Internet Marketing Strategy » design

Google’s New Favicon Rules!

TYPELiFE — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:52:38 +0000

Au contrair to my previous post dissing on Google’s weird favicon … Google made me feel all warm and tingly with this one!

Google’s new favicon features a white g overlaid on a multicolored background representing the Google colors, which was inspired by the submission of André Resende a CSCI undergrad in Brazil. (Background remind anyone else of the Microsoft flag? Looks cool, but I’m just sayin’ …)

Anyways I’m sure you’ve all noticed it already just had to put in my two bits about it. I’m really happy they changed it, because the old one was starting to be a real drag!

You can check out the official new Google favicon announcement for the runners up in the submissions that inspired the new icon.

Free Marketing Resources & Utilities

TYPELiFE — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 03:41:18 +0000

If you’re like me, you have a pretty busy work day, and sometimes you just can’t spend the precious moments you have off (or you can’t afford to pay someone) doing smaller tasks (that of course, must be done) because you’re focusing on the big picture, working on something larger in your project.

Here are a bunch of time and money saving resources that will help you in both online and offline marketing.

Free 125×125 Entrecard Badges & Advertisements
Free 125 Cards provides quality 125×125 for public use, and provides a web interface to customize them on the fly!

Free Web 2.0 Badge Button Generator
Fresh Badge lets you create smooth looking badge graphics for use in your website or emails, or even pip icons for rankings! (Honorable Mention: Web 2.0 Badges)

Free Web 2.0 Logo Generator
Creatr lets you choose from six different styles that mimic popular Web 2.0 logos to make your own.

Free Web 2.0 Icons
UtomBox provides some great Web 2.0 themed icons to use on your website for linking to your RSS feeds, popular social networking websites, and more. If you’re just looking for icons to link to your RSS feeds, check out Feed Icons.

Free Tabbed CSS Menus
Exploding Boy has some really sweet looking CSS based navigation menus that can easily be incorporated into any website you are designing. Explore the rest of the site for more excellent resources.

Free Chart / Graph Generator
Maani.us’s XML/SWF Charts can help you out if you’re in a swift bind to get a presentation ready for the meeting you have in the morning with Mr. Kawasaki, fresh off his red eye flight.

Free Vector Imaging / Conversion
Vector Magic is an online utility that will take images you upload, and convert them into vector format. You can download your vector in EPS, SVG, PDF, or PNG.

Free HTML to RSS Converter (RSS / HTML Content Scraper)
RSSxl is a really useful web application that lets you take content from an HTML page and convert it into an RSS feed you can publicize or handle with a web scripting language, like PHP. Many things can be done with this.

Hope you guys found something you can use!

SearchMe … Google Video Killer?

TYPELiFE — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:40:04 +0000

I’ve been noticing alot of start up companies developing more and more interesting concepts when it comes to search technology, and evolving it into a more aesthetically pleasing and less metciulous process getting your desired search results.

Sure, you’ve heard about the advancements in user powered search engines like Cuil and Stumpedia, but the only search engine that REALLY has made me give it a double take is SearchMe.

SearchMe‘s interface is already visually stunning, and after a few modifications to the interface (and of course after they have a comprehensive database of search results) … I think I might actually switch from Google! Be careful, if you go to the video search engine, you might fall in love! SearchMe has truly innovated video search interfaces with their carousel display style that you can see.

Other features available make SearchMe truly unique, such as the ability to group your searches into “Stacks” … which allow you to categorize your searches and keep them organized, making it easy to delve into past searches and find an old result with efficiency, instead of retracing your steps on the search engine itself.

Get ahead of the game and submit your websites to SearchMe today!

The Reason Why I Don’t Use Dreamweaver

TYPELiFE — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:07:24 +0000

I’ve made it a point to never use Dreamweaver, ever. I never used it as a Macromedia product, I never used it as an Adobe product.

Please join me in a round of laughter as we make fun of everyone who uses it!

Boy, I sure am glad I use PHPDesigner.

Google Fesses For Freaky Favicon

TYPELiFE — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:55:29 +0000

Following up on my earlier post (actually, currently the most popular post on DaftSEO) … Google’s New Favicon Sucks.

So, Google recently updated their blog with a word to the masses about the new Google favicon, and the process behind (and reasons for) the development of the horriffic atrocity. (Sorry Big G)

If you’re really interested in their yadda yadda yadda, go ahead and check out “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” on the Google Blog.

I just have one thing to say, Google.

Cheers!

Google’s New Favicon Sucks

TYPELiFE — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:47:41 +0000

It makes me want to vomit.

Why, Google, why? Why did you take something so perfect and elegant and ruin it?

You make me sick.

