Since mobility is so important to consumers today, it should be safe to say that the future of web design will focus on this, as well. Designers will need to create web designs that are both user friendly and more compatible with mobile devices. They’ll also have to be eye-catching and impressive to grab the attention of today’s users. Considering this, here are a few ideas of what 2013 web design trends should bring.

Social Media Access

Integrating an easy way to access social media networks into the web design is a new trend for 2013. Social media is constantly growing in popularity and this trend is not likely to change. Therefore, it makes sense that making these sites more accessible through web design would be beneficial because it makes it possible for users to access their favorite social networking site right from your website.

Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design is not new but this trend was so successful in 2012, it’s not going away anytime soon. This design is what makes it possible for websites to adjust to the different screen sizes and resolutions, so users can view them on mobile devices as well as computer screens. Websites look better and they’re easier to read on all devices when this layout is used and since the introduction of HTML 5, responsive web design layouts are even more effective and look better than ever.

Hypertext Markup Language 5

Hypertext markup language 5 is capable of making animations with two-dimensional graphics. This makes it easy to create more fun and interesting layouts, so you can expect that it will eventually take the place of Adobe Flash in 2013 web design trends.

Parallax Scrolling and Vertical Scrolling

You can expect parallax scrolling to gain lots of attention in 2013 because it gives more depth to the images. It makes the 2D objects seem more like 3D because designers place them on different layers. Parallax scrolling allows these designs to move in the same direction using different speeds. Vertical scrolling is growing in popularity because it’s more user-friendly and convenient for mobile users. When you combine parallax scrolling with vertical scrolling, it creates an interactive visual design that is interesting, easy to navigate and more enjoyable to look at.

Mobile Application Web Browsing

At this time, it is easier and more convenient for mobile users to browse the web through applications, especially if they are accessing social media networks or Google+. You can expect to see this trend continue throughout 2013.

While there is no way to know for sure what more 2013 web design trends will bring, we do know what gets attention and what users like to see. This information gives us a good idea of what to expect. One thing is for sure, you can expect 2013 to be more exciting and interesting than anything we have seen before.

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Once you decide to pursue a career in Web design, you’ll discover that several different types of courses exist that focus on different areas of design. Therefore, you’ll need to decide which area of Web design you want to focus on the most. Here are three of the most popular types of online web design courses available today.

Adobe

Adobe Web Design classes are among the most popular and it will focus on one or more of the following software programs: Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Flash, Photoshop, Indesign, Air, Fireworks, Captivate, Coldfusion, Illustrator, Freehand, Golive and Reader.

Microsoft FrontPage

Courses that include Microsoft FrontPage will teach potential web designers how to use software to create and navigate databases, frames, forms and themes. You’ll also learn how to apply this knowledge and use themes to design a professional website.

Extensible Markup Language

Extensible markup language or XML is a metalanguage that provides the foundation designers use to create web pages. Designers can customize the foundation to suit the needs of the company. The main topics in these courses will cover XML uses and how it works to support Internet browsers, how to create XML documents and document type definitions. You will also learn the difference between HTML, XML and SGML.

Regardless of which program the Web design course you choose focuses on, you’ll learn how to design interactive web pages and how to add images, links and flash objects to the design. You’ll also learn how to monitor and detect problems in the design, so you can make corrections as needed.

Benefits of Learning Web Design Online

When you learn Web design online, you have more freedom because you don’t have to show up for classes on a certain day or at a certain time. You can study anytime day or night, so you can take care of other responsibilities as needed and you never have to worry about being late or missing classes. It’s also more affordable than taking classes at a university, so more people can take advantage of learning this exciting career.

When you take online classes, you can relax so it’s much more comfortable than sitting in a crowded classroom. You can also take your time and learn at your own pace. If you need to spend a little extra time on certain topics, it’s not a problem. You can move on when you’re ready.

Whether you’re learning Web design from scratch or you want to brush up on your skills, taking advantage of online classes is a great way to learn Web design.

