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A Minute With Jessica
Published by: on 05-06-2013
Over the course of the last few years, I have seen numerous clients walk away from web design projects and it is usually not due to the inability to pay for the rest of a project, but rather the fact that the project itself seems so large and intimidating, it seems easier to walk away. Since I have seen this problem numerous times, I decided to write a guide to better help prepare clients for a web design project that addresses the who, what, and why questions involved.
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Published by: on 04-24-2013
Since I feel the need to have my voice heard (it's been a while), I thought I would share a few of my favorite websites and why.
In my line of work I see a lot of bad websites and experience a great loss of sleep over this on a frequent basis, so if you are one of the offenders, just hire us, or find someone to help you stop hurting the eyeballs of innocent web viewers.
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Published by: on 04-02-2013
Are you unsure what kind of image you would like to your audience through your website? Perhaps your stationary gives the impression that you are a respected attorney, but your website has the feel of a 1980's video arcade? If you are not sure what kind of image you want to present, worry no longer, take my quick and fun (hopefully) quiz to start to determine who you are and how you can present your brand best online.
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Published by: on 02-19-2013
We all know by now that cute kittens and funny memes can garner a laugh and a maybe get you a social media endorsement, but it is important to remember that laughter does not always generate a lead or respect for a business online. For example, see the picture of my cat to the right. If it was on our home page it might make someone question our judgment as web designers, unless we only designed sites for cat lovers.
If you are a business owner, web designer or personal brand, it is essential to make sure that images on your website (especially the home page) quickly communicate what you offer, who you are and what you value. Furthermore, your website images convey your level of professionalism and can help with search engine optimization.
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Published by: on 02-12-2013
Is your website struggling to make a connection online? Do you feel like you are always the one giving in your relationship with Google, but are never receiving love back? The Search Engine-aire matchmakers at LA Dezign understand the frustration that comes when you are strutting around online in a cute new outfit (ie. sexy website design), yet somehow Google still sees you as a frog. Now wipe away the tears since there is hope. All you have to do is read my tips below on how to get some Google love this Valentine's Day.
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Published by: on 01-18-2013
Have you ever used the excuse "I would love to write a blog, but I don’t have the time and have no idea what to write about." Me, too. Which, is why I am writing this post. Something has to be done so that more and more fresh content is produced for the info junkies glued to their gadgets and Google knows you exist. The most important part of writing frequent blog posts is having a list of topics that you can write about, as well as a place where you write down anything that you are inspired by throughout the day.
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Published by: on 11-20-2012
In light of recent articles about businesses paying for Yelp reviews, I cannot help but comment on the increasing requests I am getting lately to "Like" someone on Facebook, or to write a Yelp review for them. While businesses can benefit from positive reviews, readers need to take them with a grain of salt given the manipulation of them on the part of businesses. In addition, businesses need to be careful not to alienate potential or current customers by pressuring them to write reviews or interact with them on social media sites.
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Published by: on 09-26-2012
The lesson to be learned from my experience is that businesses need to be using the law of scarcity and the appeal of home and nostalgia to be selling their products or services. If you are selling meatloaf, by all means show a picture of a grandma making it by a stove surrounded by really cute toddlers.
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Published by: on 09-05-2012
Some wisdom inspired by my fighting parents
As soon as I hear someone begin a sentence with "You should" or "You need to" I can feel my guard go up and my "lines of defense" being formulated. Even worse is when my interlocutor commences a sentence with "You should have." How one can reply to this varies based upon your relationship with the opinionated person. Here are some suggestions to help you tell your opinionated coworker, friend or relative: "Stop should-ing on me."
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Published by: on 06-13-2012
When life gets tough and the head starts to spin, having a pet at work can help lower stress and remind us all that we have a lot to be grateful for that we may sometimes take for granted. My gratitude for the unconditional love of little kitten and the two chipper pups somehow makes me love everything else just a little bit more and helps me to find gratitude for our clients, office, and the California sunshine all anew.
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Published by: on 06-08-2012
If we keep relinquishing our personal data to companies, we lose our privacy and individual space, which I highly doubt will be good for our collective good. Even if we have nothing to hide, we lose control over our own lives when big business can stalk us and manipulate our behavior. Whether or not we actually have any control over anything anyways in the grand scheme of life is another issue and best left for spiritual debates.
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Published by: on 05-01-2012
Reading up about psychology and developments in neuroscience is the equivalent of a car owner actually opening up their manual and learning how to fold down the backseats or how to program the radio. If you are trying to be an effective leader, the more information you have about how your employees' brains work, the more effective you can be at keeping your business "machine" operating optimally.
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Published by: on 04-27-2012
Despite the fact that there are formal usability principles that guide the planning and development of successful websites, there are still so many sites that miss the mark in terms of basic GUI performance.
