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	<title>web2.0studios</title>
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	<link>http://web2.0studios.com</link>
	<description>holistic web application development</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:55:58 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
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		<title>Discount Pedlar</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/discount-pedlar/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/discount-pedlar/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:51:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[.Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://web2.0studios.com/?p=615</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Discountpedlar.com offers discount designer and brand name merchandise at prices that we can all afford.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Discountpedlar.com offers discount designer and brand name merchandise at prices that we can all afford.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.discountpedlar.com">&gt; View the Project</a></p>
<p><strong>Web 2.0 Studios Tasks</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Web Development</li>
<li>Design &amp; Layout</li>
<li>SEM / SEO</li>
<li>Server Administration</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Columbus Church of Christ</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/columbus-church-of-christ/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/columbus-church-of-christ/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:50:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[.Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://web2.0studios.com/?p=611</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Columbus Church of Christ is a non-denominational congregation focusing on the teachings found in The Bible. They are located in Columbus, OH.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Columbus Church of Christ is a non-denominational congregation focusing on the teachings found in The Bible. They are located in Columbus, OH.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.columbuschurchofchrist.com/dev/">&gt; View the Project</a></p>
<p><strong>Web 2.0 Studios Tasks</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Web development</li>
<li>Server Administration</li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Our Mission</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/our-mission/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/our-mission/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:53:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://web2.0studios.com/?p=507</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our mission is simple &#8211; provide our clients with value-added websites small or large.  We build websites for the Web 2.0 age and mobile devices.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Our mission is simple &#8211; provide our clients with value-added websites small or large.  We build websites for the Web 2.0 age and mobile devices.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Featured Project</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/featured-project/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/featured-project/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:37:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://web2.0studios.com/?p=503</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tridico Design Solutions brings 20 years of experience to the table combining a passion for graphic arts and the excitement of advertising. We seek the opportunity to serve clients well as we present them to their market through various forms of print media and now through internet design. The Internet, of course, from inception is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tridico Design  Solutions brings 20 years of experience to the table   combining a  passion for graphic arts and the excitement of  advertising.  We seek the  opportunity to serve clients well as we  present them to  their market  through various forms of print media and  now through internet  design.</p>
<p>The Internet,  of course, from inception  is a powerful tool to reach  markets. It is  for that reason that we are  proud to announce our new  addition of web  design and web marketing capabilities. Whether you are  looking for an  inexpensive stock template, custom design, complex web  application, or  web marketing &amp; social networking, we’ve got your  covered!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>3 Reasons for Feeding Yourself Great Designs</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/3-reasons-for-feeding-yourself-great-designs/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/3-reasons-for-feeding-yourself-great-designs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.0studios.com/?p=339</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you want to be a better designer, then you should feed yourself great designs. Forehead-slapping common sense, right? Some designers downplay the importance of consuming and getting inspired by great designs. There are 3 reasons why you need to feed yourself great designs. Designers that think influence and constantly exposing yourself to great designs [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you want to be a better designer, then you should feed yourself  great designs. Forehead-slapping common sense, right? Some designers  downplay the importance of consuming and getting inspired by great  designs. There are <strong>3 reasons why you need to feed yourself great designs.</strong></p>
<p>Designers that think influence and constantly exposing yourself to great designs isn’t <em>that</em> important tend to believe that brilliant work comes from within and  that it can be turned on at will. But as creative block—which gets the  best of us—shows, creativity is a finicky beast. And a lot of outside  factors subconsciously dictate how and when your best designs are  created. Therefore, it’s important that you feed yourself great designs.  It’s what can help inspire your best design work—whether for yourself  or for your clients—as well as keep you going during the creative down  periods.</p>
