Why HTML5?

In the programming world, it can be difficult to figure out what new techologies to adopt and which ones you should wait on and see how they do. Fortunately with HTML5 the guess work is taken out. HTML5 is being backed by both Apple and Google, two of the largest, most influential companies in the IT industry. If they say it is important and are backing their development with this technology, it means there will be a big adoption wave - which is really important in emerging technologies. 

HTML5 is revolutionizing the way the internet will look and feel. Programmers and coders will have more control of the pages theHTML 5 follows the way the Net evolved in the last years and includes many useful tags and elements. At first glance, it might look as if HTML 5 is going in the direction of a programming language (i.e. PHP) but actually this is not so – it is still an XML–based presentation language. The new tags and elements might make HTML 5 look more complex but this is only at first glance.
HTML 5 is not very different from HTML 4. One of the basic ideas in the development of HTML 5 was to ensure backward compatibility and because of that HTML 5 is not a complete revamp of the HTML specification. So, if you had worries that you will have to start learning it from scratch, these worries are groundless.y are creating, and they won’t need so many plug-ins. With Apple refusing to use Flash on the iPhone, developers began scurrying about to figure out what else could be done. They have figured out a way to be able to embed the video with code rather than use a plug-in. While more work needs to be done on this feature to exceed the level of quality Flash brings, they are definitely on to something huge.

Another reason why HTML5 is so important is the use of mobile devices to access the internet. As the culture changes to more of a mobile lifestyle, people are demanding more from their smartphones and tablets. The more apps, multimedia, and internet use the device has, the shorter the battery life and the more GB it takes up. HTML5 is able to take rich multimedia and make it lighter on a mobile device while keeping the integrity of the media. One of the main benefits for mobile devices is that HTML5 is not limited to iOS or Android, it is multi-platform. It will work on any mobile device. This is the new wave for mobility, so adopting HTML5 is a must. iOS and Android are both here to stay so if developers want to enlarge their market share and save time from duplicating apps with two different OS’s, HTML5 is the way to go.

Web browsers are also beginning to support HTML5. Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari and Opera and four major players in this game. They are in support of many features that HTML5 has to offer and will most likely be dictating the direction HTML5 will go on the features they are not supporters of quite yet.

The main benefit everyone is talking about is the simplicity of HTML5. While XHTML was not adopted by a lot of larger web browsers, HTML5 has promise of streamlining coding language, media, and overall user experience. It is important to watch how HTML5 unfolds in the near future because predictions are that by 2014, HTML5 will be the standard for the previously mentioned web browsers.

Why Mobile Websites Are So Important

In an attempt to grow your business, you’ve spent countless hours and plenty of cash to develop an interactive app to draw mobile users to your brand. You connect with them through all the social media outlets, and you text message them special savings and deals to lure them to your website. But have you configured a mobile-friendly website that allows users to interact with your brand on their time?

If you don’t have a mobile website, you may be doing your business a major disservice. According to signalnews.com, 16.7 million users over the age of 13 rely on their phones for Internet access. If your site isn’t compatible for mobile use, you might be losing out on a lot of traffic.

How do you connect with all those on-the-go users? Many of today’s mobile users look to their devices as more than a talking piece; most phones are designed as tools for entertainment (videos, music, and general web use) and real-time information exchange. The integration of Qwerty keypads and touch-screen options has given users the web at their fingertips, with a serious emphasis on function and speed.

The most important aspect of a mobile site is the ability to provide content to the lightning-fast smart phone user while still making the site accessible to older models. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including sites designed to detect browsing from mobile devices. These sites remove barriers of entry for mobile users, redirecting them to mobile-friendly sites with information and interaction opportunities designed to engage.

In conjunction with redirection, businesses that use mobile sites as part of a marketing strategy reap the rewards of creating equal access for on-the-go users. Mobile sites can be enhanced with downloads specifically geared toward phone users and can even allow users to take advantage of the applications without downloading. For users with older devices, consider incorporating a simpler version of your mobile site. This version would allow those users to take advantage of your information or applications without waiting for excessive download time.

No matter how you choose to implement your mobile site, pay close attention to the options and features that draw clients to your original site. Finding the balance between conventional content and interactive mobile options will make for a powerful marketing tool capable of engaging users anywhere, anytime.