Look at it this way: you wouldn't invite someone to your house for dinner and then immediately dive into a game of hide-and-seek with your unsuspecting visitor (unless you are under age ten or crazy), so why would you get a visitor to the site and leave them wondering what the heck you do or what the heck is wrong with you.
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Published by: on 04-16-2012
Are people spending time on your site or do they leave when they get there because they get confused about what you sell or think your lime green flashing logo is a bit unprofessional for a koala bear site? On the other hand, if viewers are spending a decent amount of time on one particular page, pay attention to what words worked to get them there and what is good about the page. For example, may you see that people spent more time looking at pictures of stuffed squirrels this year instead of pandas. Or heck, maybe you see that the release of a new Chipmunks movies has a direct correlation to the traffic to your stuffed chipmunk page. Bottom line is that if you are not watching your analytics closely you are missing out on opportunities.
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Published by: on 03-29-2012
How can we now draw the lines between �my time�, �gadget time� and �work time� when we live via smart phone? And now, with the acceleration of communication times and our constant reachability, relationships can meet strife when one person doesn�t get a text reply back in less than 24 hours. This begs the question: Is anyone really relaxing anymore?
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Published by: on 02-14-2012
I recently watched a documentary about the acting teacher Roy London, in which one of his former students said that, To Know is about ego, to NOT know is about growth. As someone who is actively looking for ways to learn and improve, this quotation gave me much food for thought.
Every day I see battles of egos at play and watch as ego preserving barriers block individuals from learning and growing. In the workplace, the inability of employees to see the less than pleasant character traits beneath their egos poses a great problem for their growth and ability to contribute to the success of their companies. By recognizing that pride and ego create resistance to personal and professional development, we can then start as individuals to really see where we can improve.
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Published by: on 12-16-2011
Having a site that is not up-to-date is basically like trying to run a cafe in a ghost town, you may get a tourist or two once a month, but they will probably just think you are crazy and ask you for the directions to Walmart.
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Published by: on 12-05-2011
In Les Miserables Victor Hugo wrote, "The beautiful is as useful as the useful. Perhaps more so." As a lover of art and design, this has long been one of my favorite quotations to cite, however in the realm of web site design, I often ponder the extent to which this statement would apply. I am always on the lookout for great web sites and every so often there comes a time when I see a beautiful site design with an expensive flash introduction that then falls apart when I try to use the site.
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Published by: on 11-22-2011
Although business strategists discuss ad nauseum the importance of having a blog due to its ability to help with SEO and promote a brand, many would-be bloggers can't work up the gumption or find the time to get started. To help the fearful procrastinators begin to flex their writing muscles, I have prepared a brief plan that will help anyone commence promoting their highly valued (I would hope for your sake) opinions on the glorious and ruthless world wide web.
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Published by: on 11-16-2011
As I crunch on my afternoon apple and try to see the ocean through the smog I can�t help but think about how much better I suddenly feel after just a few bites. I feel smarter and more eager to do the best keyword research ever. Over the last couple years I have started to see more and more articles discussing the impact of certain foods on cognitive function. When I read lengthy articles on the benefits of garlic on the immune system and long commentaries on how walnut extract may help treat Alzheimer�s disease, I cannot help but wonder why anyone who cares about their work performance would not give more thought to how their food intake impacts their ability to think and function.
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Published by: on 11-15-2011
To Answer or not to Answer
When the phones are ringing and your inbox seems to ready to spill out of your computer screen you may wonder how can I get everything done? Some experts advocate answering one reply emails immediately while some seasoned office workers find it better to create complex color-coded to-do lists in order to help prioritize what to handle first.
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Latest Blog Posts
- How to Prepare for a Website Design Project
- A Few Of My Favorite Websites
- 10 Question Brand Identity Quiz
- Images and Image: Tips for Using Images in a Web Page Design
- 3 Tips to Attract Some Google Love: LA Dezign Plays Cupid
- Finding Blog Topics - For the Creatively Challenged or Time-Pressed
- How to say "No. I won't 'Like' you on Facebook"
- Falling into Change: Starbuck's Makes Autumn Awesome Even Without Falling Leaves and Rainy Days
- Replying to "You should," and "You need to"
- Pet Potential
- Online Privacy - the Sovietization of Personal Space Online
- Fruit for Thought: Brain Research and the Modern Workplace
- Is Your Website Friendly or Hostile? Here are 5 Criteria to Help You Find Out
- Growing Business Leads: Watch What Consumers Do, Not What They Say
- When Time is Money, is Faster Always Better?
- Ego in the Workplace
- Why your Website Needs New Content
- Aesthetics and Function in eCommerce Web Design
- How to Start a Blog
- Food For Thought
- To Answer or Not to Answer Seo Resources
- What is SEO?
- Frequent SEO questions
- Optimization checklist
- Why we're good at SEO
- Web design tips Seo Case Studies
- AbsoluteMed.com
- ArtisanPrecast.com
- GrandpasCoffeeCakes.com