Fort Myers Web Design » web design fort myers

What is HTML?

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:55:03 +0000

When you visit a web page, you are reading the result of HTML. HTML is the computer language used to tell web pages how to display and what to put where. What? You didn’t think web paged just happened did you? NO. They are put together that way and someone has designed that page to look the way it does.

The letters “HTML” stand for “Hyper Text Markup Language”. This language is the most widely used language today. There are literally thousands of tags available to help web designers of all experience levels write effective pages. This is not to be confused with a computer programming language. In fact, HTML has nothing to do with programming.

HTML is a set of markup tags that are utilized on web pages. Almost anyone can write HTML with very little instruction. You can literally learn to create and use markup tags all on your own. I did and now I am teaching YOU how to do it only 3 years later. THAT’S how easy it really is.

Let’s get into some of the basic elements of HTML and get you started. Now don’t be intimidated. Nobody will see what you do until much later, so this is where you practice and get it down.

Tags in HTML are commands, called keywords, that are enclosed in “less than” or “greater than” symbols, like this . That is an opening tag. Each complete tag needs an opening tag and a closing tag. Opening tags start the process of whatever it is you want to do. Closing tags end that process and look like this; .

Simple so far, right? Yeah, it is. Just remember that the tags ALWAYS come in pairs. A starting point and an ending point. Point A and point B, if you will.

The next term you need to be familiar with is “HTML documents”. These are documents that describe or tell the page how to display, from text colors to page placement and other text or graphic appearances. HTML docs contain HTML tags and simple text. The tags tell the text how it should look to the reader. The more common name for these is “web pages”.

There. You already know more than you did when you got here, so you’re doing great! So what is it that reads the HTML and makes it all work? That is where web browsers come onto the scene. All web browsers do is read the tags on the page you called up, then arrange the text according to the tags in the document.

Let’s start a web page now. I will label the tags in bold print for you.

Opening tag. Starts the web page
Opening tag. Starts the main text area of the page.

Everything between these tags appears on the page. Manipulate and place this text with font, graphic or other HTML tags. We’ll see some of those later.

Closing tag. Ends the main text area of the page.
Closing tag. Ends the web page.

This will get you started, so we’ll look at some useful HTML tags in the next installment.

Three Principles That Govern Website Design

admin — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 02:48:47 +0000

Given the multitude of available options to consider for deigning a website it’s fair to state that’s easy to get confused and misread the success pattern that’s actually encoded in the site’s chief aims. Further more it’s even more facile to overlook the elementary web design principles thus further delaying the materialization of your projected website.

Here’s a thorough analysis of the three web design principles you or your web designer should be guided by:

[1] Possess and maintain a clear picture of your website. You do that by clearly articulating the it’s ultimate purpose. What role will it have in your marketing plan? Will it act as a lead magnet or be tailored to generating sales? Will it be the motor of your enterprise or an extension of your off line business? Forget about the latest widgets and trendy visual apps and go back to the basics. In the best case scenario your website will be exposed to a highly targeted audience with specific demands which doesn’t give a damn on generic features easily encountered on zillion other websites.

A good way to narrowing down your website priorities is by analyzing existing players of your market. Look for things that would impel you to dig dipper into a site and things that discourage you from further exploring it. Even though expensive technologies found on prominent websites in your niche are not at your disposal currently, learn to read between the lines and understand the philosophy behind them. Then import that system of thought into your business model as well. You’ll be astonished to acknowledge that the most sophisticated features started out in development from the simplest ideas.

[2] Once expectations are clearly articulated go to the second phase which is putting on paper a detailed sketch of your site. Attain to every detail you want it present but also pay attention that the outcome doesn’t resemble with a cosmopolitan city depicted in 1001 colors and architectural models. Rather give it depth in terms of serving its readers and keep it linear when it comes to structure and ease of navigation. Be sure that the site offers an easy to follow conversion funnel whether it’s about selling a product, service or building a mailing list.

This includes instructions concerning how to buy/apply, what to expect at each ordering stage and easy to reach guidance along the entire conversion process. Supplying a contact us type of web page, although neglected by many webmasters, has a tremendous confidence boosting effect upon prospects in doubt of whether or not to use their credit cards. To serve its purpose the page must be equipped with a ticket-based support system, geo location, authority references of your business and contacting options – all these serving the ultimate purpose – a high level of transparency.

Don’t neglect the perspective for future development and leave room for expansion plans in the original sketch.

[3] Information is the first reason why people go online. Content justifies why Wikipedia is the fifth most visited site in the world without any paid advertising or selling ventures. Your site must be capable of delivering quality information on all formats – audio, video and written. Although some of the content might be imported from syndication points like ezinearticles, youtube and so on, one thing is imperative for your site upon delivering this content – making it interactive. Providing people with the opportunity to form communities of like minded individuals brought together by content that is both insightful and presented in an interactive manner is the name of the game in today’s web design industry. The prominent Web 2.0. platforms and their incremental growth in the past years is what validates this statement.

