Users with disabilities can have equal access to websites by using assistive technology such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice recognition software, alternative keyboards, and Braille displays.

So ensuring that your website is designed and built to be accessible is a key factor to allowing users with disabilities to access your website properly.

In addition though, by following basic accessibility guidelines your website will also improve for able users.

So how can a website be checked for good accessibility? A number of automated tools will be referenced in this article, but these must be used in conjunction with user testing and common sense.

Basic website accessibility tests you can do now

Test with different browsers

Websites must display correctly in all modern web browsers, with all content and images readable and understandable. The following are the most popular browsers today:

• Internet Explorer 7
• Internet Explorer 6
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari
• Opera
• Lynx Viewer (Text-Only Browser)

Download old browser versions by visiting http://browsers.evolt.org

Keyboard accessibility

Provide keyboard shortcuts to allow users to navigation through the website by using just the keyboard.

Not all users are able to use a mouse or other pointing device. Simple keyboard shortcuts provide a method of using the website without a mouse.

Font size

Users must be able to increase the text on a website without the content becoming distorted or illegible.

All users can do this by adjusting the text size in their browser. However, adding a text increase/decrease tool on the website is a more user-friendly method.

To check whether your website displays correctly you can increase/decrease the text size by changing your browser options:

• Internet Explorer - View > Text size > select preferred size
• Firefox - View > Text size > select preferred size
• Netscape - View > Text zoom > select your preferred percentage size

Disable graphics

Check for alternative text on images and animations by turning off the image display. Not can you check for alternative text, but also basic site navigation.

If using Internet Explorer go to:

Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Untick “Show Pictures”

Sitemap

For many users the sitemap is a critical page on the website as a navigation tool. The sitemap should be available and visible on all pages, and most sites provide a link to the sitemap in the footer.

In addition to being a navigation tool for users, the sitemap is also a critical page to ensuring that search engines index your website.

Automated Accessibility Tools

Below are the best tools we have found to help you make your website accessible.

W3C validation

Ensure the code you have created is valid and conforms to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. A free markup validation service is available in both online and downloadable versions from the W3C themselves.

• HTML Markup Validator
• CSS Validation Service

AIS Web Accessibility toolbar

The AIS Web Accessibility toolbar is an extension available for both Internet Explorer and Opera browsers. It is an extremely useful tool and has been developed to aid manual examination of Web pages for a variety of aspects of accessibility. You can download the toolbar from: http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/ais/toolbar

WebXACT (formally known as Bobby)

The WebXACT accessibility checker is a useful automated tool enabling you to check some of the accessibility, quality and privacy issues your web pages may have. It is free to use online at http://webxact.watchfire.com.

After submitting your website you will get back a report that will show you what aspects of your page have accessibility issues and what you can do to fix them. You can configure the application to select the desired level of accessibility conformance:

• W3C A
• W3C AA
• W3C AAA
• Section 508

There are standards published by the W3C:

Priority Level A
Basic web accessibility, meaning your website is usable by most users

Priority Level AA
Most disabled users will be able to access most of your website

Priority Level AAA
Highest standard of web accessibility

A-Prompt

Use A-Prompt to make your Web pages accessible to people with disabilities. It is a free downloadable testing and repair software tool which examines Web pages for barriers to accessibility, performs automatic repairs when possible, and assists the author in manual repairs when necessary.

Wave

Wave can be downloaded and added as a toolbar in your browser or accessed directly from the AIS Web Accessibility Toolbar.

The Wave reads the underlying HTML of the Web page and returns a report displaying the reading order. This is an excellent way of testing the reading order of forms so that you can ensure the content is logical when being read by a screen reader or viewed in a non-graphical browser such as Lynx.

Lift

Lift is produced by UsableNet which comes in a number of forms including one developed in conjunction with the Neilsen Norman Group adding usability tests.

Lift simplifies the process of compliance with W3C and Section 508 guidelines and allows users to define corporate or agency-wide guidelines to meet their specific needs. Tables, images, scripts and links are easy to manage with the Fix Wizard, a simple step-by-step tool that guides users through creating accessible content.

Accessify tools and wizards

Accessify has free online toolset which helps our Websites accessible. Their tools are an excellent way for those new to the area of accessibility to create basic accessible code.

We can check it below by their other useful resources:

• Accessible form builder
• Accessible table builder

Home Page Reader (HPR)

HPR is a talking Web browser which is designed for people who are blind or visually impaired or for people with a literacy or cognitive impairment.

You can view a page in HPR to check whether all the information available visually in the Graphics view is also available in the Text view. You will be able to listen to the Web page as a blind person would hear. HPR is also a useful tool for checking forms have been coded correctly and all images have been given an alt attribute.

A free limited time demo can be downloaded from: http://www-306.ibm.com/able/solution_offerings/hpr.html

JAWS

JAWS is a screen reader which operates independently of the browser. For Web page testing purposes you can use a combination of JAWS and Internet Explorer to hear how a blind user would experience your site. This screen reader is a powerful accessibility solution that reads information on your screen using synthesized speech.

With a refreshable Braille display, JAWS can also provide Braille output in addition to, or instead of, speech. A 40 minute mode version is available for testing purposes.

Check it at: http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/JAWS_HQ.asp

Vischeck

Shows you what your Web page looks like to people who are colour blind. You can check it at:

http://www.vischeck.com

Conclusion

Automated accessibility testing provides a valuable method of identifying accessibility flaws on your website. However these must only be used in conjunction with human checking.

Whilst an accessibility agency will be able to provide an in-depth accessibility audit, checking your own website using the tools and methods above are the first step to making basic but substantial improvements.

What is Search Engine Advertising?

Do you sometimes think and ask, “Is there any other easier way to top the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?” Sometimes it is difficult to achieve a top position for certain keywords, but there is an easier way to do it, and it is not free. If you do not want to hire a Search Engine Optimiser (SEO), you can have the option to choose the search advertising method.