<p>Without further ado, here are 3 reasons why you need to feed yourself great designs:</p>
<h3>1. Good Goes In, Good Comes Out</h3>
<p>Think of your design work as a body: <strong>when good design inspiration comes in, good work comes out.</strong> It’s similar to your body where when good ingredients come in, a good  body and day comes out. You’re more energized, better rested and alert,  healthier, stronger, and so forth.</p>
<p>It’s no different with your design work. Creativity is a ridiculously  fragile thing – when you feed it anything but the best inspiration,  your output quickly plummets. You really can’t be messing with it. Think  about it: after watching some mediocre show or browsing through fairly  average blogs or listening to safe-and-nothing-special music, did you  get really excited and have inspired ideas start running through your  head? The answer is probably ‘no’, and with good reason – bad  ingredients went in, so it’s only natural that mediocre work would come  out if you attempted to design afterwards.</p>
<p>Keep your design creativity in tip-top shape. Healthy, strong, alert,  energized. By feeding yourself great designs, you increase your chances  of also creating great designs. <strong>Good goes in, good comes out.</strong></p>
<h3>2. Get an Energetic Jolt During Uninspired Moments</h3>
<p>Creative block happens to the best of us. Minimize it by feeding yourself some great designs. You’ll then <strong>get an energetic jolt</strong>.  Perfect for those uninspired moments when you can’t seem to come up  with any cool designs – or if you have to force yourself really hard  just to finish an existing design project.</p>
<p>If you live in a city with some great public art, architecture, or  museums or shops nearby, you can take a break and simply walk around  outside. You’ll come back to your computer re-energized. Or you can flip  through some design magazines, or browse some design showcase websites.  Or do whatever that’ll expose you to some great, inspiring designs. But  get away from your design work in order to feed yourself these designs.  Even if just for a bit.</p>
<p>The energetic jolt you’ll get can help inspire you, and you can come  back to your design work filled with creative energy and ideas.</p>
<h3>3. Keep Yourself Going Longer Creatively</h3>
<p>Creativity is like a sprint runner – inspiration usually happens in  spurts for most. But by constantly feeding yourself great designs, you  can help make your creativity more like a marathon runner so that you  can <strong>keep yourself going longer creatively.</strong></p>
<p>Now, that doesn’t mean being like a robot that never stops creating  or being inspired. That’s simply not possible – plus, not many would  really want that, anyway. No, keeping yourself going longer creatively  just means that you can minimize the uninspired down times and extend  your creative designing times. In other words, keep yourself going in  the zone longer – when you’re inspired and your ideas and work is  flowing.</p>
<p>Similar to #2, you’re not only shortening the uninspired moments but  by extension helping yourself be inspired more often. The higher  frequency of inspiration can help you keep designing in the zone for  longer periods of time. You’ll have so many ideas, or you’ll be  energized by some many great designs you just saw earlier.</p>
<h3>Feed Yourself Great Designs</h3>
<p>Again, you might be thinking this is forehead-slapping common sense. Of <em>course</em> you should feed yourself great designs rather than mediocre ones, and  by doing so more frequently you’ll be inspired and in the creative zone  more often, right? Yet it’s easy to forget the most simple of things and  succumb to wasting hours on YouTube or playing games when you’re  uninspired and feel like procrastinating on your latest design project.  When all it could’ve taken to get you back on track is a little bit of  time with a great design magazine, or a brief walk around town, or  anything where you <strong>expose yourself to great designs.</strong></p>
<p>Rinse and repeat, and you’ll help yourself be a better designer and create inspired designs more frequently.</p>
<p>Hopefully you now see how important feeding yourself great designs  is. It’s not just for pleasure, or something to do to pass the time, or  influence to take lightly – it’s what can help keep your creative engine  well-oiled and fueled so you can run better and longer with your design  work.</p>
<p>To recap, here are the 3 reasons why you need to feed yourself great designs:</p>
<ol>
<li>Good goes in, good comes out</li>
<li>Get an energetic jolt during uninspired moments</li>
<li>Keep yourself going longer creatively</li>
</ol>
<p>Now get out there and start feeding yourself all sorts of great designs.</p>
<p><em>How have you been feeding yourself great designs? What are some  of your favorite sources of inspiration, especially outside of web and  visual design?</em></p>
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		<title>Key Elements in Designing a Product Landing Page</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/key-elements-in-designing-a-product-landing-page/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/key-elements-in-designing-a-product-landing-page/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:26:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.0studios.com/?p=337</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Landing pages for product sales can be seen everywhere. Affiliate marketers are constantly examining some of the newer techniques to mastering digital e-commerce. When the situation involves just a small market segment, the rules for landing page design can change. Overall it takes a strong designer’s eye to create something extraordinary. Product landing pages offer [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Landing pages for product sales can be seen everywhere. Affiliate  marketers are constantly examining some of the newer techniques to  mastering digital e-commerce. When the situation involves just a small  market segment, the rules for landing page design can change.</p>
