The recent release of the highly anticipated iPad may just turn the web design world on its head. Whether you love the iPad, or hate it … the fact of the matter is that it has arrived and sooner or later we need to learn to design with it in mind.

So what should be taken into consideration when designing for the iPad?

*HTML 5- The iPad offers no support for browser plugins like Flash. If you are hoping to include video, animation or graphics on your site, it is imperative the site be designed using HTML5. HTML has long been the foundation for web development. Their latest version incorporates much of the elements previously only available via Adobe Flash. Luckily, websites designed with HTML5 are easily viewed on the iPad.

*Orientation:  The iPad has no correct way of viewing websites. That means you can view it either in landscape or in the portrait mode. But for the designer that means two completely different layouts for which to design. It is for this specific reason that the iPad highlights the need for smart fluid width design. Using a smart combination of CSS and Javascript the User Experience can be made to improve drastically.

*Contrast:  Because the iPad is a touch screen, it is important to build in a lot of white space and contrast to make the pad easy for visitors to use. After all, if they can’t click deeper into your site, you are never going to convert them.

*Test, test, test: while testing is an important component of any new web design, it has never been truer than when attempting an iPad friendly web design. There are already several sites out there that offer you the ability to take a ‘peek’ at how your new design will look on an iPad, a great tool is www.ipadpeek.com.

*Touch Screen: Primary method of user interaction with the iPad is and will be the fingers. The users will interact with our websites using fingers. So all those brilliant hover effects that were favorable for pointer-based devices, will be a hurdle in user experience on the iPad. Also the links can no longer be concealed in a text and left for the user to dexterously click upon it. We might want to resize the links so that the user experience does not suffer.

Typography is the most valuable asset of your blog. It doesn’t matter if you have a colorful blog design, an awesome online publication or a plain simple blog. The main focus always stays on the content and the readability of your text. That is where the importance of good typography comes.

Google Font API  is a new and innovative concept from Google that aims at providing a helping hand to all web design and development pros. Google Font API  helps you add web fonts to any web page.

If you use Google’s Open Font’s API, you have many advantages like:

1. Huge collection of Font Typefaces to choose from Google’s Fonts library.

2. All the bandwidth load is on Google as you are only using their resources in the API.

3. The speed is blazing fast as Google’s CDNs are faster than your site.

4. You can hotlink the font file so that there is a less file and bandwidth request.

 The world of web typography is quickly evolving but this evolution means that your web developement team and end users now have more choices than ever before.

Do you use any web font services in your websites?

The Net Impact, a St. Louis based online interactive agency, redesigned Bausch + Lomb’s surgical instruments websites to offer visitors improved usability and a web design that reflects the unmatched quality of the Bausch + Lomb brand.

Storzeye is an online store for ophthalmic instruments. Their target audience is ophthalmologists who require the highest quality surgical equipment. Users can search for instruments, set-up a wish list and add products to a shopping cart. Bausch + Lomb’s passion for eye health needed to be reflected in their online presence including both design and user experience. The Storzeye brand was no exception. The Storzeye brand conveys exceptional quality and a unique set of attributes that distinguish them from their competitors.  Every element on the site, from icons to the grid and baseline, reflect the unmatched quality of the Bausch + Lomb brand. The relationship between website design and product creates an engaging experience for the user while reinforcing Bausch + Lomb as a credible industry leader in the ophthalmic community.

“The rebranded websites reflect the unsurpassed quality of the Bausch + Lomb brand. The visually appealing and easy to navigate websites are consistent with the company’s long-standing professional image,” said Mandy Christanell, Project Manager, The Net Impact. “We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with such a well respected company in the medical industry.”

The new websites’ features include enhancements to the ways in which products are displayed and indexed on the sites. Unlike their competitors, Bausch + Lomb’s websites pioneer user-interaction. The websites include improved product detail with “click to enlarge” functionality on all product images as well as high-quality product videos. In addition, website visitors can now search for instruments, set-up a wish list and add products to an online shopping cart. The website also displays related product offerings for selected products and the on-site search tool was expanded to incorporate search results from both sites.

