I am on a quest to discover exactly what is Web 2.0?  Many people say they want it, some think they need it, and others just like to say it.  If you ask me it is just a trendy buzzword related to the similar tags we apply to each generation.  But let’s take the web 2.0 question to, you guessed it, the web itself to find out what others are saying about this mind boggling term.

Below you will find some of the more or less interesting definitions of Web 2.0:

Refers to a supposed second-generation of Internet-based services - such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies - that let people collaborate and share information online in ways previously unavailable.

A term introduced in 2004 to characterize design patterns in a constellation of new generation Web applications which may provide an infrastructure for more dynamic user participation, social interaction and collaboration.

Globalization (”making global information available to local social contexts and giving people the flexibility to find, organize, share and create information in a locally meaningful fashion that is globally accessible”)

An attitude not a technology.

And then I found some 5 page article explaining all the specific details of what “Web  2.0” means and decided two things.

1. I guarantee 99.9% of the people that use this term don’t know its origins, including myself.  Don’t worry as I don’t intend to bore anyone to sleep with this Nobel Prize worthy definition.
2. Hence, I believe that a word’s true meaning is how it is used in everyday conversation.  So basically what the 99.9% think it means. 

So I say live and let live, man.  In the words of the great Paula Abdul, “it is what it is.”

Web 2.0 for the majority of us means:

1. Large Glossy Buttons
2. User Oriented Formatting
3. Enhanced Text
4. Quality Data Output
5. And so on, and so on, and so….on…

So you love your website, eh? Well why don’t you marry it? Ha, ha, ha…High Five. My sincere apologies for that one as I briefly escape back to 1^st Grade. Okay, I am back now, but the real question is, does your user base love/like/enjoy your website. At lifeBLUE, we like to have our customers involved with the design process for several reasons.

1. Most of our clients have established businesses and know their customer base better then we ever could.
2. Our client is our customer and (say it with me)…”the customer is always right.” Well some of the time but that is the purpose of this post.
3. Our clients come to us with a need and we want to work with our clients to understand their need(s) as much as possible.

So what is the problem? Everybody is happy, right? Not necessarily, as sometimes when you are involved with creating a website, goals and end states can become lost in the fun of going through the process. While you may think some flashy graphic or wild background is appealing, your customers might not. What most users want is to get to the purpose of your website quickly, painlessly, and with a little glitz and glamour along the way. Not to mention, you also want them to come back. Whenever a design is created, one could have a 100 people analyze it, and while most would say they like it, each and everyone would probably try to change some aspect of the site to their specific tastes. PHP and HTML have not quite reached ESP capabilities yet, so I don’t think your website is automatically going to conform to each individual’s tastes every time they view your home page.

In the end you should work with your developer and listen to their feedback about what is good usability standards for design and functionality, and what is going to make your users tuck tail and run. If you have chosen the right company, then you should be able to trust their feedback. Create a site that appeals to the masses or your customer base, not just what mood or creative flare you are feeling for the day. We create custom designs for targeted solutions and in the end, if you want to put that giant gorilla sale balloon on your website, we just might have to attach a disclaimer.

For businesses in the greater Dallas area, and other larger metropolitan areas, getting lost in the sea of obscurity underneath the ever-growing plethora of competing businesses is becoming as easy as racking up toll charges on your way to work. Setting yourself apart is an essential component of any business. In today’s technology age, you can become just as obscure (if not more) with your Internet presence as you can your physical presence. Here are a few tips to increase your visibility online, sales in all areas, and become a trend setter in your industry rather than a bench warmer riding the endless pine.

1. Put your business out there. Word of mouth is always a great way to promote your business. However, society is not as dependent upon this ancient information passing method as it used to be. People today look online to determine which restaurants to eat at, which stores to shop at, and which products they want to buy. If they cannot find you online, then the odds are good they will not find you offline either. Building an informative, targeted, and brand-developed website is no longer a step-up, it is a must have.

2. Don’t just build a website, build the right website. Too many businesses just think that any website should suffice as presenting themselves online. This is just not the case as your website is your one-stop shot for making an impression, and that impression does not last long. The average site is viewed for less than 10 seconds. If you don’t make a graphically appealing statement in that amount of time then you lose numerous potential customers before you even got a chance to present yourself. You know your business is better than others out there, so make sure you give your establishment a better shot by providing something that people are going to look at and more importantly, want to look at. Choose a quality web design company to help your business make the right impression.

3. Market your online presence. Just as you would send out fliers, mailers, print ads, and more for your brick and mortar location, you would also do the same for your online location as well. Simply building a website is not enough to get the masses to come flooding through your doors. You must market your website with just as much vigor as you would your regular business. The world of search marketing is constantly evolving and you should do yourself the favor of researching search engine marketing services to help promote your online brand.

One could not say enough how important it is to put a quality online establishment on the web for thousands of potential customers to view. Your website works for your business even while you are not. To the savvy entrepreneur, that is an investment worth making. A quality online presence can level the playing field for your small business, or even large businesses, against other competitors. Where do you stand?

As one begins their quest for finding the perfect web design company, it is often a daunting mix of price vs. quality, targeted results vs. redundant solutions, and the biggest of all…custom vs. template.  All of these really go hand in hand.  Now while there are so many things to consider, let’s discuss what a professional web design company really is.

Learning - A professional web design company starts with getting to know your business and how you want your online presence portrayed to potential customers.  Industry specific questions, calls with key business decision makers, and industry research all play a pivotal role in how your website will be created.  This upfront learning allows the developers to provide effective results without a multitude of features you don’t need, can’t use, and even worse, your users can’t either.  Bottom line, a good web consulting agency conducts thorough research before beginning a project to provide an effective solution. 

