Designed by Krista
Web Design

It surprises me how often companies overlook this basic marketing component: responding quickly to customer inquiries. You will make your company stand out among your competitors if you respond to customer emails the same day or the next business day. In fact, you will stand out if you answer your email at all!

I did a website redesign for a client a while back and I was checking the status of their “information” email box – they had an email from a potential client that was 15 months old that they had never even opened. I had another client who called me for a consultation – he said that he had phoned over 30 web designers and I was one of 3 who returned his call. With a simple phone call, I immediately put myself in the top 10% of web designers! However, keeping on top of your email takes time – here are 6 tips for keeping pace with email and phone messages.

1. Know your limits: Most people have a preference for email or phone – figure out which one you prefer and publicize that method more strongly. For my client with the unread message, I chose to post only phone contact information, because no email is better than ignored email. For myself, I play down my phone contact information because I respond more quickly to email messages.
2. Reduce Spam: It will be easier to respond to valuable email messages if you reduce the number of messages you have to work with. See what your web-hosting provider offers – for my BlueHost clients, I recommend SPAM Assassin (set to a SPAM score of “3″) in combination with Account Level Filtering.
3. Call people at the end of their workday: If you phone people near the end of their workday, you will tend to get their voicemail, in which case you can leave them a quick, informative message. Alternately, if they do answer their phone, they will be motivated to keep the conversation short so they can get home.
4. Keep email replies short: This will take you less time to type, and your customers will appreciate it, because it will take them less time to read. Furthermore, people will tend to reply in kind with a short and sweet message.
5. Use copy and paste: If you have already replied to a similar question before, don’t recreate the wheel. Just copy the text from your previous response and alter the text as needed for this particular situation.
6. Answer frequent queries on your website: Prevent unnecessary calls and emails by posting the answer to questions on your website. This is actually better customer service, because it saves your customer a call or email to you. When they do contact you, the call will be better qualified, because they will have answered their basic questions by reading your website.

Put these tips in use today, and put your business in the top 10% of your field!

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key part of any successful website because most internet users will find your site via a search engine. It’s a good idea to check your site to see if there are any areas you could easily improve in order to maximize your search engine rankings.

There are two tools I like to use, both free, shown below. It is unlikely that you will get a perfect score, so don’t fret if your score is low the first time. Some factors that impact your score are out of your control, such as inbound links, retweets, etc. The key is to improve as much as you reasonably can.

In each case, the tool will grade your site based on criteria that are important for high search results. From that, you can make a to-do list of improvements. I suggest working on the “low-hanging fruit” first – if there are any easy changes, do those right away. Then, you can consider the more difficult tasks and weigh out their relative importance for your particular site.

I’ve shown some examples below for my own site. In each case, I spent about an hour making small improvements, but there were also several things that I don’t plan to do, or can’t reasonably do. For example, I don’t plan to list myself in Yahoo!Directory because I do not need the additional marketing boost, so my $299 could be better spent elsewhere.

So, take a moment to grade your site and see where you can make easy changes – every little bit helps!

Website Grader

Before: 78
Interim: 81 (domain name renewal not included)

SEO Warnings:

• The domain for this website is set to expire in less than a year [Fixed]
• Permanent Redirect Not Found for designedbykrista.com to www.designedbykrista.com [Fixed]
• designedbykrista is not listed in the Yahoo! Directory. [Um, yeah - like that's gonna' happen at $299 a pop...]
• We could not find a Twitter account associated with your website. [Fixed]
• The web page does not seem to contain any type of signup form where visitors can subscribe to a newsletter or future updates. [Imagine Dana Carvey saying, "Not gonna' do it..."]

SenSEO Firefox Addon

Before: 85
After: 93

SEO Warnings:

• Meta Keywords: use only keywords found in content of page [Fixed]
• Too many meta keywords – keep it to 10 or less [Fixed]
• Use Robots declarations to control Search-Engine access. [Fixed]
• Use H2 and H3 tags. [Fixed]
• Domain should include all keywords. [Don't I wish...]

