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	<link>http://windycitywebsites.com</link>
	<description>Simply Effective Design</description>
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		<title>Working with a Web Designer, Part IV: Tips for Working with Your Web Designer</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iv-tips-for-working-with-your-web-designer/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iv-tips-for-working-with-your-web-designer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:46:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4337</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our series on working with a web designer. This series is designed to help you understand each step of hiring a web designer to build your first, or next, website. We’ve already covered most of the important topics, so this post will be the last in the series. If you are interested... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iv-tips-for-working-with-your-web-designer/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iv-tips-for-working-with-your-web-designer/">Working with a Web Designer, Part IV: Tips for Working with Your Web Designer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our series on working with a web designer. This series is designed to help you understand each step of hiring a web designer to build your first, or next, website. We’ve already covered most of the important topics, so this post will be the last in the series.</p>
<p>If you are interested in what was already covered, you can go back to find the other topics that we covered. So far, we’ve discussed the advantage of having a web designer, how to find and choose one, and how to set up your project so you can begin working with one.</p>
<p>In this post, we’ll give you some tips for working with a web designer. For the purposes, we’re assuming that you have already found the web designer that you want, and that the website is currently being built. This should not be the end of your interaction with the web designer. A website is a serious project and you may be relying on it for years to come.</p>
<p>You should be in regular contact with your web designer regarding how the site is developing, and what you need from it depending on where it is now. Working with a web designer may seem confusing or intimidating, but you can make it easier by following the steps below. If you follow these steps, you’ll find working with a web designer is a simple and pleasant experience.</p>
<h2>Be Clear about What You Need</h2>
<p>If you’ve ever hired any type of contractor, you probably understand the importance of being clear about exactly what you want out of the project. Websites are no exception. If you want the best chances of getting what you want out of your website, you need to communicate clearly what you want. Your web designer will appreciate avoiding the possibility of needing something done over again, and you’ll have the benefit of getting what you want.</p>
<p>As we discussed in the last post, the best way to be clear about your needs is to implement some sort of planning stage where everything can be laid out before you begin working with your web designer. You don’t have to be too specific about what you need. After all, you’ll want the designer to have some room to create something unique, which is why we also suggest that you trust your web designer’s expertise.</p>
<h2>Trust their Expertise</h2>
<p>Web designers are creative professionals. They know quite a bit about how people respond to websites online. They know most of what has ever been tried, and which techniques succeeded and failed. They’ll be able to put this knowledge to work for you, but only if you let them.</p>
<p>It is normal to be nervous about the website you are building, and to be determined to get everything done exactly how you want it. However, your ideas may backfire on you if you decided to ignore a web designer who tells you that something is a bad idea.</p>
<p>Remember that these people have been doing their jobs for quite a while. The internet is not a particularly receptive audience, and they are very dismissive of websites that don’t conform to web standards that they are used to. If you don’t want to finish and website that no one wants to look use, take as much advantage as you can from the professional experience of your web designers.</p>
<h2>Be Professional</h2>
<p>Professionalism is something that you should be taking into every commercial deal, and web design deals are no exception. Both parties will benefit from a professional outlook on the project, which plays into everything that we’ve discussed in the series up to this point. When working with your web designer: Answer their communications, develop deadlines with their help, and compensate them as you promised. You’ll find this will make your project much more successful.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Now that this series is completed, we’ll be moving onto other topics in the world of web design.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iv-tips-for-working-with-your-web-designer/">Working with a Web Designer, Part IV: Tips for Working with Your Web Designer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Working with a Web Designer, Part III: Setting up Your Project</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iii-setting-up-your-project/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iii-setting-up-your-project/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 06:44:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4335</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our series on working with a web designer. This series is dedicated to helping you understand how to create a new website while working with a web design professional. So far we’ve covered two important topics: The advantages of having a web designer on your side, and how to choose a web... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iii-setting-up-your-project/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iii-setting-up-your-project/">Working with a Web Designer, Part III: Setting up Your Project</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our series on working with a web designer. This series is dedicated to helping you understand how to create a new website while working with a web design professional. So far we’ve covered two important topics: The advantages of having a web designer on your side, and how to choose a web designer from the large amount of them available online. This post will be a continuation of those two topics. While both of those topics dealt with ultimately finding a web designer, this one will deal with actually working with one that you’ve picked.</p>
