Hi!
I so have not wrote in the blog in forever but I am still here :) I have decided that I will be taking a break from designing due to family issues and not having any time between moving, getting setup for college in December, my kids etc... but I am still going to ramble about random things here at the blog as well as going to be posting some blogger templates here that will be extremely affordable :) Which I can not wait to get done :) I will post the premade blogger templates as I get time to do them, and hopefully within the next week or two have a giveaway for a custom logo design YAY! Super excited about that so make sure you stay tuned here so you don't miss out ;) I am also considering giving the blog a new look hopefully within the next couple days to be more fitting to a wahm journal blog since I probably wont take any new customers until the beginning of next year. Anyway I am super tired and better get going but I will be back to post some web design tips tomorrow and a few other things.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Kiwi Interiors Custom Design
Hello,
I am bad I know I have not posted to my blog in over a week, but we have been so busy here at our house the kids keep me extremely busy as do many other things and we are getting ready to move soon and I am starting college soon. I am trying to balance everything the best I know how to. So if anyone has any tips on how to balance working at home with two toddlers and well working please leave a comment, I'd love to here your ideas :) Anyway I finished this site up a little while ago that I was working on for Lindsey over at Kiwi Interiors she does Home Staging and Design. She had come to me and wanted a very simple clean site created for her business as well as a business card to match so I wanted to show you a quick preview of the finished work :)
I am bad I know I have not posted to my blog in over a week, but we have been so busy here at our house the kids keep me extremely busy as do many other things and we are getting ready to move soon and I am starting college soon. I am trying to balance everything the best I know how to. So if anyone has any tips on how to balance working at home with two toddlers and well working please leave a comment, I'd love to here your ideas :) Anyway I finished this site up a little while ago that I was working on for Lindsey over at Kiwi Interiors she does Home Staging and Design. She had come to me and wanted a very simple clean site created for her business as well as a business card to match so I wanted to show you a quick preview of the finished work :)
It was really a great pleasure working with Lindsey and if you would like to visit her site you may do so at
www.kiwinteriors.com
Ways to Take Payment on Your E-Commerce Website
If you are just starting out as an internet retailer there may be a lot of things that you need to consider. One of these is the way in which you accept payment on your website. The aim of this article is to explain the differences in the options to help you come to a decision.
Firstly let us say that we are going to split this up into 2 major options, basically whether you want to use PayPal with your customers going to their website or whether you would like to have payment directly on your website. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of both and give you as much detail as possible.
PayPal Advantages
1. It is quick and easy to set up. Although you will need to verify your account this can be done in a very easy way and does not involve the same approval processes as setting up a bank account.
2. There are no fixed charges. It is free to set up a PayPal account and one you have it you will not pay anything unless you sell anything. This can be particularly useful if you are a new business as while you are getting started your sales volumes may be reasonably low.
3. Cheap and easy to add to your website. When you are getting your website set up you will find that it is much easier for your developer to set you up with PayPal. This is mainly because the secure payments do not need to be processed on your site.
4. No security risk for you. As the buyer will be taken to the PayPal website to have their payment processed it will be them that is responsible for the security of the transaction. This also has the added benefit that you do not have to pay for security certificates.
5. PayPal is known and trusted. As PayPal is used by ebay is means that it has been used and seen by a large section of internet users. This means that most visitors to your site will be comfortable using the PayPal payment process.
PayPal Disadvantages
1. Carries a High Transaction cost. Compared to other options out there PayPal charge a high transaction cost which, as your sales volumes grow, may not be cost effective.
2. People leave your site to pay. As people go to the PayPal website to have their payment processed they will be leaving your site to pay. This is not a major problem as they will be redirected at the end of the payment but may be something you do not like.
Direct Online Payment Advantages
1. Payments are processed in simple steps on your site. This is very consistent for the buyer as they move from page to page on your site.
2. Low Monthly charges. The charge per transaction can be low using the right providers, which if you are selling a lot of products, may be vey cost effective.
Direct Online Payment Disadvantages
1. High Fixed Costs. You will usually have to pay a set up fee as well as an ongoing monthly charge before you sell anything. Obviously when you are starting out it may not be an ideal situation as the costs may be larger than your sales. It may also cost you more to get it set up in the website build phase.
2. Need for Personal Security. If you take credit cards directly on your website you will need to ensure you have a secure server and a security certificate. This will be additional costs for you.
3. Potential lack of trust. Customers coming to your website may have a lack of confidence in the security on your site if they do not know you.
Conclusion
The above are all things that need to be considered before you make the decision of how to accept payments on your website. We would normally recommend that if you are a new business you should go for PayPal and then as you grow and increase your sales you should move on to direct online payments.
Firstly let us say that we are going to split this up into 2 major options, basically whether you want to use PayPal with your customers going to their website or whether you would like to have payment directly on your website. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of both and give you as much detail as possible.