<p>Overall it takes a strong designer’s eye to create something  extraordinary. Product landing pages offer fantastic insight towards  deeper psychological marketing techniques. Here we’ll look into some  great strategies for a sales page and what you can do to entice more  sales.</p>
<h3>Distinct Headlines and Ad Copy</h3>
<p>Society has almost become numb to the classic ad copy sales pitch.  After a while the general consensus of Internet users will shift and a  broader understanding of marketing can be shared. In this regard it’s  important to consider some of the creative opportunity in ad copy.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>For example <a href="http://articledemon.com/">EdwinSoft’s Article Demon</a> offers an interesting take on a squeeze page. The header offers some  graphics which pertain to the brand and describe what you can expect.  The large, bold red text is used to attract your attention immediately,  and also entice you to scroll down further to learn more.</p>
<p>The ad copy throughout the page is also very well written. As you can  imagine the writing process takes a long time and can be grueling. Just  keep your message clear and to the point, there’s no reason to add  convoluted language and it’ll either confuse or annoy your visitors.  Also be sure to bold and underline your essential messages to help them  stand out.</p>
<h3>Include Relatable Media</h3>
<p>Digital media can encompass quite a wide variety of information. The  most common are including (but not limited to) audio recordings,  podcasts, video presentations, or infographics explaining the growth  process or benefit from your product.</p>
<p>When it comes to direct page images it takes a special craft to  define them just right. Stock imagery in the category of businesses or  modern people don’t often perform very well. The reason being they don’t  present any underlying message or explain what your product does, or  even why it’s useful.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The purpose of a landing page is to present a product or group of  products and provide as much information as required to hook a sale.  This means each area of page space should be utilized to its fullest in  presenting your message. For software or template development it’s much  easier to work in page graphics. However, when it comes to smaller  products (for example e-books) you would need to create much of the  design and branding personally.</p>
<p>It isn’t always worth the money to hire a professional, but when it  comes to selling anything branding is important factor number 1. You  should consider what type of message you’re sending out with your  product and how you want visitors to feel when coming onto your page.  Illustrations and icons are useful in both filling empty space and  giving your page a pleasing look.</p>
<h3>Keep Action Above the Fold</h3>
<p>Anything that’s truly crucial to your sale should be introduced right  away. Visitors can be finicky with their time and shouldn’t be expected  to scroll down to find the information they need. In fact many studies  have shown visitors will leave your page within the first few seconds if  the actions seem too confusing.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>By this it’s meant to say visitors are looking for something <strong>to do</strong> on your website. If they can’t find anything interesting to read,  watch, listen to or interact with they will probably leave just as  quickly as they came.</p>
<p>This is why offering a plan of action is so crucial. Visitors  interested in your product will likely be excited to offer you their  e-mail address for updates. Placing just a small signup form towards the  heading on your page will spur dramatic interest and lead to increased  sales in the long term.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Consider also working your brand into social networking  opportunities. The chance to build a large network of followers is  possible on major hubs such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube.  Once you have profile links created you can share them with those who  land on your page. Popular execution methods can involve <a href="http://webdesignledger.com/freebies/the-best-social-media-icons-all-in-one-place">social media icons</a> and small marketing campaigns to increase your profile activity.</p>
<h3>Working with Colors</h3>
<p>In both digital and physical design, color choice is everything.  Colors invoke a set mood into those perceiving a piece of art, and a  landing page website is no different.</p>
<p>Your choice of colors will vary based on your end goals. Black and  green offer simulations of power and wealth. Green is also one of the  easiest colors for the eye to process. By this reason it’s used by many  popular financial institutions and eco-friendly corporations.</p>
<p>Blues create a sense of security and trust. It can be seen as the  most common and professional color. Purples can be calm, soothing, often  referencing beauty or glamor products. Similarly red can be used to  produce an energetic sensation, leading to more visitor interaction.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yellows and oranges behave similarly to bright colors such as red,  but can be toned down and not so vibrant. Yellows appeal to youthfulness  and grab attention quickly. Orange in a similar manner can be placed  towards a call-to-action button for grabbing the visitor’s attention.</p>
<p>All of these are situational and should be used with precision. These  tips are great for getting the initial juices flowing in designing a  product page. Carefully created user interface elements will also surely  draw attention to your finer points.</p>
<p>Always keep in mind the end goal of your process. Sales should be figured into the starting plan and tested thoroughly through <a href="http://webdesignledger.com/tools/10-useful-website-analytics-tools">refined analytics tools</a>.  Consider other landing page designs for inspiration on your own. There  are many techniques available and you can learn a lot by networking with  other Internet marketers and digital artists.</p>