Search Engine Advertising is known by different names. It is also called Sponsored Search. Advertising with search engines is part of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) method to increase the visibility of a website in SERPs. This advertising campaign can be a great help to your site’s success and will bring you lots of benefits, but only with close supervision and proper management. It is relatively simple. You will just select a keyword and decide how much you are willing to pay for each visitor that visits your site through the search results. The more money you can give in, the higher you will rank on the result list. Your site must be relevant to the keyword you want to bid on. (more…)

What is Search Engine Advertising?

Do you sometimes think and ask, “Is there any other easier way to top the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?” Sometimes it is difficult to achieve a top position for certain keywords, but there is an easier way to do it, and it is not free. If you do not want to hire a Search Engine Optimiser (SEO), you can have the option to choose the search advertising method.

Search Engine Advertising is known by different names. It is also called Sponsored Search. Advertising with search engines is part of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) method to increase the visibility of a website in SERPs. This advertising campaign can be a great help to your site’s success and will bring you lots of benefits, but only with close supervision and proper management. It is relatively simple. You will just select a keyword and decide how much you are willing to pay for each visitor that visits your site through the search results. The more money you can give in, the higher you will rank on the result list. Your site must be relevant to the keyword you want to bid on. (more…)

Almost a lot of people now gets news online compared to watching network TV news, because accessing information through the net is very easy, you can get the latest and hottest news anytime you want. The Internet is quickly becoming the preferred news source over television, magazines, and trade publications.

What is a press release?

For you not to be confused, a press release is also called news release or press statement. But remember, it is different from a news article. A news article is a compilation of facts developed by journalists published in the news media, whereas a news release is designed to be sent to journalists in order to encourage them to develop articles on the subject.

In terms of marketing, it is a tool used by many large companies to communicate with the general public and news media. Announcements for new products, services, corporate partnerships, marketing strategies and other newsworthy events are suitable for press releases. It is a combination of both an article and advertisement and tends to be more objective and is often in an interview format. A mistake that is often made in the development of a press release is the misunderstanding that a press release is an advertisement. It must be understood that, even though a press release can assist your company in acquiring customers, it should not be your focus.

It is submitted to media distribution outlets in the hope that they will run with the story or request an interview. The use of news releases is common in the field of public relations, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention to the PR firm’s client, and publicity, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention for products marketed by the client

How to create an optimised press release for your own website

You must take your time to optimise your press release wisely. Why? Because of the many benefits it will do to you and your company, and you do not want it to be mistakably wrong which will only make your reputation go down. Press releases should be optimised the same way as much as SEO specialists optimise web pages. For instance, one press release can result to a thousand visitors and a couple or more interview requests by journalists. Now you can see the power of a highly optimised press release. While there are many factors that help it become successful, here’s the list:

1. Do something newsworthy

The primary purpose of your press release is to deliver a newsworthy story about your company to the reader, and you should only ever send out a press release to the media if you have actually done something worth mentioning. Some examples of things worth writing a press release about are: setting up a new company website, launching a new product or service, merging or partnering with another well known business, awards and industry/community recognition, making a charitable contribution and hosting an event.

2. Keyword selection is indispensable.

With a bull’s eye on your successful targeted keywords and phrases, your press release will make a compelling read that are likely to deliver qualified leads to your website. Keyword selection is the first step in search engine optimization. It is also where most people go wrong. If you pick a keyword that is not used by the people hunting for your product, you won’t get traffic. You must pick popular keywords to be found. By doing this, you can start brainstorming your team on what people would search when looking for your products; you can generate lucrative keyword phrases. It is better to target up to 3 keyword phrases.

Once you have done some research and brainstorming, you can use tools to gives you quantitative feedback and suggestions so you can select keywords that bring relevant qualified traffic to your site. One tool you can use is the DigitalPoint.com. Simply type in your list of potential keyword phrases and this tool will give you a list of related keywords and how many times they are searched for per day. This information can aid you in choosing which keyword phrases will bring your press release the highest amount of exposure.

Now that you have selected your best potential keywords, it is now the point to incorporate these targeted keyword phrases into your press release. You should include your keywords in the headline, the title, sub-headings and the first two paragraphs. Search engines place much of their emphasis on the title and the beginning paragraphs.

3. Release date

Press releases that include a date in the first paragraph earlier than the actual release date, typically do not get included into Google News. Some press release distribution services like the PR Leap, their system automatically stamps the release date for you, so it is not necessary to include it again. But if you prefer to include a date, make sure that it syncs with the actual release date.

4. Headlines and titles

You should write a catchy, yet informative headline for your press releases. In about ten words or less, you need to grab the attention of the editor. The headline should summarize the information in the press release, but in a way that is exciting and dynamic; think of it as a billboard along a highway. You just have a few words to make your release stand out among the many others editors receive on any given day. The headline can be placed in all bold type, while some people like to use all CAPS when typing a headline, you should avoid that. Many press release distribution sites won’t accept a title in all caps.

To optimise, your title should also reflect your strongest keywords, not the name of the company. Include local modifiers if possible. Although it is often good to see your company’s name in print, it is unlikely to bring you the exposure you deserve. Instead, use targeted search keyword phrases that are likely to be used by your potential customers.

5. Creative writing

Be creative but avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language. Write for the audience that you are trying to reach with your release. Do not use technical jargon or buzzwords that might throw off the person receiving your press release. Deal with the facts and pick an angle. Try to make your press release timely. Tie your news to current events or social issues if possible. Make sure that your story has a good hook. Avoid using too much exclamation point, if you need so, just use one.

You should also optimise your press release by integrating targeted links within the content. Many press release distribution services and news wires now offer the option of purchasing a hyperlink. You simply convert a keyword phrase within the release into an active hyperlink. This will increase search engine visibility for that keyword phrase and also drive additional traffic back to your website.

6. Cover the basics

In the very first paragraph of the body of your press release, always cover the “Who, What, When, Where, and Why” questions about whatever you are trying to gain publicity for. You can expand into more details further down in the body. Keep the first paragraph short and to the point. Using a strategy called the “inverted pyramid”, the body of the press release should be written with the most important information and quotes first. This inverted pyramid technique is used so that if editors need to cut the story to fit space constraints, they can cut from the end without losing critical information. Make it easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs.