PayPal Advantages
1. It is quick and easy to set up. Although you will need to verify your account this can be done in a very easy way and does not involve the same approval processes as setting up a bank account.
2. There are no fixed charges. It is free to set up a PayPal account and one you have it you will not pay anything unless you sell anything. This can be particularly useful if you are a new business as while you are getting started your sales volumes may be reasonably low.
3. Cheap and easy to add to your website. When you are getting your website set up you will find that it is much easier for your developer to set you up with PayPal. This is mainly because the secure payments do not need to be processed on your site.
4. No security risk for you. As the buyer will be taken to the PayPal website to have their payment processed it will be them that is responsible for the security of the transaction. This also has the added benefit that you do not have to pay for security certificates.
5. PayPal is known and trusted. As PayPal is used by ebay is means that it has been used and seen by a large section of internet users. This means that most visitors to your site will be comfortable using the PayPal payment process.
PayPal Disadvantages
1. Carries a High Transaction cost. Compared to other options out there PayPal charge a high transaction cost which, as your sales volumes grow, may not be cost effective.
2. People leave your site to pay. As people go to the PayPal website to have their payment processed they will be leaving your site to pay. This is not a major problem as they will be redirected at the end of the payment but may be something you do not like.
Direct Online Payment Advantages
1. Payments are processed in simple steps on your site. This is very consistent for the buyer as they move from page to page on your site.
2. Low Monthly charges. The charge per transaction can be low using the right providers, which if you are selling a lot of products, may be vey cost effective.
Direct Online Payment Disadvantages
1. High Fixed Costs. You will usually have to pay a set up fee as well as an ongoing monthly charge before you sell anything. Obviously when you are starting out it may not be an ideal situation as the costs may be larger than your sales. It may also cost you more to get it set up in the website build phase.
2. Need for Personal Security. If you take credit cards directly on your website you will need to ensure you have a secure server and a security certificate. This will be additional costs for you.
3. Potential lack of trust. Customers coming to your website may have a lack of confidence in the security on your site if they do not know you.
Conclusion
The above are all things that need to be considered before you make the decision of how to accept payments on your website. We would normally recommend that if you are a new business you should go for PayPal and then as you grow and increase your sales you should move on to direct online payments.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Posh Design Studio Will Be Closed
I posted this to the site and several other places but I figured I would post it here as well. Posh Design Studio is going to be closed from September 24th-28th. I have to go to lower Michigan to get everything settled so I can start college this December and will be there visiting family as well. I will have very limited access to my email but will respond to all emails as soon as I can. All orders that are placed during this time will be started no later than October 1st, 2009 . If you have any questions please feel free to email me using the contact button above and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
How to Choose Fonts for your Website
The way your website is designed is very important to your business and part of this is the fonts that you use in the main text and the links. However there are a few things you need to consider when selecting fonts. The aim of this article is to give you some advice on the best fonts to select.
The first thing to consider when selecting your fonts is whether people can actually see them. This seems like an odd thing to say but there are only certain fonts that are installed on computers as standard. These are the browser safe fonts.
The problem with browser safe fonts is they are different for Windows and Mac with only a few overlaps. Basically to ensure you font is seen on all computers you have a choice from the below fonts:
Browser Safe Fonts
Arial (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Arial Black
Comic Sans (Bold)
Courier New (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Georgia (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Impact
Symbol
Times New Roman (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Verdana (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
As you can see, this does not give you a very big selection to choose from. However for the main text on your website one of these should do as you want people to be able to read you text easily.
The problem is for your links, as with most people you might be thinking that these fonts are a little bit boring for your links. But how do you use something more interesting? Well basically you can use an image rather than a text link. This will allow you to use any font that you want and create the exact look that you desire.
However there is something you need to think about if you are going to use an image rather than text and that is the search engines. Basically the search engines can only read text links and so if you use images they will not be able to crawl your website. There is a way to get around this and that is to add a text link at the bottom of your page to a sitemap. Then in your site map you can have a text link to every page on your website.
The problem with this could be that you might feel the links at the bottom of your page ruin the look of your site. In our experience though you should do one or the other. If you want to appear in the search engines then it is really important to set up your website so that the search engines can get around it.
If you are going to use an interesting font for your links you need to also make sure your visitors can easily read them. The worst thing would be to select something that looks great but is difficult to read and so people lose interest.
One place where you can be very adventurous with your font and have no problems is in your logo. This is purely for show and branding and so you can pick a font that defines you and create an interesting logo.
As you can see the choice of font is not as easy as it originally seemed. We would normally recommend using a web safe font for your text and links. You can then add life to your website through images and set up. This will ensure your website is clear and easy to navigate.
The first thing to consider when selecting your fonts is whether people can actually see them. This seems like an odd thing to say but there are only certain fonts that are installed on computers as standard. These are the browser safe fonts.
