Facebook vs. Google Plus

Facebook, the number one social networking platform on the Internet right now, has some very stiff competition with Google Plus. Google plus, which was recently created just a few months ago, already has over 20 million users. Facebook, which has been around for several years, is used by hundreds of million users. And while Facebook is still in the lead, many people are wondering whether or not Google Plus will eventually outshine Facebook and become the number one social networking platform on the Internet. Continue Reading »

Top 10 Tips for Web Design

With the increasing number of people who use the Internet on a regular basis, more people are creating and developing their own websites. Whether the website is for personal use or for business and marketing, web design is essential. The design of the website is most important because it is what drives traffic to the page. A website that is not fully developed and lacks in the design department will typically experience far less traffic than a website that has a professional looking website. There are several tips that you can use to ensure that you master web design on your website which can lead to higher traffic volume and hits.

1: Concise content

The content of your website is obviously the most essential part of your website. However, it is important to keep your content concise. Most viewers of websites are turned off by tons of words and paragraphs placed all in one page. Your content should be detailed and informative but you should also use short sentences and avoid repetitive information as well as fluff, which is information that isn’t really needed. While your content should be concise, it shouldn’t be too short to the point where the viewer has no idea what message you are trying to send. Your content should display information that covers some of the most crucial points of your website.

2: Set up a navigation system

A navigation system should include links to different pages on your website. An easily accessible navigation system will come in handy for viewers of your website because it helps them figure out where they need to go to find the information they are looking for. Placing a navigation system on a website is quite simple; it is a very basic step when designing a website. The links for your navigation system will probably look somewhat like this:

About

Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

Products

Portfolio

Contact

Of course, your links may vary depending on what type of website you have. If you have a website that is designed to sell products, you would typically want to include links for information on those products, pictures of those products, as well as contact information and how the viewer can buy the product. If your website is designed to display some of your work, you would create a portfolio link which will include pictures or downloads to some of your work.

3: Include images

A website should always have some sort of images. The images should be crisp, clear, and professional. Using actual images instead of clip art images is highly recommended. In many instances, an actual image will give a much more professional look and feel to a website when compared to traditional clip art images which are definitely not as professional. If possible, using your own images would be the best thing to do. If you cannot use your own images for your website, check out stock photos on different online websites.

4: Use a professional template

A template is basically the layout of your website. You can create your own template if you know how, you can hire someone else to create a template for you, or you can buy a pre-made template for your website (Some pretty cool WordPress themes can be found at FabThemes.com or TopWPThemes.com). Regardless of what you choose to do, it is important that you have a professional looking template on your website especially if you want your website to receive positive attention.

5: Run your content through a spell check

Nothing looks worse on a professional website than having misspelled words and dysfunctional grammar. It is in your best interest to run any content you create through a spell checker and even through a grammar checker just to be on the safe side (Also tools like Respelt.com can be used). If you hate writing, you may even want to hire a freelance writer to do the job of writing your content for you. Remember, the content on your website is most important and, if words are misspelled and not used properly, it will reflect poorly on you and your abilities.

6: Give out your contact information

If someone wants to get in touch with you after having a look at your website, they should be able to do so with ease. After you have created a navigation system (as seen in tip #2) you should have a contact link on your website. The contact link should take viewers to a page with your information so that they are able to get in touch with you. You should provide your name along with an e-mail address. If you want, you can also add your phone number but that is ultimately your decision.

7: Have a hit counter

You should have a hit counter so that you can find out how much traffic you are receiving to your website on a daily basis. However, you should not have a hit counter displayed directly on your website. It is a disservice to have a hit counter displayed on your website because most viewers find them pointless and pay little to not attention to them. It is also important, if your website is new and you aren’t receiving much traffic, because you wouldn’t want viewers to think your site is too boring to receive high amounts of traffic.

8: Avoid pop ups

The truth is, most website viewers hate having to deal with pop ups. If you can, avoid placing any of them on your website at all costs. Some viewers find pop ups so annoying, they will leave a site almost instantly after a pop up appears.

9: Keep things organized

A primary rule of keeping a professional website is actually keeping things organized. Once you have all of your content set up on different pages, it is important that you keep up with the website to keep it organized. Do not keep adding stuff in random spots every time you think of more content to add.

10: Introduce yourself

Introduce yourself and what you stand for on your website. This will offer website viewers a sense of comfort because they get to find out more about who you are as a person. However, as with the content section, keep it short and sweet so that you are not gloating about yourself.