7. Length matters

If your press release is too short (less than 150 words or so), or too long (more than two pages or 500 words), it will be less likely to get included into Google News. News releases that are too short tend to read like an advertisement and are not considered newsworthy.

8. Forget the duplicate

Duplicates are not accepted. To improve the likelihood of Google News and Yahoo News picking you up, be sure that your press release has not previously released on Business Wire, PR Newswire, or PR Web, and was already included into Google News, than it is most likely not going to be included again.

9. Proofread

After you have written your new press release, be sure to proofread it. Aside from not including your contact info, having incorrect spellings and poor grammar are the worst mistakes you can make. Sloppy writing won’t get your press release anywhere but in the trash.

10. Syndication

It is better syndicate and to provide an RSS feed for your press releases and submit the feed URL to sites like feedster.com, feedsfarm.com and try giving moreover.com a shot. Getting into Moreover would also give you extra audience in the MSN Searchbot.

What are the benefits?

Press release creates credibility

Credibility is the one thing that can win the customer’s heart and pocketbook at the same time and nothing builds more credibility than a well-written press release that gets picked up by the media.

Indefinite Exposure

Press releases often linger around the Internet indefinitely, unlike normal advertising that disappears once your campaign ends. It provides extensive inbound links for your website and extensive brand recognition.

Non-disposable

With a press release, your company receives broad exposure, and always owns the rights to a unique article. You can post it on your company website and can even send it to prospective clients.

Pickup of your release in online publications

A well crafted press release captures the attention of journalists and is optimised for distribution over the Internet.

Increased link popularity to your web site

Once you have successfully optimised a well-written press release, your link popularity to your web site will increase. Link popularity is a recognizable way to boost targeted traffic, and is also a good way to gain quality inbound links that will benefit your site from search engines.

Ongoing promotion

Most services archive releases; so it is an ongoing form of promotion. Search engines may pick up on the release when it is published on other sites. This creates another avenue for people to find you and to possibly improve your search engine rankings through link popularity factors.

Professionalism

The degree of professionalism a press release adds to a company is hard to measure. Current and prospective clients will be blown away by your press release, and it will put your company one step above your competition.

How to distribute it for maximum exposure

There are many services that will accept press releases, and some of them will charge a fee to distribute your news item to journalists and news editors. A few of the better known services are:

• PR.com
• PRWeb.com
• PRNewsWire.com
• Internet.com
• BusinessWire.com
• MarketWire.com
• ePressReleases.org
• emailWire.com
• SourceWire.com

One good free service is the PRWeb.com. For real impact, you can avail their premium service version, PRWeb Direct . It provides excellent coverage at a low price and some features includes the Google News Inclusion, Yahoo News Inclusion, MSN News Inclusion and other good stuff for your press releases.

Moreover, you can also get your content into Google and Yahoo news directly. If you publish frequent news and articles, your site may very well qualify as a news source. But be sure that your site includes editorial review process and multiple contributors. If you are accepted, Google Newsbot will hit your site very frequently and you will receive an extra stream of quality traffic to your web site.

A well crafted press release may take you time to create; but given the immediate and ongoing benefits, it is definitely a worthwhile investment of your marketing time. So now that you know how to optimise your press releases and articles for maximum exposure, try to begin an assertive press campaign to increase exposure to your brand, gain quality inbound links, and increase your website traffic.

Almost a lot of people now gets news online compared to watching network TV news, because accessing information through the net is very easy, you can get the latest and hottest news anytime you want. The Internet is quickly becoming the preferred news source over television, magazines, and trade publications.

What is a press release?

For you not to be confused, a press release is also called news release or press statement. But remember, it is different from a news article. A news article is a compilation of facts developed by journalists published in the news media, whereas a news release is designed to be sent to journalists in order to encourage them to develop articles on the subject.

In terms of marketing, it is a tool used by many large companies to communicate with the general public and news media. Announcements for new products, services, corporate partnerships, marketing strategies and other newsworthy events are suitable for press releases. It is a combination of both an article and advertisement and tends to be more objective and is often in an interview format. A mistake that is often made in the development of a press release is the misunderstanding that a press release is an advertisement. It must be understood that, even though a press release can assist your company in acquiring customers, it should not be your focus.

It is submitted to media distribution outlets in the hope that they will run with the story or request an interview. The use of news releases is common in the field of public relations, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention to the PR firm’s client, and publicity, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention for products marketed by the client

How to create an optimised press release for your own website

You must take your time to optimise your press release wisely. Why? Because of the many benefits it will do to you and your company, and you do not want it to be mistakably wrong which will only make your reputation go down. Press releases should be optimised the same way as much as SEO specialists optimise web pages. For instance, one press release can result to a thousand visitors and a couple or more interview requests by journalists. Now you can see the power of a highly optimised press release. While there are many factors that help it become successful, here’s the list:

1. Do something newsworthy

The primary purpose of your press release is to deliver a newsworthy story about your company to the reader, and you should only ever send out a press release to the media if you have actually done something worth mentioning. Some examples of things worth writing a press release about are: setting up a new company website, launching a new product or service, merging or partnering with another well known business, awards and industry/community recognition, making a charitable contribution and hosting an event.

2. Keyword selection is indispensable.

With a bull’s eye on your successful targeted keywords and phrases, your press release will make a compelling read that are likely to deliver qualified leads to your website. Keyword selection is the first step in search engine optimization. It is also where most people go wrong. If you pick a keyword that is not used by the people hunting for your product, you won’t get traffic. You must pick popular keywords to be found. By doing this, you can start brainstorming your team on what people would search when looking for your products; you can generate lucrative keyword phrases. It is better to target up to 3 keyword phrases.

