OddoMotif Embark is a new, one-page WordPress theme for your company by Oddo Design that is a simple and attractive alternative to those gaudy, ad-infested placeholder pages that so many hosting companies force upon their customers.

This WordPress theme has a traditional, corporate feel that’s perfect for small companies and independent consultants who sell their products and services to other companies, but aren’t quite ready to invest in a full-featured, OddoMotif for WordPress Theme.

It is very easy to install and edit, and it’s a great first step toward learning how to use the world’s most popular content management system (WordPress) so that when you’re ready to expand, you will already be familiar with the editing process.

The OddoMotif Embark WordPress theme features:

• 6 eye-pleasing colors;
• a standard web logo with matching icons;
• a search-engine-friendly design;
• an easy-to-edit, single-page WordPress design;
• an easy-to-edit text and graphic banner (layered photoshop file included);
• a Setup & Features Guide;
• valid HTML.

See This Business Theme for WordPress in Action:

Blue | Copper | Green | Olive | Purple | Red

Price: $15*

*Plus applicable sales tax for Texas residents; single website license.

A few weeks ago, a prospective client told me that a web design firm she interviewed, advised against the use of WordPress, in favor of static HTML pages, because “search engines do not like WordPress”.

I politely expressed my skepticism, but after 15+ years of designing websites, I’ve learned that the only constant in web design is rapid change. Maybe I have something new to learn today, I thought. So, after our meeting, I did some research that would hopefully confirm or deny such a belief.

However, the only negativity I could dig up about the world’s most popular content management system (CMS) and search engine optimization (SEO) was completely anecdotal…

For example, Gary-Adam Shannon wrote an interesting, but heavily criticized article on SearchEngineWatch.com which suggests that search engines are biased against WordPress. He argues that “WordPress has become the spammer’s choice for mass site deployment” because of its low barrier to entry (no argument there). He also says that search engines know when you’re running WordPress (probably), and in a later article, offers a few basic suggestions to make WordPress’ footprint more stealthy for the paranoid:

• Remove the WordPress version number from your code;
• Keep up with your WordPress updates;
• Remove the “readme.txt” file from your installation;
• Use a plugin (which happens to be poorly rated) to hide certain files and folders.

My advice? Do the first 3, but not because you want to make WordPress’ footprint invisible. Do them because they make your site more secure.

In another article, a colleague of Gary-Adam Shannon’s, Kevin Gibbons, claims that “WordPress is naturally very well set up for SEO, in terms of header optimization, title tags, internal/cross-linking, etc”. This is consistent with what Michael David, author of “WordPress 3 Search Engine Optimization“, has to say: “WordPress has innate characteristics that search engines love such as simple navigation, SEO-friendly URL-naming conventions, easy publishing, and many more”.

I could go on to quote other experts who genuinely believe that WordPress is in fact great for SEO.

And then there are major brands like CNN, eBay, Forbes, New York Times, Sony, TechCrunch, UPS, Volkswagen, and others who rely on WordPress. Do they not care about SEO?

The bottom line? Bad SEO is bad SEO no matter what you use! In fact, several years ago, even my all-Flash website (now in moth balls) performed quite well in the search engines, which resulted in a very healthy return on my investment. And it continues to pay dividends. Why? Because I found ways to make it work. WordPress just makes it a lot easier.

SEO is a complex endeavor. It requires a lot of hard work and knowledge to do it well. That’s why it is best left up to a reputable firm like Houston SEO Company to do it for you.

By the way, guess what CMS Gary-Adam Shannon uses. You got it– WordPress!

I have yet to use a single app on the Mac or iPad that excels at BOTH Wireframe AND Sitemap creation… however, Omnigraffle Pro* for Mac and iPad come close in that regard. When I create sitemaps (complex or otherwise), I always rely on Omnigraffle Pro.

* If you’re on a PC, consider Visio.

For rough, non-detailed, and rapid creation of wireframes, again, Omnigraffle Pro is my favorite. There are many things I like about OmniGraffle Pro— including the ability to create my own “Stencils” and work interchangeably on both Mac and iPad. The iPad version is a beautiful, and surprisingly very useful app by the way (I like using my fingers to create and move elements on the screen).

However, for precise, detailed Wireframes, I prefer Adobe Illustrator, in part because it is what I’m comfortable with, and, because I can easily cut and paste between Illustrator and Photoshop.

Basically, just about every website I work on ends up in Photoshop (prior to CSS/HTML). So, in an effort to streamline my process, I’ve also used Photoshop for wireframes (using vector shapes). It just depends on the project and client I’m working with. I’m also experimenting with the use of working directly in CSS/HTML… but this is not a very fluid approach.

Just as important as the tool, is the system or process you use. Check out http://960.gs/. At the top of the page, you’ll see that it (the grid system) is available for use in Fireworks, InDesign, Illustrator, OmniGraffle, Photoshop, QuarkXpress, and others. I’ve actually created my own version— with grids, shapes, widgets, and lorem ipsum snippets of my own for rapid development.