<p>Now that you have a web designer (or even if you are still just considering it) you will need to begin setting up your project. Different web designers have different methods for doing their jobs. Some prefer to handle everything alone from start to finish with little or no input. Others though, will strive to provide exactly what you want by looking to you for direction on the project. If this is the type of web designer that you hire, do you know what you need to tell them to see your project developed the way you want it?</p>
<p>In this post, we are going to go through everything you should set up before working with your web designer. We’ll go over what should be planned out beforehand, and what decisions you can make now to make life easier for your designer. In particular, you’ll want to decide what you want your site to look like and which features you want your site to provide. We cover each of these major concerns in more detail below.</p>
<h2>Choosing the Look for Your Site</h2>
<p>You should have a look planned out before you hire your web designer, and you should be ready to deliver a plan to them when you hire them. This may not always be necessary though. Web designers are educated in the newest trends in websites, so they should know the most effective way to build the website that matches the conventions users expect. However, you are the one who will be using your site for (possibly) years to come. Having a site you’re comfortable with is very important.</p>
<p>Remember that while web designers are artistic professionals, they may not understand your business or the type of clients that you deal with. If you want to make sure that your website works with your business, you will need to take an active role in planning the look of your site.</p>
<p>You will not necessarily need to provide a lot of direction. Effective direction may be as simple as “keep it serious” or “make it fun”. You may also want to provide directions on dealing with the color of the site (to make it match your logo for example). A web designer may suggest several different templates after you’ve given them your direction. You may be able to find exactly what you’re looking for now that they know what you want.</p>
<h2>Choosing the Feature for Your Site</h2>
<p>While your web designer may know better than you what options are available for a website, you should have a plan in place for the features you want most when you begin working with them. It can be difficult to add new features to a website once the development has progressed beyond a certain point. Prevent any hiccups from happening later on by deciding what you want now.</p>
<p>If you aren’t sure what features you want to add, you may find what you are looking for by visiting the websites of some of the other people in your industry. These sites may have features that you want for your own site. Make a mental note whenever you see a feature that would work really well for you, and ask your web designer about the best way to implement it. Having a good idea of what you’ll be up against is a great way to build the best site possible.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Next time, we give you some tips for working with web designers that will make your next website project go smoothly.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-iii-setting-up-your-project/">Working with a Web Designer, Part III: Setting up Your Project</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Working with a Web Designer, Part II: Choosing a Web Designer</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-ii-choosing-a-web-designer/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-ii-choosing-a-web-designer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:42:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4333</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our short series on working with web designers. In the last post we discussed some of the advantages of hiring a web design professional to work with you while creating your website. We discussed some of the professional benefits that you could enjoy with a web designer on your side. Among the... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-ii-choosing-a-web-designer/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-ii-choosing-a-web-designer/">Working with a Web Designer, Part II: Choosing a Web Designer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our short series on working with web designers. In the last post we discussed some of the advantages of hiring a web design professional to work with you while creating your website. We discussed some of the professional benefits that you could enjoy with a web designer on your side. Among the advantages we mentioned were the experience, the education, and the artistic awareness that a professional we designer brings to the table.</p>
<p>Naturally, we couldn’t cover all the advantages of hiring a web designer in one post. There are many more that you’ll discover once you have taken on a web designer. Of course, to take advantage of all the benefits that web designers offer, you want to make sure that you hire the right one. Choosing a web designer may not be a simple task. You are making a large investment, not just in the designer themselves, but also in the website that you may be using for years to come.</p>
<p>There are several major considerations that you’ll want to take into account when hiring your web designer. In particular, you’ll want to examine their infrastructure, their portfolio, and their pricing. If you want to understand more about evaluating each of these options, we’ll go into much more detail about each of them below. By the time you’re done, you should have a firm grasp on what it takes to choose the right web designer for your next website project.</p>
<h2>Infrastructure</h2>
<p>One of the first attributes of a web designer that you’ll want to look at is their infrastructure. Some web designers are independent, and treat their business as more of a small side job. These designers may be more affordable than some of the larger operations around, but you should understand that they may not be able to give you the level of service that a dedicated team of web designers can offer you. This is something you should take very seriously.</p>