Once you have done some research and brainstorming, you can use tools to gives you quantitative feedback and suggestions so you can select keywords that bring relevant qualified traffic to your site. One tool you can use is the DigitalPoint.com. Simply type in your list of potential keyword phrases and this tool will give you a list of related keywords and how many times they are searched for per day. This information can aid you in choosing which keyword phrases will bring your press release the highest amount of exposure.

Now that you have selected your best potential keywords, it is now the point to incorporate these targeted keyword phrases into your press release. You should include your keywords in the headline, the title, sub-headings and the first two paragraphs. Search engines place much of their emphasis on the title and the beginning paragraphs.

3. Release date

Press releases that include a date in the first paragraph earlier than the actual release date, typically do not get included into Google News. Some press release distribution services like the PR Leap, their system automatically stamps the release date for you, so it is not necessary to include it again. But if you prefer to include a date, make sure that it syncs with the actual release date.

4. Headlines and titles

You should write a catchy, yet informative headline for your press releases. In about ten words or less, you need to grab the attention of the editor. The headline should summarize the information in the press release, but in a way that is exciting and dynamic; think of it as a billboard along a highway. You just have a few words to make your release stand out among the many others editors receive on any given day. The headline can be placed in all bold type, while some people like to use all CAPS when typing a headline, you should avoid that. Many press release distribution sites won’t accept a title in all caps.

To optimise, your title should also reflect your strongest keywords, not the name of the company. Include local modifiers if possible. Although it is often good to see your company’s name in print, it is unlikely to bring you the exposure you deserve. Instead, use targeted search keyword phrases that are likely to be used by your potential customers.

5. Creative writing

Be creative but avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language. Write for the audience that you are trying to reach with your release. Do not use technical jargon or buzzwords that might throw off the person receiving your press release. Deal with the facts and pick an angle. Try to make your press release timely. Tie your news to current events or social issues if possible. Make sure that your story has a good hook. Avoid using too much exclamation point, if you need so, just use one.

You should also optimise your press release by integrating targeted links within the content. Many press release distribution services and news wires now offer the option of purchasing a hyperlink. You simply convert a keyword phrase within the release into an active hyperlink. This will increase search engine visibility for that keyword phrase and also drive additional traffic back to your website.

6. Cover the basics

In the very first paragraph of the body of your press release, always cover the “Who, What, When, Where, and Why” questions about whatever you are trying to gain publicity for. You can expand into more details further down in the body. Keep the first paragraph short and to the point. Using a strategy called the “inverted pyramid”, the body of the press release should be written with the most important information and quotes first. This inverted pyramid technique is used so that if editors need to cut the story to fit space constraints, they can cut from the end without losing critical information. Make it easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs.

7. Length matters

If your press release is too short (less than 150 words or so), or too long (more than two pages or 500 words), it will be less likely to get included into Google News. News releases that are too short tend to read like an advertisement and are not considered newsworthy.

8. Forget the duplicate

Duplicates are not accepted. To improve the likelihood of Google News and Yahoo News picking you up, be sure that your press release has not previously released on Business Wire, PR Newswire, or PR Web, and was already included into Google News, than it is most likely not going to be included again.

9. Proofread

After you have written your new press release, be sure to proofread it. Aside from not including your contact info, having incorrect spellings and poor grammar are the worst mistakes you can make. Sloppy writing won’t get your press release anywhere but in the trash.

10. Syndication

It is better syndicate and to provide an RSS feed for your press releases and submit the feed URL to sites like feedster.com, feedsfarm.com and try giving moreover.com a shot. Getting into Moreover would also give you extra audience in the MSN Searchbot.

What are the benefits?

Press release creates credibility

Credibility is the one thing that can win the customer’s heart and pocketbook at the same time and nothing builds more credibility than a well-written press release that gets picked up by the media.

Indefinite Exposure

Press releases often linger around the Internet indefinitely, unlike normal advertising that disappears once your campaign ends. It provides extensive inbound links for your website and extensive brand recognition.

Non-disposable

With a press release, your company receives broad exposure, and always owns the rights to a unique article. You can post it on your company website and can even send it to prospective clients.

Pickup of your release in online publications

A well crafted press release captures the attention of journalists and is optimised for distribution over the Internet.

Increased link popularity to your web site

Once you have successfully optimised a well-written press release, your link popularity to your web site will increase. Link popularity is a recognizable way to boost targeted traffic, and is also a good way to gain quality inbound links that will benefit your site from search engines.

Ongoing promotion

Most services archive releases; so it is an ongoing form of promotion. Search engines may pick up on the release when it is published on other sites. This creates another avenue for people to find you and to possibly improve your search engine rankings through link popularity factors.

Professionalism

The degree of professionalism a press release adds to a company is hard to measure. Current and prospective clients will be blown away by your press release, and it will put your company one step above your competition.

How to distribute it for maximum exposure

There are many services that will accept press releases, and some of them will charge a fee to distribute your news item to journalists and news editors. A few of the better known services are:

• PR.com
• PRWeb.com
• PRNewsWire.com
• Internet.com
• BusinessWire.com
• MarketWire.com
• ePressReleases.org
• emailWire.com
• SourceWire.com

One good free service is the PRWeb.com. For real impact, you can avail their premium service version, PRWeb Direct . It provides excellent coverage at a low price and some features includes the Google News Inclusion, Yahoo News Inclusion, MSN News Inclusion and other good stuff for your press releases.

Moreover, you can also get your content into Google and Yahoo news directly. If you publish frequent news and articles, your site may very well qualify as a news source. But be sure that your site includes editorial review process and multiple contributors. If you are accepted, Google Newsbot will hit your site very frequently and you will receive an extra stream of quality traffic to your web site.

A well crafted press release may take you time to create; but given the immediate and ongoing benefits, it is definitely a worthwhile investment of your marketing time. So now that you know how to optimise your press releases and articles for maximum exposure, try to begin an assertive press campaign to increase exposure to your brand, gain quality inbound links, and increase your website traffic.