Also, as weird as it may sound, don’t rule out InDesign for wireframing either— it keeps getting more and more “interactive” every day.

Yes, there is quite a selection here— in the end, you’ll have to use tools that work best with your own workflow, relative to the project you’re working on.

I hope that helps!

Step 1:

To spend your marketing dollars wisely, you must begin with a sound marketing strategy— one that clearly defines your primary objectives, your target audience, your success metrics, top competitors, marketing channels, traffic generation, and so on.

Step 2:

Next, you’ll need a company name and a matching domain name. Create a list of possibilities with your target keyword phrases and narrow it down to your favorite three names, and then, get some feedback from those who best represent your target audience. Which available name works best?

Step 3:

Once you’ve settled on a name you can legally use, hire an experienced freelance graphic designer to create a logo for your new company. This will make it easy for customers to quickly identify your company– not only when they visit your website, but also when they receive emails, flyers, pdf files, and other advertising and marketing collateral from your company. And, if designed correctly, it will save you thousands of dollars— i.e., you won’t have to redesign everything to match your official logo six months later.

Step 4:

I recommend taking WordPress for a test-drive, mainly to gain a better understanding of the Content Management System that you’ll likely use to manage your website (and, by the way, it doesn’t have to be a blog). This will also help you determine what kind of help you will realistically need to design and launch your website. Note: For greater flexibility, scalability, power, and performance, you will ultimately want to host your WordPress website with a reliable hosting company like MediaTemple— NOT wordpress.com (where you’ll actually do the “test-driving”).

Step 5:

Now that you’ve taken WordPress for a spin, what do you think? What kind of help do you think you will need and can afford? Although not ideal, will one of the many standard WordPress Themes work for you? Or, how about a semi-custom design? Do you need help with coding? Need professional graphics to make a good impression? How much time can you realistically devote to keeping the content on your website fresh? And so on. Chances are, you will need help. So, be sure it’s in your budget before you quit your day job!

In either case, you’ll need to actively drive customers to your new website (yes, this will also cost time and/or money). You’ll have to decide on which marketing channels will be most successful… and constantly monitor  your web stats to see where your visitors are coming from, what keywords they are using to find your website, and so on.

Good luck!

DESIGN DEFINED

Design, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, is “a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made”.

WHAT IT’S NOT

No matter how skilled, talented, or experienced— a web designer cannot possibly produce a good plan or drawing (i.e., a good solution), until he, and his client, have identified and prioritized the problems he is being hired to solve.

Otherwise, your website may be attractive to you and/or the designer, and yet, fail to satisfy the real needs of those who matter most— your customers! Even though it may look like it, that is not good web design!

WHAT IT IS

Good web design is visually attractive, but it also makes websites easier to use. Good web design supports a company’s strategic objectives and success metrics— and, it delivers a return on your investment.

Good web design clearly differentiates products and services; delivers highly-targeted, engaging content that both search engines and humans devour; and it builds a visually consistent, more recognizable brand across all marketing channels.

WHY IT’S SO ELUSIVE

Many web designers begin the design process by focusing on aesthetics rather than gaining a full understanding of a client’s strategic objectives. These strategic objectives should be the guiding light (i.e., the logic) for every recommendation a designer makes.

It’s simply not enough to like a designer’s portfolio when making a hiring decision— you have to understand and appreciate his process (the part you don’t see and may not want to know about).

WHY YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW

It’s true— good web design typically requires a larger initial investment and more patience than bad web design. You need to know why your designer chose to guide your visitors’ eyes to your most important calls to action, or why he recommends a more progressive design for your target audience. You’ll need to review site maps; co-author a strategy brief; help create and analyze user personas; review wireframes; and more. And it doesn’t end there… you’ll need to continuously monitor the health of your website and make incremental design improvements along the way.

But if failure isn’t an option for your website, neither is bad web design!

Well, not really. In fact, for most entrepreneurs and marketing professionals, determining how much to invest in a new website can be a real challenge (to say the least).

As I pointed out in a previous article, one can easily purchase a WordPress Theme (a Website Template) for under $50, and pay less than $20 per month for hosting. So why does one web designer give you a low, firm, easy-to-understand estimate, while the other gives you a high estimate with lots of fine print and technical jargon?

WHOM CAN YOU TRUST?

Generally speaking, if a web designer is inexperienced; unqualified; re-sells/re-uses pre-designed Themes; is desperate for work; and/or lives in an area with a low cost of living; he will likely present a low estimate. When hiring such a web designer, ignorance is bliss… until you get half way through the project and realize you have to start over with another designer and/or abandon your original objectives! Those with higher estimates, and typically with more experience and better qualifications, are more thorough— they raise important strategic questions that can prevent costly mistakes and improve your return on investment.