Innovation – A professional web design company provides innovative ideas, concepts, and tangible features to help set your online presence apart from competitors.  Whether it comes from graphically appealing design elements or a user-friendly application, it is these features that make people say “that is a great site”…or  you get the industry average of a less than 10 second view and that person never goes to your site again.  I am not a nay sayer but I don’t think even Walmart could stay open if everyone that went there walked inside for 5 or so seconds and left….well maybe Walmart could find a way but that is a different conspiracy theory all together. 

Long Term Relationship -   A professional web design company provides results that are long term.  However a website, just like a brick and mortar operation, needs to be updated, expanded, interchanged on a regular basis to keep existing customers coming back and bring new ones in.  It’s the same as a clothing store updating seasonal trends, or a doctor using the latest technology and ideas…you get the picture.  A good company continually provides new ways to expand your online presence and is there for you when you need it. 

In the end it seems budget drives a large percentage of determining which company to help you create your online dream.  While the bottom dollar is almighty there are always ways to provide custom, targeted results without breaking the bank.  Simply put, a quality website cannot be built in a day with a handful of pesos by seamstresses.  It takes a little time, the right budget for the right solution, and a skilled team of development and marketing experts.   Wait that’s us! Find out why we should be your professional web design company.

From start to finish, an often overlooked element of website design is the application work that occurs beneath all the fancy images dancing across your screen.

Applications and programming functions are the magic behind the scenes that truly make a website great. Any time you type something in a field, search a category or do anything other than simply click a direct link, a feature built upon hours worth of programming brings the page before your eyes in a matter of seconds - or minutes if you’re using grandpa’s home computer from the Dark Ages.

All the information that just flew across your screen has been sitting in a database, kicking and screaming for a shot at human consumption. All you had to do was type in the right word and set it free. How much user interactivity would you like on your website? Do you want your users to upload pictures, create personal pages, play games, store personal information, record favorite pages visited and wish lists? Or would you like to manage your website’s content, keep track of inventory, monitor traffic and even monitor pretty much anything you can imagine? The list can go on forever. A great application can make using your website dramatically simple, both for you and your users.

Now how does all this work, you ask? You can crack a turtle with some of the ultra-thick books that explain it. So, if you want to do the research yourself, pull up a chair and pencil in the next light-year to get good and educated on the subject. Or, you can simply tell our experts how you would like your website to function, and let their light-years of education and experience make the magic happen.

When it comes to Application Development, we can make almost anything happen. We just need your vision. Our passionate experts will take care of the rest. Custom Application Development is just one of our many specialties.

Unless, of course, you’ve got a light-year to spare.

Save a turtle. Call lifeBLUE.

Unfortunately, our topic of the day is not Fergie’s really awesome song about how she is still keeping it real after all of the bling-bling and fame-fame. The subject of the day is style and design concepts for your website. What is too much and what is not enough?

What type of design should you use? Artistic, plain, flashy or even, um, glamorous? A complicated decision, no doubt, but fortunately for you, we can come up with the right mix based on a few key concepts from your targeted audience. Let’s break down some of these more commonly targeted classes and see what fits your business model. Ultimately, as we always say, it’s your website. In the end, though, what matters more: Pleasing your tastes or the people who visit your site?

Business to Business – Most business-to-business websites should be clean-cut and professional to a large degree. When you are catering to a business, your users want easy-to-find informational pages without going through a montage of collapsible pages, pop-up ads and large graphics that download at a glacial pace. More than the average consumer, business put a lot more thought into who they are going to do business with. Therefore, it is best not to try and blind them with fancy ads and words. Rather, provide them with the information they seek, and you are most likely to see a better return on your traffic.

Online Consumers – Online consumer sites can afford a little more glitz and glam than the average B2B site. However, your user range is far more diverse, including types of PCs used and connection speeds of those users. So, if you go too far on the flashy side, you are going to hamper the site usability for a large portion of your users. Not a great idea in such a highly competitive arena, where the war of attrition, in terms of conversions, is a battle you have to win. Try focusing on a user-friendly, graphically appealing yet theme-friendly design that emphasizes what you sell and do, but does not take away from your products.

Direct Traffic - This refers to the traffic where the users are specifically seeking your website, such as a restaurant, fan site or some other attraction. With this type of website, you are far more likely to have your targeted user narrowed down. This characteristic affords you the opportunity to be more creative and dynamic with your design. Your end goal is to provide users with information while captivating them by highlighting the uniqueness and more robust qualities of your business. This can be accomplished through flash animation design, scrolling colorful pictures and a wide range of other techniques to enhance the user’s experience while on your site.

Whatever your business model, remember design is vital on a variety of different levels, depending on your targeted user. View our design portfolio and see what matches your structure and desires. We’re here to help.

The ease of online shopping is becoming ever more efficient for large retailers.

We’re still a bit uncertain about this ever-expanding trend for some items. There will always be some things that require a trip away from the keyboard: Think gas, milk and eggs for starters. Those highly perishable items can’t survive the Ace Ventura version of package delivery.

Yet, we don’t think there is a single business out there that could fail to benefit from selling its products or services online. If nothing else, remember that online shopping can be very impulse-intensive, because of its convenience and non-physical nature. However, the art and science behind operating and conducting an efficient online business entity is not easily achieved.

Online shoppers can be the pickiest of all shoppers, and a good website should cling tightly to this fact. A properly designed website, along with a well managed Internet marketing campaign, are just a few of the many facets to consider when aiming for a piece of that online shopping pie.

Mmmm….Pie! You can even buy those online.