It’s that time of year again, where we look into our crystal ball to see what will be the hot trends in web design for the upcoming year. It’s no secret that trends come and go, with some hanging around longer than they should. (Yes, splash page, I’m talking about you.) But trends are a necessity in the development and growth of our craft. Trends are born, improved upon, and often spawn other trends. So as a web designer, when you apply trends to your projects, challenge yourself to expand upon them and make them your own.
As you read this article, keep in mind that the shift in trends from one year to the next may be subtle, and you will probably recognize some of these trends already. But it’s our estimation that the concepts we mention below will grow and become even bigger in 2012.
1. Responsive Web Design
I believe eventually, we’ll all stop talking about responsive web design – not because it will go away, but because it will become what’s expected. However, I don’t think this will happen in 2012. It’s still too new of a concept, and there are many web designers that are not familiar with it at all.
The continued introduction and adoption of more an more mobile devices is what will make 2012 the year of the responsive web site. Web designers and developers will move to the use of fluid layouts instead fixed width, and media queries will find their way into many more stylesheets – allowing more sites to easily be viewed across multiple screens sizes and devices.
2. Fixed-Position Navigation
We have all run into this technique at some point, mostly on personal websites or individual blogs. I have seen a large drop in this trend during 2010-2011, but a resurgence has been appearing over the last few months.
If your website doesn’t have a lot of main navigation then you only need to provide a few small links. So why not keep these visible to each user at all times? This can dramatically READ MORE
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 … READ MORE
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Yes it’s a great idea to get a website for your new business, especially a professional & affordable one. Having been in business since 2002, here are some useful tips for a successful business start-up;
1. Find an affordable place to advertise. You can always try Craigslist, Kijiji, the newspaper, radio, magazines etc. Make sure you keep your advertisements current, a one month old ad on Craigslist for example, will only be ignored.
2.Budget your expenses carefully, you want to make sure you’re bringing in the revenue to pay for what you’re spending in business expenses. Try keeping track in MS Excel, or purchase Quick Books.
3. Find good sales staff, and pay them on a commission and/or contract basis only. Taking on employees in the beginning can increase liability
4. Hire support staff in the same manner, contract basis only
5. If you’re doing your own accounting, make sure to have a professional invoicing/receipt system.You can purchase Quick Books to accomplish this for you for an affordable price. It’s also a good idea to have your HST #.
6. Keep your website updated, a stagnant website can make people wonder if you’re actually still in business. Put a blog on your site, and add new info to it each month.
7. Show off some of your work. If you’re in the seasonal lawn care business for example, post pictures regularly on what you’re doing. How about posting before & after shots of the lawn you just took care of? Taking the time to do this will increase your sales and the trust people have in you to help them.
8. Keep your prices affordable, you may need to work for less from time to time, but it’s important to build up a solid client base where you can then start generating referrals
9. Take a peak at what your competition is doing, and see if it’s at all possible to work with your competition. Sometimes competitors can offer a lot of assistance especially if they have more expertise
10. Last but not least, be prepared to work more than 8 hours per day. Taking weekends off when business is at it’s peak isn’t a great idea. If you’re willing to put in the extra hours in the beginning, the rewards will be high a couple years down the road.
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