The Importance of Cross Browser Testing

When it comes time to turn your site from a mockup to something fully functional, you'll want to make sure that it works great for everyone visiting your site whether they're using Internet Explorer, Firefox, or any other browser.

Here's a quick explanation of cross-browser testing and some useful resources for designers and developers:

1. Your site will look different in different browsers. That's because browsers understand some code slightly differently (kind of like the difference between American English and British English).
2. Your designer should be testing to make sure that your site works well in all modern browsers. At Insivia we test site functionality in at least Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari (and Google Chrome), and Opera.
3. There are ways to check which browsers your audience is using to see your site. Google Analytics is a good tool to access this info.
4. New browsers are becoming more and more standards-compliant (meaning they all follow the same rules for code), so hopefully this will be one less headache for designers and developers.

Useful links and resources for designers and developers:

• Check out how well your browser renders sites using the Web Standards Acid Test.
• Freelance Folder lists some great free tools for designers to test cross-browser compatability.
• Mac and PC users alike can delight in Safari 4, which has ridiculously useful tools to help you see sites in different browsers and versions.

5 tips for website owners

So you've got a website or you're thinking of creating a website? What are the top 5 tips we can give you in ensuring your website is a long term success?

1) Plan, plan and plan some more.

Building a well constructed, targeted, information rich and SEO focussed website takes a lot of time, effort and ultimately money. As the website guardian, it is your job to ensure that all of the long term targets and objectives are met, that improvements and fixes are implemented quickly and that the whole system is meeting or exceeding expectations. With larger e-commerce projects and bespoke web applications the importance in planning increases exponentially. The web site will be interacting with more internal systems, encrouching into other departments remits and generally throwing it's weight around more. The importance of planned introductions and improvements can not be underestimated. Knee jerk reactions to implement a new piece of functionality often causes more problems than leaving things alone.
It is worthwhile investing in a suitable project management solution - be that offline like MS Project/OmniOutliner or online like Basecamp - these systems will help you to plan your workloads, timescales and delivery dates more accurately.

Write a full and detailed website spec

There are a multiple reasons for doing this, but the two main ones are that it ensures you get what you want and deliverables are set and agreed by all parties. It it will also help you to think about all the nuisances of your project - for want of a better phrase, 'it will get the creative juices flowing'. Quite often, it's only when writing the full website spec do you realise, 'Oh, actually I need it to handle the lack of VAT on international exports' etc. Writing a spec is a good thing and will result in a happy website owner/developer relationship.

2) Preparing copy and photographs takes time

Creating interesting, key word rich and well written copy is a skill. If you don't have the skill or time to dedicate to doing this properly pay a professional to do it for you. This is often an area that customers think they can cut some costs and do themselves - and more often than not it's very evident in the final result. Copywriters aren't hugely expensive and they will do a better job than you will!
Similarly good photography can make a website. instead of using the camera on your mobile phone, pay for a professional to come and take some pictures. This is particularly important if it's product photography or location focused.

3) Don't ignore the importance of the Search Engines.

Think of Search Engines such as Google as being the pathways from the street to your company's front door. If you have a fantastic looking building, great products and a happy demeanor it's not going to get the customers in from the streets - the pathway to your door will do that.  So it is imperative that you build your website with the search engines in mind - no matter how big and well known your company is, you will need this at some point. The current economic climate (2009) is proving that even big, well established, brands feel the pinch from time to time.

Have a separate SEO budget.

If possible, keep your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) budget and web development budget separate. Although the two are intrinsically linked, they are two different things and can even be handled by two different companies. Similarly, don't spend the budget for one thing on extra funding for the other. You need a balanced and well thought out strategy. After all, investing all your money in a website that no-one can find is almost as bad as investing all the money in optimising a website with poor design and a lack of features - either way the result is the same: a lack of sales.

4) Keep it fresh.

The initial build of a website is exciting and takes up a lot of resources.  However you must not forget that this is now your mouthpiece to the world - you need to keep the momentum up and the new content flowing. Not only for search engine purposes but also to keep your customers coming back to you. They will be interested to see what you're working on, what new products or services you're offering and how you can help them improve/expand/reach more customers.
So consider it your job to ensure that content is added monthly as an absolute minimum - it will be worth the effort in the long run.

