Successful Blog

Instant Impressions: 7 Popular Web Design Trends

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By Teddy Hunt

The Internet is continuously involving, and people are constantly finding new ways to attract others to their website. Design trends are about as shifty as fashion, so it’s important to keep your website updated with the latest that web design has to offer. With that said, here are seven of the most popular web design trends spicing things up in 2014.

Funky Typography

Funky as in experimental, not funky as in overly complex and unreadable. Graphic designers are having as much fun as ever playing around with fonts and injecting them with flare. These fonts are spicier than your average serif or san-serif like Times New Roman or Helvetica. As the web further expands and more people take to creating their own websites, the need to branch out and come up with unique fonts that stand out is more important than ever before.

Super-Sized Navigation Menus

There’s been a plethora of fancy navigation menus designed, tested, and approved over the past few years, with mobile responsive design (we’ll get to that later) and HTML5/CSS3 influencing that. But the most recent trend seems to involve super-sized menus that expand to huge blocks of content and links. These menus are commonly found on websites that publish great volumes of unique content in high volumes. Although it takes up a lot of space on the page, it provides visitors a broader choice to navigate your website.

Mobile-First Design

The purpose of mobile-first design is to develop your website so that it has a responsive layout that’s accessible by mobile users without sacrificing quality. Essentially, you want to cut of the excess fluff and keep the critical elements. From this perspective, it’s easier to scale up your website’s design to devices that have wider screens. Mobile-first design emphasizes the mobile experience and becomes the foundation for the entire layout. Just make sure that you’re not committing mobile web design mistakes when designing your website.

More Videos

Website visitors are spending less time reading text and more time watching videos and looking at pictures (infographics). With that in mind, it’s time to trash the boring blurbs about what your company can offer and showcase that point in video format (don’t make them too long, though).

Not only is this media format more popular today, but it’s also easily sharable on social media, resulting in more views and greater brand awareness.

Endless Scrolling

Guess what? Scrolling through an in-depth website is easier and faster than clicking through 25 different links to get access to the information you want — and graphic designers are noticing.

These websites aren’t cluttered with content on long scrolling pages, either.

Designers use new website design techniques to format and organize the content in a way that’s easy to read and comprehend. Endless scrolling design can change the layout and design of the page as your scroll further, making you forget you’re scrolling through a lot of information to begin with.

Simple and Subtle Color Schemes

color wheel

The days of eye-popping graphics, complex animations, and crazy color schemes are coming to an end — at least for now. If you’re a smart graphic designer, you’ll use one or two colors instead in the future. One of the more popular trends today is to use a single bright color and a single clean background color like red, teal, or orange (including images or black and white text on top). Not only is this effect minimalistic, but it’s user-friendly.

3D Transition Effects

Whether it’s in animated image galleries, elements, or navigation menus, 3D animations are becoming more popular by the day. You can create 3D effects using jQuery; although, CSS3 has slowly caught up. Unfortunately, not all browsers support these types of animations, so designers avoid using too many on one page. Check out these 3D animated code examples to work from if you want to give a shot.

What website design trends do you expect in the near future? Have you implemented any that make your website stand out better than before? Leave a comment and share your thoughts on the subject.

Author’s Bio: Teddy Hunt is a freelance content writer with a focus on technology. When not behind a computer, Teddy spends the majority of his free time outdoors and resides in Tampa, Florida.

Photo Credit: Viktor Hertz via Compfight cc

Book Review: Spin Sucks, By Gini Dietrich

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Gini Dietrich is on a mission.

She is aiming to shift the practice (and then the perception) of the public relations profession, one mind at a time.

It’s a tough row to hoe, when we are inundated daily with reports of sneaky native advertising, journalist fakeouts, and “astroturfed” social content, much of it generated by so-called PR pros.

But Gini and the Arment Dietrich team represent the good guys, and in her new book, Spin Sucks: Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age, she explains exactly how communications, PR and media relations can be done with integrity and still get stellar results.