<p>You want your web designer to have a strong infrastructure. There should, at the very least, be more than one person—so that you can be sure that there are a range of different specialties. The more developed a web designing team is, the more likely it is that you won’t experience problems in delivery. Whenever possible, you should trust your web design to a large team.</p>
<h2>Portfolio</h2>
<p>Another major consideration when choosing the right web designer for you is their portfolio. Any legitimate web designer will have a full portfolio ready for you to view. You should spend as much time as possible going over the portfolio. You should familiarize yourself with what your web designer is best at. Some may specialize in flashy websites, where others might have more experience with tasteful business websites.</p>
<p>Take note of where items in the portfolio overlap. The designer may have a particular “style” that they apply to most of the work. You should decide whether the particular style of the designer fits the look that you want to develop for your own website. Remember that you’ll probably be using your website for a very long time. You want to end up with a look that you are very satisfied with.</p>
<h2>Pricing</h2>
<p>Pricing may not be your last concern; it may even be your first. The cost of web designers can vary wildly, but you may be surprised to learn that most website building services are very affordable. Even if you are looking for a well-designed site with good features, the cost of creating the site itself will not eat into too much of your operating budget. Whenever you are comparing the prices of web designers, you should treat it as cost-benefit analysis.</p>
<p>For a small price, you can get a very basic website. That does not mean that it will be ugly or plain though, some designers can make a simple website very effective. However, you may want a website that will impress most people who visit it. Extras like these will eat into your budget more, but it may be worth it when the life of the entire site is considered.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Next time, we continue our series on working with web designers.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-ii-choosing-a-web-designer/">Working with a Web Designer, Part II: Choosing a Web Designer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Working with a Web Designer: Part I</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-i/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-i/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:39:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4331</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Whether you are working with your first website or your fiftieth, you’ve probably considered hiring a web designer. Many people who build websites have wondered at one time if it wouldn’t be easier to delegate that duty to someone else. Those that have asked themselves this question have been inevitably left with more of them.... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-i/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-i/">Working with a Web Designer: Part I</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Whether you are working with your first website or your fiftieth, you’ve probably considered hiring a web designer. Many people who build websites have wondered at one time if it wouldn’t be easier to delegate that duty to someone else. Those that have asked themselves this question have been inevitably left with more of them. How much will it cost? What can I expect from a web designer? How do I work with one? Those questions are the ones that we aim to answer with this series on working with web designers.</p>
<p>Before we tackle questions like that, though, we are going to discuss simpler ones, namely: What are the advantages of working with a web designer? The truth is there is a lot that a web designer can offer you that you’ll have trouble working out yourself or delegating to a friend who is “good with computers”.</p>
<p>A genuine web designer (Someone who has an established business and a portfolio) actually has many benefits to offer you and your website. Many of these benefits come from their training and their activity within the design industry. A more comprehensive breakdown of the advantages that a web designer offers you can be found below.</p>
<h2>Experience</h2>
<p>Experience is one of the most important advantages that you can get from hiring a web designer. When you are designing your first site, you are bound to make mistakes. There are many ways for an amateur website builder to make massive mistakes, primarily because there are so many factors to consider. You should consider some of what you could miss out on if you don’t have someone experienced to handle your website for you.</p>
<p>For one, the web audience is heavily influenced by convention. They expect certain elements of a website to be in certain places. Websites that follow convention make it easier for audiences to move through them faster, which is what modern audiences want most. They do not like it when the convention they respect is violated. They may even react unfavorably if the navigation doesn’t appear where they expect it to.</p>
<p>You should also consider the advantage of experience when it comes to the security of your website. There are many small security holes that hackers can take advantage of easily. Experienced designers will know how to plug these holes or prevent them from ever being open. An amateur web designer, on the other hand, would probably never even know that security holes exist in the way they’ve built their sites.</p>
<p>Experience isn’t the only advantage that you can expect from a web designer. You can also take advantage of their education.</p>
<h2>Education</h2>
<p>The education of the established web designer is something that you can also take advantage of when you hire one to build your website for you. While the experience that we listed above factors into their expertise on building websites, you can’t discount the education that they used to get there.</p>
<p>The education of the standard web designer should include a large amount of different specialties. First, their education will have prepared them to deal with a large amount of different programs and programming languages.</p>