The concept of “Web 2.0? began with a conference brainstorming session between O’Reilly and MediaLive International. During their discussion, they noted that far from having “crashed”, the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity. What’s more, the companies that had survived the dot-com collapse seemed to have some things in common. Could it be that the dot-com collapse marked some kind of turning point for the web, such that a call to action such as “Web 2.0? might make sense? O’Reilly and MediaLive believed so and therefore, Web 2.0 was born.

What is Web 2.0?

According to O’Reilly himself, the compact definition of Web 2.0 is:
“Web 2.0 is the network as platform, spanning all connected devices; Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually-updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an “architecture of participation,” and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences.”
Web 2.0 has been described as “the Web as platform”; for corporate people, the Web is a platform for business. For marketers, the Web is a platform for communications. For journalists, the Web is a platform for new media. For geeks, the Web is a platform for software development and so on. Web 2.0 refers to a supposed second-generation of Internet-based services that let people collaborate and share information online in previously unavailable ways to become a much more interactive Web.

Web 2.0 is a term referring to the ongoing transition to a full participatory Web, with participation including both humans and machines. Weblogs, linklogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, social software, Web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), Web standards, online Web services, and others are all recently-developed concepts and technologies as contributing to Web 2.0. Specific examples are eBay, Craigslist, Wikipedia, Del.icio.us, Flickr, Skype, Dodgeball, Amazon reviews and Adsense.

It is important to recognize that “Web 2.0? is not anything other than the evolving Web as it exists today. It is the same Web that we’ve had all along. But the problems, issues, and technologies we’re dealing with are in many ways different, and so using the term “Web 2.0? is recognition that the Web is in a constant state of change, and that we have entered a new era of networked participation.

Visual Elements

Now we are done with the definition, let’s talk about designing your Website for Web 2.0. Designing has essentially become one of the key competitive advantages. Why has design become so important - all of a sudden? Or was it always important? Many Web 2.0 websites assert priority to their visual design and aesthetics, with the intention of providing a clear, well-organized and visually appealing site.

Your Website can be so much more than an information resource. Your web presence is a place. Today’s web designers are rapidly moving away from boxy designs to flexible curves. When designing for today’s Internet, the common design techniques include gradient backgrounds, rounded designs, nice big text, glassy effects, and bright colors. I also included some links below on tutorials that will help you create your own design.

• Gradient Backgrounds

Many use solid background colors. But what if you want to use patterned or gradient backgrounds? Perhaps the most notable trend for Web 2.0 websites is the use of fading two colors together to make a gradient background. This technique is often applied to the background of the site as well as being used behind individual articles, posts, and even behind the logo.

Tutorials on creating gradient backgrounds:

http://9rules.com/blog/2006/08/a-gradient-tutorial/
http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/tutorials/abstract-background/
http://www.loriswebs.com/tutorials/gradientbackground.html

• Large Colorful Icons

Sticking with the big theme, many Web 2.0 sites utilize a large colorful icon that often looks like a seal. These are used often to denote “beta” status or to emphasize a certain feature of a website.

• Mirrored Logos

A common trend with Web 2.0 logos is to mirror the text upside down below the original text while, at the same time, fading it into nothingness. This often makes the logo look like it has a reflection below it and is usually considered a staple of Web 2.0 designs.

Tutorials on creating mirrored logos:

http://www.photoshoplab.com/web20-design-kit.html
http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/uc/tring/mirror/uctring_mirror.htm

• Nice Big Text

With the increased popularity of blogs, using large fonts for titles has become a cornerstone of the Web 2.0 visual movement. You can start using plenty of oversized text to make important messages stand out. Of course, you do not want all of the text on your web site to be super sized, but make sure that the most important text on the page is bigger than normal text.

• Rounded Corners

Tables and square boxes are now gone while rounded corners are all the rage these days on the Web 2.0 era.

Tutorials on creating rounded corners:

http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/css/css-round-corners-boxes.shtml
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/mountaintop/
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/customcorners/
http://www.web-20-workgroup1-swicki.eurekster.com/rounded+corners/

• Color

It’s actually all about the color that you can attract investors or sell to the even bigger guys. Web 2.0 sites are strongly defined by their colors. They nearly always use bright and cheery colors - lots of blue, orange, and lime green.

Download color palette:

http://miles.burke.id.au/blog/2006/02/03/the-web-20-secret-weapon/

Other common design characteristics include the use of tabs, reflections, glassy effects, large buttons, and big text boxes for submission forms. Some people often mistakenly identify this particular visual style of elements as the web 2.0 style. The visual elements of the site do not determine its web 2.0 status, rather the technologies used determine the web 2.0 status.

Although we have discussed many of the design elements associated with Web 2.0, this change is much more than just an aesthetic transition. Web 2.0 is essentially about a transition in the way we experience the Internet. The new Ajax programming base allows web masters to create an architecture of participation for their users. Web 2.0 refers to the ongoing transition to full participation on the Web.

The Details

Project Name:

Sandwell Planning Guidance & Audit Tool

Client:

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Launch Date:

September 2007

Visit:

http://www.sandwellpga.co.uk

Brief

As part of a strategy to help schools to plan, develop and deliver extended services and meet the five Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council had developed a series of basic Excel spreadsheets in order to collate data across the borough.

To replace the inefficient process of manually collating the data and processing reports, Sandwell Council approached Zonica about the development of a centralised system whereby schools could easily upload their data and produce subsequent reports.

Action

True to our unconventional no-specification process, we first met with Sandwell to discuss all objectives for the system. From this understanding we then designed the interface for every screen on the application from the login through to each individual task.

This process enabled us to present the interface and our understanding of the application workflow with greater clarity than a 150-page written document.

When moving onto the development phase our development team then understood the actual requirements for the system, allowing them to deliver the final working application quickly and accurately.