FOLLOW UP TO THIS POST: Google Fesses For Freaky Favicon

Model Your Website Like a Brick & Mortar Business

TYPELiFE — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:44:07 +0000

Your website is your business (as far as we’re concerned, it might be a personal online home for others that do not use the internet to fatten their wallet, but i digress) … so why not model your website’s structure like companies structure their brick & mortar headquarter buildings?

When you walk into a corporate office, do you immediately become disoriented, and lose a sense of why you came there, and forget where you wanted to go? No! Anyone who walks into that office, regardless of actually knowing exactly what or who they want to see, can easily choose a destination and reach it. Everything is easily accessible. There’s usually a directory that lists every office in the building (on a website: navigation, site map, about), and what it does. And, if you’re still lost, there’s usually a secretary (on a website: support, contact, faq) that can help you out.

You can tell which companies have been built for success (and achieved it) by the architecture and design of their building, lobby, and offices. Their buildings rise several stories, the lobbies are spectacular and immaculately designed, the offices overlook the city and have painted walls (not egg shell, ho-hum white) … These companies all have WEBSITES that MATCH the “luxurious professionalism” they have designed their building with, I guarantee it.

Structure and design your website for “luxurious professionalism” and get yourself there sooner!

P.S. This post is for tomorrow, I won’t be able to post because I’ll be to drunk to type! Happy Memorial Day!

P.P.S. Check out what’s coming over at passive progress … excited? Sign up for beta testing if you are.

Design, Code, & Spit Fire

TYPELiFE — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:16:28 +0000

I happened upon this video yesterday, and it lit up my day. Everyone in my office got a kick out of it.

Lyrics

Your site design is the first thing people see
it should be reflective of you and the industry
easy to look at with a nice navigation
when you can’t find what you want it causes frustration

a clear Call to action to increase the temptation
use appealing graphics they create motivation
if you have animation
use with moderation
cause search engines can’t index the information

display the logos of all your associations
highlight your contact info that’s an obligation
create a clean design you can use some decoration
but to try to prevent any client hesitation

every page that they click should provide and explanation
should be easy to understand like having a conversation
when you design the style go ahead and use your imagination

but make sure you use correct color combinations
do some investigation, look at other organizations
but don’t duplicate or you might face a litigation
design done, congratulations but it’s time to start construction

follow these instructions when you move into production
your photoshop functions then slice that design
do your layout with divs make sure that it’s aligned
please don’t use tables even though they work fine
when it come to indexing they give searches a hard time

make it easy for the spiders to crawl what you provide
remove font type, font color and font size
no background colors, keep your coding real neat

tag your look and feel on a separate style sheet
better results with xml and css
now you making progress, a lil closer to success
describe your doctype so the browser can relate
make sure you do it great or it won’t validate

check in all browsers, I do it directly
gotta make sure that it renders correctly
some use IE, some others use Flock
some use AOL, I use Firefox

title everything including links and images
don’t use italics, use emphasis
don’t use bold, please use strong
if you use bold that’s old and wrong

when you use CSS, you page will load quicker
client satisfied like they eating on a snicker
they stuck on your page like you made it with a sticker
and then they convert now that’s the real kicker
make you a lil richer, your site a lil slicker

design and code right man I hope you get the picture
what I’m telling you is true man it should be a scripture
if it’s built right you’ll be the pick of the litter
everyone will want to follow you like twitter
competition will get bitter and you’ll shine like glitter

if you trying to grow your company will get bigger
design and code right man can you get with it

So, I’m Officially An IT Professional

TYPELiFE — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:58:00 +0000

No longer self employed and self proclaimed, living from odd job to odd job. I was hired this week by Geek Works Unlimited, a local computer company with a web design subdivision located in sunny Palm Desert, CA.

I was placed on the Geek Works web design staff, and I am already updating a local real estate website for a client.

There’s even a sort of internet marketing and advertising division, who work with various advertising agencies and PPC campaigns like AdWords, AdSense, BidVertiser, and AzoogleAds.

They set me up with my own work desktop (on my very own desk, in my very own cubicle) as well today, as well as requested from me a list of software I would like them to install by tomorrow.

In the words of Peter Griffin … “Freakin’ Sweet!”

Best Entrecard Design

TYPELiFE — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:08:00 +0000

I was checking my e-mail the other day, to find that I had received a new message from another webmaster who utilizes Entrecard. The message contained a link to a post they had made on the Entrecard community forums.

http://entrecard.com/forums/3/2321/#p=14

Apparently, my Entrecards appearance is more aesthetically pleasing than those of others, at least to a few Entrecard users.

I’d like to thank YouShouldOwn.com for the nomination, as well as Anthony Ongaro of 125 Design for designing the Entrecard.

This also gave me another idea for a new sort of Entrecard contest, more community founded. I’ll fill you guys in on details tomorrow!

P.S. Just bought a new car today!