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Let’s look at how to be more productive as a web designer:

Get comfortable: If you want to do your best at your job, you need to be comfortable in your work environment. This often means whether you work from home or in a traditional office, you need a good desk and work area, comfortable chair and other tools. For example, as a designer you are going to use your mouse often and probably more quickly and precisely than the average computer user.

Make use of available tools: As a designer, don’t be afraid to make use of the tools and apps that are available to you. You do not have to do everything yourself by scratch to be good at your job. Sometimes it just makes sense to use a tool or application that is available that will make your job easier or quicker. Tools are not a crutch but instead are meant to aid you in the process of doing what you already do- design! Do you have some favorite tools and apps or maybe some you have been thinking of trying but putting it off? Now’s a good time.

Create and stick to a schedule: You need a schedule, especially if you work independently or have private clients depending on you. This is why you should create a regular, daily work schedule and also a per-project schedule. You can then refer to this schedule to help you stay on track, keep up with milestones and provide updates to clients or other project members as needed. Some people worry a schedule is too constricting but it actually gives you freedom as it teaches you to be in control of your tasks.

Use time tracking: In addition to using a schedule, you can use time tracking techniques to ensure you stick to your schedule. Time tracking holds you accountable and also tells you what you’re doing in a particular amount of time. This can help you learn if you need to improve or make changes and how to tweak your schedule so that you get enough done each day. If you’re not being productive with your current schedule, then that probably means you need to make some changes.

Know and use your strengths: When working as a web designer, it’s important to know and use your strengths. It’s easy to try to compare yourself to other designers and then get frustrated if you’re not able to do something they do. But the fact remains, we are all unique and a web designer is a type of artists. Each artist has their own abilities and no two are created equally. You need to discover and nurture what makes you stand out from the rest, rather than worry about the things you can’t do. Play on your strengths!

With these tips, you can learn to be more productive as a web designer. Just like any profession, you can do your best when you enjoy what you do. When you have confidence and have fun, it will show in your work and your work habits. More people will want to hire you and will be pleased with your work and spread the word to their friends and family.

Do you have any tips to add on how to be more productive as a web designer?

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A lot of these fears can be put to rest through thoughtful business website development and design that serve to foster consumer trust. Just ask yourself if your website can answer “yes” to all of these questions:

Does it Show Security?

Many people are worried about identity theft, especially when it comes to entering their information online. Reassure them upfront by making all security and verification certificates and icons plainly visible on your business’ website. It’s ideal to place these in your website’s footer, so security icons are located on every page.

Be especially sure to display these badges in your website’s shopping cart. Even prominent businesses, like Walmart, display security badges. They know the importance of customer peace of mind to their bottom line. You don’t want the customer backing out at the point of sale, because they just aren’t sure if their information will be safe.

Does Your Business Exist?

There is something comforting about knowing where a business is located and how to get in contact with them. We like to know we are buying from real people and not just a randomly thrown up website that may not deliver as promised. Your website design should include an ‘About’ page and a ‘Contact’ page.

The ‘About’ section should detail company history, as well as share a little bit about the business owners. Try to include a professional photograph of yourself.

The ‘Contact’ section is the perfect place to have a contact form, email addresses, phone numbers, an address and a map with your location.

Can the Merchandise Be Seen?

You will be hard pressed to find someone who will purchase a product without being able to see a picture of it and definitely not enough of these trusting individuals to make your business successful. Every product listing needs to include at least one professional quality photograph so consumers can see that the merchandise is exactly what they want. Multiple photographs, showing different sides of the item are more likely to satisfy customer doubts.

Are there Detailed Product Descriptions?

That is, do your product descriptions answer questions the consumer might have about product details or clue them into how they might use the item? A great product description can pull in a consumer with original, engaging copy. Include sizes, finishes, materials and any other choices and information about the product.

Are Return Policies Upfront?

