Social Media Integration to your Website is a must

Social Media is a great way to be social! We are more connected today because of the Internet and social services like Twitter, FaceBook, and Google Plus. Families, friends, and even businesses are taking advantage of the Social Media phenomenon to connect, converse, relate, and collaborate. In my opinion, a website is not complete if it does not contain a few links to your social media presence online. A Web Designer should take this powerful venue into account when planning and designing a project.

There is good reason for this. Many companies are using Social Media as a way to connect with both potential and existing clients. For example, Taco Bell's website (www.tacobell.com) has links to several Social Media accounts owned by that company. Taco Bell's Twitter account is known for being light-hearted and fun to read. For example, look at the following tweet:

Courtesy of http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-social-media-accounts-can-learn/102729/

Indeed, Taco Bell's Twitter account is considered one of the top 10 social media accounts a business can learn from (http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-social-media-accounts-can-learn/102729/). Taco Bell uses social media to their advantage. For this reason, if you are designing websites for businesses or individuals, you should be asking your clients about their Social Media presence.

Another good reason to integrate Social Media to a website is the potential reach this medium has. In 2013, 57% of marketers used Social Media for advertising (http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-trends-2014/). This is a powerful statistic that shows how many businesses are leaning into Social Media with the objective of generating new business. Businesses are putting time and money into the Social Media marketing and servicing avenue. 

And if money talks, then Facebook's recent earnings report is shouting out from the mountain tops that Social Media is definitely a must for any business's website (http://seekingalpha.com/article/2165053-facebook-destroys-earnings-estimates-and-is-offered-a-cold-glass-of-apathy-from-mr-market).

So, the bottom line is this: if you want to have a successful website make sure to integrate Social Media links. Then, get people talking about your website by reaching out to them. The more social media real estate you engage in, the more potential visitors will come to your website.

Courtesy of http://www.frogameni.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/social-media-seo11.jpg

Web Design and Infographics (Trends for 2014)

This week, I wanted to share some information I found regarding Web Design Trends for 2014 (see infographic below). I love the information because it is presented in the form of an Infographic.

 

Infographics are visual representations of data. In fact, an infographic can make the data more pleasing to the eye and easier to absorb. Websites and blogs that have infographics are shared and viewed more often (http://www.customermagnetism.com/infographics/what-is-an-infographic/).

 

If you are interested in creating an infographic, there are free tools out there. Follow this link for a few of the free infographic creators available: http://www.techalam.com/10-free-infographic-maker-tools/.

 

The infographic below describes various trending topics in Web Design for this year. I specifically enjoyed reading about returning to a 2d environment in many new websites and apps because of the major releases by Apple (IOS7) and Windows 8. Both of these operating systems have taken the previous look of a 3D environment and produced a flat and simply look to the way we are now viewing our smartphones and tablets (as well as desktops).

 

Web Design is a great career to have. It allows you to make a living with the freedom to use your creativity and make something original that a business or an individual can use. Of course, like any career, you will have to cater to your clients. This means you will have deadlines and directives that you may not agree with. But, you have to make the best of it.

 

As I was reading through the information below, I came across an acronym that not all will know about: CMS. CMS stands for "Content Management System". This is basically a simple way to create a website without knowing code. You can learn more about a Content Management System (CMS) here: http://cms.about.com/od/cms-basics/g/Cms.htm.

 

I hope you enjoy the information below! Thanks for stopping by.

Courtesy of http://infographiclist.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/web-design-trends-for-2014_52608d1de0b45.jpg

What I learned about being a Front-End Web Developer

I had the opportunity to attend a local technology conference this week. The conference was focused on technology for enterprise. It was very enlightening and I particularly enjoyed the session regarding Web Design/Development. The person speaking is an actual Web Developer for a local major company. This made the session even more intriguing.


Courtesy of http://www.talkspot.com/_images/features/javascript.png

He started by discussing how to make a company website load faster. He mentioned that statistics show most users expect content to start downloading within two seconds of visiting a web page. The key to making this happen is JavaScript.

JavaScript is a coding language that allows a website to run from the browser the consumer is using to view a company's website (http://www.javascripter.net/faq/whatisja.htm). Because the website is being rendered from the browser and not a server located somewhere on a physical site, the content can load much faster.

Now, the part of this session that caught my attention was the discussion on how to hire a Front-End Web Developer. I gained some great insight into the industry by simply taking down the following tips given to business owners present:

1. Search on the web for blogs by Front-End Developers. Web developers do what they do because they love it. More than likely, the person will be creating websites just for fun and posting those sites online. These are the ones you want to hire.

2. Take note of their job titles. Don't hire the ones who call themselves "Java Ninja". Hire those with professional titles like "Front-End Web Developer" or "Front-End Engineer". Titles say a lot about the person's character and attitude towards the job.

3. Ask relevant questions. During the interview, ask the person relevant questions such as "What makes a website faster?" or "What makes you passionate about web design?" If you are hiring a web developer, make sure he or she can do the job.

Another characteristic mentioned was curiosity. Most Front-End Developers learned on the side because of their curiosity and passion. These are the qualities that make a great Web Developer.

With that, the session ended. And, this blogger picked up some great insider information!