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		<title>Legal Guidelines for Freelance Web Designers</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/legal-guidelines-for-freelance-web-designers/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/legal-guidelines-for-freelance-web-designers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:25:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.0studios.com/?p=335</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Handling the legal side of freelancing could possibly be one of the more annoying tasks required for the job. Having worked as a full-time freelancer I can attest the amount of legal paperwork and information can become overwhelming, especially for newbies entering the field. No matter what your practice, be it web design to freelance [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Handling the legal side of freelancing could possibly be one of the  more annoying tasks required for the job. Having worked as a full-time  freelancer I can attest the amount of legal paperwork and information  can become overwhelming, especially for newbies entering the field.</p>
<p>No matter what your practice, be it web design to freelance writing,  there is generally some form of legal contract you’ll need to create  with your clients. Networking comes with the freelance territory, and  within that is contracts and due dates for project completion. Below  we’ll be considering some great tips for legal actions and pursuing your  own career further in freelancing.</p>
<h3>Always Draft up Contracts</h3>
<p>Why are contracts so important? This question has been asked  countless times throughout the decades and doesn’t come without a strong  answer. Business has always been a shady game. Unfortunately levels of  trust are indicative of a strong professional relationship.  Unfortunately, not all clients will be so easy to work with.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Building a contract and having both parties sign from the start sets  in motion a state of initial working values. These could include a  timeline of project work, when and how much you’d be getting paid, along  with other details you may find pertinent. These should be nailed out  between you and your clientele until a reasonable agreement can be  achieved.</p>
<p>It’s important to include each aspect that you’re both concerned with  inside a single document. This will be your go-to primer for any  difficulties which stem from project work. It’s an important document to  not only cover your client in case of project failure, but also  protecting you in the case of your client backing down from the work and  payment.</p>
<h3>Always Set Dates</h3>
<p>Having a scheduled calendar is just another strong framework keeping  you from drifting too far off task. An agreeable schedule of dates is  something both parties should be able to look at and consider a  reasonable amount of time for each task.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>So for example, you may quote 1-2 weeks for a website mockup and  graphics/icons designed. At this point the client would look over the  designs, suggest any changes, and you’d plan for another 1-2 weeks for  frontend development. This type of timeline is very lenient and doesn’t  provide specific dates for when a piece of work must be done. This won’t  work with all of your clients, although it’s a much more lax  environment for creativity to flow through.</p>
<p>If it’s easier you may want to consider sketching out a small  calender with weeks shaded in based on task completion. I have seen a  few demos of these from past freelancers and it’s a great way to draw  the attention of your client. This proves to them you not only  understand what you’re doing but hold the creativity and business sense  to plot out a course timeline for their project!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It may also be useful to set up meeting times to share information  face-to-face. The frequency of these would vary depending on the type of  project being worked on. A from-scratch new website infrastructure may  require 3 meetups weekly while an icon set design may not even require  face to face interaction. Keep your schedule loose and ready for  anything, but once you’ve got something solid ensure you get it down in  writing.</p>
<h3>Follow-Up Clauses</h3>
<p>One of the big pet peeves we see in freelancing today is the client  base looking into running the show. If you’ve done any work as a  freelancer you have probably run into this countless times in the  business world. After creating a perfect mockup design your client may  say “yeah it’s okay, but can you update changes X, Y, and Z? Oh and  let’s scrap ideas A and B while we’re at it…”</p>
<p>This is not only <em>very</em> frustrating for you but will also mess  up your pre-planned timeline of events. It’s important to include a  clause about revisions and a detailed policy on work updates. There are  no set rules here, but it is important both your client and yourself  agree upon the terms.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You may charge extra for more time spent updating colors/layout  spacing. However, if your client isn’t aware this is going on they may  have an awfully difficult time forking over any cash. Alternatively I  know many freelancers who include the first 2-3 revisions for free and  will charge after that based on an hourly rate. It’s all up to you  regarding how you’d like to structure your overtime. Just be sure to  include <strong>something</strong>.</p>
<h3>Final Products and Delivery</h3>
<p>In the wacky world if web design it is often possible for confusion  to settle when it comes towards a finished product. There are so many  freelancers offering icons, animations, Flash graphics, videos… from a  client’s perspective who doesn’t understand much of technology this can  be awfully confusing.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It should be discussed before even starting the project work what is  expected to be delivered as a final result. This could include multiple  things, however for a general website design it’s often only a handful  of graphics and coded HTML/CSS documents.</p>