One major thing customers will want to know is what your policy is if they are unhappy with a product they purchased. In fact, this will probably be the primary reason customers use your contact information. Be upfront about any return policies or other rules, by listing these in easy-to-understand wording right on your website. Not only will this provide your customer with valuable information they need, but it also builds trust that you are an actual and ethical retailer.

If your website passes these questions, you are well on your way to an e-commerce website customers will be willing to trust with their money and personal information. A quality business website developer and designer can assist you with all these aspects and more to ensure your online business is primed for success.

The post Is Your E-commerce Website Trustworthy? appeared first on | Evoke Design.

Some of the most popular sites on the web are famous for their attention to detail, uniqueness and quality. This includes things like error pages.

There is so much more your 404 page can do other than just tell the browser they have landed on a bad page. Maybe they typed the URL wrong or maybe the page is broken but you can use this as an opportunity and WordPress makes it a lot easier than you might think.

WordPress SEO expert Joost de Valk (yoast) reports from years of doing SEO audits that most WordPress site owners don’t go past the default when it comes to creating 404 error pages. You can greatly benefit from optimizing your error page but the truth is, most site owners are not.

Things to Do with Your WordPress Error 404 Page

So let’s take a look at some of the things you can do in WordPress with your 404 error pages:

1. Use it to link your sitemap.
2. Add a contact form to it (ie. “You found a broken page- let us know about the error”)
3. Give a simple, branded apology for the inconvenience.
4. Possible hints on how to resolve the problem (ie. “Were you looking for ___?”) or a search bar for the site to help them try again.
5. Links to the home page or other popular content on the site so they don’t just navigate away completely.
6. Subscription options, such as a newsletter or RSS
7. Promotions, packages or other offers
8. Other information about the requested URL
9. A tagcloud to help them find other content on the site
10. Any additional information to make it easier for them to find your content after hitting a 404

Now that you know some other ideas for what to do with your 404 error page, you should also focus your efforts on preventing these errors in the first place. Ideally, we would never have errors on our site but we all know this just isn’t always possible. So we do the best we can to maintain and prevent.

Here are some ways to reduce your occurrences of 404 pages:

• Design with solid, well-structured permalinks from the start of the project.
• When removing old content, save it properly and set up proper redirection or page migration.
• Always keep a check on your incoming links and ask website owners to correct them if they are broken.
• Test your pages and navigation regularly to ensure all is working properly.

There’s really no excuse not to have a great, optimized 404 page for your site. If you are unable to design it yourself, seek help from a WordPress designer who is experience in WordPress sites.

Do you use a unique 404 error page? We want to hear about it in the comments.

The post Creating Great 404 Error Pages in WordPress appeared first on | Evoke Design.

Evernote

Evernote is an awesome app for keeping your organized and its versatility allows you to use it across devices via the cloud (desktop, tablet, smartphone). You can make use of add-ons to save webpages as well as creating bookmarks and reading lists. Evernote is available for your Windows or Mac desktop, iPad and iPhone, and Android or Blackberry.

Adobe Photoshop Express

That desktop power house Adobe Photoshop just got mobile thanks to Adobe Photoshop Express. You can use this app to touch up and enhance photos while you are away from your desktop. If you are already family with the original Photoshop program, getting used to the Express app won’t be difficult at all.

Behance

With the Behance app, you can show potential clients just what you can do as a designer. This app puts your portfolio at your fingertips while you are on the go so you can show people what you can do.

Paper

For iPad users, Paper is a must-have app. With Paper, designers can sketch, draw, outline, write, color and mix colors using your finger on the touch screen or a stylus. One cool feature of Paper is that you can share your drawing on social media or via email. Paper is a great app for professional and amateur doodlers.

TeuxDeux

More than just a clever play on words, TeuxDeux is an excellent app to keep your organized and doing exactly what you need to do. With TeuxDeux, you can create to-do lists that are easy to use and are quite functional.

Autodesk 123 Design

Autodesk 123 Design is a great app that works with your iPad, Web, Mac or PC computer. This app allows you to create a design in 3D using basic shapes and template models.

