Archive for the ‘Design’ Category

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Aug72010

Learn How To Create Websites Using Dreamweaver

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Although the first time I got my hands on Dreamweaver was around 15 years ago, I have been using Dreamweaver more actively for the past 5 years, it is not really that hard to pick up. If you are new to Dreamweaver I suggest taking a class with Dreamweaver Interactive, they have loads of videos you can watch which will get you up and running  in no time.

I have mentioned before how to get a website up and running using 4 simple steps and even how to get a blog up without using Dreamweaver, but there will be a time when you need to create custom websites that a blog or a simple layout can not handle.

For example if you need to create a membership style site or site that you think will have a very big database, then structuring your site with the thought of html almost becomes impossible. Html is really the starting point of learning when it comes to designing a site using Dreamweaver and then you can really go as far as any other programming language like PHP or ASP and Java.

Once you know the basics in these programming languages you can then interact it accordingly with your database. If you already have database knowledge then this will be a huge advantage.

On the design side, it is very versatile and normally if you bring images inside the template, you can use a program like Photoshop to firstly slice up the images and then import them in and then you can set links to certain images and so-forth.

For example when I design in Dreamweaver I can view both in design and code view or split screen option, this is something no other web coding application offers. What I also love about it is it automatically highlights certain text colour in code view, so you know if a tag is closing correctly or not. Also when you start typing automatically it comes up with suggestions of code to be placed for the words you are typing. It is very dynamic.

If you want to pick up small bits and pieces you can go the free route of watching Dreamweaver tutorials with Youtube but you will not get full insight and probably get bored quite easily, so in order to get a full understanding and proper step by step lessons, I encourage you to get Dreamweaver Interactive!

Jun202010

7 Search Engine Friendly Website Designs

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As you can tell I have been quite busy lately, so I recently put together some website designs for clients of mine that I wanted to share with the community, and most of all the website designs are search engine friendly.

For more designs and latest development work I encourage you to visit here .

For anyone who is after my services please feel free to give me a bell.


GDL Pool Shop – http://www.poolshopthailand.com


The ASA Group – http://www.asagroupltd.com


Sipser Family Chiropractic – http://www.chiro4life.com


Citylink Repairs – http://www.citylinkrepairs.com.au


Tweety Back – http://www.tweetyback.com


Hotel Management Systems – http://www.hms.co.th


Century 21 (Thailand) – http://www.pro-real-estate.com

May282010

Setting up a Shopping Ecommerce Website with Yahoo Merchant

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I didn’t realize how easy it is to set up a ecommerce shopping site using Yahoo Merchant and the interface that is used in order to get your own site up and live within literally minutes.

The plans are as low as $25.97/month. The beauty about it is you don’t have to spend hours of farting around with programming and css files. Just upload your products you wish to sell, upload logo and choose colors and template and away you go. Of course you can then choose your preferred payment type and it contains an easy to use admin to monitor sales and track inventory.

It’s a great system to use if you just want an all in one solution. If you already have a website and just need to use their payment gateway this is also possible. It can be a very useful alternative then using paypal carts or other pain in the butt platforms.

The great thing is they are currently waiving the setup fees, if you click this promotional link – Yahoo Merchant Promotion you will benefit from this waive.

One thing I must say is also great is the fact  that if you have lets say 10,000 images it will all be stored on their server, so you also don’t even have to worry about the hosting and website speed and quota and to have your whole site stored on the Yahoo Hosting account extremely secure.

Here again are some store examples:

This is my favourite bit when signing up you instantly get all of these marketing benefits:

*  Search engine-friendly pages
* Automatic submission to Yahoo!
* Automatic submission to Google
* $100 credit with Yahoo! Search Marketing**
* Free Yahoo! Local listing
* $50 credit for Google AdWords
* 20% off Yahoo! Shopping default minimum bids in all categories
* Free trial on Shopping.com-$50 value
* $50 free traffic from Shopzilla
* 1 month trial with Campaigner by Got (email marketing)

That in itself is almost worth the money! :)

If you are already using Yahoo Merchant please share with me what you think about it, I would be happy to hear from your experiences.