Knowing when it’s time for the redesign website is as critical as timing the launch of new products and services. Nonetheless, replacing a vendor (web design company) with a new one to redesign website can be as intensive as ending an intimate relationship. Certain web design firms have been known to refuse to release information in an endeavor to retain the client or make it impossible for the company to take their Web site elsewhere.

1)   Compile all hosting details, technical specifications and site statistics. If the company Web site is hosted with a Web design firm, obtain all the hosting and technical specifications needed to transfer the site to another Website design company.  (To expedite the process, put the request in writing).

2)    Be sure to run a report of your Web site’s statistics, as it will allow the Web design company’s, bidding on your company’s redesign website, to develop a blueprint around traffic patterns, target market interests and the search engine marketing strategy. 

3)    Shop around for an agency which marries website design with SEO.

4) Once all the technical details have been gathered, select three website design companies to bid on the redesign website. Provide each company with as much information as possible to devise a concise RFP, including these details:

• Budget  (Is the bid quote a flat rate?)
• Timeframe of delivery
• The redesign website strategy
• How the web design will complement the search engine optimization
• Other specific web design details (form pages, Facebook page, lead generation, et cetera)

5) Then, review each web design’s company’s bid proposal. Evaluate the contenders based on the comprehensiveness of the RFP. In example, a web design company, providing competitive intelligence data with the RFP, is indicative of a vendor willing to exceed expectations.

As for selecting the right website design firm, consider a company that gives your company the autonomy to manage the regular updates in house. For instance, The Net Impact redesigns websites, using a content management system with built in search engine optimization. Please click Contact the Net Impact for a redesign website quote.

While effective web development is a subjective concept, it is one that depends on numerous variables:

• Who’s the audience?
• What is the purpose of the Website design?
•  What is the product, service or feature presentation?

The aforementioned questions are the foundation of any effective web development strategy. Best Web Site Designers.com evaluated the recent case study of how a print ad agency and web design company came to confluence to design The ROHO Group’s AIRHAWK product.

Situation

The ROHO Group, Inc. required a web development for their patented product, AIRHAWK, a shape-fitting technology for providing motorcyclists with a safe and comfortable seating.

Snags

Since AIRHAWK had maintained an effective print campaign, online continuity was necessary for the  new web design. Also, The ROHO Group necessitated a web content management system that would leverage the site’s search engine optimization and allow the company the autonomy to administer all updates in-house.

Solutions 

To maintain its brand identity, the ROHO Group paired the St. Louis based The Net Impact with the XG-Ad team. Between The Net Impact’s proven track record in website design and SEO marketing coupled with the XG Ad team’s traditional advertising design expertise, the marriage conceptualized an awe-inspiring Web development and marketing strategy.

Integrating XG Ad’s custom design work, and web development, using The Net Impact’s Auctori content management system, the agencies created a –visually striking web presentation congruent with the AIRHAWK brand. 

As for audience engagement, the web development team innovated a comprehensive navigation structure to accommodate and inspire consumer loyalty. For instance, a testimonial form was intelligently dubbed ‘AIRHAWK Saved My Ass’.

Accounting for the AIRHAWK’s social media network and multimedia presentations, The Net Impact seamlessly incorporated both mediums into the web development.

Visit any Web site for the first time and an impression transpires. Whether the website design evokes a sense of intrigue or repugnance, the initial glance determines the span of stay and ultimate conversion ratio.

If you click onto the following link below this block of content, it is the home page of a web design company, The Net Impact. The web page achieves the initial objective of any home page. It is effective because it captivates the visitor’s attention. 

•  Web Design Example

At first glance, it appears as though the web page has been vandalized. Upon further inspection, the Web design company intelligently illustrates their services.

Creativity. Since the Net Impact is a web design company, most visitors have high expectations. Rather then annoy or risk losing visitors with a long flashy introduction, the company uses apt renderings to drive and demonstrate expertise.

Products and Services. The web design company, clearly identifies and demonstrates its service on the home page. 

Engaging. Aside from the first glance of the web site’s ability to capture unique visitor’s attention, the page helps the visitor ascertain, what to do next. As you can see in the above web site’s depiction, three clearly visible options, Web Design, Web Development, Internet marketing, and content management system serve as a navigational guide.