<p>If you want some of the latest looks and features reflected on your website, then you’ll want to hire a web designer. Even if you don’t get what you want immediately, your web designer will at least understand how to make your website forward compatible for the features that you want to eventually implement.</p>
<p>Their education should have also included development of an artistic awareness.</p>
<h2>Artistic Awareness</h2>
<p>While you can expect a web designer to build you a website that is functional and effective, you can also expect them to have a quality awareness of how to treat your website from an artistic perspective. A web designer has almost always been trained in both the classic elements of artistic style, and in the modern artistic conventions of web design.</p>
<p>If you’ve ever been building a website or seen another, and been unable to decide what made it look so “good” or “bad” then you may want to leave that job to a web designer. They will have the awareness to recognize what could make your site look aesthetically better.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/working-with-a-web-designer-part-i/">Working with a Web Designer: Part I</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Choosing a Domain Name</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/choosing-a-domain-name/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/choosing-a-domain-name/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:36:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4329</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>While it may seem like only a small concern, the domain name (URL) you choose for your website can have a huge impact. Your Domain name is the name that visitors use to find you. When you register your website, you will have the ability to choose any domain name that is not current in... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/choosing-a-domain-name/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/choosing-a-domain-name/">Choosing a Domain Name</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While it may seem like only a small concern, the domain name (URL) you choose for your website can have a huge impact. Your Domain name is the name that visitors use to find you. When you register your website, you will have the ability to choose any domain name that is not current in use. Unfortunately, there are already billions of domain names registered, and it can be difficult to choose one.</p>
<p>This unfortunate truth leads some people to take wild steps when choosing their domain name. When the first few names that they like aren’t available, they settle for a name that is not remotely useful to them just to get on with the process. Many people choose domain names without considering what the consequences could be for choosing one that isn’t appropriate to their needs.</p>
<p>For many reasons, the wrong domain name could have a large impact on the traffic that your website sees, and the potential it has to become popular in the future. So today, we are going to be discussing some of the considerations you should make when choosing your domain name.</p>
<h2>Keep it Short</h2>
<p>Your website address should be as short as you can reasonably make it while still providing some of the essential details you’ll need to draw in visitors. There are many advantages to having a shorter URL, and we’re going to go over some of those advantages now.</p>
<p>For one, short domain names are easier to remember. If you ever want to do some off-line promotion, then you want to have a name that is short, “catchy” even. When faced with a long or unwieldy domain name to visit, potential users may just decide not to bother.</p>
<p>Online, many people find websites the first time using search engines. On their return trip though, they will probably prefer to type the address in. If your address is so long or so complicated that they’ve already forgotten it, they may just settle for going back to the search engine. When that happens, they could find a competitor instead of you.</p>
<p>Just because a domain name is short does not mean that it can’t be descriptive however, and description is an equally important attribute you need to be aware of.</p>
<h2>Make it Descriptive</h2>
<p>While your first priority is making your URL short, you need to devote the limited space to something substantive. Your domain name should include some mention of the product or service that you are selling. Short descriptive nouns such as “sports”, “gardening” or “games” are the most effective, but you’ll find that many of these are already taken, so you’ll have to be creative.</p>
<p>Your best bet is to try to string related words together into simple phrases. You are much more likely to find a suitable name that hasn’t already been taken through this method, even if it may still take you a long time. When you are choosing an appropriate phrase, you may want to apply branding.</p>
<h2>Apply Branding</h2>
<p>When possible, incorporate your branding into your domain name. Using the name of your business or product is beneficial for several reasons; the dominant one being that it is easier for people to remember your business and domain name if the two are linked together. Business names, assuming you chose a creative one, are less likely to have been used already. Even if they have been, you can employ the phrasing technique to make them workable.</p>
<p>Of course, you want to be careful when using unusual words or stringing phrases together. One of your last considerations should be making sure that your name is free of any embarrassing misinterpretations.</p>
<h2>Be on the Lookout for Misinterpretations</h2>