Result

• Easy to use system to allow schools to easily upload their extended services
• Centralised web-based system meaning
• Helping schools to achieve their ECM outcomes
• Ability to identify extended services within other schools in the area to the benefit of the children
• Accurate Borough-wide reports for Sandwell Council

Creative Development

• Web Design
• Information Architecture
• Page Optimization
• Web Standards XHTML/CSS

Technical Development

• Custom Programming
• Database Development
• Content Management System

Consultancy

• UI Experience Specification

Nuts & Bolts

• Hosting
• Site Maintenance

Contact Us

If you would like to know more about us, or to talk about your business or project, call us on 0844 669 0878.

However, some Website owners put too much attention on a single element of SEO. Instead of focusing on the hottest SEO “trend”, Websites with long-term SEO success, focus on a variety of strategies with equal emphasis. If you are only giving special importance on a single element of SEO, then you are more vulnerable to changes in search engine algorithms.

Search engines algorithms like of Yahoo and Google are evolving. The continuous change is for the benefit of all the internet users. That is why having a well-rounded SEO campaign will win you. You can ensure the capability of your SEO well into the future and you can also reduce the impact of search engine algorithm changes.

Take a look at the changes of the search engine algorithm which affects SEO campaigns:

• Before, a lot of Webmasters focus and depend on keyword tags to boost their ranking and visibility. Unfortunately, the significance of keyword tags was then demoted by search engines resulting to many Websites’ downfall.

• The trend of the domain also plays a part. But another key difference is the well-rounded nature of a website’s SEO program which focuses on a variety of strategies and giving the same importance to each tactics.

• A more recent situation is link exchange networks. Search engines are now depreciating links that are part of link farms and apparent reciprocation schemes. Again, some websites are suffering from it.

Now we need to broaden our horizons to suffer less likely when uncontrollable factors happen.

Here are the components to run a well-rounded SEO campaign:

• Right Key Phrases

Right key phrases are the starting point for any SEO program. Researching words and phrases through a tool like WordTracker.com can reveal the search behavior of your target audience. Armed with this information, you can create the kind of content they are after!

• Provide Quality Content

Quality content helps your SEO efforts in three ways:

1. It makes your link-building efforts much easier.

By providing creative, unique and regularly updated content comes more links. Webmasters will want to link to your site; doing so will provide extra value to their visitors. Of course, you will also be adding value for your site’s visitors too. Think about the kinds of websites you would like to link and I bet they all have one thing in common; relevant and useful content.

2. It tells search engines what your website is all about.

The content of your Webpage tells the search engine what your site is all about in the first place. The more content you have, the more you can use titles, links and page copy to educate readers and search engines alike.

3. And most importantly, it keeps visitors on your site longer giving you a better chance of turning them into clients.

The next time you visit a website, take a moment to stop and ask yourself “why am I visiting this website?” Chances are your answer is going to have something to do with the content. The fact is, content is king. Having the most unique and informative content that is relevant to your genre of website will greatly increase user retention.

• Start Blogging

Blogs can play a major role in SEO because they make web publishing quick and easy. Blogs are easy to use, making website owners more likely to create new content on a regular basis. Because of the freshness of its content, it is crawled often by the various search engine spiders. That frequent addition of newly crawled content to the search engine indexes will enhance your level of visitor’s traffic.

Blogs also help your SEO program by social means. Popular blogs can drive a flood of traffic over-night through one link. As the blog post ages traffic will subside, but, the link remains - thus passing on its “trust value”. Blogs typically spread links in a viral nature. Blogs can also attract inbound links, especially if you are an authority.

• Online Articles

Online article publishing is one of my favorite ways to gain a lot of inbound links with only a little effort. Write articles on a regular basis about each of your affiliate products and submit them to online article directories, article submission services, ezine publishers and website owners in your niches or fields of interest. Do not make them advertising pieces, but rather stories or news discussing features and benefits for readers. At the end, add your byline with affiliate link and / or other contact information. This can increase website visitors, leads as people subscribe through your auto-responder forms, sales and website links, increasing your search engine rank for better positioning when people conduct website searches.

• Online Press Release

Newsworthy press releases help your business. You write your press release on something newsworthy like a new product launch, announcement of new service, awards, or other item of interest. When you submit it online like in PRWeb.com, it will often get picked up by respectable news websites, RSS feeds, blogs and more. If you hyperlink some of your key phrases, all of those blogs and websites will be pointing toward your website with key phrase hyperlinks.

An optimized press release is an extremely effective marketing tool. You will experience significant traffic from potential clients, interest from editors and higher overall rankings on your selected keywords. Increase your brand awareness and get listed in the top News search engines. Optimize your release and see results!

• Submit Your Site to Quality Directories

Web directories can strengthen your link popularity and make you less susceptible to ranking fluctuations caused by search engine updates. I recommend to clients that they add their websites to one or two general directories (like Best of the Web) and as many niche directories as possible.

Niche directories carry the same benefits of general Web directories. But because they are specific to your Website’s topic, they can give your SEO program a lot of boost. Get listed to similar sites like yours.

• Provide Useful Tools and Resources

Web-based resources and tools are an extension of the last point, quality content. But now we are taking the content idea to a higher level. Here are the three reasons why your site needs useful tools and resources:

1. They give your visitors useful information

2. They increase your website’s “buzz” factor.

3. They make your site easier to link to. An example might be a home buyer’s resource center, tailored for the city or town you live in.

• Link-building

Do not think of link-building as an isolated component of your SEO program. Think of it as an inseparable part of everything you do online.

Your website is your internet property, and it has value. What gives your website saleable value (typically) is the amount of traffic the site can generate. Links are one of the most important factors in generating substantial website traffic, search engine rankings, trust, publicity, market intelligence and more. A substantial link network offers significant value to the overall package when determining a website’s value.

If links are traded between sites of relevant or related topics, this can add value to the score of your page since the topic of the page linking to you is a major factor considered for rankings by the search engines. Be aware not to trade links for the sake of garnering more links - this can hurt your ranking if too may are ‘off-topic’ (this is a spam indicator). Reciprocal links must be traded on the basis of providing mutual traffic within a related field. These links generally establish both sites as helpful resources in the eye of users.

Inbound links (from other sites to yours) are a key part of search engine visibility - especially with Google. The goal is to make your site easier for people to link to, and to steadily increase the quality and quantity of links you receive over time.