For an in-depth explanation of JavaScript, please visit Microsoft's information page for developers: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms970435.aspx?ocid=bing_app_269

For more information on the annual technology conference I attended, please go to www.innotechconferences.com.

Bootstrap for Stunning Web Design - Fast

This week the focus is on Bootstrap. Bootstrap is a set of coding templates developed a few years ago by some folks at Twitter. It took off in 2011 with the realization that once released, very little was needed to take the code and customize it. Anyone with a working knowledge of HTML and CSS can take Bootstrap and customize it to create elegant web sites that are sure to please the eye.



Courtesy of www.getbootstrap.com

My first reaction to Bootstrap is surprise. I expected web design to be a little more in-depth than it really is. However, I'm learning that it's just a matter of cutting and pasting code that is already established. After all, why re-invent the wheel? After that, the web designer simply goes in and inputs the content or makes minor adjustments to the code. This assists tremendously with building sites. There is no need to create new code. Of course, Bootstrap requires that you have a working knowledge of HTML and CSS and how they work together. But, with a good eye and a knack for design, Bootstrap will assist you with creating beautiful websites.

To try Bootstrap, go to www.getbootstrap.com and download the files in zip form. You will be given an ample amount of material to choose from to build your site.

Qualifications of a Web Designer (...or what do I need to know to getthat job?)

Courtesy of

http://careerwithonlinedegrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Web-Design-A-Profitable-Career-Path.jpg

In my journey to figure out how to nab that web designer job, I'm realizing there are certain skills that are required. Not only am I trying to learn how to design my own web pages, but I'm on the look out for any "entry-level" position I can grab in the process. Unfortunately, most of these types of positions require some type of experience in the field. A company definitely doesn't want to have to teach you how to code.

Here is a list of a few of the requirements I have come across as I'm searching for Web Designer/Developer positions:

- Sublime Text, CSS, HTML, Angular. JS, JavaScript
- Take complex requirements and create static mockup for static workflow
- A Portfolio of your work

It's this last qualification, a portfolio, that is the key to getting that job. A friend of mine who is in the industry advised me to be able to show my work and explain it in easy terms during the interview. An employer wants to know that you know what you're talking about.

In addition, many employers require at least a technology-related Bachelor's degree and/or experience in the field. The amount of experience varies from 2 to 5 years based on the employer. Ok, this sounds like a daunting task. But, I believe the portfolio qualification is probably the best hope of landing a job.

Your portfolio will show your work. Be ready to explain it and to shine when you're interviewed. All the best!

The secret to coding an awesome web page!

As I am working through the Web Design learning experience, I'm realizing that CSS code makes a big difference in the way a webpage looks and feels. But, I'm also learning that, if I'm going to be good at this stuff, I have to practice.

Image courtesy of  http://liverybrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/awesome.jpg

What does practicing web design look like? After thinking about it, I have come to the conclusion that practice looks like this:

1. Read a lot. Technology is always changing. Specifically, the internet is constantly in flux. There are new ways of rendering ideas and images that are always in development. For example, since 1995, HTML code has gone through more than a dozen major updates and changes. Indeed, the web developer must constantly stay up to date in his field or risk becoming outdated.

2. Collaborate with fellow web developers. There are lots of virtual groups one can find to participate in. The web developer cannot be ashamed of asking for help. In fact, some of the best do this all the time.

3. Practice, practice, practice! Even if you practice one piece of code at a time, practice will make you awesome at what you do! This, of course, applies to any endeavor you take on. But, with code, practice is very necessary.

Your webpage can look awesome, if you take on and commit to learning code by practicing. With these basics in place, you are sure to move forward and produce some great content. Happy coding!

Digging in to CSS Code: This is getting serious!

Courtesy of http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2012/05/training_wheels_don_t_work_balance_bikes_teach_children_how_to_ride_.html

Learning code for Web Design has just become a little more complicated. It's like the first time you rode a bike without the training wheels. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is like riding the bike of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) without those training wheels! Don't get me wrong. It's not that learning CSS is difficult. The crux of the matter lies in the intricate details of each aspect of a webpage. For example, think about the way boxes of information appear on a website such as www.myciti.com. When looking at this page, you will notice a grey box at the left that allows the user to sign on to his or her banking or credit card accounts. That box is more than just a few lines.

CSS allows the web designer/developer to shape the way the box looks and add color and depth. Oh, and let us not forget "padding". Yes, padding is another detail needed to ensure that text and windows within that box are spaced correctly and evenly. The web developer also has to type in code that will set margins, width, height, font type, font size, and even the way the box and the elements in the box will "float" on the page. Float refers to the position of that box in relation to other elements of the web page. So, your CSS code may look something like this:

#content{
 display: block;
 width: 960px;
 margin-top: 15px;
 float: left;
 background: #ffffff;
 border-radius: 10px;
 border: 6px solid #638e22;
 padding: 15px;
 margin-left: 15px;
}

There is a lot of code in that little piece. But it tells each browser that opens your webpage what to do with the content that the code is directed to. I know it looks complicated. But, I promise, it's understandable. And, when done over and over again, it can even become second nature!

There are lots of great resources out there to help a person learn more. I'm using www.w3schools.com and www.udemy.com. I have also used www.codeacademy.com in the past. All of these have some great ways to learn code. If you have the desire to do so, I encourage you to get started!

Come on, take the training wheels off.