In fact, the tectonic shift is taking place everywhere. Power that used to reside in the hands of a few gatekeepers is now democratically spread out to the masses. You can no longer spray out a press release to a purchased list of emails and hope for the best. In a strange way, the digital tide is forcing us to hone our storytelling craft by taking away the crutches we used to rely on. Spin Sucks is full of real stories of success and #FAIL, told in Gini’s down-to-earth style.

Spin Sucks, by Gini Dietrich

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is running a business (large or small), regardless of whether you’re working with an agency or doing it guerrilla style. If you are working with an agency, this book will give you a great baseline knowledge of an integrated marketing/communications/PR/media relations strategy. If you’re going it alone, use the book to experiment and be successful enough to hire a team of pros.

Key Takeaways from Spin Sucks

  • Be a storyteller, not a spinner.
  • Content creation is a long-term strategy, not a quick fix.
  • Create assets that reflect a mix of paid, earned, shared, and owned media.
  • Be honest and transparent in your dealings with the public; manipulation will backfire.
  • It’s time to stop working with content farms, scrapers, and plagiarists.
  • Get comfortable with the fact that your customers are really in control of your brand.
  • Learn to say “I’m sorry” with no embellishment or caveats.
  • The best way to repair online reputation is by overwhelming the negative content with your own great, useful, customer-valued content.
  • If you want to be prepared for the future, stay tapped into all of the disciplines that make up marketing communications…the lines are getting blurrier and blurrier.

What’s your best communications “war story?” Have you had to deal with a communications crisis?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Disclosure: I was given an advance free digital copy of this book for review purposes; however that in no way altered my opinion or the content of this review. My personal story of guerrilla digital PR is mentioned in the book.

Is Your Business Focused on Big Data?

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abigdata

The amount of data that is created and owned by businesses has increased dramatically over the past few years, and this has made data management a more challenging task for many companies.

However, there are new technologies available to enable businesses to get the most out of their data, one of which is big data.

Here is a look at how adopting a big data solution can be beneficial to your business:

Overview of Big Data Management

Big data management refers to the act of organizing, administrating and governing large quantities of data, both structured and unstructured.

It aims to improve the quality and accessibility of data, so that it can be used for big data analytics and business intelligence.

With an effective big data management strategy, businesses can locate valuable data in large pools of semi-structured and unstructured data from a wide range of sources, including system logs, call detail records and social media websites.

Benefits of Implementing a Big Data System

Better Customer Service

To get the most out of your big data system, you need to stay focused on the big data bottom line.

A big data solution can help drive up sales by facilitating better customer service. With such a system in place, your employees will be able to perform real-time checks on your customers and provide helpful advice on products and services.

Additionally, big data can unite the physical and digital shopping spheres by allowing you and your employees to provide useful information about your physical stores through the Internet.

Enhance Product Development and Marketing

Another benefit of big data is that it enables you to gain a better understanding of your target consumers’ behavior and perception of your brand and products, and segment them according to demographic groups and geographical locations.

With such information, you will be able to develop products and services that can meet their needs more effectively, as well as fine-tune your marketing campaign to achieve better results.

Improve Decision Making

By implementing a big data solution, you will have easy access to accurate information on almost every area of your business, ranging from operations to product inventory. This enables you to identify problems and make well-informed decisions to improve various aspects of your business.

Big data also makes information more easily available to your employees, which can help them perform their duties more competently.

Big Data Trends in 2014

New solutions are constantly being developed to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and security of big data systems. As such, you can expect to see significant changes in big data trends in 2014.

According to expert predictions, these changes may include the transitioning of big data from hype to actionable intelligence, increasing use of data by traditional companies to generate revenue, growing importance of visualization tools as an IT expenditure and greater implementation of predictive analytics and machine learning.

In order to get maximum value from your big data solution, you need to make sure that you have the right combination of big data analytics tools, processes and people.

Photo credit: Forbes.com

About the Author: John McMalcolm is a freelance writer who writes on a wide range of subjects, from Cloud computing to social media marketing.