<p>Many websites have started out with what they thought were creative names, that actually said something completely different than what they intended. To make sure that this doesn’t happen to you, you should pay attention to where words in your URL connect together and make sure that they can’t actually be combined into another word. Checking for this ahead of time can save you a lot of grief later.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Next time, we discuss more topics related to the wide world of web design.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/choosing-a-domain-name/">Choosing a Domain Name</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part III</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-iii/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-iii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:29:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Usability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4327</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our debate on captcha. If you’ve been following this series, then you know that we are discussing the online security device known as captcha: A panel which forces users to input a series of jumbled letter before they are allowed to leave a post or create an account. Web designers have many... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-iii/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-iii/">Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part III</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our debate on captcha. If you’ve been following this series, then you know that we are discussing the online security device known as captcha: A panel which forces users to input a series of jumbled letter before they are allowed to leave a post or create an account. Web designers have many different opinions of whether or not captcha should be used, and we’ve been using this blog to post some of the biggest arguments on either side.</p>
<p>We introduced catpcha by showcasing some of the arguments in its defense. We pointed out that bot-spam is a serious problem that a website owner could not “choose” to ignore, because it could ultimately cost both money and members of the audience. We also pointed out that it is difficult for a computer to get around, and was not an unbearable burden on users. We believe that these arguments illustrate the best advantages that captcha has to offer.</p>
<p>After we explained why some people firmly support captcha, we explained why some web designers refuse to use it, and even stand against it. We pointed out that internet users have very short attention spans, and are easily offended by obstructions to the content that they want to access. We also demonstrated that there are cheap human alternatives to getting around captcha, and even some better alternatives for website owners to use in captcha’s place.</p>
<p>With the arguments for and against captcha out of the way, we want to move on from opposing sides to find where it meets in the middle. We are going to use this post to discuss how you can best take advantage of captcha without having to suffer from all of the most obvious disadvantages.</p>
<h2>Respect the Limitations</h2>
<p>To use captcha in the most appropriate way possible, you have to first recognize that, while effective, it is not a fix-all solution. If you decided to place it on your own website, you should temper your expectation to what it can actually deliver. It will not completely stop all spam, and it cannot stop your comments from getting overloaded, or your registered accounts from becoming bloated.</p>
<p>What it can do is limit a decent percentage of the spam that you already suffer from. If your site is still young and small, this may not be an important concern for you, and if it isn’t, you may want to hold off on actually installing inconvenient measures like captcha. At the time when you’re most dependent on new users, you want as many as you can get your hands on.</p>
<h2>Be Aware of Context</h2>
<p>If you want to use captcha in the most effective way, you need to restrict its use to where it is the most beneficial. If you do decided to use captcha, you should use it only where it is absolutely necessary and has a purpose that you can easily define.</p>
<p>For example, you should never use captcha in front of content that cannot be manipulated by the audience. Captcha may be necessary when you are attempting to stop bots from spamming up a comments section, or creating fake accounts. In these cases, captcha has a defined use. When it is used to obstruct content that cannot be ruined, it is completely counter-productive, and will offer you no benefits whatsoever.</p>
<h2>Test to See What Works Best</h2>
<p>Continuous testing is a habit you should always be practicing. Captcha is no exception. Don’t institute captcha unless you recognize a serious problem with spam that you can’t counter without a significant investment of time and effort on your own part. Once you have instituted captcha, you need to be aware of what effects it has had on your website.</p>
<p>There are a couple different things you should be monitoring. Are there now fewer posts than there were previously? Are conversations smaller? Are fewer accounts being registered? All of these symptoms could be proof of positive change, but they may reflect problems too. To be sure, compare what your site was like before you added captcha. You’ll need to decide for yourself which you prefer.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Thanks for reading. In the upcoming posts, we will discuss the merits of having a web designer, and discuss some topics related to working with one.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-iii/">Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part III</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part II</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-ii/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-ii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:27:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Usability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4325</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our debate on Captcha. if you missed the last post, we began a new type of format where we present a controversial issue in web design, and then present the arguments that both sides would make when discussing it. The first issue that we decided to address was the issue of captcha.... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-ii/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-ii/">Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part II</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our debate on Captcha. if you missed the last post, we began a new type of format where we present a controversial issue in web design, and then present the arguments that both sides would make when discussing it.</p>
<p>The first issue that we decided to address was the issue of captcha. You’ll find a much more detailed explanation of what captcha is in the first post of this series, but to summarize: Captcha is the security device that features scrambled letters that a user must spell out in order to be allowed to (generally) create an account of leave a post on a blog discussion.</p>