Autodesk 123 Catch

This app takes Autodesk 123 Design a step further. You can load up to 40 photos of an object and Autodesk 123 Design will create a three-dimensional model of the photo that can be rotated, shared and even printed from a 3D printer.

Check out these apps and many more that are out there to make life easier for designers. These apps can increase your productivity and maybe even spur a lot of creativity. What are some of your favorite apps?

The post Great Apps for Designers appeared first on | Evoke Design.

There are so many different things to consider- such as whether you will have a static page or a dynamic site. Will you need to add content yourself? Will you have a blog? What kind of features do you need on your site? All of these question pertain to your web design and most people just don’t have this type of knowledge on their own.

So let’s look at whether or not you need web design.

Business Web Design

If you are a business owner, you do want to take the time to invest in a professional web design. With so much competition on the Internet today, you want to stand out as a professional. Nearly anyone can build their own site with a template if they know how but a real, professional design that complements your branding is something more. It goes that extra step and helps you get noticed.

A professional business web design also helps to build trust with your target market. People are less likely to take you serious as a business when you have a cheesy or poorly designed look to your website. If you’re trying to build an e-commerce site, you can bet no one is going to want to purchase from a site that does not look professional.

Business websites always focus on the ease of use and customer choice. A website will only drive the attention of the people if it is professionally designed. You also need your website to be search-engine friendly and optimized. Every customer won’t know your website and you need to be able to be found in search.

Personal Web Design

If you are building a personal website, you might not think the design is as important as it is for businesses. Really, it all depends on what you want to do with the site. If you’re using it to share pictures and updates about your family, then you might not be concerned about the overall look or design of the website.

It might be less important to you to be found in search for your personal website but again, it depends on what you want to do with the site. But a professional design can still give you the look and feel you want for your site and this is important if you plan to keep it for a long time.

Let’s look at some other ways professional web design can help for business and personal sites.

Benefits to Professional Design

Some of the benefits to a professional web design are:

• Easily accessible links and navigation
• Search engine optimization
• Organized pages
• Attractive looking pages and design
• Personalized design
• Branding

From personal sites to business websites, professional designs go so much farther. You can impress your audience, showcase your expertise and represent your brand. It’s all about what you want to say to the net world and a professional web design can help you do it.

Do you have questions about web design and what will work for your needs? Contact us today for more information and a quote on your project.

The post Do You Need a Business or Personal Web Design? appeared first on | Evoke Design.

Here are some tips on how to simplify your website design:

Maintain the purpose- A fancy site design is cool but not if it costs you functionality. The visitors are here for a reason and you need to make sure your design supports this. Remember the purpose of the site and be sure to use a design that maintains this, rather than detracts from it.

Give them something to read- You should have a design that complements your content and allows your visitors the opportunity to read and browse the copy and other content on the site. A loud design with too much going on takes away from the content and doesn’t give the reader any benefit to returning to your site.

Make it worthwhile- When doing your design, remember that you want to make it worthwhile to the visitor. Sure, tons of ads might help you get more traffic but not if you overdo it and no one wants to come to the site. Flash and graphics might look nice but can be very distracting and even an eyesore if overdone. Have you ever been to a website that literally made your head hurt? Good design will not have this problem.

Don’t get crazy with the trends- Trying out a new web design trend is nice but don’t try to put a full year’s worth of design trends into one website. This is known as overkill. You will scare off your readers before they have a chance to know what your site is about. Too much “bling” on your page is going to cause major distractions and issues for the visitors.

Keep it relevant- Maybe you love teddy bears so much one room of your house is a shrine to them but if it has nothing to do with the main idea of your website, then leave it out of the web design. You’re going to confuse people. It won’t make sense and it will lose you visitors.

A simple web design is one that focuses on the main ideas of the site, serves its purpose in functionality and that is easy for the visitor to use. While you want your branding and your personality to shine through in a design that you like, simplicity is always best. With a quality web designer, you can have both.

If you have questions about website design or want to get your own design, please contact us. We’re ready and willing to help you today!