Tools For Writers: Save Time, Work Better

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By Angela England

I have a ton of projects at any given time. In fact, as I was just offered the position of Organic Gardening Guide for About.com I will be busier than ever! I wouldn’t survive all of that with five homeschooling kids, if I didn’t have some great tools under my belt to make it easier.

Tools for writers

Here are some of my favorites.

Steno Pads and Pencils

This seems so…so…eighteenth century, I know. But I carry half-sized steno pads with me everywhere for those times when I need to scribble something in analog. Don’t think that high-tech is the ONLY way to go. When it comes to brainstorming and outlining it is often faster for people to “think out loud” on paper and then translate that to digital once you’ve had that initial brain dump. I buy steno pads in bulk at Sam’s Club so I can easily scrawl in them whenever I want and they fit easily in the side pocket of the car, in the diaper bag, in my purse or laptop case, glove box, etc.

Poster Board or Big White Board

Large brainstorming sessions need bigger amounts of space. I have a technique I will use periodically to brainstorm about a hundred blog post ideas in less than an hour. I taught a workshop about it and you can watch the video here: Brainstorming Blog Post Ideas With Ease

The key is to write quickly and not be worried about how it looks or whether it makes sense. Or is spelled correctly. Get all the ideas out of your head and THEN focus on working them into a logical semblance of order.

Evernote

Speaking of working things into a logical semblance of order – Evernote is one of my favorite tools for capturing ideas on the go. I can clip a website, photo, screenshot, email, type a quick idea, etc from any connected device. My Evernote accounts link my phone, iPad, computer, laptop, etc., so I can easily grab that inspiring phrase from Facebook and plug it into Evernote to explore later. I can also gather research notes and materials and place them into “notebooks” according to website or book project to help me find it easily later. Evernote’s robust tagging and search functions make it one of the best online filing systems I’ve ever used. For more tips on using Evernote, I love this post by Alli Worthington – 10 Way to Use Evernote Like a Pro.

Scrivener

Whether I’m writing non-fiction or fiction, Scrivener is my favorite place to write now. And not only books, but other long-form projects like courses, blog series, feature articles for magazines, and more. The features Scrivener offers writers make it the perfect tool for any professional writer. Call it a cross between Word, Evernote, and your favorite Moleskine. It’s the best online writing tool I’ve come across yet and highly recommend it for anyone who writes anything bigger than 500 words in length.

Dropbox

Writers often have to send large chunks of material. Whether you’re sharing a project with a reviewer, sending your book to an editor, or working collaboratively with several people on a project, Dropbox is a great solution for storing and sharing large files. I especially love the ability to access Dropbox files while NOT connected to the internet (on the road with my laptop, for example) and update files (i.e., write more on my book or course or blog post series) and then have Dropbox automatically sync those changes with my main Dropbox account as soon as I’m connected again. I can store a file in Dropbox and access from any of my other connected devices (including mobile) and from public computers by logging in temporarily at dropbox.com. Keep folders private or share as desired for easy-to-control privacy levels.

These are the main tools I use on a near-daily basis when it comes to writing. Some are free, some are paid, some are high-tech, some are as old as time. All impact the work that I do in profound ways. What are your favorite tools as writers?

Author’s Bio: Angela England is a mother of five living in rural Oklahoma but more, she’s also a problogger, speaker, and author of several books including Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) and Getting Prepared. Her most recent projects are helping people transform their blogs and business by publishing amazing books and producing multiple books this year under the Untrained Housewife brand.

How to Prepare for Your Wake-Up Call

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My Academy Award slipped through my grasp when I was in college.

Although I was a Political Science major, I had signed up for Acting as an elective. Sure that I would accidentally become the next Meryl Streep, I emoted my guts out, hung around with artsy friends who were making student films, and made it into the school musical.

There was just one tiny problem.

I was a terrible actor.

In the same way the Hindenberg was a terrible blimp.

And I only realized it when my acting teacher told me I’d better withdraw from the class or she was going to fail me. (Seriously? Who flunks the acting elective?)

