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There are a lot of articles out there that explain the top ten mistakes to web design navigation; however, the reality is - there are more than ten web design mistakes out there. That is why we have compiled a list of as many web design mistakes we can think of. Read, enjoy and watch out for the following in your web design project:

Over-complex URL structures – stay away from URL’s that are hard to remember and even harder to type in. Stick to a simple keyword based URL structure. This will ensure that your page is seen by those looking for it and will also make it easier for readers to identify the content on your page before visiting it.

HTML Tables – if you have the choice, pick CSS rather than HTML tables. CSS is faster, more reliable and offers a number of cool features. HTML tables really can’t compare.

Unsearchable websites – make sure all your pages are searchable and SEO friendly, not just your home page.

“Drop Down” Menus – drop down menus can confuse things by hiding some of the information that the viewer might be looking for. Make it simple and straightforward and steer clear of drop down menus.

Don’t forget the Text Navigation – text navigation is faster and more reliable than Image navigation, especially considering many users will browse the internet with images turned off.

Bring it “Back” – another big mistake many web designers make is breaking the ‘back’ link to your webpage. Make sure your viewers can follow their steps back, if they want to.

Don’t use horizontal scrolling – it’s annoying and useless. Make sure your website fits inside a 1024 by 768 pixel screen to avoid the horizontal scroll.

No long pages – horizontal aside, long pages are also incredibly annoying. Make your web pages short and sweet. It will improve the navigation structure and make your site a lot more readable.

Avoid Pop Ups – most pop ups are blocked anyway. It’s best to stay away from pop ups on your site.

Avoid JavaScript Links – another waste of time and space, JavaScript links will often create problems for the user without really adding anything to your site. Best to stay away.

Avoid too many versions – stick to one, either Flash or HTML, 56kbps or 128kbps. Don’t confuse the reader anymore than you have to.

Avoid advertising blending – would you like some adverts with your content? Not likely. So don’t do it.

Avoid complex navigation structures – you want to impress your viewers with your web design skills right? But this does not mean choosing a navigation structure that should come with its own manual. Make your website have a single, clear navigation structure so anyone, grandma included, can browse your site.

Avoid “intros” – making the viewer sit through a forty second introduction to your site is not going to sit well with anyone, especially those in a hurry.

So there you have it – avoid the following errors in navigation and watch your website soar in SEO success. Contact us today for more information on how we can improve your business or create your company a web presence that will dominate the search engines and deliver results. Call today at (612) 558-1020 for a free phone consultation.

Your content is the most important aspect of any website. So how do you make your web content really stand out for all the right reasons? Below are a few of the most common mistakes made when it comes to web content. By knowing the pitfalls to avoid, you will be one step closer to web content success:

Un-scannable content – you need to ensure that the content on your site is readable and interesting. Use bullets, points, headers and subheadings that stand out.

Confusing web design – it is important that the reader knows exactly what the site is about in a matter of seconds. If he doesn’t, then he will most certainly click elsewhere to find what he is looking for.

Unreadable fonts – another big no-no are fonts that, although may look cool, are hard to read. Tiny fonts are also no good. After all, what’s the point of even writing web content if it’s too small for anyone to read?

Avoid unnecessary registration – no viewer wants to waste his time registering for content or information. If you do not need to use a registration, then don’t.

Don’t automatically subscribe visitors to newsletters and content – if he wants to subscribe to RSS feeds, newsletters

Don’t become a FLASH feign – FLASH can be fun and addictive to use. However, it will also take plenty of time to upload and can annoy your visitors. If you are going to use FLASH, use it sparingly.

Avoid Musical Websites – sure, music can be soothing and pleasurable but only if you get to control it. There is nothing worse than going to a website where the music is blasting into your ears. If you are going to play an audio file, let the user start it.

No Harsh Colors –it might be cool to give your web site a neon retro look but it’s not so cool when your readers all experience headaches from the colors. Stick to bold yet tolerable color schemes.

Unreadable CAPTCHA – we all want to avoid SPAM but if you are going to use CAPTCHA to do it, make sure the phrases are readable. No one wants to spend ten minutes trying to decipher if the letter is a T or a B.

Do not avoid spelling or grammatical mistakes – it’s a website- who cares if there are a few spelling errors right? WRONG! Spelling and grammatical errors will negatively impact the overall quality of your web site, web design included.

And Finally….

Don’t forget your contact details. Without your contact details, you will lose important feedback and possible clients. Take credit for your work and let your viewers know who you are.

Contact us today for more information on how we can improve your business or create your company a web presence that will dominate the search engines and deliver results. Call today at (612) 558-1020 for a free phone consultation.

Does it seem like every man, woman and dog has a blog out these days? It’s true – blogging is slowly taking over the World Wide Web which is why it is so important to make sure your blog gets noticed and stands out from the crowd. The ultimate goal of any blog is to bring people who are interested in the type of content you offer. So how do you do that? Below are ten simple yet effective tips to maximize the traffic to your blog:

1. Post regularly – we can’t stress this enough. Make time every day (or every second day) to update your blog and stick to the schedule. The more often you update your blog, the more often your pages are indexed by search engines and seen by potential viewers. Although it can be tempting to set up a blog and forget about it, stick with it and you’ll see results!

2. Set up a Posting Alert – every time you post a blog, let the world know through a number of social networking sites. You can set up alerts or ‘pings’ so that every time you publish an article, the search engines are alerted.

3. Make friends with Links – linking is essential for any blogger success. Make sure you link to reputable sources and build up inbound links from another blog or website that will point readers to you. You may need to do some networking to find similar and helpful blogs for inbound links but this is definitely worth your while.

4. Make use of SEO – SEO or search engine optimization is a blogger’s best friend. Choose keywords that are relevant to your content to ensure that your blog ranks high in the search engine rankings. Check out the Google Adword Keyword Tool to find keywords that are relevant as well as popular with search engines.

5. Write descriptive post titles – when you are thinking about to name your blogs, consider this: what would you type into Google to find your post? Whatever phrase or keyword you decide on, make sure you include it in your title.

6. Use Image titles –another excellent way to bring people to your blog is to include title images with one or more words from your post title. This will increase the relevance of your post.

7. Submit your URL – take advantage of the ‘submit blog’ tool in Google, Yahoo or any of the other search engines. You will be directed to a page that will let you submit the URL for indexing which will ensure more people see your blog when searching for particular keywords.

8. Make sure you stay up to date on the current trends. See what works for other and check out the various developments in search engine technology to stay one step ahead of the crowd.

Keep in mind that the above tips are only a few of the different ways you can generate traffic to your blog. Contact us today for more information on how we can improve your business or create your company a web presence that will dominate the search engines and deliver results. Call today at (612) 558-1020 for a free phone consultation.