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So let’s take a look at DIY web design and when you should avoid it.

First, don’t attempt DIY web design if you don’t know what you’re doing. This should be a given but too many people today have been told “it’s easy” and “you can do it and save money” and then they get themselves into a mess.

There are some sites out there that allow you to build your own website and if you’re even fairly tech-savvy and looking for something simple, you can probably do an alright job with it. Just keep in mind that there are limitations to these sites and one of the biggest limitations is design. Because these sites use templates and a standard set of parameters, most sites built with them look similar. If you’re going for something really unique, then you might not be satisfied with the results.

Here are some sites that allow DIY web design:

1. Qapacity
2. Weebly
3. Yola
4. Moonfruit
5. Jimdo

Of course, these sites are not all created equal so it’s very important that you do your research and see what features they offer and compare this to what features you need. Make sure that you fully understand the capacity of the site’s features before signing up, especially for paid ones.

Now let’s look at when you want to avoid DIY web design:

1. When you don’t have a clue what you are doing
2. When you don’t have the time to do it correctly
3. When you want special features
4. When you want specific, tailored branding you won’t get with templates

These are just a few examples. There are many, many additional reasons to not do your own web design. When you are not trained in design, you won’t understand many things that a designer would know to avoid. You might make common faux pas in your web design or even worse, you might mess up your SEO and search placement because of a mistake in code or design. This is why it is typically recommended to leave your design to the pros- especially if this is a business website or something else that you take very seriously. Use the DIY stuff for your personal projects.

If you want to DIY because you want to be able to control your content and not have to hire a designer every time you make additions, then a custom CMS (content management system) will do the trick. WordPress is incredibly popular but the sites listed above will also offer the same features.

Basically, you get your web designer to give you a classy, professional design that meets your needs and you can use the CMS to log into the dashboard and add content, blog posts or make changes to content. A professional designer is just there to give your site the look and feel you want. From that point on, you can still do what you want with it.

Let us know if you have questions about DIY web design, CMSs or custom website design today.

The post DIY Web Design- and When to Avoid It appeared first on | Evoke Design.

So let’s take a look at some 2013 web design trends and tips that are probably going to stick around for awhile:

Open Source Projects- There are many open source projects out there that give new user interfaces and CMS options to users. Designers are now learning to work within the parameters of these to give the best user experience to their clients. It’s a win-win all around as technology grows.

Mobile Designs- Nearly everyone who uses the Internet has a mobile device these days so it’s no surprise that mobile designs are growing more and more popular. Responsive designs are nearly a necessity these days and designers need to learn how to build them and how to edit existing sites to an upgraded responsive and mobile design.

Whitespace and Minimalism-  These trends are not new to website design but we do see them making something of a comeback in a new way. You can now use whitespace in more creative ways within the design and keep in mind that “whitespace” doesn’t actually have to be white. You can use other solid colors to give that space.

Infinite Scrolling- Something that would have been gawked at in the past, infinite scrolling is now growing in popularity. Sites like Twitter and Tumblr make the most of this feature and now many other sites are following suit. It only works with certain types of sites, however. The best sites for this technique are those where the content on the home page is often changing and updating. No one wants to have to scroll down to page 20 or so to find what they are looking for on a traditional website.

Large Photographs- Big photo backgrounds are growing in popularity for website design today. They are also used within the design in other ways and while it’s not for everybody and every site, when done properly, it can be very creative and help to create a specific set of emotions within the visitor.

Social Media Integration- People like social media. Search engines like social media. Making it easier for visitors to link with your site on social media and to share your content to their networks is very important now and for the future of websites. When you can integrate social media to the web design, you’re already a step ahead. So give your website (or your client’s website) those social share buttons and other integration.

Clean Code- While it’s true that cleaner code has been a goal for some time among coders, it’s now even more important within the web design community. Clean code means less room for mistakes, better search engine optimization, quicker loading times and shorter coding time. Everything will be smaller

The post 2013 Web Design Trends and Tips appeared first on | Evoke Design.