<p>If your client is looking for something slightly more convoluted such  as WordPress theming or plugin development include a few sentences  referencing the types of files to be shared. These could be .css, .php,  .js libraries, or anything else which may be included inside the  projects’ files.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If easier just draft out a bulleted list of the files to be returned  and at which stage the work will be ready for client’s eyes. This shows a  sign of trust that you actually know what you’re doing and will be able  to deliver quality code! If you’ll be personally uploading all files  into the web server this may not be necessary, but still good practice  to include just to avoid possible confusion.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>These tips on legal writing should get you pointed in the right  direction. The career path of a freelance web designer is not easy,  especially entering into <a href="http://webdesignledger.com/tools/9-tools-for-managing-your-freelance-design-business">business for yourself</a>. There are plenty of tools to help out with invoicing and paper trails, so make use of these whenever possible.</p>
<p>If you’re just getting started I’d also recommend building up a small  network of clients to get some buzz going around your name. Here are  some tips on <a href="http://webdesignledger.com/tips/how-to-find-local-clients-for-your-freelance-business">finding local freelance clients</a> if you’re looking for a way to break into the market. At the end of the  day legal structures are all about protecting both parties of a  freelance project to ensure they will deliver their regards on-time and  respectably.</p>
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		<title>5 Tips for SEO &amp; User-Friendly Copy</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/5-tips-for-seo-user-friendly-copy/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/5-tips-for-seo-user-friendly-copy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:24:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.0studios.com/?p=333</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You hear it time and time again: content is king. It’s king because it’s what users want, and it’s king because of SEO – i.e. if you don’t have good content, you’re not going to rank. Of course, not all content is created equal. While over-optimizing content for search will make it less than user-friendly, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You hear it time and time again: content is king. It’s king because  it’s what users want, and it’s king because of SEO – i.e. if you don’t  have good content, you’re not going to rank.</p>
<p>Of course, not all content is created equal. While over-optimizing  content for search will make it less than user-friendly, focusing too  much on usability can compromise its searchability.</p>
<p>So how can your content walk the line between SEO and usability?  Well, there are 5 easy tips you can follow when trying to walk your  content down that fine line between SEO and usability.</p>
<h3>1. Length of On-Page Content</h3>
<p>The ideal minimum length of page copy for SEO purposes is 250 words.  So where your user experience permits, you should have 250 words (or  more) of actual <strong>inline content</strong> – i.e. not headers, not sidebar content.</p>
<p><strong>That being said, 250 words is just a minimum.</strong> As a general  rule, the more content the better. In fact, I’ve personally noticed that  when a page has 1,000+ plus, it has a much better chance of ranking for  the keywords that it’s optimized for.</p>
<p>Of course, there are pages where it doesn’t really make sense to have  so much content. In such cases, 250 words of content would disrupt the  user-experience and push interactive features below the fold.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Some examples of this are a category pages on blogs or ecommerce  sites. In these cases, you might want to optimize the categories for a  certain niche/vertical of keywords, and added 250 words of text at the  top of the page would help.</p>
<p>But from a usability standpoint, categories exist so that users can  navigate/browse products or content within a category. So adding 250  word of text would disrupt the user-experience by pushing those  product/article links below the fold.</p>
<p>A decent compromise in such cases is to insert a bit of static  content at the top of main-content area of your category pages.  Generally, <strong>300 characters</strong> (about twice the length of your page’s  meta-description) is enough to (1) get some descriptive keywords on the  page, but (2) keep the category links/listings well above the fold.</p>
<h3>2. Scanable Line Paragraphs</h3>
<p>Knowing that you want at least 250 words on each page, how do you  make that content as usable as possible? That is, how can you make it  scanable so that users are deterred from actually reading it?</p>
<p>As a rule, you should aim for 3-4 line paragraphs (2 sentences). Of  course, in some circumstances, a paragraph warrants more than 2  sentences. But by keeping paragraphs within 3-4 lines (5 lines max), you  can create a text-experience that users can easily scan, making them  more likely to actually consume the content.</p>
<h3>3. Headers</h3>
<p>Now, what do you do if you have more than 250 words on a page? If  you’re talking about more than one product or service? How do you keep  the user engaged?</p>
<p>Well, you do that by <strong>structuring your content</strong>. Basically, you  should section off your content using header tags (e.g. &lt;h2&gt; and  &lt;h3&gt;). This will create a break in the content that (1) makes it  seem easier (i.e. ‘not as long’) to read, and (2) provides visual cues  to pull the user’s eye through the content.</p>
<p>From an SEO perspective, moreover, the keywords in headers help you  clue search engines into what your content is about. For example, three  headers might tell search engines that three different (but related)  topics are being discussed on the page.</p>
<h3>4. Keyword Density</h3>
