Go easy on the Peeps, okay !
The typical creative workflow at Muller Design Studio…
Yeah, this is pretty much how it goes. Lots of goofing off and then a last-minute panic-fueled inspirational burst of graphic design.*
*Nah. Not really. We always start early and are finished by lunchtime. Then we sit around the rest of the afternoon discussing “Twilight.”
Search Engine Optimization is a waste of time. Search engines are dead!
SEO isn’t what it used to be.
Okay, we’ll admit that the headline is rather sensationalistic. But is does sum up the realization that I came to today. SEO isn’t the “holy grail” that it once was. I hadn’t noticed the change in my own usage of search engines until I read John Jantsch’s insightful article “Why my search engine use is dwindling and why yours will too.”
Sure, I still use Google, but that’s mostly when I’m in the office. When I’m out and about it’s not Google that I’m using to locate and find out about things around me. I’m using apps on my smartphone that target specific types of searches. Looking for a good Thai restaurant that’s in your neighborhood? How about the latest sports scores? Looking to find the best local deal on a new TV? As the (now cliché) has it: “There’s an app for that.” In-app searches are the primary source of “search results,” not Google (or Yahoo, or Bing) when I’m traveling. I don’t launch the web browser, I launch the appropriate, targeted app or rely on recommendations from Twitter or Facebook friends.
SEO is important, but it’s not the only thing.
The important thing to take away from this is not that on-line searching is really dead, but that searching trends are sure to shift (they already are) and folks are getting deeper and deeper into social media and “crowd-sourced” knowledge (which are really referrals.)
As marketers, we need to be aware of these changes and figure out where our customers are going, not where they used to be, and meet them there with content they want and need.
In a website, more is not better.
Does your business’ website blink? Do things flash and move? Does your logo spin around and burst into flames? Is the interface just a-wiggle with “interactivity”? If so, you might want to take a step back and reevaluate your site’s goals.
Website “bling” creates barriers to entry
I recently read an article by Christopher Butler on Print Magazine’s website titled “6 Tips to Simplify Your Website’s Design” and thought it loaded with useful information that can sometimes be too easily overlooked. If nothing else, the article serves as an excellent refresher on some key points to keep in mind when creating a new site or redesigning an existing one. It’s also pertinent as we begin moving into design for the “mobile web”: sites optimized for viewing on smartphones and other mobile devices. With smaller screens and (for now) slower data connection speeds, simple design can mean the difference between making or losing a sale if customers must wait for overly complex elements to load. In the past, a certain smartphone and its operating system was criticized for not supporting or playing Flash objects on the web. Some users were upset about this as favorite sites were rendered inaccessible. However, the key concept is that when you’re delivering content, when you’re creating a portal for customers to access your online storefront, you need to be wary of creating barriers and “speedbumps” for the sake of “bling.”
Simple, focused website design lowers barriers and creates portals to success
Simple, content-driven web design, for all platforms (desktops, laptops, and smartphones and tablets), lacking in superfluous visual geegaws and design elements, creates pathways to engaging and satisfying web site experiences and makes it easy for customers to do business with you.
Creating a trust-based relationship with clients is good for business
I’ve been fortunate enough thus far in my career not to have experienced a serious trust-issue with a client. (Full disclosure: but there have been some trying times). When I was just starting out in my design career (oh so many many years ago) I did try to assert my still-minty-fresh 4-year degree. It felt like the proverbial uphill battle; I was trying to prove myself and doubtless made clients feel like I was being a pushy, bossy up-start know-it-all.
Fortunately I had mentors and co-workers that offered excellent advice and demonstrated professional client relations in every aspect of their work. As a result, I quickly learned that while excellent work is important, so are the relationships that I’d form with clients. The key lesson (that, fortunately I learned in a pain-free way) was that establishing a trust-based working relationship was critical. If a client didn’t trust me, then it didn’t matter if I was a design genius (which I’m not, but I do like to think of myself as being solid) because I’d be just another bozo.
This article on HOW Design is a fantastic (and short) collection of tips on creating better collaborative and trust-based working relationships with clients. The best part is that these tips serve not just designers, but also clients. And they can apply to almost any industry!
http://www.howdesign.com/design-business/empathic-designer/
Leave a comment and share some of your tips or experiences, no matter which side of the table you’re on.