Still you shouldn’t sacrifice functionality for the sake of stylishness. When loading or processing times are turning into prolonged waiting seconds you know that your platform is overly widgetized. The best option would be to have all these extensions custom designed by a your web designer. That way they are perfectly integrated with the site’s coding pattern and performance boundaries. Easy to consume content, carefully sprinkled with effective user friendly interaction and distribution features are the ingredients for running a state of the art platform that is both self funded and adds-up to your business’s marketing efforts.

As you can tell, designing a site is aerospace engineering. You just need a clear picture of what you want, a keen sense for current trends in your market and ultimately a good designing service to rely on.

Managing the conflict between a personal brand and a corporate brand

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:16:00 +0000

Source

Everybody has a manufacturer regardless of whether they like it or not. I’m not talking concerning the clothes you wear or the car you drive either; that’s certainly part of it. The manufacturer I’m referring to is your attitude, how you carry your self and also the perception that others have about you; not that you’ve of your self. Do you possess a mediocre manufacturer or one that’s stellar and stands out from the crowd? Whatever the case, your individual manufacturer is really a direct reflection on the organization you function for; particularly with this new dynamic known as the social web.

Some might say that there’s no conflict, but I beg to differ. I have worked for some truly big manufacturers and over time built up my personal individual manufacturer simply because of it. There’s usually a possible conflict but there’s also a method to manage it effectively.

The individual manufacturer
So you’ve got a new gig, you report into duty, join or lead a team after which you need to determine how you can deliver worth to your clients. Worth can mean just about anything nowadays particularly should you function in social media in some capacity. Along the way, you develop your abilities; earn some street cred, gain several thousand Twitter followers after which begin speaking at events. And if you’ve got a great head on your shoulders you’ll determine how you can differentiate your self from your co-workers. Perhaps you begin a blog, podcast or do some thing insanely amazing that gets you quoted within the media. At the end from the day, you turn out to be your new manufacturer and you’re lovin’ life.

The corporate manufacturer
The corporate manufacturer is much larger than you. It is most likely older than you and it certainly has a lot more coin than you. They’re backed by investors, engineers, executives, lawyers, shareholders and other truly smart individuals. They’ve been around for a really lengthy time; lengthy prior to you existed and will most likely outlive you too. Yeah, they might go via several logo changes and perhaps even an acquisition or two but they aren’t going anywhere. Not anytime soon.

They hired you for a reason; to be amazing. I can only assume that the work description didn’t say some thing like “have a powerful individual brand” under the work requirements. And I’m nearly particular that the recruiter didn’t tell you “as a result of working for our organization; we are going to assist you produce your personal individual manufacturer.” But being the smart cat which you are, you did it anyway or perhaps it just happened by accident.

Now when the individuals inside your inner circle believe concerning the manufacturer; an image of you pops in their head. Perhaps it was a conversation on Twitter, Facebook or some other on the internet interaction. The manufacturer isn’t just you anymore; it is a hybrid between you and also the organization you function for which is where the possible conflict can begin.

Mending the two together
Building a powerful manufacturer means leaving the ego at the door. Egos complicate every thing and most corporate manufacturers don’t do nicely with them. Having an ego will trigger the legal and PR departments to watch you like a hawk and monitor every thing you say or do on the internet. Why? Simply because egos possess a way changing the context and meaning of a word. It also clouds judgment. I believe we all have egos, but it is essential to maintain them in check.

Blatant self-promotion is an example of what NOT to do when talking concerning the corporate manufacturer. If all you do is spam your community about you, there’s a issue. Instead, try and supply worth towards the community. Be relevant. The very best piece of advice I can give would be to “say what you mean & mean what you say’ AND don’t pretend to be some thing you’re not. Liars are usually exposed on the social web and it can even get you fired if you’re not careful.

Be smart when you communicate and don’t forget that others’ are watching. Should you build the corporate manufacturer the smart way (i.e. say what you mean, mean what you say, supply worth), your individual manufacturer will grow and grow with credibility. You’ll turn out to be a trusted source of information; perhaps even a subject matter expert concerning the organization you function for.

It is truly not hard should you pay attention and believe prior to you speak.

And for those with egos – unless you build an app that solves world hunger, please don’t invite me to “like” you on Facebook. I’d much rather just be your friend.

Michael Brito is the Vice President of Social Media for Edelman Digital. His experience includes working for major manufacturers in Silicon Valley to include HP, Yahoo! and Intel. He can read his latest commentary on his social media blog or follow him on Twitter.

Fort Myers Web Design

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 04:54:51 +0000

A CMS or Content Management System is the modern holy grail of web design. What started with frames and HTML, evolved into XML then on to CMS. Each incarnation allowing us to provide more interactivity to our users and engage them more in the whole web presence, rather than merely posting a site for them to read.

CMS come in all shapes and sizes. The huge like Interwoven to the smallest like Zope. Whatever the kind of CMS, the intention is the same. To use something that lets us create a design while allowing the contributors to provide content in a completely separate but connected environment.

The beauty of CMS is that it allows web developers to concentrate on the structure and workings of the site and leaves the graphic designers to make pretty pictures without getting in our way. We can all do what we’re good at without overburdening each other with tasks we don’t need to worry about. The developers can develop and the designers can do their bit.