5) Nothing lasts forever

Almost everything has a shelf life, particularly in our 'rapid change' world, where technological advances mean improvements can be made quickly and with sweeping effect. So you need to consider that your website will have a shelf life. What is possible now will be different in 3 years time. What is de-riguer now will be old hat soon. You need to continually evolve to stay with the pack. It is worthwhile bearing in mind that websites typically have a life cycle of between 3 and 5 years.

In Conclusion

Of course there are a million and one things to consider when running a website, but these tips might help you plan for the long term or at least give it a cursory glance.

What type of website does your business need?

Quite often we are approached to produce a website when the client doesn't really know what they need. This article aims to discuss the types of website available and what they are suitable for.

Brochure Websites

A brochure, or static website, is a site that often has no database interaction. Quite often these are set up ‘just because we need a website’ - after all, ‘everyone has a website now’. A brochure website tends to have a similar level of information to a standard printed brochure, i.e. who you are, what you do, how to find you etc. These sites can be optimised for search engines, however they are often too small to have any significant impact. Typically, if someone queries a search engine with your company name you would be found, however you are unlikely to be found with a keyword unless it’s very specific.

Flash Websites

A Flash website is one that uses Adobe Flash, a programme that requires every user to have a browser plugin to view the website. The real benefit of a Flash website is that you can use advanced animation, music and video. They are brilliant for showcasing your work and mean any fonts and images can be used on the site. The drawbacks are that they are not indexed well by the search engines (meaning poor performance in search listings i.e. people will not be able to find you on Google et. al.) and that they are not very accessible or easy to update.

Maintenance of a Flash website would need to be carried out by skilled staff and a redesign, which is a part of every website's life cycle, means effectively starting again each time. More traditional websites built using modern coding standards can be reskinned with relatively little rework.

Part Flash/Part HTML/CSS

For clients wanting some animation, video or sound we often recommend a Flash/HTML mix. This is where the bulk of the website is coded in HTML/CSS but elements of it are in fact Flash movies embedded into the page. This offers a 'best of both worlds' solution to having some Flash whilst being easier to update and redesign.

Content Management Systems (CMS)

A Content Management System (CMS) is a web-based tool to allow any authorised user access to edit the website. The idea behind a CMS is that day-to-day maintenance is handled by the client who, typically, has no prior experience in web page programming. By using modern programming languages and WYSIWYG (pronounced ‘wizzy wig’ - meaning ‘What You See Is What You Get’) editors look and work in a similar way to Microsoft Word, but convert the content in HTML (the language of the web).

We find that people who are proficient in Word can easily work our CMSs with the ability to create new content, add content, insert images and basically control what is in the website.

A database powered CMS will store the content of the web page in a database table, meaning it’s searchable and can have various meta data attached to it. It also means that you can have various version of the same page (for example, the live version, older versions and perhaps a new version that is not yet complete.) This makes a CMS a very powerful tool for managing the site content.

There are a few options with CMSs, but the main ones are:

Off the shelf Content Management Systems

Off the shelf CMSs allow you to quickly and easily set up a website. They are often open source, meaning they're free to download, and are well supported. They usually lend themselves well to being re-skinned to whatever design you want.

There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to using an off the shelf CMS, notably:

Positives

• The system is pre-built so there are no development costs
• Well supported
• Well tested with regular updates

Negatives

• Functionality limited to what the package offers
• Hacking older versions can be common place
• Updating systems can be difficult
• What happens if the system is no longer supported?
• Altering the system is often very complicated

Bespoke Content Management Systems

A bespoke CMS is one built to your exact requirements. It will do precisely what you want it do and will look exactly how you want it to. Obviously a bespoke build will carry a greater level of development work and, ultimately, cost. Most web agencies worth their salt should have previously built a CMS. If they have any sense, they’ll have built it in a portable and scalable way, meaning the core code can be lifted from project to project and modified to suit each individual set of deliverables.

As with the off the shelf systems there are, of course, pros and cons to a bespoke build. They are:

Positives

• It will do exactly what you want it to do
• It will look exactly how you want it to
• Additional functionality can be added for things like Google Maps, Flickr imports, RSS feeds and other rich media

Negatives

• Initial build costs
• Longer time scales than off the shelf systems
• Greater requirement for testing and snagging

eCommerce

Selling on the internet is now a massive industry. The overheads are low, the audience is huge and the potential is only restricted by budget and commitment.