If you follow these ten web design tips, you will likely have much more success with your website. Remember, following these tips can change your website for the better and can end up truly benefiting you in the long run. If you want a website that receives high traffic, these little adjustments are easy to do and can make a huge difference. If you need a custom logo design for your website, visit a DesignContest.com.

4 Steps to Automate Twitter Relationship Building in 15 Minutes

Building relationships is at the heart of link building, because people are the ones giving links, not websites. The newest and hottest way to build relationships in your niche is to engage with them on social media, but we all know how time consuming this can be. Take, for example, twitter. Although an awesome tool to use to talk to influential people in your niche, the hours you spend each day pile up over time. Continue Reading »

Corel Motion Studio 3D Review

It seems that more and more often, we hear of someone wanting to get into the graphics field and they are “self-learners” or “self-starters” and they ask us, “What software is good enough for someone to learn and become pro with, but is simple enough for a total novice?” Many times, we would be stumped to hear it; all the software out there had a large learning curve.

Until now.

With the advent of Corel Motion Studio 3D, a new artist can learn 3D modeling as well as animation in a software suite that is competitively priced as well as being well suited to those who are just beginning to learn as well as those who have been at this for quite some time. We hope that the following review of this software will assist you in making a decision about your software.

Software even the novice will enjoy

The newest addition to the world of 3D editing software is indeed making waves all across the world! Corel’s inaugural 3D product, Motion Studio 3D is a program that will suit beginners and old hands alike. With a wide selection of tools made available that commonly found in more expensive programs, as well as real time preview of your work with next to no rendering time necessary, this program soars about its competitors in the novice market. A list of some of its best features would be:

• Seamless handling of particle effects
• Import and Export capabilities
• One Click options for the newcomers
• A very affordable price ($99)

Motion Studio’s interface is simple to use as well as being very intuitive, allowing newcomers to 3D rendering feel much more at ease. It also offers real time previews so that as you work you can tweak and edit as you go without waiting for lengthy rendering times to complete. The time-line of your project goes across the bottom of the interface, making a nice home for key frames of your animation giving you a visual cue to where things are and where they will be going along with offering an easy menu to make changes and enhancements to your work.

What is now called the “Easy palette” offers a wide array of preset options and effects that can be supplemented by add-on options from their gallery (which is online and entirely free), giving you far more functionality than is available in other programs of a similar caliber. This is where you will find your 3D models, text objects, lathe objects and more, with fully customizable menus for each option. The program also includes many one click effects that will help those just getting started to add that extra bit of “wow” to their presentation or project.

Professional Quality Project Handling

We know that those who have a much higher caliber of talent and experience are saying to us now, “What about us? Is this program going to be useful for professionals as well?” The answer is: Absolutely! From particle effects and vector graphics to smoke screens and 3D titles, you will be able to make productions that make your audience be amazed by your talent and expertise.

This software also allows for import and export from other programs, so that using this in conjunction with paint-shop, dream-weaver or any other product that you may have an interest in graphics-wise, you will have no problems transferring your work. This benefit perhaps more than any other will prove priceless in your journey to the top of the 3D animation world.

For those “prosumers” out there, there are also useful import and export features allowing you to either view your 3D work with glasses or to export them to a format that will allow for viewing on a 3D television. Options like these are few and far between even in the more expensive “professional” software suites. On top of the options and benefits listed before, you also have a wide array of still motion options such as workability with .Gif files as well as flash so that you can make animations specifically for websites that you may own or be consulting on as well.

When it comes down to pounds and pence, Corel Motion Studio 3D offers you the most bang for your buck when it comes to software suites for the beginner that will grow with them as well as continue to challenge them. With a very competitive price tag, this program will not only fit the budget of the student, it is powerful enough to be considered for any small (or may be not so small) studio as a new tool. Corel Motion Studio 3D will have things for all levels of user, and makes entry into the world of 3D animation less intimidating for the hobbyist.

Top 10 Android Apps for College Students

Do you have everything you need to finish out the semester?  Notebooks, pencils, pens, that messenger bag you saw that looked like it could hold half your textbooks and your laptop and not drag you down.  But what about all those other things designed to make your life much easier that weren’t around when your parents were going through their own college experience?  Anymore, the smart phone is as much an academic tool as it is a functional device to call home to the parents suffering from an empty nest.  There are apps for everything from document sharing to voice recording, and a lot of these can be put to good use in the classroom.  We’ve gathered together the ten apps most likely to make getting through your studies easier and definitely without breaking the bank.

