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Why Is Browser Compatibility Such An Ever Growing Concern?

The web is no longer a safe place for the novice or amateur website developer. With an ever evolving and growing list of different website browsers being used by consumers these days, there are just so many browser specific little technicalities that must be looked after.

Sure, in the not too distant past, having access to a bit of HTML knowledge or easy to use WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) software was enough sophistication for the do-it-yourself amateur developer to get a fairly decent site up and running. In a way it’s unfortunate, but this ease of site development is just not the case anymore.

Consider All Of The Different Web Browsers In Use Today...

Every web browser interprets code and displays websites just a little bit differently than the next. This means that today’s websites must be developed to be compatible with all of the different browsers that are so popular today, including:

Internet Explorer
Firefox
Opera
Google Chrome
Safari
Various mobile browsers
And the list goes on!

When you figure the use of alternative web browsers is becoming more and more widespread by all web users, it becomes evident that expert web design knowledge is just a must-have for those wanting to create functional cross-platform sites today.

Isn’t This The Reason For Standards Compliant Code?

The short answer is “yes.” But even with demanding coherence and conformity to the standards set forth, plenty of browser-specific glitches and concerns are still an issue. Professional web developers know exactly what to keep an eye out for to make sure a website is fully compatible with all popular web browsers and that it displays correctly across the whole spectrum.

The Bottom Line

Browser compatibility is such an ever growing concern because today’s savvy internet users are just not satisfied with having only one option for their web browser software system. While some still choose to go with the default program set up on their computer, more and more web users are finding that their favorite browser is one of the growing lists of popular alternatives. As this trend continues to advance, it’s easy enough to predict that eventually the list of available browsers will well exceed the handful of commonly used platforms available today.

Each step of the way, there will be compatibility issues (no matter how minor) that websites must keep up with in order to ensure all of their visitors are receiving and participating in the quality web environment that their designers intended. Unfortunately, the web is just not a safe place for amateur developers anymore.

What’s The Scoop On Google’s Branding Bias?

You’re surely quite familiar with just how important Google and the company’s traffic dominating search engine are to those that are trying to build their website traffic...right? The leader in search by a long shot, trying to do business on the web without being as attractive as possible to Google is like trying to operate a brick and mortar store that’s tucked away in an alley somewhere with literally zero drive by or foot traffic—the traffic and exposure that Google provides websites is just absolutely essential.

Google has a tradition of creating a fair, level playing field.

It’s very true that many have historically observed that Google has generally been very fair to all websites—big or small—as long as they play by the rules, provide quality content, and have a certain degree of link popularity. In fact, this level playing field alone is what has likely given Google such a significant share of the market over the years.

However, things are apparently beginning to change. Just recently, with one of their latest algorithm changes, it’s become obvious to many search engine experts that the search company is now automatically giving preference to websites that are associated with a major brand. While Google does not make public the proprietary information they use to rank and position website listings, there have been a few highly placed clues offered that help to confirm that this branding bias is indeed the case.

What does this all mean for the average website owner?

First, let’s acknowledge that the reported branding bias might not entirely be factual—there could be something else related going on, or the whole thing could just be a big coincidence. With that out of the way, it’s still rather safe to assume that the average website owner is likely to face more fierce competition than ever these days as they try to promote and encourage their site to achieve the best possible search engine rankings.

The average website that wants to appreciate the incredible traffic benefits that come with the quality traffic that relevant Google rankings undoubtedly produce will need to pay even more savvy attention to what it takes to succeed. With ever growing and fierce completion, little is left up to chance or plain old good luck anymore. Succeeding in today’s search environment takes a well thought out plan for achieving results.

In the past, nearly any amateur to the web was able to achieve decent rankings with a little luck. Unfortunately, this is just no longer the case—but achieving respectable results is still very doable. Playing by the rules that the major search engines like Google set forth is essentially important. And bringing in a little help from the experts is certainly recommended for those looking to compete in a game continuously morphing to favor the biggest players.