The problem with browser safe fonts is they are different for Windows and Mac with only a few overlaps. Basically to ensure you font is seen on all computers you have a choice from the below fonts:
Browser Safe Fonts
Arial (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Arial Black
Comic Sans (Bold)
Courier New (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Georgia (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Impact
Symbol
Times New Roman (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
Verdana (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
As you can see, this does not give you a very big selection to choose from. However for the main text on your website one of these should do as you want people to be able to read you text easily.
The problem is for your links, as with most people you might be thinking that these fonts are a little bit boring for your links. But how do you use something more interesting? Well basically you can use an image rather than a text link. This will allow you to use any font that you want and create the exact look that you desire.
However there is something you need to think about if you are going to use an image rather than text and that is the search engines. Basically the search engines can only read text links and so if you use images they will not be able to crawl your website. There is a way to get around this and that is to add a text link at the bottom of your page to a sitemap. Then in your site map you can have a text link to every page on your website.
The problem with this could be that you might feel the links at the bottom of your page ruin the look of your site. In our experience though you should do one or the other. If you want to appear in the search engines then it is really important to set up your website so that the search engines can get around it.
If you are going to use an interesting font for your links you need to also make sure your visitors can easily read them. The worst thing would be to select something that looks great but is difficult to read and so people lose interest.
One place where you can be very adventurous with your font and have no problems is in your logo. This is purely for show and branding and so you can pick a font that defines you and create an interesting logo.
As you can see the choice of font is not as easy as it originally seemed. We would normally recommend using a web safe font for your text and links. You can then add life to your website through images and set up. This will ensure your website is clear and easy to navigate.
Monday, September 21, 2009
7 Quick SEO Tips
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can seem like a daunting task to some. Especially when you are starting out. Search Engine Optimization requires a lot of time and work.
These seven quick tips are meant to help get you started on the endless road of SEO. Yes, it is endless. You must ALWAYS be optimizing your site if you want it to be and REMAIN successful.
Search Engine Optimization Quick Tips
1. Fresh Content. You must have more original content than non original.
2. Directory Listing. Submit submit submit.
3. Write. Write original content for your site and then submit to article sites.
4. Socialize. Blogs, message boards and social network memberships can help you get the word out about your site and products. NO spamming though!
5. Site Map. This will help visitors and crawlers find you and what you have to offer.
6. Stay updated. Keep yourself informed of what is going on in the world of SEO.
7. Consistency. A website is like a baby. It needs regular attention to flourish and grow.
Like I said, this is endless. If you want a website and you want it to be successful Search Engine Optimization is vital. Without a good SEO strategy you will fail. Websites do not magically become successful and gain high traffic. If they did then we would all be rich!
Successful websites require commitment, consistency, active involvement, originality, trial and error, continual Search Engine Optimization education and hard work. I believe that if you give it your all, you can't go wrong!
These seven quick tips are meant to help get you started on the endless road of SEO. Yes, it is endless. You must ALWAYS be optimizing your site if you want it to be and REMAIN successful.
Search Engine Optimization Quick Tips
1. Fresh Content. You must have more original content than non original.
2. Directory Listing. Submit submit submit.
3. Write. Write original content for your site and then submit to article sites.
4. Socialize. Blogs, message boards and social network memberships can help you get the word out about your site and products. NO spamming though!
5. Site Map. This will help visitors and crawlers find you and what you have to offer.
6. Stay updated. Keep yourself informed of what is going on in the world of SEO.
7. Consistency. A website is like a baby. It needs regular attention to flourish and grow.
Like I said, this is endless. If you want a website and you want it to be successful Search Engine Optimization is vital. Without a good SEO strategy you will fail. Websites do not magically become successful and gain high traffic. If they did then we would all be rich!
Successful websites require commitment, consistency, active involvement, originality, trial and error, continual Search Engine Optimization education and hard work. I believe that if you give it your all, you can't go wrong!
Photo Shoot
Hello,
I wanted to share with everyone some pictures of Ashton and Jadyn that I had taken that I think turned out great considering how the day went lol :) Believe it or not my oldest was screaming almost every second during the photo shoot, thank god the photographer was patient and lets just say very outgoing to be able to get a smile out of him. I was going to give up and take him to the car but the photographer was persistent didn't give up and we finally got some good pictures. The only issue is in some of them Jadyn was very scared he doesn't like loud people and the photographer had to be loud and funny to make Ashton stop crying well anyway the pictures are below and thought I would share
I wanted to share with everyone some pictures of Ashton and Jadyn that I had taken that I think turned out great considering how the day went lol :) Believe it or not my oldest was screaming almost every second during the photo shoot, thank god the photographer was patient and lets just say very outgoing to be able to get a smile out of him. I was going to give up and take him to the car but the photographer was persistent didn't give up and we finally got some good pictures. The only issue is in some of them Jadyn was very scared he doesn't like loud people and the photographer had to be loud and funny to make Ashton stop crying well anyway the pictures are below and thought I would share
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