Why you should Stop Using CAPTCHAs
- February 3, 2012
CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test you tell Computers and Humans Apart,” and their most used purposed it to stop automated submissions of web forms, like registration or contact forms. Those robots, they’re such tricky fellows.
While us normal folk think that CAPTCHAs are benefiting us, they are actually harming the usability of your website. Nowadays CAPTCHAs are becoming less and less legible, which is making actual humans leave pages out of frustration. And would you look at that your competition doesn’t have annoying CAPTCHAs to deal with, you just gave your competition a new client.
Another thing you probably haven’t even thought of is that as a web designer you aren’t really subject to the bots, so you’re just making your website suffer from the conformist approach to avoid them.
There are other ways to avoid bots:
- Simple math questions, for example to validate that someone is human you can just make them answer what is 2 + 2.
- Use Javascript, a Javascript function is called to perform some simple arithmetic and push the result into a hidden field which is then verified server-side. This is a good one to use if you know that your user-base is going to have Javascript installed, but it may prove to be counterproductive for those who have Javascript disabled.
- Use pictures, for example you can ask your customer to click on the telephone amongst pictures of cats to proceed.
- Ask them to complete a simple task, you can ask them to spell toothpaste or another simple word.
- Use a service like Akismet, an excellent spam-filtering service for blog comments.
- Or you can just put up with it; it’s up to you. Weigh the pros and cons and figure out what’s best for you.
10 Quick tips to improve your Website
- January 16, 2012
How do you know your blog or website is performing at it’s best?
Miami Web Design Pro is about to show you 10 more ways to improve your website and really be satisfied with it’s performance…
1- Key Content Hidden “Below the fold” - always keep in mind that you only have a small window of opportunity to really get the attention of a visitors once they land on your site. Be sure to have vital content or even a Facebook fan page widget in a area where its visible to a visitor with out actually having to scroll down too excessively. To much scrolling to find anything on your site means the visitor will get bored in a matter of seconds and leave your page.
2- Long Flash Intro - AVOID!! Flash is dead or at least dying out of existence. No one likes to spend the time anymore sitting through an annoying flash intro before actually seeing the content on your site. Instead impress visitors with your knowledge and the relevance of your content. Maybe look into incorporating CSS into your design to have some animated effects which are ten times better then flash.
Tips on Creating Credible Online Content
- July 26, 2011
Customers are always asking us, here at Miami Web Design Pro, why is content important? They are always wondering why they can’t just have an epic website, with lots of pictures? And we always respond with the same answer, because content builds credibility. Without proper content the chances of converting a viewer into a buyer are slim to none. People need reassurance that they are purchasing from someone who knows that they are doing.
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Planning a Perfect Website
- June 28, 2011
Miami Web Design Pro knows that as a designer it’s easy to get lost in your own head. You have so many things going on in that cluttered space that you won’t even know where to begin. Although it is bold to open up Adobe Photoshop and get started, we advise you to conduct some planning first.
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Design Blogging Terms that would be Better Left Unsaid
- June 28, 2011
Miami Web Design Pro isn’t about picking on anyone, especially the people we know, because they use these terms; but seriously, there are some words that we can probably live without.
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The Design Atmosphere
- June 23, 2011
Miami Web Design Pro just realized something – Mom always had a point when it came to lecturing us about our messy rooms. Not only does a messy, cluttered room warrant our mothers’ disapproval, it also serves as an example of web design principles taking place in real life. Just like a cluttered room is unappealing, so is a cluttered website.
Cluttered websites breed things that are irrelevant, out of place, and unnecessary. They appear unattractive because there is too much going on, and it seems as if everything is competing against one another for the attention of the consumer. All of these qualities only make it so that the potential costumer flees immediately, and never comes back.
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A “Good Design,” What is it?
- June 16, 2011
Where do you even start? What colors apply to you? What’s CSS3? And what about PHP? It may all be extremely confusing in the beginning, not to mention overwhelming, but there is one thing you must remember. Regardless of the structure, organization, typography, drop shadows, corners, responsiveness, or usability the most important thing when it comes to web design is whether or not the website performs its job. In other words, does the design achieve the end result you desired?