<p>Keyword density is how often a keyword appears on a page. Depending  on who you ask, the ideal keyword density is anywhere from 2%-5%.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The only problem with this is that even at the low-end, this can make  for unnatural prose. For instance, if a keyword makes up 3% of all  words on a page, the user will probably notice that that keyword appears  quite often. In fact, it will make your copy seem robotic,  non-compelling, and generally spammy.</p>
<p>Where you can fit in these extra keywords, however, is in your header  tags. Indeed, by using keyword variation to draw up optimized header  tags, you can gain an extra 1% of keyword density without making the  actual copy seem contrived and unnatural.</p>
<h3>5. Bullet Lists</h3>
<p>One of the biggest copy tradeoffs between usability and search is  bullet lists. While bullet lists help make content more scanable, search  engine regard them as “broken content” – meaning that they don’t quite  count as much as other page copy when it comes to their keyword density.  There are two ways to get around this.</p>
<p><strong>First,</strong> you can use a bullet list at the top of the page to  outline the page’s content. This will help cue the user into what they  can expect as they read through the page, which will help them better  navigate the content.</p>
<p>If you do go this route, however, make sure that (1) you have 2  sentences/3 lines preceding the bullet list, (2) you have another 2  sentences/3 lines following it, and (3) there is a minimum of 250 words  of “unbroken” content on the page. This will not only put the bullet  list in context for user, but it will help ensure that search engines  properly index the page.</p>
<p><strong>Alternatively,</strong> you can simply place a bullet list further down  in the content, as part of the one of the subsections. If sufficient  content precedes a bullet list, that bullet list is less likely to  factor large into how that page is indexed.</p>
<h3>Content: Kings &amp; Jesters at Court</h3>
<p>A general rule to mitigating tradeoffs between search and usability  is developing content for humans, not for search bots. After all, at the  end of the day, search engines are out to provide users (real human  beings) with the most relevant content available.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you take every possible step to optimize your site for search,  chances are you’ll produce some rather non-user-friendly content. And  the paradox there is that the less user-friendly content is, the less  engaging it is, and the less likely it will be to attract backlinks or  go viral.</p>
<p>So you should always think of the user before you think of the search  bots. But always keep in mind that there are some elements you can add  to a page that both increase usability, and help optimize your page for  SEO purposes.</p>
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		<title>Web Design Trends in 2011</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/web-design-trends-in-2011/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:23:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[There is a thin line between design and development, and as we move into a new decade, this line is becoming extremely blurry. Is it enough to draw beautiful mock ups in Photoshop? Maybe 5 years ago. These days, the average internet user requires more. All beauty, with no substance, gets boring after a while. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There is a thin line between design and development, and as we move  into a new decade, this line is becoming extremely blurry. Is it enough  to draw beautiful mock ups in Photoshop? Maybe 5 years ago. These days,  the average internet user requires more. All beauty, with no substance,  gets boring after a while. If your only goal is to impress a community  of fellow designers with your flashy designs, you’ll find yourself  quickly beneath the tide. <strong>2011 is not about beauty, it’s about function.</strong> The trends for this new year and emerging decade are responsive design, constant connection and virtual reality.</p>
<p>How will you stay relevant as a designer in 2011? The ultimate goal  of a designer is not to dazzle but to entangle. Any designer can get  ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ that are easily forgotten. The supreme designer is  able to create an environment which charms and captivates the user to  the point where he does not want to find the ‘Back’ button. Several  elements come together to forge such a wonderland: harmonious color  scheme, intuitive design, easily accessible information and fast  response. Additionally, one can never under-estimate the power of  simplicity. Of course, this has always been the case, but in 2011, you  are no longer at the forgiving discretion of the desktop, or even  laptop, computer. Now, <strong>your design must contend with smart phones, netbooks, tablets</strong> and the like. Are you ready?</p>
<p>Take a gander at the top 11 trends for 2011.</p>
<h3>1. More CSS3 + HTML5</h3>
<p>What a gratifying sigh of relief! CSS3 and HTML5 have been on the  distant horizon of web design for the past couple of years, but now, in  2011, we see an explosion of it. Designers are finally starting to let  go of Flash. However you may feel about Flash, you do know that it does  not play well with some of the hot, new technology available to your  current and potential visitors. In 2011, you will slowly step away from  Flash and embrace the magic known as HTML5. Look at the amazingly  similar comparison:</p>
<p><a href="http://mrdoob.com/projects/harmony/#longfur" target="_blank"> </a>Now that’s shown, please understand that Flash and HTML5 are not  equal opponents. There is plenty of room for both in 2011. The problem  is that designers in 2010 (and before) misused Flash. Case in point,  very rarely should your entire site be made of Flash, especially these  days. HTML5 alleviates some of the burden we have placed on Flash. <strong>However, HTML5 cannot (yet) replace the extraordinary design elements we can achieve through Flash.</strong></p>