1.  Amazon Kindle/Barnes & Noble (B&N) Nook

The primary tool of any successful college student is having the right books.  Both Amazon Kindle for Android and B&N Nook for Android apps allow you to download your existing e-book library for fast and easy reference.  Most Android-based phones come with the Kindle app already installed, but both apps are free, user-friendly, and grant access to thousands upon thousands of books and textbooks and often at a significantly lower cost than buying the same texts from the campus bookstore.  Features include bookmarking, highlighting, an in-house dictionary, and word/phrase search function.  If you are serious about having e-book copies of all your text books, equipping yourself with both apps is highly recommended.  Neither retailer has the e-book rights to everything, but between both, most bases can be covered.

2. Gdocs for Android

Google Docs has taken their revolutionary web-based word processing software and made it applicable to the smart phone.  Access existing files, create new ones, generate .pdfs, import and export documents, and share your files with others with this free app—just as if you were sitting right at your computer.  The best part?  You can print straight from your phone via Google Cloud to any printer connected to the internet via a computer or Wi-Fi.

3.  Study Droid

Use flashcards to study?  Don’t bother getting pack upon pack of 3-by-5 cards anymore.  Study Droid is an independently designed free application that works on both your computer and smart phone to create, organize, and study with flashcards.  There is even an extensive database of cards made by other users (the site claims over 10 million) to add to your own collection.

4. WikiDroid

The full power of Wikipedia comes to your fingertips with this free WikiDroid app by Sirius Applications Ltd.  Search articles, find sources, or delve deeper into a subject to get you started on that research assignment.  We just recommend keeping your phone put away when exam time comes around.

5.  Evernote

This goes out and beyond the default daily diary pre-installed on Android operating systems.  A New York Times “Top 10 Must-Have App,” Evernote lets you keep track of things as they happen: something your professor mentioned in passing during office hours, a debate you had with a friend where neither of you had a pen and paper, even keeping track of that perfect study nook you found at a coffee shop a short walk off campus.  It operates off your Google account and lets you keep notes via text, voice, or photo.  It even tracks your location for each note so that you can look it up on a map later if necessary.  This is incredibly useful even outside of an academic setting, and the clean design makes it fast and easy to use.  What makes it even better?  It syncs to every electronic device you have that can have the app installed.  Access the notes on your phone from your computer or tablet and vice versa.  Information you need when and where you need it.

6.  Droidscan

No more fighting for the scanners or Xerox machines in the computer lab and campus library.  Droidscan is a free app that acts as a full or partial document scanner just by using the built-in point-and-shoot camera your smart phone comes equipped with.  Images are converted into .jpeg or .pdf format and saved at a high and readable resolution.  The Pro (paid) version of this app allows for a few more high-tech features such as incorporating multiple images into one file, upload with Gdocs, and easy sharing of multi-page .pdfs.

7. CoursePro

Track your homework assignments and grades with this simple and free CorsePro app.  It is only in the demo stages, currently, which limits the number of courses trackable with it.  However, if you are the sort of student that likes to keep organized and keep a close eye on your personal progress at the same time, this app is a promising must-have.

8. Voice Recorder

This is another free app off the Android Market that syncs with your Google account, allowing you to not only record audio of anything from simple notes-to-self to lectures but to email the file to wherever it might need to go quickly and easily.  Files are also searchable by title and date, and a bonus is that these same files (where appropriate) can be turned into ringtones.

9. Mint

Here is an app truly invaluable to the average, starving college student.  Track your finances, your tuition payments, your text book expenditures, your meal allowances, all through the clean design of this free app from Intuit Inc.  Spending too much at Starbucks?  Mint will tell you exactly how much.  Sign up with your email, create a password, connect your bank account and credit cards, and start tracking.  The app is secure, so losing your phone won’t mean that someone has direct access to your accounts and savings without knowing your specific log-in information and password.  The only noticeable drawback could arise depending on what phone you use.  The site claims: “We currently don’t support Android phones with a QVGA display, such as the Motorola Charm or the Samsung Moment.”