Nov82009

Attracting Visitors Using Clone Scripts

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Creating a basic website is very simple and reliable, with simple ready-made designs for you to start things off. But the real question is “Will your site be attracted by the target customers?” This is a tough question that you should answer in order to make your website look attractive. It’s either you hire a professional designer to design your website completely, in order to make your website look professional, but the thing is, it will cost you much and you mus pay the professional designer in a stable amount that he deserves to work with. If your amount is not good enough to him, therefore he won’t accept the job. This is another problem that you’re looking for a professional designer, but you only have limited budget. There’s another way to do it by yourself. Imagine that if you want your site to look like the popular search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and social media sites like Youtube, Friendster, Facebook, Twitter and many more? All you need is a clone script.

A clone script can be purchased everywhere, either you search it or you browse some of the latest items in the marketplace on webmaster forums or databases that sells these kind of scripts. However, there is a rule if you want to avail the clone scripts. For example, if you want to have a Facebook clone script, you must first look on how Facebook looks like. They all are blue and white and their features as well.

What you need to do is to change the design and color of your Facebook script, and to make your features look unique than Facebook and you’re done! You will do the same if you want to create your own search engine like Google, Yahoo and Bing which they have their own clone scripts as well, especially social media like Youtube, Twitter, Friendster, MySpace and so much more.

Enabling or attaching clone scripts will attract the customers and your chances of getting up in the SERPS are potentially happening. This is another idea on how most websites using clone scripts are very successful to one another. Not only on the content with specific keyword research, or attracting affiliate links, design, banners and products will give you chance to be popular in the internet, but also using clone scripts. But we have to be sure that our design was unique than the original ones in cloning, as color and services may differ from each other.

Oct312009

Outsourcing Design and Programming Projects

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odesk

When I get overloaded with work and I can not manage designing or programming sites myself I use oDesk.

For a long time I have been using oDesk for web projects, I find their system very reliable and user friendly. You know when you hire someone on there that the transaction will be safely taken care of, not only that you can view their success rating and hourly rate without having to negotiate pricing or anything else.

It’s all there just like a menu and what’s even better you can use your credit card to make the order through to pay the developer, then oDesk pay them. I think this system is great as it enables you to pay through an Escrow system. So this ensures the buyer and seller are both happy before the transaction takes place.

Starting Off
When putting a website together it requires alot of technical thought and marketing concept including the purpose and thinking of ways to generate income. If your site is based on offering a service then this will be alot different to putting a site together that is based on automated earnings. But in reality know one has the ability and mind power to structure the site the way you want it including framework and branding and direction and giving the site real drive better then you can, so bear that in mind before starting.

I mean putting a site together on your end with a bit of effort is needed. You can not just think of an idea and get someone to do it. So if your up for it and have the passion then go for it.

Development Stage
What I do before putting a site together is I look at around 3 Top sites I like and then I put the design and ideas together in Photoshop as I already have design skills. Bear in mind if you have some technical knowledge then the easier it will be.

Most sites these days require css styling skills and then applying this to your coded php files for example. But if you are not familiar with this process that is also ok. It may need you will have to work a little harder or get the developer at hand to work in from design through to coding.

Once you have had a look at sites that you like, start puzzling it all together, add bits and pieces and modules onto your page that you like.

Follow Through
Once your happy with the direction then the next stage is following through. So you will need to first of all find a developer on oDesk perhaps two, one for designing css style sheets and one for asp or php programming and then ieven one more for ajax depending.

Once you feel comfortable with getting the right person, and this ensured by having conferences over GoToMeetings or Skype, you can then narrow down the person or team you would like to put on for the project.

Bearing in mind constant communication will ensure a better result, but make sure there is not too much of it as in my experience disturbing designers and technical team too much slows down the results even further. I normally keep lists together along with what is needed and tick them off as I go along. So it’s also important to be organized aswell.

Constant Marketing
Once the site is ready you must also maintain your site and do constant marketing including SEO and Viral Marketing but the best ways to find someone to do that for you I have always found is in SEO Community type sites.

Important Note: Always have a non disclosure agreement ready before having someone take on a job