<p>In the last post, we presented the arguments that someone might use if they were defending the use of captcha. The pro-captcha arguments included the facts that bot spam is a serious problem, and that captcha is one of the most effective solutions for it. The defenses also went over potential time and money lost from failing to protect against it.</p>
<p>In this post, we’re going to present some of the strong arguments against captcha. After that, we’ll discuss the best place to find common ground.</p>
<h2>Why You Shouldn’t Use Captcha</h2>
<p>While there are some compelling reasons to use captcha, there are also some compelling reasons not to. Most of them are based around one thing: User experience. Your users are your primary consideration and you should be thinking of them and their comfort first. Bot spam is a serious problem, but captcha may not be the answer for a variety of reasons.</p>
<h3>It Drives Away Readers Too</h3>
<p>Captcha may prevent bots from posting, but it can also prevent your readers from posting. Remember that the online audience has a very short attention span. You might be surprised by the number of them that would choose to walk away rather than take part in captcha. This inconvience of the obstructing captcha is not even the only reason it could drive away readers.</p>
<p>You should consider the effects that captcha has on users with disabilities. While some captchas come with sound files attached, and others allow an infinite number of resets, even this may not be enough for some people to get past them successfully.</p>
<p>You’re taking a lot of risk in instituting captcha, but the rewards are worth it, right? Not necessarily. There are already many ways to get around captcha.</p>
<h3>It is Easy to Get Around</h3>
<p>Captcha was supposed to be designed to be unreadable by computers, but human ingenuity knows few bounds. While it was a generally well-kept secret among hackers and programmers that captcha had been broken, it entered the national spotlight when well-known concert broker Ticket Master had all of their captchas essentially ignored by buyers with independent programs looking to buy mass tickets. Bots aren’t even the only problem.</p>
<p>With the expansion of broadband into the developing world, a new trend has surfaced. On many freelancing sites, such as Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, marketers offer mere pennies for human-created comments on popular blogs. Captcha is completely helpless to stop this type of spam, and it is even harder to catch than the original bot-oriented spam.</p>
<h3>There are Better Solutions</h3>
<p>Captcha was not the best solution that was presented to combat spam problems, it was simply one of the first and cheapest ones. Most web designers should find that captcha is unnecessary in many places because there are more effective solutions if they are willing to look for them; and particularly, solutions that don’t affect the experiences of their users.</p>
<p>Some websites have found success by allowing people chosen out of the community to have light moderation powers which allow them to delete spam messages at no cost to the owner of the website. There are also other less intrusive verification measures that can be found all over the web.</p>
<p>Your users should always be your first priority, and anything that makes them feel inconvenienced is not the solution that you are looking for.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Next time, we try to find the middle ground in the argument over whether captcha should be used online.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha-part-ii/">Debate: Should you use Captcha? Part II</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Debate: Should you Use Captcha?</title>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:25:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Usability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4323</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our web design blog. Today, we are going to be introducing a new format which takes the form of a debate. We’re going to present an issue that has divided the online web design community, and present arguments for each side. After that, we’ll try to give you an idea of how... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha/">Debate: Should you Use Captcha?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our web design blog. Today, we are going to be introducing a new format which takes the form of a debate. We’re going to present an issue that has divided the online web design community, and present arguments for each side. After that, we’ll try to give you an idea of how both sides can be reconciled for the best results. The issue that we’ll be discussing today is the use of Captcha.</p>
<p>Capcha is the name for the menus that force users to enter a jumbled series of letters before they are allowed to perform a certain action on a website. The jumbled letters are usually superimposed by random colors and images, or otherwise distorted so that they cannot be easily read. The goal of creating a captcha is to create a simple barrier for humans, but a nearly impossible barrier for a machine.</p>
<p>Captchas were developed to stop programs from performing automated actions on a website. Automated programs that would leave comments and collect information were once considered an effective marketing tool, but were hated by readers.</p>
<p>The spam messages that these programs left behind were a headache for website owners to clean up. Captcha was one of the solutions developed to solve this program, but is it the right one?</p>
<p>Some people think that captcha is bad for users, and claim that it can harm the user experience. Others claim that captcha is the best solution to a serious problem and should be used more often. Who is correct? We’ll start by representing those who think captcha is a positive force.</p>
<h2>Why You Should Use Captcha</h2>
<h3>Bot Spam is a Serious Problem</h3>
<p>As we mentioned in the introduction, captcha did not develop in a vacuum. No one thought it would be a great idea to simply introduce a barrier to for users to take any action they wanted. Captcha developed in response to a frequent and serious problem that could ruin any website for owners and readers alike. The spam messages that were left by bots devalued any discussion made by the actual readers, and threatened the integrity of any content they followed.</p>