Deciding which approach to take is probably dependent upon your requirements and what else the website needs to achieve.

Off the shelf eCommerce

Like the off the shelf CMS, there are many benefits to using an off the shelf eCommerce system, however the negatives are also similar. There are a 101 different eCommerce packages on the market, some good and some bad. Deciding which one to use is difficult.

We tend to use Magento (http://www.magentocommerce.com/) for our off the shelf eCommerce implementations - it's a free to use package that is very flexible and has many great features. It can be restyled and customised relatively easily. The main drawbacks come when you want to add functionality that was not part of the original system.

Bespoke eCommerce

A lot of our Bespoke eCommerce applications are set up because an off the shelf package doesn’t offer the functionality required. Setting up a bespoke eCommerce application is simple in its basic concept, however additional things like reporting, printing invoices and picking lists add to its complexity.

Most of our eCommerce packages are integrated with Paypal or with Protx, who are payment gateway providers.

Get Started With WordPress

Want to start a website? “Go with WordPress.” – That’s  short-and-sweet answer for all. 

This long article is meant for newbies who wish to start a new WordPress site or blog.

WordPress Explained

First thing first, what is WordPress? As described in developer’s own words:

“WordPress is publishing software with a focus on ease of use, speed and a great user experience. WordPress is blessed with an active community, which is the heart of open source software.”

“WordPress is a powerful personal publishing platform, and it comes with a great set of features designed to make your experience as a publisher on the Internet as easy, pleasant and appealing as possible. We are proud to offer you a freely distributed, standards-compliant, fast, light and free personal publishing platform, with sensible default settings and features, and an extremely customizable core. ”

In layman term, WordPress is an open-source web application that provides a convenient way to create, publish, and manage contents online. WordPress was mainly used as a blogging platform at first but as the software revolt; it is widely used in building and maintaining websites.

If you are into history, read About WordPress.

Benefits of WordPress

WordPress is free, easy-to-use, features rich, SEO friendly, and most importantly, WordPress is widely supported. The system itself is supported by a huge group of talented volunteers; and there are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of developers and web designers working 24/7 on WordPress plugins and templates.

What’s about WordPress template and plugin?

A WordPress template is the design codes (in css and php files) that decide the outlook of your website/blog; while WordPress plugins are functional codes that provide extra functions to your website/blog.

Details for each of these at below.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

People always confused with WordPress.org and WordPress.com. WordPress.org is all about the software (where you can find supports, documentations and download links on the software); WordPress.com on the other hand, is where you can host a free blog online using the WordPress software. Blogs hosted on WordPress.com will have long URLs like http://www.myblog.wordpress.com – just like what you get from Blogspot.com.

WordPress Templates Explained

The beauty of WordPress is that the design of your blog/website is ‘seperated’ from the backend system.

The appearance of your WordPress blog/website is controlled by a series of files named template or theme. You can modify your blog/website designs easily by editing your files in the template folders (without touching the backend system). Once you get the stylesheets and template files configured, the design will be reflected thru out your blog/website and there’s no need to edit the designs on page-by-page basis.

Do I need to create WordPress templates myself?

Yes if you want to; but it’s not a must. As a matter of fact, most WordPress bloggers do not create their own blog/website templates. There are plenty of templates available (for free or for an affordable price) online. If this is your first WordPress blog, I would suggest you start by using templates built by others.

Where can I get those beautiful WordPress templates?

A simple search on Google should get you infinite WordPress templates. Alternatively, you can find beautiful templates from WordPress themes gallery sites as well as related blogs. 

Some links to get you started:

Official WordPress Website

• Themes Directory 

WordPress Themes Galleries

• WP Themes 360
• Top WP Themes
• WP Theme Designer

WordPress Plugins Explained

A WordPress plugin is like an extension on the basic system. Plugins can extend WordPress to do almost anything you can imagine –polls, dynamic listing on related articles, on-site rating systems, images gallery, SEO features, auto-generate XML sitemap… etc.

Similar to WordPress template, you don’t have to create your own plugins. Benefit of WordPress – there are plenty of volunteers developing plugins and sharing the codes for free. There are almost infinite number of plugins available online that you can get just about any tasks done with these existing plugins.

More info? Visit plugin directory at WordPress official website.