The Secret To Developing Web Content That Actually Works

Are you aware of the secret of developing web content that actually works—both to enhance search results and entice website visitors? Well, the secret is actually not that well kept, but it’s still amazing just how many web developers aren’t yet aware. There are a lot of common distractions and misconceptions that get in the way of developing the most effective sites.

A Few Of The Favorite Distractions:

• Looking Great – Building a site to look great but paying minimal attention to what it really offers the visitors is a key distraction. It’s very easy to get caught up in building a site that looks fantastic—and that’s still a great goal. The important thing to remember is that there’s more to the big picture of content. Even with the web, the old saying still holds the ultimate truth...you can’t judge a book by its cover.

• Being Shallow – By this, we mean assuming a three page site will attract visitors and convert them to customers. For many who are new to putting their business or organization on the web, the notion of just getting something up and out there is often the first goal. But all too often, folks tend to stop once the most basic three pages are up... the Home Page, About Page, and Contact Page. As important as these 3 are, successful sites all go well beyond the minimal basics.

• Using Copied Copy – It’s easy enough to just copy, in whole or in part, the sales information right from an existing company brochure or even from a supplier’s product catalog. While this might not even be legal to begin with, one thing is certain—the copied content will either create duplicate content penalties with the search engines or will just be ill suited for the specific optimization needs of online web content.

• Stuck On Technical – Getting too technical is another prime distraction. Chances are highly likely that the average site’s web visitors are neither into academics or reading lengthy, technical website copy. Expert web copywriters all understand that no matter how “professional” slanted web copy should be, it still must be conversational, easy to read, and most importantly, friendly in nature.

So, What Is The Secret To Developing Content That Works (Already)?

The secret is surprisingly simple... Build content that is catchy, natural, and keyword rich. Do this and all of the other aspects of web marketing will be easy as cake!

KISS: The Way To Successful Web Design

Make no doubt about it—it is incredibly easy to become caught up in all kinds of endless features and frills when developing or redeveloping a website. For complex site designs, the sky is the limit on what can be accomplished by expert professional website designers and programmers. But regardless of how complex a site’s depth will be, ultimately one thing holds true throughout—KISS.

What Does KISS Mean?

Simple – KISS is an acronym that stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” Sure it’s kind of crude, but it’s also incredibly relevant when it comes to web design (and just catchy enough to remember all the while).

What Is Important To Effective And Successful Web Design?

Following the simplistic strategy of KISS, there are several effective and highly successful components of web design that should be the focus. Going too far beyond the proven effective design strategies not only requires more time, effort, and expense, but it often even has a negative effect on site appeal. Let’s take a look at the KISS site basics:

Quality Content. Well organized, optimized, and lots of it! A website’s content is the most important feature used to attract visitors. After all, they’re searching for something and someone must provide it. The rest of the site could even be just a plain background with simple navigation and little else—it doesn’t matter how simple it is, great content will still shine through.

Simple Navigation. Making sure visitors can easily get around the website is another highly important KISS practicality. Showy, multi-level menu navigation systems are nice and all, but sometimes plain and prominently placed text links to logical and relevant next areas of the site are even more effective for both visitors and search engine friendliness.

Blog Component. Having a blog on the site is perfect for updates and news for a company organization. It’s also a great way to enable easy to edit and update functionality for practically anyone, regardless of technical aptitude. Using a blog keeps the rest of the static portion of the site intact and well organized while still enabling those spontaneous additions from time to time.

Appealing Graphic Design. Remember, a simple site is almost always more effective and functional than a site that just goes over the top. The graphic design components of a website are certainly no exception to this rule. While it’s sometimes tempting to add lots of different images, fonts, and colors, it’s also very true that doing exactly this often creates mass confusion and distraction to both human web visitors and the “robots” that the search engines send by to analyze and rate the site.

A great web design can have these features (and these features alone), and still do just great with both search and in the eyes of visitors and customers. Remember to KISS!