<p>The problem came from the fact that readers couldn’t discuss any content without the conversations being interrupted every few messages by awkwardly placed marketing spam. No one could keep track of the conversation being had, and people who wanted to participate often wouldn’t bother when they saw that their comments would probably be ignored after pages and pages of spam.</p>
<p>Some websites only experienced a small amount of spam messages and accounts from advertising bots. The more popular a site became however, the more likely it was to be victimized—more often and in greater volume. This created many problems for website owners, lost profits being among the most significant.</p>
<p>The potential profits lost from dealing with spam could be massive: either because readers were driven away never to return, or because either the website owner had to waste hours of productive time everyday just to get rid of the accumulated spam. They might also be forced to hire someone just to deal with the spam and keep their comments looking neat and tidy.</p>
<h3>Captcha is an Effective Solution</h3>
<p>Captcha should be used because it works. It keeps your comments section free of unhelpful spam. As of now it is the most effective way to prevent bots from leaving comments. Captcha comes in a variety of different types, and all of them are incredibly difficult for any machine to guess. If the bots are making it past a first barrier, it will not be difficult replace the original with a more advanced capture.</p>
<p>Secondly, captcha does not represent a huge burden on your readers. Anyone who would walk away from a security process that only takes a few seconds was not likely to leave an insightful comment in the first place. It is also very rare for a captcha to confuse a human user. They will not hurt your readers, and they will protect you from spam.</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Next time, we present the other side of the argument. Are there any downsides to captchas that you should know about? Read our next post to find out!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/debate-should-you-use-captcha/">Debate: Should you Use Captcha?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Online Typography II: Types of Fonts</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography-ii-types-of-fonts/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography-ii-types-of-fonts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:17:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Color & Typography]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4318</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our small series on online typography. In the last post, we went over the basics of typography and the impact that it can have on your website design. We discussed what typography was, and why it was important in the context of web design. While we covered a lot of important information... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography-ii-types-of-fonts/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography-ii-types-of-fonts/">Online Typography II: Types of Fonts</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome back to our small series on online typography. In the last post, we went over the basics of typography and the impact that it can have on your website design. We discussed what typography was, and why it was important in the context of web design.</p>
<p>While we covered a lot of important information in the first post, there were still many areas that we left unclear. We’ll be using this post to expand on other important areas in web design typography. To truly understand how to use typography correctly, you will need to understand the differences between different families of typefaces (fonts).</p>
<p>Understanding the purpose and conventions of different fonts will allow you to make more educated decisions about which ones you should use in which circumstances. Sometimes your audience will not respond well to certain types of fonts. You should also know that research has proven that some fonts are easier to read online than others. We’re going to go over some of those differences today. To start, we’re going to go over the two main types of fonts and how they are supposed to be used.</p>
<h2>Two Primary Font Types</h2>
<p>There are two main types of fonts: Serif and Sans-Serif. Serif fonts have “feet”, small lines that may just out from either side of a letter (examples below). They are called serif fonts because serif is the official name for those small feet. Sans-serif fonts are formed without any added lines.</p>
<p>While there are fonts that don’t quite fit securely into either classification, the vast majority do. At first glance, it may not seem like there is a significant difference between serif and sans-serif fonts. The fact is though; there are very strong guidelines among designers about which type of font belongs where.</p>
<p>Below, we’ll explain both types of fonts in better detail, so you’ll understand when to use each type.</p>
<h2>Serif Fonts</h2>
<p>As we explained above, serif fonts are fonts that have “feet”. We’ll provide several samples below that you should recognize.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4319" title="Serif Fonts" src="http://www.windycitywebsites.com/lmg-content/uploads/2012/04/serif.png" alt="Serif Fonts" width="248" height="120" /></p>
<p>As you can see from the examples above, most letters have lines jutting out of the tops and bottoms. While these feet can create an attractive look, they are not merely a function of design. Serifs may date back to ancient Rome, where letters chiseled in stone had to have edges to come out clean and neat.</p>
<p>Serif fonts also have other valuable properties. Research has demonstrated that serif fonts may have developed because they are easier to read on printed paper. Scientists have theorized that the feet create something for the eye to grab and hold onto in large amounts of text.</p>
<p>Because of this past and function, serif fonts have many appropriate places in modern design. Serif fonts are considered to be superior to sans-serif fonts when dealing with large amounts of text, or when the words are appearing on a page that has been printed out. Now that you understand the use and importance of serif fonts, we’ll explain sans-serif fonts.</p>
<h2>Sans-Serif Fonts</h2>