Sometimes it takes an outside, objective force to bring you to your senses when you’re in the throes of a bad idea. A wake up call.

wakeup call

Recognizing When to Pivot

Starting a new business is the ultimate gamble. You’re pulling up a chair to the poker table and pushing all of your chips to the center.

It takes a special kind of guts to go beyond having a great idea, and actually start something that creates value.

It’s wonderful to have guts.

But it’s more important to keep perspective on the situation. Blindly charging ahead without ever stopping to evaluate your strategy is not smart.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein

In gambling, you’re taking a calculated risk in order to potentially earn a big reward. Business is the same thing. You don’t have to put all of your chips on the table at once. You can test some ideas, play a few hands while you evaluate your fellow poker players.

When Odeo became Twitter, there was no guarantee that short, wonky status messages would become something that dominated the entertainment industry (hello, hashtag fever). The founders got the wake-up call that podcast subscriptions were about to be gobbled up whole by iTunes, and made a rapid course change.

Just because you decide to change direction, doesn’t mean success is guaranteed either. The jury is still out on whether Fab’s revamp from a social site to a shopping curation engine has worked.

The point is that when the wake-up call comes, you need to paying attention. You need to have resources you can marshal to respond to the call.

Make Sure You Recognize the Wake-Up Call

  • Have someone around who will speak the truth. Don’t hire yes men (or women).
  • Don’t fall in love with your own ideas. Keep an open attitude toward your creations, and allow the oxygen of alternatives into the picture.
  • Read, read, and read some more. Always be learning from others and improving your knowledge base.
  • Build in time to stop and evaluate the numbers. Look brutal reality in the eye on a regular basis.

Are you prepared for a wake-up call?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Photo Credit: Alan Cleaver via Compfight cc

Tips to Successfully Selling a Business

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asale

It can be a challenge to own multiple businesses, but it can also be profitable and rewarding.

However, there may come a time to sell off one business so you can focus on the others. But choosing one to sell and completing the transaction can be difficult.

Here are some tips to help you make a successful sale:

Recognizing the Challenges

A person who owns multiple businesses is called a serial entrepreneur.

They have unique challenges that other business owners may not face. It is important that they recognize those challenges to make each business successful.

Business owners must learn how to manage their time and delegate tasks to others.
While this is important for all business people, it is critical when you own more than one. You also have to make sure you are spending enough time with each business.

How to Choose the Right Business to Sell

One of the signs that it may be time to sell off one of your entities is that it takes up too much of your time and doesn’t allow you to focus on your other companies. It’s better to let one go than to lose them all because you can’t pay enough attention to them.

A business that has reached its peak may be ready for new ownership.

You want to sell before it is on a decline, while it still has a strong value.

If you have a partner, you will have to reach the decision together. This can be challenging if each of you have a particular favorite. However, having a partner can also be beneficial because it is someone you may be able to convince to buy your share.

Many serial entrepreneurships involve partners, such as The Light Group with Andrew Sasson founder and Brian Massie, that owns multiple restaurants in Las Vegas.

When one partner wants to sell, he may have an automatic buyer in his partner.

Selling Your Business

You will need to create a sales agreement once you find a buyer.

This will provide the sales price, list of inventory; covenant not to compete, a list of fees, and many other forms.

It is best to work with an experienced attorney when selling your business. You want to make sure you comply with all of the rules and regulations in your location and for your industry.

You will also have to consider the impact to your staff and how you will handle things with them.

In some cases, you may be able to get an agreement from the new buyer about keeping all or part of the staff on after the sale. But this may not be binding unless it is part of the actual agreement.

Also remember that you will need to decide when to tell your staff and how to transfer tasks. This can be more difficult if you have employees who work in more than one of your companies. There may be some anger or jealousy between employees.

It is essential to think through your decision to sell one of your businesses and to understand each step of the process.

While the hardest part may be in choosing which company to sell, it is only the first step of many.

Photo credit: frontrangebusiness.com

About the Author: Joyce Morse is an author who writes on a variety of topics, including SEO and small business.