<p>Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that CSS3 is available to us  in a real way this year. Move over Photoshop (wow, Adobe just cannot  rest), because CSS3 is making short work of text shadow, border radius  and image transparency. If you have not already begun, now is the time  to really delve into understanding CSS3 and HTML5.</p>
<h3>2. Simple Color Schemes</h3>
<p>Simplicity. There’s nothing quite as impacting as an honest message  on a quiet backdrop. Quiet can be interpreted several different ways.  Forget black and white or shades of gray. <strong>Think of green, yellow or even red as your primary color.</strong> However, limit your palette to two or three colors. Work within the  shades of each color for variety. It can be truly remarkable what a few  colors can do for your message. Observe:</p>
<p><a href="http://toriseye.quodis.com/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><a href="http://collisionlabs.com/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>Shades of green create this Twitter visualization tool. Side note: this site was created with XHTML/CSS and Javascript.</em></p>
<p><em>Red can be jarring if done incorrectly. This site gets it right by  subduing the color’s overwhelming personality with easy-to-read high  contrast text.</em></p>
<h3>3. Mobile Ready</h3>
<p>Smartphones, iPads, netbooks, oh my! There’s a dizzying amount of  mobile products available to the consumer in 2011. This means your web  design must be responsive to multiple viewports.</p>
<p>Creating a mobile ready website is <strong>not simply removing the bells and whistles from your design</strong>.  This can create a vacant and impersonal design. Although not  impossible, distilling the magic from your original design into a pure  representation of your brand is tough! Fortunately, technology is  quickly removing this burden.</p>
<p>With the help of CSS3, primarily media queries, mobile web design has  taken a big leap forward (more on this later). One of the most  important advances is that you can design a whole site and allow your  coding to conform to the user’s viewing medium.</p>
<p>It may be tempting to just create a dedicated mobile site, but that  may no longer satisfy your audience. Increasingly, mobile sites <strong>include the option to visit the original site</strong>.  If you do not offer this option or if your original site is not  optimized to mobile standards, you are simply not ready for 2011.  Forecasters predict that smartphones will outsell personal computers  this year. Bulletproof your design to meet this demand.</p>
<h3>4. Parallax Scrolling</h3>
<p>Parallax scrolling: not just for old school video games. As  aforementioned, the hot web design trend for 2011 is creating a sense of  depth. What better way to create that than with parallax scrolling? The  parallax effect uses layers to present the illusion of a 3 dimensional  space. It can be accomplished with some simple CSS tricks or the help of  jQuery plugins like <a href="http://www.spritely.net/">Spritely</a>. Parallax scrolling can be <strong>most effective as a secondary element on your design</strong>,  for example, as a header, footer, or background. Making it an integral  part of your navigation may prove frustrating for your site visitor.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.rowtothepole.com/">Old Pulteney Row to the Pole</a> website uses a top down parallax scrolling effect for the background.  This adds a nice subtle amount of depth and lots of interest.</p>
<h3>5. Designing for Touch Screens, Not Mice</h3>
<p>Technology has become much more tactile. Usability is shifting from  abstract to tangible. This means that instead of navigating your mouse  to remotely connect, your destination is literally at your fingertips.  Tablets, most smartphones and some desktops use touchscreens. Does your  design accommodate fingertip navigation?</p>
<p>How much of your design is mouse-oriented? As designers, we worship mice. Our links light up when the mouse hovers over. <strong>However, there’s no hovering in touchscreen.</strong> How will your design indicate links to your visitors? What about drop-down menus? That’s also a no-go in touchscreen design.</p>
<p>Similarly, how will visitors peruse your site? As controversial as it  may be for standard web browsing, horizontal scrolling may be more  appropriate for touchscreens. Fitting nicely into this niche is a  magazine-like layout where visitors virtually flip through your site.</p>
<p>Lastly, consider using <strong>liquid layouts</strong> as part of your  commitment toward responsive design. In 2011, you are no longer dealing  with screen resolution size. Visitors can change their viewing  orientation from vertical to horizontal. Your design must be flexible to  meet any challenge, or you will be a relic of 2010.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/umpcportal/4581962986/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>Baby sees the iPad Magic, Copyright Steve Paine, Flickr</em></p>
<h3>6. Depth Perception in Web Design</h3>
<p>No, we are not dealing with the aerial ‘I can see your coffee cup and  keyboard on your website’ design of two years ago. Depth perception is  about <strong>creating dimension in your web design</strong>, so that parts of  your site looks nearer than others. It conjures a faux 3D effect when  done masterfully. Remember what it felt like watching the blockbuster 3D  movie, Avatar? The elements jumped off of the screen, quite literally.</p>
<p>Although 3D technology has no yet made it to web design, you can still replicate depth in your design.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.plantate.net/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>This playful website features a rotatable, 3D planet and makes use of depth with well-placed shadows and layering.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/historyofflight/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>Eye-catching and smart, this celebration of Jordan (both the man  and shoe) is thoroughly entertaining. The 3D elements are crisp and  simple, which what makes them so stunning.</em></p>
<h3>7. Large Photographic Backgrounds</h3>