ReclaimPrivacy.org will automatically review all of your Facebook settings and tell you if you have any areas of concern. I am pretty fanatical about locking down my account, but I still had two things to change. If you have any issues, the page has a link to the appropriate Facebook pages so you can change it easily and quickly. Well worth a visit!

What the heck is a long tail keyword … and why should you care, right? Internet users, like you and me, type a word or phrase into a search engine, like Google or Yahoo!, and these are generally referred to as keywords. A “long tail” keyword indicates that the searcher typed in a phrase – not just one word, but maybe half a dozen words to search for.

In order for you, the website owner, to have your page show up first in the search results, you need to have those words strategically place on your web site. However, there is a lot of competition for the most common keywords on any given topic – the most common keywords are on so many sites that it’s hard for any one site to pop up first on search engine results.

The good news is that if you begin to focus on the longer, more descriptive terms – a.k.a. long tail keywords – you can achieve some great results because these longer phrases account for 94.3% of website traffic! For example, if you focus on the keyword “books,” you’ll have a very difficult time competing with Amazon.com. If you change the focus of your pages to “books for preschoolers” or “books about curing depression,” you have a far better chance to placing highly on search results.

Chance are that your site is already set up to optimize pages by the title of the page. So, consider your titles carefully – can you add more description to your blog post title? Subject of your forum post? Name of products in your store? Category or tag names in your store or blog? If you get stuck, you can start typing your keyword in Google, and then choose a name from the list of search suggestions that Google gives you.

Why Long Tail Keyword are so valuable. Source: www.wordtracker.com

I just finished an in-depth review of 8 PHP/MySQL ecommerce applications, but I started with this list of 27 ecommerce applications. Read on to get a quick comment on each shopping cart. The following applications were recommended through various internet sources, listed at the bottom of this post.

Sources

• Shopping Cart Review
• IT Web Experts
• Shopping Cart Reviews
• Top Ten Reviews
• Hot Scripts
• Authorize.net Certified Solutions
• PayPal Compatible Carts

I standardized on osCommerce for all my clients in 2006, and have become steadily LESS satisfied with that product ever since. In fact, I have recently stopped a project that is near to roll-out because I just can’t bear to have another client on this shopping cart. Instead, I’ve been reviewing popular and well-rated shopping cart software applications, and I have some preliminary results to share. I’ll have more details soon, including an in-depth feature comparison for the top 8, and a way for you to rate it yourself! If you would like me to email that to you in Excel right now, just post a comment and I’ll send it out.

Top-rated: CS-Cart, digiShop

These ecommerce apps really had the “wow” factor. So many valuable features are in the base package, the price is reasonable, and the support is great.

Still Good, but don’t quite cut it: SunShop, X-Cart

These shopping carts had a lot going for them, but were missing some key features. Mainly, they would be decent options if I didn’t have anything better. (but I do)

No, thank you: CubeCart, OpenCart, osCommerce, PrestaShop

These carts are mostly free, which is always nice, but you will more than pay for it with the amount of headache. A number of important features are not in the base package, which means you (or someone else you may have to pay) must find and install a plug-in for it. If I was really trying to save money… I’d go with CS-Cart. If you can’t raise $285 to buy a cart for your business, you should strongly consider using eBay, etsy, or some other free option.

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The following quote is often attributed to John Ruskin, but that is currently in dispute. However, it’s tough to dispute the meaning of these words – a more elegant way of saying that you get what you pay for. What does this mean for web design? It means that saving money is about trade-offs, and I’ve compiled a list below to help you weigh these out for your web project. In some cases, the trade-offs are worth the risk, perhaps because you are a non-profit or just starting out your small business. There is nothing wrong with this, because you can always upgrade as funds become available, but knowing what you’re getting can help you make the best choice at your budget level.

“It’s unwise to pay too much, but worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balances prohibits paying little and getting a lot. It can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”

Risks of Paying Too Little for Your Website

Do-it-Yourself: You may have to do all or much of the work yourself. This can work if you are technically savvy and you have reasonable writing skills.

