The domain, “tim.blog,” is simple and helps make it easy to find. Ferris books are well-known in entrepreneurial circles, and he inspires people daily about how to outsource and make the most of their time.

One of the things that make Tim’s blog so great is that it is friendly and open, like a friend welcoming you to their home. You find out a bit about Tim and his business partner at the beginning; then you get a snackable bit of content in the form of podcasts underneath the basic information. There is an outline of what the podcast episodes are about above the podcast, and this appeals to people who are looking for information on what the podcast is about.

Ferris also puts transcripts of his most popular shows as an embedded script in his blog, which draws additional attention to his podcasts and content.

Pat Flynn: The Smart Passive Income Blog

Pat Flynn is famous for his books and topics about how to create a passive income. In fact, that topic is his sole focus. His blog, “The Smart Passive Income,” is a testimony and a resource for entrepreneurs who want to create an ongoing, passive income for themselves.

His site features rich media such as podcasts with special guests that are all notable in their niche areas and social influencers who make an impact in their respective niches. It is popular and runs solely on his blog within his website for his regular visitors.

Chris Ducker: Virtual Freedom Guru

Chris Ducker calls himself the “virtual CEO” on his site which is comical in a way as it suggests that he’s not a “real CEO.” But everyone who comes to his site knows what it means, that he’s the guru of virtual entrepreneurship and helps other business owners working online to achieve their goals. His best-known book is called, “Virtual Freedom” and it is advertised on his blog. The book has sold over 30,000 copies and is an Amazon bestseller.

Chris also features many different perks on his website including podcasts, speaking engagement schedules, and resources. He has a separate page for specific podcast topics such as ebook publishing and marketing that are dedicated to that particular show. This blog menu is easy to use and highly responsive to both mobile and desktop users, which also makes it a great design.

7-Day Blogging Challenge

In a world where content creation and originality is key, adding a ‘challenge’ aspect to your website and content is a great way to connect with your audience. In the case of Zac Johnson’s 7-Day blog challenge, he uses his online course to tell his audience that he can help them reach all of their blogging goals within a 7-day period and challenges his users to walk through his program to help them do just that.

What makes his blog design so great is that it is clean easy to read and navigate and includes a tour of the course he offers to get started, along with a complete walkthrough and video guide on how he creates a brand new site in the process.

Dan and Ian’s Blog: The Tropical MBA

Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen are both independent entrepreneurs in their right. But they also joined in a partnership in 2007 to form a marketing company that generated millions of dollars in a relatively short time.

Their blog is set up uniquely. When you click on the link to their blog at the top navigation, you’ll immediately see a list of links to various blog entries that they have made in the past so that users can go to any program they want.

Their business, “The Tropical MBA,” focuses on established business owners who wish to expand their business to the next level, whether financial or through various resources and staffing or inventory requirements. The “DC” community is known as the “Dynamite Circle, basically ” and it helps to further their cause by recruiting members to join their unique community.

OkDork.com: Noah Kagan

If you want a blog style with minimalism, Noah Kagan has it figured out. When you go to his blog, all you see if Noah standing there with a grin on his face and his arms folded. In fact, it’s done that way so that you’ll want to find out just why he has such a confident smile on his face. Once you give him your email address, he’ll send you information on how he has been successful in his business and how it can help you.

You have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to access his blog.

The simplicity of Noah’s site intrigues the average visitor and cuts through the clutter that is often seen on an entrepreneur’s website. This may encourage more subscriptions.

Neil Patel’s blog

Neil Patel is a marketing guru and blogging expert. When you go to his site, you won’t see all the bells and whistles. Well, okay, there’s an occasional bell that he uses to get your attention just focused on what he does. He helps business owners increase traffic. Simple and straightforward.

We hope these seven blogs by well-known online entrepreneurs will inspire you to create your own blog or add to what you already have to improve your online presence to the world. Looking at what others have done can be advantageous if you’re trying to build a brand.

If you want to put all of your helpful blogs in one place, try Feedly.com, an intuitive tool that lets you list all of your favorite blogs on one page so you can have updates at your fingertips.

To Build a Blog

If you want to start or grow your blog or utilize some of the techniques that these seven entrepreneurs have done, contact us at webdesignteam.com. We can design your site and integrate your WordPress blog or any other type of blog within our secure server. No matter what style you prefer or how you want your site to function, we’ve got you covered.

That way you’ll know that you are presenting your blog in the best way possible and you can use it as a leads magnet and marketing tool to take your business to the next level.

The post 7 Entrepreneur Blogs with Amazing Site Designs and Why They are Great appeared first on Web Design Blog - Web Design Team.