The upshot of this is that a web developer can be just that, not an unofficial trainer, tech support or troubleshooter for a site. The CMS manages it all and once implemented should run with the minimum of supervision or intervention.

A CMS also streamlines workflow. While the graphic designer is implementing a new template, the contributors can be creating and uploading content. Neither operation interrupts the other and none of the changes means downtime for the site.

The RT Design Group has plenty of CMS expertise, from the standard ones like Wordpress or Joomla to custom ones made just for you. Our web developers can implement or create a CMS from our offices in Naples. Graphic designers then take that framework and add color to it and make it look attractive for the end user.

They can create a range of templates that can skin your website in minutes. Using CMS technology we can implement changes in moments, not hours. We no longer have to create websites that are backwards compatible, or make several versions of pages or files that work in different browsers as the CMS takes care of it all for us. Backwards compatibility is now automatic with a properly formatted CMS.

Whether you choose a custom or package CMS, you will appreciate the fact that maintaining a website, no matter what the scale it now much easier to manage. You can make significant changes, modify pages and posts on the fly, and pretty much manipulate it in any way without interrupting service or interrupting those people who are using your site. The changes are implemented instantly and allows you to preview changes before making them live.

Creating a custom CMS entails a lot of work, but is worth it in the end. The freedom is gives us, graphic designers, you the client, contributors and ultimately the end users is well worth the extra effort.

Demand for video production

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:23:04 +0000

There is a huge demand for video production. This is because almost every event when it is to be recorded and to be reviewed requires proper video production. Especially in the past when there was no such facility to record live events with such advanced technology, audience could get satisfied only with simple photographs and images. But with the emergence of video production, there came a very good facility with good features that brings real experiences of events on to the computer screen or television set.

Especially with the launch of Internet where there is good access to the products of video production thousands of customers are purchasing video production products for home use and also for business purpose. This is quite benefiting and advantageous. This is also in the interest of many entrepreneurs and video graphers who would like to make a good profession out of video production. There are already many successful companies in video production and some are still emerging as video production companies.

Demand for video production will continue to grow in the years to come as there is a huge opportunity for upcoming events and celebrations to be recorded either live or by recording it and keeping it for future purpose. The companies which are successful in video production have plenty of customers who approach them for live record of events and the earnings received are also very good. Especially corporate videos, training videos, informational videos for a variety of industries are very advantageous.

This opportunity can be used in an efficient method for emerging businesses as well for the present businesses and every where there is a huge requirement of video productions. Television sets, DVD recorders, VCD recorders and DVD players and VCD players also can be used to play the videos. Therefore, the videos which are recorded are easily portable that it facilitates easy recording on DVDs, memory cards and computers. This facility of advanced technology was never made available before.

Because of the growing demand for video production, there is more sale of video cameras, digital cameras, video production softwares and CDs and DVDs. There plenty of market for all these products which will facilitate all kind of features for excellent picture quality and best color combination in editing. It can never be imagined how effectively these videos are presented in an outstanding manner so that best quality of picture can be given to the companies and clients.

With the massive success of video production, this field is going to develop with more advanced gadgets with provide more excellence and expertise in the field of video production. The growth of employment opportunities will encourage new aspirants in the field and there is expansion of small and medium businesses.

Take your seat on the web!

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:17:35 +0000

This is a reality that the power of websites is not only constrained to the outgoing creative designing instead it is made to bring your customers close to your company. It is imperative to make use of the modern technologies for the development of the website. The unique task of creating a website makes it easier for the company to put forward the requirement with ease. The creations of our website are targeted to be satisfying for the company and the audience as well. We say this with open thoughts that if a user is not accessing your website time and again, it is a hint that it’s not been able to be developed in an appropriate manner. To enable it to be effective on the targeted audience, all you have to do is make use of the abundant talented web designers at Tampa Web Design.

Our team targets towards fulfilling the needs of the clients to make it impressive. This is achieved by the use of right designing skills, appropriate effects, images and of course the presentation. We make exercise upon the best tools available which includes the coding language, software and concept development.

The designing of the website should be in a way that it makes the audience smoothly navigates through your site no matter it is a kind of e-commerce, knowledge spreading or interactive web site. The WWW platform has made it possible for all companies to showcase their USP to a larger audience. You give it a click, and the company’s website provides you all the info. Displaying the right content in the right manner is essential. Is the company plans to be cost effective looking at the size of the business, they can opt for the static or else for the dynamic website.

Opt for your company

A plain static website developed with the utilization HTML knowledge is as forceful with its impact as any other website. This kind of website gives an opportunity to pool in a reasonable amount of money and gain a large number of benefits. The static web presence is one of its kinds that require the least shelling out money and providing an interface to the user to go deeper into your company. The basic sites are easier to maintain and automatically gives the top listing in most of the search engines.

On the other side, with the emergence of your huge business, a dynamic website is mostly preferable. This kind of website is extremely user-friendly and makes the client transaction easier. They function with a back up database where all the information is kept and retrieved with each action made on the website. These websites enable you to manage your content according to the need.

So are you ready to manage your new business!