10. SnapTell

Book shopping or getting stuff for the dorm?  Grocery shopping and really wanting something other than ramen that’s just as cheap?  SnapTell is a free application for both Android and iPhone that lets you take a picture of a product’s barcode and compare it to other retailers on the fly.  The Android app, particularly, has a function that allows for image recognition as well as barcode identification, making it indispensable to the frugal shopper.

Bit-Defender Internet Security Review

It’s that time of year again, all of the various security suites are coming out with their 2012 versions and redoing interfaces and making it all bigger, stronger and faster. Of course, Bit-Defender is no exception to this rule. As we begin to evaluate our internet security options for this year, we can certainly see that this program, while a bit on the touchy side, may possibly be a way to turn.

Changes, Changes

The interface will be one of the places where you begin to see the wide host of differences that have been made with this year’s edition of Bit-Defender. Now showing a dark minimal interface that lacks the options of the past for their intermediate and advanced options panels, they have cut down on clutter and chaos by deciding for you which options you need available right at hand. You can, of course, change this in the options panel and make sure that you have your advanced tools there as well, but starting out, this is it. However, finding the menu to do so if you choose to change these options might prove a bit tedious and confusing.

While definitely lower priced than its competitors, the thing that their competitor has that this program lacks is the ability to install alongside or with other security programs also installed. Bit-Defender is so anti-social that it will refuse to install when there are even any remnants of other security sources installed. So it is recommended that you use an uninstall sweeper program to make sure that every last bit of your old security and anti-virus programs are gone first or install only on a fresh computer, otherwise it simply will not install.

Some of the new tools that have been added include:

• Chat scanners
• Phishing protection
• Firewall
• Parental Controls
• File encryptions
• System optimizer
• Online backup

It is safe to say that while other programs offer these kinds of tools, they do so at a much higher price and a much longer installation time. With install time (and this includes registration) clocked at just under 2 minutes, Bit-Defender definitely has the market cornered on efficiency.

Interestingly enough, Bit-Defender now has an application that is also free for all FaceBook users: http://apps.facebook.com/bd-safego/. Having tried this little application, we definitely would have to say that it is non-invasive and trustworthy having caught and filtered out the infamous “Facebook Pornography Spam Attack” of last week. That little catch in and of itself was quite impressive!

Does not play well with others

Once installed, Bit-Defender does a preliminary scan and makes certain that it is not being put on an already infected machine (sorry, you folks who bought this as the answer to your virus problem, no go, here). Then, you can go into choosing one of many levels of scans available for your needs from the basic levels to the highly paranoid. Best to make sure you read the help files about the one you chose though. If you do not currently have time for a forced boot time scan, you need to choose full, not complete, or you will wind up having to do this tedious bit of work.

Once uninstalled, you’d think that a program so anti-social would make sure to clean up after itself, but unfortunately this is not the case with Bit-Defender and is perhaps our biggest issue with it. When the program is uninstalled it leaves behind traces in your registry that will need to be fixed in order to ensure proper running of your machine or of any other security program that you might choose to install. Once you uninstall the program, you should, to be safe, make sure that you use a registry fixing tool in order to ensure the health of your machine and its proper running.

All in all, if you can put up with the quirks of this program or you are installing it on a brand new, just built system, then you will be in heaven with this program and it’s relatively small cost. The tools that it offers are indeed extensive and will protect your computer from even the harshest of viruses and malware.7. However, if you are looking for help for an already infected machine, best to look elsewhere for the program that will best suit your needs.

How to Boost Your Wireless Router Signal for Free

There are few things more frustrating than installing a wireless network in your home and finding out that, no matter what you seem to do, you get a spotty or dropped connection, unreliable bandwidth, or—worse—no connection at all.  Nothing is wrong with your internet service itself, so what do you do?  Before you dash out to buy new equipment and end up wasting your money, try these simple fixes that are fast and free. The best part is that you don’t need to be an IT specialist to pull them off!