From the exterior, it resembles a mini-sized, personal cake, evoking the taste of a sweet, moist object of nibbling affection. One bite in, and there’s nothing worst than a gummy, undercooked muffin with remnants of raw egg. The under-baked muffin is analogous of half-baked Website design.

With small businesses dominating the economy, there are a lot of entities that understand the importance of having a solid brand identity and unforgettable website design.   But, without the traffic, it does not matter how magnificent the design is. If people can’t find a website, its mesmerizing qualities are merely irrelevant. It’s like the muffin that looks good on the outside that no one wants to eat.

Under cooked baking goods are the outcome of one of  three issues:

1)    The temperature of the oven was not hot enough.

2)    The muffins were not baked for the appropriate amount of time

3)    The ratio of egg and milk was inadequate to the flour  / muffin mix.

In the realm of search engine optimization and SEO / marketing, half-baked Website

Design is the byproduct of three inefficiencies:

1)    The website design lacks certain search engine optimization qualities to attract traffic.

2)    The content has a deficit of keyword density, link structure and other SEO components to gain search engine popularity.

3)    Website design is comprised of  flash, static, frames or other features, which can be problematic for search engine indexing

Amending these baking missteps is a matter of seeking professional assistance. Just as epicures rely on Alton Brown, Emeril and Paula Dean to impart the secrets of baking intelligence, companies in quest of website design, affording a healthy ROI can contact the Net Impact for advice. 

If you were to compare your company’s website design to famous baseball players, would your site be emblematic of Mark McGwire or Babe Ruth? While these players did not compete or play during the same era, both set and broke amazing home run records.

As we know — today, Babe Ruth had some unhealthy habits. Back then, baseball players could down a couple of hot dogs and slam a few beers, before hitting a homer. That’s how Babe played the season he came up with 60 home runs. Nevertheless, the wins were genuine, free of any superhuman inducing powers. Mark McGwire didn’t down any hot dogs during the season that he set the new 70-home run record. In fact, he went the other way with steroids.

As for  website design, who do you prefer to emulate, Mark McGwire or Babe Ruth? Organizations who are concerned with protecting their legacy generally mimic Babe. While, their site may have a few flaws, they conduct business above board. When Google indexes their site, it is free of the steroid-esque qualities.

• Door way pages
• Misleading meta tags
• Stuffed Keywords
• Misleading title pages
• Link exchanges

In the end, it’s up to the Major League Baseball organization to determine how to document the history books about baseball players, who broke records under the influence of steroids.

Unfortunately, Google is not so forgiving. Although, Google will never question the legitimacy of the company Website developed using ethical website design and SEO programming, websites not meeting appropriate design standards can be penalized, and potentially  excluded  from their search engine results.

Is your website design developed using ethical programming? Contact The Net Impact for a site analysis.

Does your company covet the site designed using flash animation? Have you ever watched he classic Twilight Zone, episode titled, ‘The Eye of the Beholder’? It’s the one, where a bandage-faced woman lays in wait for the removal of her surgical dressings. Enduring the eleventh reconstructive procedure, she yearns to look like everyone else on her planet. In actuality, the others’ faces bear a resemblance to the swine species.  “The Eye of the Beholder” is analogous of Web design. Not saying that companies want their site to be branded using the icon of a pig, flash has its place in web design. 

If you click on the following link: “Website design,” you will see a home page void of photos, colors and layout. From a first impression, it seems like the company Web site lacks the design qualities that The Net Impact preaches about. However, upon a close assessment, the page is designed to accommodate all platforms: desktops, personal computers, Mac, and mobile technologies.

Rather then overwhelm visitors with a flash presentation, the site accommodates all operating systems, making it easier for anyone to find and click onto interest specific information. Moreover, market research suggests that most business-to-business prospects prefer the traditional HTML presentation than flash.

Next, upon the click of content management system, the visitor is taken to a page, where, each Web page features Web design continuity. In other words, each page has the same site navigation, layout and design features.

And while, the home page is not comprised of all the bells and whistles, which bellow “super-slick” web design, few site visitors abandon the site because they were unable to find specific information or the animation took too long to load.

So, in the eye of the beholder, user-friendly, SEO driven Website design  appeases every end-user.