Templates: Most websites in the $200 – $500 price range are built using pre-made templates. This means that your site will not be perfectly unique, but it can still be very serviceable. Watch out for search engine ranking problems, though. (see below)

Inexperienced Designers: If the hourly rate of your web designer is very low, he or she may possibly be just out of college and can’t demand any more. Everyone has to start somewhere, though, so just do your best to make sure the person sounds like they know what they’re doing and that they have a good work ethic. It may not be worth the risk if you have complex programming needs on your site.

Language Barriers: Off-shore web developers are becoming more common, and usually offer attractive pricing. If you are satisfied that they are experienced enough for your project, you must decide if a non-native speaker can write effectively in your language and if you will be able to understand them even when discussing technical issues.

No Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Many low-end websites are not constructed with search engine rankings in mind, and this is detrimental to your site, especially if you are running a for-profit business. Does the template or developer use a lot of tables? Is key text, such as your company name, shown only as an image? Is the browser’s title bar show just your company name, or worse, just a generic term like “Home” or “Welcome”? If so, you are likely to get low search engine rankings.

Websites that don’t work: Broken links, misspelled words, missing images, and random error messages all detract from your professional image, and usually make your users go to another site. If you choose to work with a low-end provider, make sure to do a lot of testing yourself to try to prevent these things from the outset.

I get pretty excited about saving money, and thanks to the recent economic downturn, everyone else seems to be in the same boat. These tips will help your printer supplies last longer, which saves money and it’s good for the environment besides.

1. Print in Black and White. Just because you have a color printer doesn’t mean you have to use color every time. In fact, I find that most of what I print looks just fine in black only, which saves on color print cartridges. This is especially important if you have a combined color cartridge, in which you have to replace the whole thing as soon as one of the three colors runs out.
2. Switch to Fast Draft mode. I lower my printer quality to fast draft as a default, which uses less ink. The prints are noticeably lower quality, but still completely legible – I just have to remember to switch to a higher quality for print-outs for clients or Christmas letters, etc. As a bonus, the printing is a lot faster.
3. Narrow your margins. Sounds a little nit-picky, but if you regularly print long documents, this can save paper.
4. Don’t print it. How many times have you printed something when it really wasn’t necessary? You can proofread on your screen, save files in on-line archives instead of file drawers, print just the first page if you don’t need the rest, and use print preview to prevent avoidable re-printing.
5. Print selection. In most software, including web browsers, you can just print the portion of the page that you need, without having to print a bunch of extra pages. In Internet Explorer, select the text or images you want to print and type CTRL + P or choose File: Print. When the print dialog box appears, make sure to choose Selection in the Page Range section before you click Print.
6. Use both sides of the paper. Once you’ve used one side of the paper, you can just flip it over and print on the other side: Voila! Green printing… I usually keep this type of paper in a stack next to the printer. If you’re really committed, you can save junk mail from companies and print on the other side. Warning: This could drive your spouse nuts. My husband hates this because invariably he ends up with something private or confidential on the back of something he printed at home and then took to work. Whoops.
7. Use recycled, refilled, or remanufactured ink cartridges. Any of these will save money, but printer manufacturers say that this can cause problems with your printer. Whether true or not, in my experience, if you call tech support and you are using a recycled ink cartridge, they are likely to blame that without delving further into the issue. I also noted that about 1 out of every 5 recycled cartridges I tried wouldn’t work at all. So, I do not use either of these methods – I’m just listing it here so that you know the consequences.
8. Do cost comparisons Good, old-fashioned smart shopping works well – on the internet, just type the part number of your ink cartridge into Google, e.g. hp c8721w. Watch for sales and use coupons, buy in bulk if it’s a good price, look at Costco, etc. I typically find that Costco is the best, so you’re pretty safe choosing that if you don’t have the time to make detailed comparisons. Warning: don’t stock up too far in advance, because many ink cartridges stop working when they are past the expiration date. If this happens, you can try rolling back the date on your computer, but that’s obviously quite a hassle.