1.                  Move the Router

This can often be an immediate fix especially if your house or apartment is older, full of other electronics, or both.  Older buildings very often still have lead paint in the walls, the metallic traces blocking signal.  Other electronics, such as cordless telephones, can generate signals of their own that interfere with wireless internet—even if on separate frequencies.  For both situations, the solution is the same: Make sure to find a place to house your wireless router that is more open, has fewer walls between the device and your computer, and a distance of six feet or more from any other signal-generating electronics.  This is also a good fix if your wireless signal simply isn’t strong enough, even if you don’t have to worry about conflicting electronics or lead paint.  Metal objects can also easily interfere, so make sure the router is away from such objects as filing cabinets or shelving as well. If this doesn’t solve your problem, try solution #2:

2.      Update the Router’s Firmware

Wireless routers need software to run just like other electronics.  And just like a computer or smart phone, the router needs to have its software updated periodically, too.  To do this, all you have to do is log into your router per its instructions which is usually no more difficult than clicking on the icon in your computer’s taskbar. Then, select the option for a firmware upgrade.  If there is one, the router will be able to download and install what it needs.  Older routers don’t automatically check for updates like some newer ones, so it is generally a good idea to check now and again.  Updates are typically accompanied by release notes that tell you exactly what was updated, which will let you know one way or another what all changed that contributed to fixing the connection issue.  This is a good thing to keep in mind just in case the problem occurs again.

3.       Update Wireless Drivers

Another factor that can affect how your computer sees the wireless router is whether or not the network adapter software of the computer itself is up to date.  This is handled the same way you would update any other drivers and is generally self-governed by whatever operating system you use so it doesn’t matter whether the OS is Microsoft, Mac, or Linux

4.      Change the Channel

Just like a television or a radio, wireless routers operate on different channel frequencies to function.  By default, they are supposed to select the channel with the lowest amount of traffic, but, in reality, this isn’t always the case.  At the same time, multiple routers from the same company (especially if your internet provider sells or rents their own wireless routers) are predisposed to select the exact same frequency.  If most of the people nearby or even in your same apartment building all use the same routers, you will need to select your own frequency, if for nothing else than to avoid this issue to begin with!  A free downloadable software that is excellent to help with this is inSSIDer.  The only column that you really need to pay attention to is the one labeled “Channel”. This column will show you whatever channels are handling the most traffic and the least.  Go ahead and select a low-traffic channel to see if that fixes the connectivity issues. Hopefully, it will!

5.        DD-WRT

This is an open-source software program that can be installed to the router much like any other driver.  This is really only a recommendation for the adventurous or those with a stronger level of technical experience.  The program does not work with all routers, though the list of compatible hardware is growing, and you always run the risk of negatively affecting the router.  Installation also very possibly violates most warranties, so it is not recommended if your router is still under the manufacturer’s warranty or you’re part of a business network.  If the software does work for you, however, it improves router performance overall and adds a feature set beyond the router’s default software. That’s quite neat, isn’t it?

6.          Aluminum Foil (no, really!)

This fix isn’t a guarantee, but it definitely sounds like something MacGyver would do. (You bet!)  A number of people have had success with it to varying degrees.  The website lifehacker features a video showing how to increase wireless router signal simply by covering the antenna or antennas in parabolas of aluminum foil that probably already exists in your kitchen.  It has worked in the past for antenna-televisions and older mobile phones…why not routers, right? Right!

7.          Make Sure the Hardware is Compatible

This is the only option on the entire list that costs money, but it is something to definitely consider before you get a router in the first place so that any fixes in the future (if any) will be as free as possible.  Making sure that everything is compatible ensures smoother operation overall.  Know what type of wireless card your computer operates with first and choose the router accordingly.  If your computer is wireless-G, make sure the router you choose is designed to work with wireless-G.  At the same time, try to keep the router the same brand as the network adapter, guaranteeing compatibility.

HostGator Black Friday 2011 Special Offer

For a very limited time, HostGator offers 50% OFF on ALL hosting services. This includes shared hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting, Dedicated servers and Windows hosting! This does not include domain names.

This is an incredible deal and it will only run for 1 DAY! The promotion will begin just after midnight, Friday, November 25th, 2011 Central Standard Time (-6 GMT). The special offer will run until 11:59PM CST Friday, November 25th, 2011.

Visit http://www.hostgator.com for more information.

This promotion will bring HostGator’s already competitive hosting packages as low as:

Shared hosting: As low as $4.95 Now only: $2.48/month (pre-paid)
Reseller Hosting: As low as $24.95 Now Only: $12.48/month (pre-paid)
VPS Hosting: As low as $19.95 Now Only: $9.98/month (First Month)
Dedicated Servers: As low as $174 Now Only $87/month (First Month)

You do NOT need to insert any coupon code to receive this special offer. The correct coupon code will automatically be inserted on all orders placed on Black Friday.