<p>Sans-serif fonts are self-explanatory. They lack (sans) the serifs on any of the letters. If you are still unsure if you understand the difference, we’ve included several of them below:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4320" title="Sans Serif Fonts" src="http://www.windycitywebsites.com/lmg-content/uploads/2012/04/sans-serif.png" alt="Sans Serif Fonts" width="148" height="119" /></p>
<p>As you can see, all of these popular fonts are smoother, and lack any of the feet that define their serif cousins. Sans-serif fonts are younger than serif fonts, and many of the most popular ones have been developed within the past 50 years. The increase and popularity of the sans-serif fonts has much to do with the popularity of the internet.</p>
<p>Serif fonts are notable because they have seen much use on the internet. While serif fonts are known for being easier to read on printed paper, sans-serif fonts are considered by some experts to be easier to read on a screen. They also make excellent headings. Sans-serifs fonts are largely considered to be the new standard for writing online. The exception may be when tons of text is collected together.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography-ii-types-of-fonts/">Online Typography II: Types of Fonts</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Online Typography</title>
		<link>http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography/</link>
		<comments>http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:16:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Lewis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Color & Typography]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.windycitywebsites.com/?p=4316</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>When choosing the look and feel of your website, you have many different choices to make. In the past, we’ve discussed many ways in which graphics, color, and even content structure can impact the way that your audience perceives your website. Today, we are going to be discussing another design choice: Typography. In this short... <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography/">continue reading »</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography/">Online Typography</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When choosing the look and feel of your website, you have many different choices to make. In the past, we’ve discussed many ways in which graphics, color, and even content structure can impact the way that your audience perceives your website. Today, we are going to be discussing another design choice: Typography.</p>
<p>In this short series, we’re going to discuss some of the big issues in typography. Our discussion of typography will include some of the most important information that you need to know, including what typography is, why it is so important to web design and. Later on, we’ll discuss what types of fonts there are, and how each one should be used.</p>
<h2>What is Typography?</h2>
<p>When you assess or change the fonts that you are using for your website, you are making typographic choices. Of course, the difference between different fonts can become incredibly complicated. When typography is invoked online, it is often an examination of the way that your font relates to your content. Simply changing the font can change the entire “Feel” of a website, which is why we think it is worth discussing.</p>
<p>Like most other design elements, typography is an area where you will have to deal with the conventions that your audience will already expect. Certain fonts should only be used in certain situations, and there are many different types that are classified in different ways. We’ll be discussing those different types in the next article. For now though, we want to go into why typography matters.</p>
<h2>Why is Typography Important?</h2>
<p>Typography is an excellent design element to take advantage of for many reasons, some of which we will be covering in more detail throughout this series. Since the age of the printing press, designers have been using different fonts to powerful affect. In the digital world, some might argue that fonts have become more important than ever. We’ll explain why.</p>
<p>Despite the simplicity of fonts as a device, they can be incredibly effective as a tool. The right font can change the entire tone of content that you’ve created, it can draw attention, and it can even create a sense of branding when used correctly. You may not realize it yourself but you’ve probably been trained to recognize certain fonts as representing certain products. Many studies have already demonstrated that most people already do so.</p>
<p>Also, do not forget the type of audience that you are dealing with. The online audience is very resistant to any attempt to hold their attention. They make decisions on the relevancy and potential value of a website in the amount of time that it would take them to read a single sentence. The appropriate use of fonts can buy you some of that precious time that an online audience would not normally offer you.</p>
<p>Another facet of typography that makes it an important consideration is the fact that is incredibly cheap. Whole communities online thrive on making free fonts available to the public. There are also many fonts that are hundreds of years old and still going strong (without the protection of copyright). Fonts are an inexpensive way to make a massive impact on your content</p>
<h2>When Should You Take Advantage of Typography?</h2>
<p>Typography should be one of your first concerns when you are designing a website. Even if you forgot to plan for the fonts you’ll be using when you made your website, don’t worry. Implementing new fonts is a very simple procedure. You have a lot to gain by implementing your new font choices as soon as possible</p>
<h2>Next Time</h2>
<p>Now that you understand typography, and why it is important, we are going to move on to some more precise topics. Next time, we’ll discuss the different classifications for fonts. We’ll also help you understand how designers treat these different types when working on websites and other sorts of publications.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com/online-typography/">Online Typography</a> appeared first on <a href="http://windycitywebsites.com">Lewis Media Group</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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