Now does this article help you? I can say that it will. Always remember that your website is the center of your SEO campaign. So try building using a well-rounded SEO habit. Good Luck!

However, some Website owners put too much attention on a single element of SEO. Instead of focusing on the hottest SEO “trend”, Websites with long-term SEO success, focus on a variety of strategies with equal emphasis. If you are only giving special importance on a single element of SEO, then you are more vulnerable to changes in search engine algorithms.

Search engines algorithms like of Yahoo and Google are evolving. The continuous change is for the benefit of all the internet users. That is why having a well-rounded SEO campaign will win you. You can ensure the capability of your SEO well into the future and you can also reduce the impact of search engine algorithm changes.

Take a look at the changes of the search engine algorithm which affects SEO campaigns:

• Before, a lot of Webmasters focus and depend on keyword tags to boost their ranking and visibility. Unfortunately, the significance of keyword tags was then demoted by search engines resulting to many Websites’ downfall.

• The trend of the domain also plays a part. But another key difference is the well-rounded nature of a website’s SEO program which focuses on a variety of strategies and giving the same importance to each tactics.

• A more recent situation is link exchange networks. Search engines are now depreciating links that are part of link farms and apparent reciprocation schemes. Again, some websites are suffering from it.

Now we need to broaden our horizons to suffer less likely when uncontrollable factors happen.

Here are the components to run a well-rounded SEO campaign:

• Right Key Phrases

Right key phrases are the starting point for any SEO program. Researching words and phrases through a tool like WordTracker.com can reveal the search behavior of your target audience. Armed with this information, you can create the kind of content they are after!

• Provide Quality Content

Quality content helps your SEO efforts in three ways:

1. It makes your link-building efforts much easier.

By providing creative, unique and regularly updated content comes more links. Webmasters will want to link to your site; doing so will provide extra value to their visitors. Of course, you will also be adding value for your site’s visitors too. Think about the kinds of websites you would like to link and I bet they all have one thing in common; relevant and useful content.

2. It tells search engines what your website is all about.

The content of your Webpage tells the search engine what your site is all about in the first place. The more content you have, the more you can use titles, links and page copy to educate readers and search engines alike.

3. And most importantly, it keeps visitors on your site longer giving you a better chance of turning them into clients.

The next time you visit a website, take a moment to stop and ask yourself “why am I visiting this website?” Chances are your answer is going to have something to do with the content. The fact is, content is king. Having the most unique and informative content that is relevant to your genre of website will greatly increase user retention.

• Start Blogging

Blogs can play a major role in SEO because they make web publishing quick and easy. Blogs are easy to use, making website owners more likely to create new content on a regular basis. Because of the freshness of its content, it is crawled often by the various search engine spiders. That frequent addition of newly crawled content to the search engine indexes will enhance your level of visitor’s traffic.

Blogs also help your SEO program by social means. Popular blogs can drive a flood of traffic over-night through one link. As the blog post ages traffic will subside, but, the link remains - thus passing on its “trust value”. Blogs typically spread links in a viral nature. Blogs can also attract inbound links, especially if you are an authority.

• Online Articles

Online article publishing is one of my favorite ways to gain a lot of inbound links with only a little effort. Write articles on a regular basis about each of your affiliate products and submit them to online article directories, article submission services, ezine publishers and website owners in your niches or fields of interest. Do not make them advertising pieces, but rather stories or news discussing features and benefits for readers. At the end, add your byline with affiliate link and / or other contact information. This can increase website visitors, leads as people subscribe through your auto-responder forms, sales and website links, increasing your search engine rank for better positioning when people conduct website searches.

• Online Press Release

Newsworthy press releases help your business. You write your press release on something newsworthy like a new product launch, announcement of new service, awards, or other item of interest. When you submit it online like in PRWeb.com, it will often get picked up by respectable news websites, RSS feeds, blogs and more. If you hyperlink some of your key phrases, all of those blogs and websites will be pointing toward your website with key phrase hyperlinks.

An optimized press release is an extremely effective marketing tool. You will experience significant traffic from potential clients, interest from editors and higher overall rankings on your selected keywords. Increase your brand awareness and get listed in the top News search engines. Optimize your release and see results!

• Submit Your Site to Quality Directories

Web directories can strengthen your link popularity and make you less susceptible to ranking fluctuations caused by search engine updates. I recommend to clients that they add their websites to one or two general directories (like Best of the Web) and as many niche directories as possible.

Niche directories carry the same benefits of general Web directories. But because they are specific to your Website’s topic, they can give your SEO program a lot of boost. Get listed to similar sites like yours.

• Provide Useful Tools and Resources

Web-based resources and tools are an extension of the last point, quality content. But now we are taking the content idea to a higher level. Here are the three reasons why your site needs useful tools and resources:

1. They give your visitors useful information

2. They increase your website’s “buzz” factor.

3. They make your site easier to link to. An example might be a home buyer’s resource center, tailored for the city or town you live in.

• Link-building

Do not think of link-building as an isolated component of your SEO program. Think of it as an inseparable part of everything you do online.

Your website is your internet property, and it has value. What gives your website saleable value (typically) is the amount of traffic the site can generate. Links are one of the most important factors in generating substantial website traffic, search engine rankings, trust, publicity, market intelligence and more. A substantial link network offers significant value to the overall package when determining a website’s value.

If links are traded between sites of relevant or related topics, this can add value to the score of your page since the topic of the page linking to you is a major factor considered for rankings by the search engines. Be aware not to trade links for the sake of garnering more links - this can hurt your ranking if too may are ‘off-topic’ (this is a spam indicator). Reciprocal links must be traded on the basis of providing mutual traffic within a related field. These links generally establish both sites as helpful resources in the eye of users.

Inbound links (from other sites to yours) are a key part of search engine visibility - especially with Google. The goal is to make your site easier for people to link to, and to steadily increase the quality and quantity of links you receive over time.

