In addition to the training DVDs, Dornin also offers live dog and animal training classes at his training academy in Florida.

Having gone through nine Web Designers, Dornin appreciates the fact that Studio7 is both prompt and reliable… not to mention the fantastic quality of work.

Steven Dornin’s site is now live and you may see it at http://alwaysalertdogtraining.com/.

the new website design

Every website Studio7 creates has a goal.  In this case, the goal was to offer general information on Menu Maker Foods, a food service provider established in 1947.  The History page on their new website communicates a key message: “For 60 years, our mission has been to offer the highest quality products available. Our employees are committed to serving you with courteous service, timely deliveries and consistent, high quality products.”

A basic website, it’s also editable by the designated employees at Menu Maker Foods.  Employees are able to add and edit not only text and photos, but also events.  The image shown is the Locations map, a simple interactive map which allows one to click a location for contact details.

Check this website out for yourself at http://www.menumakerfoods.com/.

I was fortunate enough to have grabbed my Twitter name early in the game (Twitter.com/Studio7).

Twitter is a communication platform that helps businesses stay connected to their customers.

This link is worth sharing, as it will tell you all about Twitter.  It was created by Twitter itself.  Check it out at the link below:

Twitter 101 for Business – A Special Guide

CCI Security's website

In a successful effort to provide product information, client testimonials, and product demonstrations, CCI Security Systems hired Studio7 to complete their website.  On Saturday, June 13th, 2009, the new website replaced the old website.  The Jefferson City-based security system provider services the entire Central Missouri area.

The Goal: to serve as a primary marketing tool.

As many businesses should, CCI Security refers prospects to the website where prospects are able to:

• gather product information
• watch client testimonials, and
• watch product demos

In the beginning, we went out to record video testimonials.  CCI Security’s clients were happy to help out since they’re pleased with the product CCI Security provided.

The website is simple, yet effective in the way it presents itself.

Prospects to this website certainly won’t be wasting their time… especially when they invest in a digital video surveillance system to better manage their business.

Good luck to the competition.

Designing a website for my dad’s business, CCI Security Systems, Dad and I decided to use the “Studio7 technique” for adding client testimonials.  Rather than the written testimonials that most websites use (nobody reads), we figured it would be better to keep attention and show some faces.  To do this, we used video.

Check out the live example here: http://www.ccisecurity.net/client-testimonials.php

Dad's website: Client Testimonials section

This builds credibility and keeps the attention of your audience longer.

Have a camcorder?  Is this something you could do? We used my hand-held Sony camcorder – nothing too fancy.  With video editing software, we adjusted brightness and contrast as well as audio levels.  From there, we rendered the video (saved it) and uploaded it to our video host of choice.

If your clients are happy with your services or products, they’ll be happy to provide you with testimonials on video.

This “technology” is a hoax and will hurt your company image. Don’t fall for it.  Read on.

Do You Like Adware and Spyware?

Neither do your potential customers.  Essentially what you’re doing by advertising “on top of all major search engines” with this “billboard” or “frame” is paying adware and spyware developers.  Let’s call it adware to stay consistent throughout this blog post.

What is Adware?

Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used.  Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (read more about Adware)

Let’s look at an example of what these “billboards” look like:

Google Doesn’t Do It

If Google doesn’t place “billboards” or “framed” ads on their search engine—and neither does Yahoo or Microsoft Live Search—how can your ad appear on each of these search engines, and at the top?  Simple.  The individuals who were struck with adware developed by these overseas companies are the ones who will see your ad and wonder why the heck you gave them spyware.

To wrap things up, do not waste your time or money by paying adware developers overseas to keep developing nasty adware, spyware, and viruses for good people (such as yourself) to unknowingly download.  Selecting this route can kill your brand in no time.

The reason I wrote this article is because one of these companies sent me spam by scraping my business email address off the online yellow pages.  For me, the first sentence gave it away.  The company who sent me this spam is called “Banner Marketing Online” and they call their adware “Overnet Billboard Technology”.  Their mailing address is a California, USA address along with an 800 number, though if I were to guess, I’d bet my money they’re using a virtual office and an 800 forwarding service.  The bad English on their demo site gave it away.

Here’s the email which prompted this blog post:

Web users tend to scan your content in an F-shaped pattern. “F” as in Fast.

Jakob Nielson says:

• Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F’s top bar.
• Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This additional element forms the F’s lower bar.
• Finally, users scan the content’s left side in a vertical movement. Sometimes this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid stripe on an eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a spottier heatmap. This last element forms the F’s stem.

This is why it is essential your web development company knows where to place various elements within your website based on your goals.  It’s important to have a marketing mind when planning your website and, in my opinion, it is the web development company’s job to decide where these elements shall be located based on the outcome they will have.  After all, you want to run your business and not worry about what goes where on your website (assuming you trust your web development company’s experience).