About HostGator

HostGator, a world leading provider of web hosting since 2002, is privately owned and based in Houston, Texas. Since then, HostGator has grown from a small hosting company with just three servers into a world leading and industry recognized hosting provider with more than 12,000 servers under management. HostGator has earned a great number of web hosting awards. Their customers range from large sized businesses down to personal bloggers and HostGator supports each of them with care and professionalism. All of HostGator’s servers are powered by wind power generated in the state of Texas.

As of November 25th, HostGator is rated 3.3 out of 5 according to 39 WebHostingGeeks user reviews. Check our HostGator reviews or visit their website at http://www.hostgator.com.

Disclaimer

The discount applies to the clients first invoice. VPS and dedicated server hosting services are only available on a monthly basis, therefore the promotion will apply to only the first month. Please note that current clients are eligible to take advantage of this offer on additional hosting accounts only. In order to receive the discount on an additional account, current clients must keep their original, existing account open and in good standing in order to continue receiving the discounted rate on their new account.

The Evolution of Web Design

Web design has come along way within the past 20 years. In fact, there have been so many advances with technology within the past decade, it is obvious that web design would also continue to expand and change over the years.

History of Web Design

The very first website was designed in 1991 and was a far cry from the types of websites you would see today two decades later. The interesting thing is that this website was nothing special, but it was still usable.

In 1991, no one really cared about HTML and all the unique tricks that make a website stand out and look good. When more people started creating websites for their companies and businesses, they didn’t go all out like how they do now. Most of these companies were using simple text with no picture or clip-art. Things have definitely changed within the past twenty years.

The first major change was the use of templates. Templates were designed to add a specific color design or theme to a website. Businesses and companies flocked to this because it made their websites look more organized and neat. Templates were free and easy to use, which is why people didn’t mind using them. Templates are still used for websites these days as well, but templates have come a long way and are much better looking.

Changes Being Made

Many different changes that were made have attributed to the way web design is today. Over a period of time, computer design programs were made available for users. Users could purchase and download these programs and create unique designs and graphics for their websites or for their own personal use.

Some of these programs include Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and many others. People who started using these programs learned the basics on creating graphics and how important that could be to a website. Graphics look good on a website and add something extra besides just plain text. Being able to use these programs allowed web design to continue and advance. Businesses and companies liked having something extra on their website that would really catch the viewers’ eyes.

Giving Credit To Apple

The Apple incorporation deserves a lot of credit for the advances that have been made to web design and technology in general. In 1996, the Apple website looked fairly basic, just like most websites did at the time. The website appeared in black print on a white background with a clip art image of the Apple logo. Anyone who views what the website looked like today would have a hard time believing that the site for Apple.com ever looked so, well, ridiculous. However, it proves that technology and web design have not always been what they are now. Even prestigious companies, such as Apple, started from the very beginning with their web design basics.

Right before the millennium, Apple.com made some changes to the website. It looked more futuristic than before. It still wasn’t what it is today, but it was definitely better than it looked in 1996 with all plain text. In 1999, the website for Apple had nicer pictures with less text. The text that was displayed was more organized and didn’t look so awkward.

In 2000, the website changed for the better and displayed pictures of the new iMac that was produced by Apple. In 2001, the iPod was introduced and at that time, the web design changed again. This time, the web design focused solely on the iPod. In 2004, the main focus of the web design was still on the iPod, but this time it was all about the changes and advances that had been made to the iPod over the span of three years.

The web design for Apple.com continued to change and grow. Each year, changes were made and the website looked better and better. What people found out and learned from Apple.com is that simple web design was better than over the top craziness. Simple web design that looked decent and was organized would catch the eyes of Internet users.

The reason that Apple deserves such credit is because they opened the doors to other businesses and companies and their websites. Many of these companies chose to follow the direction that Apple.com too with their web design, which has taught people a lot about how their website should look.

How Has Web Design Changed?

Web design has changed in so many different ways. Primarily, it has changed in the way that it is set up. What most have learned along the way is that less is definitely more with web design. In the beginning, companies would display tons of information in text and packed it directly on a web page but now, the less is more feature is so much better for viewers.

Web design has also changed because it is much more organized than it was in 1991 and it is even more organized than it was five years ago. It seems as though web design advances each year, so who knows how web design will be in 10 or 20 years. It will continue to progress each year and that has been proven already.

Another change that has been made to web design is companies that are selling a product typically display a picture of each product being sold. The picture allows viewers to know what they are buying before they actually pay for it. Viewers can look at the picture and read product information before deciding whether it is right for them.