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Wrong Can Sometimes Be Right
- January 26, 2011
We here at Miami Web Design try to learn the most we can about website content. After all, that is a website’s bread and butter. Without content a potential customer would not know what the company has to offer; and if the content isn’t good then your competitors may beat you out.
Recently we have been studying grammar in websites, and we’ve noticed that the most popular websites do not use the best grammar. Instead, they use what sounds good.
Snooping 101
- August 12, 2010
Everyone, in whatever industry they may be, always turns to their competitors for comparison. Granted you cannot only focus on the competition, your maximum attention should be set on your customers and audience. But if you are in the mood to snoop and lurk, Web Design Miami has some tips. You have to take note in what your competition is doing right, what customers appreciate about them, and what makes them keep coming back for more. When looking at your competition, compare what they’re offering, to what you are offering.
Here at Miami Web Design Pro, we compare our content, homepage, resources, tools, promotion, etc. to that of our opponents. This is one of the key components when looking tat what your competitors have, and what you are lacking.
Compare your page rank using search engine optimization tools, like SEOmoz Crawl Test, SearchCLU, Website Grader, Covario. And keep in mind their link sharing, links are always extremely important when competing.
Compete, Alexa, AttentionMeter, comScore, Nielsen or Hitwise will all be your best friends when you are snooping on your competitors. These tools analyze your competitors’ site traffic and traffic trends. Analyzing traffic is one of the most important steps when checking out the competition. This will provide the window you need to see just how successful they are, the more traffic they receive the better they are doing.
You have to determine what people like about your competitors’ products, business, features, etc. You also have to keep track of what they like and dislike about your business. You may wondering “How can I possibly ever do this?” Well it is simple; just use social monitoring tools, like Netbase, to get on track.
When it comes to keeping an eye on the competition you have to have a plan in order to succeed, and help your business.
Miami Web Design Pro is a Miami Web Design Firm that offers the competitive edge to drive out your competitors.
Think Before You Act
- July 29, 2010
Miami Web Design Pro believes that the most important thing about a website is engaging your customers, you must build a connection with them through the Internet. You have to draw your customers in so that they will keep coming back for more. If they are interested in your website and in your services, they will continue to visit your website. They will evolve from curious web surfers into loyal clients. You have to have a unique vision, as well as understanding of your audience. Below are some techniques that will help you accomplish just that:
1. Do not let your focus waver.
Too many companies are so busy worrying about their competitors that they do not focus on what’s most important: the clients. Not only is it making your concentration stray away from your customers, but it will also confuse you. You do not know the background of your competitors or the critical information about their design or vision, so you will be searching aimlessly in the dark. Because you won’t understand the competitions’ page you won’t know whether the website performs well, if it’s successful, or if you should copy them or ignore them. Besides misinterpreting the website, you can also be deceived. Many business, when creating their website, do not like to stray too far away from the flock, they like conformity, being too rambunctious and radical does not sound appealing to many companies. If “no one else is doing [an idea]” then the vision loses its lucrative attraction. An idea can go two ways, either it will completely flop, and that is why no one did it before, or it can succeed, and you could have struck marketing gold. You have to decide which direction your idea may go based on your audience. You have to focus on your customers and their needs, desires, and what they want to see. You need to know how they shop, research, act, etc. In short, you have to know their market interests better than they know themselves.
2. Your company > Your website
You need to remember that in today’s day and age a website is only a small part in the grand perception a customer creates of you and your company. If a customer is truly interested in your services then they will do their homework; they will not only rely on your website to supplement their questions about you. They will search other portals to find out about you. Blogs, forums, online media sites, etc, are your customers’ sharpest tools when researching your company. Be smart about your plan and your company, do not ignore the other outlets; instead, use them to your advantage. Monitor, listen, respond and accommodate your customers’ questions and comments.