<p>Large scale backdrops will surge in 2011. These images will be high  resolution, and covering the entire site. Large photos are an instant  way to grab your audience– they cannot help but to see it and have an  opinion about it. <strong>The background photo must be content-appropriate.</strong> Simply having a pretty image in the background without any context will  disrupt your user’s experience. Trends point to soft and slightly  transparent imagery that does not over shadow your content, but  harmonizes with it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.somewhere-lefilm.com/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>This site makes use of high-resolution photos and the predominant color is yellow throughout.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.iflymagazine.com/?locale=nl_en" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>This site adds playful animation with its grand scale imagery. Warning: auto-play music.</em></p>
<h3>8. Adventurous Domain Names &amp; Integration</h3>
<p>Although not in the strictest sense a web design issue, look forward  to seeing more creative domain names. The once-coveted .com domain has  lost a lot of its appeal– primarily because you have to think up words  in Na’Vi in order to find a domain that has not been thought up yet.  2011 will see a more wide-spread venture away from .com and into more <strong>whimsical domains</strong> like .me or .us. Think of the possibilities and scoop it up before it’s gone.</p>
<p><a href="http://joshsullivan.me/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>.me is a great domain to use for personal portfolios, or blogs,  especially if you want a seperate identity from your corporate brand.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.photosheep.me/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p><em>Another example of .me integration.</em></p>
<h3>9. QR: Quick Response</h3>
<p>If you have noticed those square barcodes popping on business cards,  magazines or else where, you may already know that they are a hot trend  for 2011. How exactly does it translate into web design? Amazingly well,  in fact.</p>
<p>The barcodes are called QR, short for Quick Response. Simply take a  photo of the unique barcode with your camera phone. Like magic, your  phone will call up the website associated with said barcode. The  beautiful thing about QR is that you can use it in a myriad of ways.  Feature your QR on your website, in order for site visitors to have a  shortcut to your mobile site. You can also track your visitors through  QR, by placing a special referral code on your URL. When you are leaving  comments on sites such as this, <strong>use the QR as your avatar</strong>.</p>
<p>2011 is all about mobility and it will be smart to take advantage of this new medium.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This is the QR for the author’s personal website. Create your own code <a href="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/">here</a>.</em></p>
<h3>10. Thumbnail Design</h3>
<p>The ever-enterprising folks at Google have introduced the average user to <strong>thumbnail browsing</strong>.  Gone are the days of clicking through to see the content of a website.  These days, you just click on the magnifying glass and hover (assuming  you’re not on a touchscreen). Magically before you is a glimpse of what  waits on the other side of your click.</p>
<p>If your design is Flash-based, that is definitely going to be a  problem. The preview will not display those elements of your design.</p>
<p>As the average internet user becomes more surfing-savvy in 2011,  expect to see more people navigating by these means. It is just too  great of a temptation not to judge a site by its thumbnail.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.webdesignledger.com/" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<h3>11. Constant Connection/ Life Stream</h3>
<p>Last, but certainly not least, is the focus on constant connection in  web design. The internet is, by nature, a sterile environment, and we  make it human by sharing our lives in an open forum. Expect to see more  intimacy through the form of lifestreaming. Personal blogs and  portfolios in 2011 will prominently feature live Twitter feeds (not just  a link to the Twitter page). People will let you know where they are at  any moment of the day via Foursquare.  In fact, expect to see a <strong>dedicated lifestream for all of one’s online activity</strong>. 2011 will definitely bring out our inner, creepy stalker, no doubt about it.</p>
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		<title>Holistic</title>
		<link>http://web2.0studios.com/holistic/</link>
		<comments>http://web2.0studios.com/holistic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:49:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[.what is a complete web application? When we tell you that we provide a complete solution, we are telling you that we are the only vendor that you will need. We provide brand development and general graphic design. We provide web interface development. We provide the functional, business logic to make your site more than [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>.what is a complete web application?</strong></p>
<p>When we tell you that we provide a complete solution, we are telling  you that we are the only vendor that you will need. We provide brand  development and general graphic design. We provide web interface  development. We provide the functional, business logic to make your site  more than a message board. We build the database to house the data  needed to make this business logic work effectively. We will setup your  web marketing strategies and search engine optimize your site as we are  building it to save time and money.</p>
<p><strong>web2.0studios</strong></p>
<p>utilizes the most cutting-edge tools in the industry to produce the  highest quality media available, packed with enhancements that will  impress and inform your target audience. Whether a single-page brochure  or hundred-page catalog, a simple web storefront or large corporate web  sites with multiple applications, or marketing and promotion,  web2.0studios can provide you with every service you need to promote  your business online and off. We develop each new project specific to  your requirements.</p>
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