Navigation doesn’t have to be a simple set of links; recently it is “reinvented” to present not only available navigation options, but also the hierarchy and structure of the site’s content. The so-called “Mega” drop-down menus are commonly seen in e-commerce or product layouts as a way to show detailed information about products. Menus such as these are a new trend, and are quickly catching on because they can instantly provide users with the information that they are looking for – without a single click, quite similar to the concept of a rollover element.

That said from Smashing Magazine.  Essentially “Mega Menus” are a new trend that you too can provide your Web users.  Take a look at the example below taken from www.actionenvelope.com.

]]> http://insider.mystudio7.com/trends/mega-menus/feed http://insider.mystudio7.com/inside/the-development-of-a-website http://insider.mystudio7.com/inside/the-development-of-a-website#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:15:46 +0000 Chris Allison http://insider.mystudio7.com/?p=78 The process of developing of a website varies from place-to-place and is arguable.  At Studio7, this is how we develop your website:

• Needs Analysis
• Competition Research
• The Proposal and Website Planning
• Wireframing and Information Architecture
• Graphical User Interface
• Backend Programming
• Complete Testing and Debugging
• Thorough Review
• Launch Your Website

Let’s take a quick look at each step above in more detail.

Needs Analysis
Essentially this is where Studio7 will analyze your needs and goals.  Meeting with you in person, we’ll also learn more about your business and what you would like your website to do for you.  It’s important that a lot is learned about your goals through this Needs Analysis—this is why Studio7 has a unique and effective approach.

Competition Research
Recognizing our clients’ competition and researching their competition’s internet presences really reveals their weak spots, therefore  providing ideas for improvement to take advantage of those weak spots.  This step comes into play in the next step: The Proposal and Website Planning.

The Proposal and Website Planning
From the Needs Analysis, we’ll determine the best way to build your website (around your goals), from what needs to be on it, to features that would benefit your business and your clients.  The proposal we create for you will be customized and will include a snapshot of what your website will consist of.  This is reviewed with you before it is finalized.  The final copy of your proposal will include pricing and a contract.  If accepted, we move on to the next step.

Wireframing and Information Architecture
Strategically, our website architects and designers will be creating wireframes for your website.  A wireframe is basically a sketch of where elements will go and how your website will operate.  Before proceeding to the next step, these wireframes will be confirmed with you.

Graphical User Interface
With the website’s backend and functionality in mind, Studio7’s talented web designers will create an attractive user interface for your website.  Before proceeding to the next step, this design will be confirmed with you.

Backend Programming
Skilled and diligent programmers are vital in this step of developing your website.  This is where all the major coding and functionality is created for your website.  There will be semicolons, brackets, dots, parenthesis, exclamation points, “else if” statements, and a bunch of technical jargon which communicate with one another to create excellent functionality and performance.  A Store Locator, for example, may connect to a database, pull the locations, and place those locations on an interactive map.  This is all done in the backend (yes, with semicolons, brackets, dots, parenthesis, and so forth).  Since the backend of your website is so complex, it is very important that we perfect the wireframes and graphical user interface before proceeding to this step (Backend Programming).  These steps will provide the elements that need to be programmed and will provide Studio7’s programmers with a road map.

Complete Testing and Debugging
Obviously we don’t want to launch your website without testing it.  In this step, we’ll be testing usability, functionality, and compatibility.  In addition, we’ll be debugging (fixing) any errors encountered.  Your website will be tested by multiple people and with multiple browsers (for example, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) and operating systems (for example, Windows and Mac).  When operating as it should, we’ll proceed to the next step: Thorough Review.

Thorough Review
In this step, your website will be reviewed by Studio7 and by you.  This review should be thorough as it is the final review before going live.  Necessary modifications will be completed.  Your confirmation of this step is required before proceeding to the next step: Launch Your Website.

Launch Your Website
It’s time to launch your website.  Upon your permission, your website will going live.  Don’t forget—Studio7 will be here anytime you need us.  Additionally, we’ll be checking in with you to ensure everything is up to par.

For more information, contact Studio7.

Prior to Memorial Day, 2009 Studio7’s web designers jumped on the task of launching a brand new video player for Mike Kehoe Auto Group, a Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealership in Jefferson City, Missouri who also manages a wide variety of pre-owned vehicles.

This video player is built with Flash and XML and contains features similar to those found on YouTube.  Mike Kehoe Auto Group implements this video player to publicize their TV commercials.  Users viewing commercials have these options:

• Play videos as a “Playlist” or manually
• Choose videos from a list
• Play, pause, control volume
• Watch in “Full Screen” mode

Mike Kehoe Auto Group chose to have the video player begin playing video as soon as the user visits the TV Commercials page of their website.