Conferences are great for networking and keeping up to speed on technology. Don’t you find, though, that it’s hard to actually take a step back from the designing and coding to go learn about designing and coding? I made it my goal this year to break away and get to a conference, and I reviewed several great options online. See the dates and cities below, along with my impressions of each from their websites. Did I miss any good ones? Let me know!
UPDATE, 2/18/2010: I found some more to add, courtesy of SitePoint, listed below…

Adobe Max, Los Angeles, October 24 -27

Impressions… Focus on Adobe products (understandably). Personally can’t afford to spend this much time on all Adobe. To repeat a quote I heard recently: “Real developers use notepad!”

An Event Apart, Seattle, April 5 – 7 (other cities offered)

Impressions… Corporate, perhaps even stuffy, though I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear Microsoft Product Manager’s topic: Microsoft: Help Us Kill IE6. I’ll do my part, Pete!

A Day Apart, Seattle, April 7

Impressions… Spend a day getting the latest on HTML5 and CSS3. Can I say goodbye to Verdana and Tahoma? I may attend just for that!

Future of Web Apps, Miami, February 22-24

Impressions… Cutting edge, beach parties and so forth; focus on application development.

In Control, Orlando, February 22-23

Impressions… Good coverage on a wide range of topics; perfect for a freelance generalist such as myself. *my choice*

Internet Week, New York, June 7 – 14

Impressions… Can’t tell, because the schedule is not online, but I don’t think I could do any conference for a whole week: overload!

MinneWebCon St. Paul, April 12

Impressions… Focus on education, though the topics seem to be a great overview in one day.

Microsoft MIX10, Las Vegas, March 15-17

Impressions… Not as product-centric as I expected, but probably still not for someone (like me) who is determined to remain product-agnostic…

SXSWeek, Austin, March 12-21

Impressions… Focus on music & film.

Usability Week, Various cities/dates

Impressions… Focus on usability.

Web Directions, Atlanta, Date TBA

Impressions… Based on a brief look at past events, seemed high on theoretical, low on practical.

WebVisions, Portland, May 19-21

Impressions… Only 1 of 3 days are currently scheduled, but what is there looks intriguing: HTML5, CSS3, iPhone Apps, and Photography tips.

International

I can’t justify heading off to New Zealand or London, as much as I would love to, but here are some International web conferences if these countries are closer to home for you.

• @media: London, June 8 – 11
• Design It, Build It: United Kingdom, April 28
• Form,Function & Class: Philippines, July
• UX London: London, May 19 – 21
• Webdesign International Festival: France, June 4 – 5
• WebhostingDay: Germany, March 17 – 19
• Webstock: New Zealand, February 15 – 19

A recent study of customer satisfaction shows that the most important factors for your customers are perception of price, appeal of merchandise, website functionality, and product information. Foresee Results performs an annual survey of large retail websites to analyze customer satisfaction, and you can learn from the experience of large “e-tailers” like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple – the leaders in ecommerce customer satisfaction. According to this study, improvements in these four areas increase the likelihood that your customer will purchase now, purchase again, recommend your site, and become loyal to your brand. Who wouldn’t want that? See how you can improve your ecommerce conversion rate by making changes in these four areas.

Price

Price became a top priority factor for customers this year, likely due to the recent economic downturn. Obviously, everyone likes low prices and deals, but note that the actual price was less important than the customer’s perception of the price. Does your pricing and shipping seem fair and competitive to your customers?

Merchandise

In the past, the appeal, variety, and availability of stores’ merchandise has been the primary determiner of customer satisfaction. This year, it is still a top priority factor, though slightly overshadowed by price. Do your products seem fresh and appealing to your customers? Are they in stock when your customers want them?

Website Functionality

Functionality seems to be the first area that business owners try to work on for improved conversion rate, and it is indeed important to maintain or improve in this area. However, the study results indicate that merchants will get a better return on investment if they focus on pricing and merchandise, while not losing ground in functionality. Is your website convenient for your customers to use?

Content

This element refers to the accuracy, quality, and freshness of information on your site. Customers value quality information about your products, so you must continue to provide it, but it’s probably not necessary to make this a major focus for improvement. Do you give your customers the information they want about your products?

How customer satisfaction impacts ecommerce success
ForeSeeResults US Holiday Retail Satisfaction Index, 2009