Setting up your first WordPress site

You should be able to install WordPress in most hosting providers and personal computers on Unix/Linux system. The latest WordPress version requires PHP Version 4.3 or greater and MySQL Version 4.0 or greater.

Details of server requirements and recommended setup can be found here but I think 99.99% users should be fine without reading the specifications.

Installing WordPress on local computer

Before installing WordPress, you need a mini-server installed in your computer – something like WAMP should be good enough. When you are done with WAMP (or whatever system you are using on your computer), go download WordPress installation file and follow the ‘Famous 5-Minute Install’ guides.

Quoting from WordPress official website (http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress)

1. Download and unzip the WordPress package, if you haven’t already.
2. Create a database for WordPress on your web server, as well as a MySQL user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.
3. Rename the wp-config-sample.php file to wp-config.php.
4. Open wp-config.php in your favorite text editor and fill in your database details as explained in Editing wp-config.php to generate and use your secret key password.
5. Place the WordPress files in the desired location on your web server: 
   – If you want to integrate WordPress into the root of your domain (e.g. http://example.com/), move or upload all contents of the unzipped WordPress directory (but excluding the directory itself) into the root directory of your web server.
   – If you want to have your WordPress installation in its own subdirectory on your web site (e.g. http://example.com/blog/), rename the directory wordpress to the name you’d like the subdirectory to have and move or upload it to your web server. For example if you want the WordPress installation in a subdirectory called "blog", you should rename the directory called "wordpress" to "blog" and upload it to the root directory of your web server.
6. Run the WordPress installation script by accessing wp-admin/install.php in your favorite web browser. 
   – If you installed WordPress in the root directory, you should visit: http://example.com/wp-admin/install.php 
   – If you installed WordPress in its own subdirectory called blog, for example, you should visit: http://example.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php

Installing WordPress on web host

If you are planning to run a WordPress website from the beginning, look for a web host that can auto-install WordPress for you. There are plenty (and I really mean P-L-E-N-T-Y) of good web host that supports such easy installation features – why sweat for all the hassles to install WordPress manually?

Why Marketing for your Website is Important

You may have been running your business for a very long time, and enjoyed moderate success, but you don't quite know how to enjoy the success all your competitors are experiencing, and you're looking for ways to expand the reach your company is capable of. With the advent of the Internet, many small businesses are experiencing new growth and added profits when they take their unique company to the Internet and establish an online presence with a custom Web Design, and a solid Internet Marketing Strategy to marketing their company online.

• Reach a Greater Number Of People

  With the help of a beautiful and optimized website, and some help with Social Media Marketing, more and more people who are interested in the services you offer will be able to learn about your business. If they like what they see, they'll stick with you. This can supply you with an enormous amount of exposure that your small business has never experienced before.
  

• Increase Your Presence Within the Community

  You won't just attract people from other parts of the country or the world with your website. People in your location who might not have known about your business through the traditional forms of marketing that you may be using, can discover your company as they use search engines looking for a local business that specializes in your product or service. This way, you can increase your presence and visibility on a more immediate level as well.
  

• Make Your Customers Part of the Conversation

  The unique nature of online marketing makes it easy to make your customers feel like they're invested in the company. With a simple solicitation for their contact information (presumably in return for a free 'something'), you can occasionally send them newsletters and mailers that will inform them of new reasons to keep them coming back for more.
  

• Educate Your Customers On Your Products

  With the help of an effectively optimized and informative website, you can tell established or prospective customers more information on your product or service than traditional marketing methods would allow. This way, your customers will feel more knowledgeable about what you offer, and as such will be more comfortable paying money for it.
  

• Possess A New Avenue For Selling Your Product

  If you have the means and the motivation to create an online store for your business, as well as a way to ship your products to customers outside your local area, you can provide whatever you sell to people all around the country. The comparatively minimal cost of shipping your products and maintaining an online store is nothing compared to the immense profits you can experience when you extend your customer base to the rest of the country and beyond. Even customers in your area can take a look at what you have through your online store, and later choose to buy it from your location.
  
  

Now that you know these top five ways in which a website is an important part of your marketing plan, it's our sincere hope that you can create an online presence that will dramatically benefit your company. With the help of an effectively designed and optimized website, you can bring in new revenue streams to your brick and mortar business and create a niche for yourself online, enabling you to experience success the likes of which you've never seen before.