Overall, quality web design is essential for any business or person who wants to spread the word about something and get their point across. Web design has come along way and with advances being made with technology, it will continue to grow and expand. Website owners will have to keep up with their web design on a regular basis if they want to be successful.

Make sure to check out this cool infographic by Sean Work from KISSmetrics.

Top 5 Social Networking Platforms

The world has definitely changed within the last 10 years. Before, communication was challenging and time consuming. To connect with others, there was a simple phone call or perhaps a trip. Now, individuals can come “face-to-face” with their friends and relatives through web cam, Skype and Yahoo Messenger. The process of communicating is virtually easy as there seems to be an endless supply of instant messaging services as well as chatting options with popular social networking sites such as FaceBook or MySpace. Not only do these platforms connect relatives or friends, but also corporations. Virtual meetings can be held over the internet with GotoMeeting and reports are easily sent with emails. The internet has vastly improved the communication world. With the creation of various social networking sites, people can now be bonded in ways that was not possible before.

There are many platforms that allow individuals to communicate. Of course, the social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace are the most popular; however, forums and web discussions are becoming increasingly popular as well. These platforms allow users to discuss various topics and it is very possible that, depending on the subject you are interested in, there is some type of forum that exists that specifically targets that subject. The process of creating a forum or web discussion is dependent on the skills the person has within web hosting and code. Forums and web discussions are still not quite as popular as other social networking sites, but they have the versatility to become anything the creator wants it to be, which is making it popular among individuals.

Who are social networking sites for?

Almost everyone has some type of social networking site and businesses are now creating their very own which would allow them to connect more deeply with their customers. By creating such sites, businesses are now able to see what their customers truly think in a relaxed, comfortable state. Individuals and businesses alike want a social networking platform that is easy to use and popular.

Here are the top five social networking platforms:

These five social networking websites are in the lead over all other social networking sites online. One may wonder how the rankings for the top five social networking platforms are decided. The decision is based on a number of factors. These factors include:

• Profiles
• Security
• Features for Networking
• Support
• Friend Focus

These few factors are what determine whether or not the social networking platform is a success. Profiles are the most essential factor because this is how a user expresses themselves and who they are to the public and to the people who they know. On a profile, users can talk about their likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests, and literally be themselves. Users value being able to have a profile that is easy to use and allows them to talk about themselves and what they are into. A user profile should be easy to set up and understand, but also decent enough to allow the user to show who they are and their personality through their profile.

The Importance of Security

Security is definitely another major factor on what makes a social networking platform successful. Users value their privacy and security. Who would want to be a user of a social networking website that didn’t value the security of its users? Surely, no one would. Each and every successful social networking platform should have security options for its users. These options include giving the users a block button so that they are able to block anyone they want, especially people who may be bothering them online. Users should also be able to block off certain parts of their profile from other people if they wish.

Available Features

The features for networking are definitely an additional bonus. If a social networking platform wants to have success, it will need to offer tons of features to its users. It is important that social networking platforms remember they are in constant competition with others. Features that should be offered to the users include picture updates, video update, groups, status updates, and tons of other features that the users want.

Support is a necessity especially for those who are new to using social networking platforms. The last thing that a platform should want to do is to leave a user feeling unsure and left out. The platform should offer support and advice to new users and there should always be a section available to users that answers some of the most frequently asked questions.

Connecting with Friends

Last but certainly not least, friend focus is essential and it is the main way that a social networking platform will grow. Users want to be able to connect with their friends and family members. If a social networking platform wants to be successful, they have to make the friend focus easy for users to keep in contact with one another.

In Conclusion

Overall, it seems as though Facebook has mastered most of these features because it is number one on the list of top five social networking platforms. Facebook has received a 4 star rating for security, support and friend focus. Facebook also received a 3 star rating for profiles and 3.5 stars for networking features. Facebook currently takes the lead as the number one social networking platform, but the website does have some fairly stiff competition.

MySpace comes in as a close second. The website received a 4 star rating for all features except for the friend focus feature. When it came to friend focus, MySpace received a 3 star rating, which is what put the social networking platform at number two in the list. MySpace is in constant competition with Facebook for the number one spot. If Facebook wants to keep its number one spot or if MySpace wants to reach that number one spot, changes will need to be made on both ends. The same goes for the other three social networking platforms and all of the other platforms that have not been able to make it within the top five.

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