Now does this article help you? I can say that it will. Always remember that your website is the center of your SEO campaign. So try building using a well-rounded SEO habit. Good Luck!

However, some Website owners put too much attention on a single element of SEO. Instead of focusing on the hottest SEO “trend”, Websites with long-term SEO success, focus on a variety of strategies with equal emphasis. If you are only giving special importance on a single element of SEO, then you are more vulnerable to changes in search engine algorithms.

Search engines algorithms like of Yahoo and Google are evolving. The continuous change is for the benefit of all the internet users. That is why having a well-rounded SEO campaign will win you. You can ensure the capability of your SEO well into the future and you can also reduce the impact of search engine algorithm changes.

Take a look at the changes of the search engine algorithm which affects SEO campaigns:

• Before, a lot of Webmasters focus and depend on keyword tags to boost their ranking and visibility. Unfortunately, the significance of keyword tags was then demoted by search engines resulting to many Websites’ downfall.

• The trend of the domain also plays a part. But another key difference is the well-rounded nature of a website’s SEO program which focuses on a variety of strategies and giving the same importance to each tactics.

• A more recent situation is link exchange networks. Search engines are now depreciating links that are part of link farms and apparent reciprocation schemes. Again, some websites are suffering from it.

Now we need to broaden our horizons to suffer less likely when uncontrollable factors happen.

Here are the components to run a well-rounded SEO campaign:

• Right Key Phrases

Right key phrases are the starting point for any SEO program. Researching words and phrases through a tool like WordTracker.com can reveal the search behavior of your target audience. Armed with this information, you can create the kind of content they are after!

• Provide Quality Content

Quality content helps your SEO efforts in three ways:

1. It makes your link-building efforts much easier.

By providing creative, unique and regularly updated content comes more links. Webmasters will want to link to your site; doing so will provide extra value to their visitors. Of course, you will also be adding value for your site’s visitors too. Think about the kinds of websites you would like to link and I bet they all have one thing in common; relevant and useful content.

2. It tells search engines what your website is all about.

The content of your Webpage tells the search engine what your site is all about in the first place. The more content you have, the more you can use titles, links and page copy to educate readers and search engines alike.

3. And most importantly, it keeps visitors on your site longer giving you a better chance of turning them into clients.

The next time you visit a website, take a moment to stop and ask yourself “why am I visiting this website?” Chances are your answer is going to have something to do with the content. The fact is, content is king. Having the most unique and informative content that is relevant to your genre of website will greatly increase user retention.

• Start Blogging

Blogs can play a major role in SEO because they make web publishing quick and easy. Blogs are easy to use, making website owners more likely to create new content on a regular basis. Because of the freshness of its content, it is crawled often by the various search engine spiders. That frequent addition of newly crawled content to the search engine indexes will enhance your level of visitor’s traffic.

Blogs also help your SEO program by social means. Popular blogs can drive a flood of traffic over-night through one link. As the blog post ages traffic will subside, but, the link remains - thus passing on its “trust value”. Blogs typically spread links in a viral nature. Blogs can also attract inbound links, especially if you are an authority.

• Online Articles

Online article publishing is one of my favorite ways to gain a lot of inbound links with only a little effort. Write articles on a regular basis about each of your affiliate products and submit them to online article directories, article submission services, ezine publishers and website owners in your niches or fields of interest. Do not make them advertising pieces, but rather stories or news discussing features and benefits for readers. At the end, add your byline with affiliate link and / or other contact information. This can increase website visitors, leads as people subscribe through your auto-responder forms, sales and website links, increasing your search engine rank for better positioning when people conduct website searches.

• Online Press Release

Newsworthy press releases help your business. You write your press release on something newsworthy like a new product launch, announcement of new service, awards, or other item of interest. When you submit it online like in PRWeb.com, it will often get picked up by respectable news websites, RSS feeds, blogs and more. If you hyperlink some of your key phrases, all of those blogs and websites will be pointing toward your website with key phrase hyperlinks.

An optimized press release is an extremely effective marketing tool. You will experience significant traffic from potential clients, interest from editors and higher overall rankings on your selected keywords. Increase your brand awareness and get listed in the top News search engines. Optimize your release and see results!

• Submit Your Site to Quality Directories

Web directories can strengthen your link popularity and make you less susceptible to ranking fluctuations caused by search engine updates. I recommend to clients that they add their websites to one or two general directories (like Best of the Web) and as many niche directories as possible.

Niche directories carry the same benefits of general Web directories. But because they are specific to your Website’s topic, they can give your SEO program a lot of boost. Get listed to similar sites like yours.

• Provide Useful Tools and Resources

Web-based resources and tools are an extension of the last point, quality content. But now we are taking the content idea to a higher level. Here are the three reasons why your site needs useful tools and resources:

1. They give your visitors useful information

2. They increase your website’s “buzz” factor.

3. They make your site easier to link to. An example might be a home buyer’s resource center, tailored for the city or town you live in.

• Link-building

Do not think of link-building as an isolated component of your SEO program. Think of it as an inseparable part of everything you do online.

Your website is your internet property, and it has value. What gives your website saleable value (typically) is the amount of traffic the site can generate. Links are one of the most important factors in generating substantial website traffic, search engine rankings, trust, publicity, market intelligence and more. A substantial link network offers significant value to the overall package when determining a website’s value.

If links are traded between sites of relevant or related topics, this can add value to the score of your page since the topic of the page linking to you is a major factor considered for rankings by the search engines. Be aware not to trade links for the sake of garnering more links - this can hurt your ranking if too may are ‘off-topic’ (this is a spam indicator). Reciprocal links must be traded on the basis of providing mutual traffic within a related field. These links generally establish both sites as helpful resources in the eye of users.

Inbound links (from other sites to yours) are a key part of search engine visibility - especially with Google. The goal is to make your site easier for people to link to, and to steadily increase the quality and quantity of links you receive over time.

Now does this article help you? I can say that it will. Always remember that your website is the center of your SEO campaign. So try building using a well-rounded SEO habit. Good Luck!