GETTING A STRAIGHTER ANSWER

If you want to custom-build or modify a building, you’ll need to hire an architect to create elevation sketches, blueprints, and architectural renderings. Although he can provide estimates for his services, he will not be able to tell you exactly how much a “building” will cost. Without a final, client-approved set of blueprints in his hands, he simply can’t tell you. And so it is with a website…

An experienced web designer can certainly provide a “guesstimate” without “blueprints”, but until then, he often has no idea if you have a copywriter on staff; he may not know if you intend to enter the majority of content into WordPress yourself and/or if your employees will need training. He may not know if you have the budget or desire for custom vs. stock photography, illustration, animation, video, music— or, professional voiceovers. And he often has no idea how many of these images or videos will be needed. He may also not know if you expect to do something complex that a WordPress plug-in can’t handle. He may not even know how many pages will be in your website (i.e., how many custom templates he’ll need to create)— unless you can provide all of this information with your estimate request.

And remember, a seasoned web designer is aware of a greater range of possibilities. He’s worked on large and small projects and understands that no two clients will have identical needs.

OH, YOU’RE ON A BUDGET?

Let’s say you simply can’t justify the investment for a custom anything. In that case, you might decide to buy a pre-designed WordPress Theme, but quickly realize you’re in over your head, and ask for help. One web designer is happy to assist and is immediately available for $X per hour. That was simple, but you have no idea how many hours it will take this particular web designer to complete a given task. The other wants to provide a firmer estimate, but asks questions that you cannot yet answer.

Neither designer is trying to pull the wool over your eyes— they simply need more information.

In such a scenario, it may be best to start with a web designer— get him involved with the WordPress Theme selection. Perhaps he’ll even have a few pre-designed WordPress themes of his own, so that he can better accommodate clients with lower budgets.

COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES

Whatever you do, be sure to provide the exact same information to every web designer that is invited to participate in the proposal process. What isn’t in the estimate, is just as important as what is. So, ask questions, and lots of ‘em!

To learn how to identify and qualify core talent for your website, you may be interested in reading one of my previous articles. And to learn more about the differences between pre-designed and custom-designed WordPress Themes, here’s another: “WordPress Themes: Pre-Designed or Custom? Which is a Better Choice for Your Business?“.

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   <script type="text/javascript" src="<?php bloginfo('template_directory'); ?>/images/your_animation_folder/edge_includes/edge.0.1.1.min.js"></script>
   <script type="text/javascript" src="<?php bloginfo('template_directory'); ?>/images/your_animation_folder/edge_includes/edge.symbol.0.1.1.min.js"></script>
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    	$(window).ready(function() {
           $.Edge.symbol.get($("#stage"))._getTimeline("Default Timeline").addObserver({ onComplete: function() {
           $.Edge.symbol.get($("#stage")).play("Default Timeline");
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All of this code appears directly above my wp_head(); action hook which appears directly above my closing head tag.

And last but not least, credit is due to shutao.info who kindly posted the loop code on the Adobe Forum.

I hope this helps!

Every website consists of 3 basic components: 1) Content; 2) Design; and 3) Technology. Simply put, Content is your text, videos, podcasts, etc.; Design, is all about aesthetics and usability; and Technology is what makes it all work.

So, at a basic level, every website requires the skills and talents of a Copywriter; a Web Designer; and a Web Developer. If you, as the manager and/or owner of the website do not have such competencies, or feel your time is better spent elsewhere, you will need help.

For large, enterprise-level websites (e.g., Apple, ExxonMobil, Ford, GE, etc.), a much larger team consisting of team leaders and subspecialists will be required… but that’s beyond the scope of this article.

I should also point out that there is a very important component not mentioned above— Site Promotion. I’ll address that one in the near future.

How to Identify Core Talent

If you want to build a new office building (or modify an existing one), you hire an architect— a highly skilled professional who can provide strategic advice; guide you through the design process; visualize your ideas, and theirs, on paper. From those “blueprints”, you will have a clearer picture of what and who will be needed to create and maintain the structure. And so it is with your website. In most cases, your “architect” will be an experienced Web Designer.

The best place to start your search for a Web Designer is with your colleagues. Have any of them worked with a few they can confidently recommend? If not, try searching LinkedIn for web designers in your area.

Perhaps you’ll find a few that are 2nd degree contacts (indirectly connected to you through one of your connections). And of course, you can find web designers using a search engine such as Google, but qualifying them will be more of a challenge.

How To Qualify Core Talent

Whether you are seeking full-time, contract, or freelance help, be prepared. Review their resumes on LinkedIn. Visit their websites. Review their portfolios. Review their client list. Read/subscribe to their blog feeds. Follow them on Twitter. And so on. And then, be prepared to ask a lot of questions. Examples:

• How long have you been writing for/designing/developing websites?
• What are your primary specialities and sub-specialties?
• What sort of training do you have?
• Are you a full-time freelancer/contractor?
• How long have you been in business?
• What specifically did you do on “these” portfolio samples?
• Can you tell me a little about your process?
• Do you rely on third-party templates?
• How do you charge for your services? By project? Hourly?
• Etc.

In my next article, I’ll explain why it’s so difficult to get a straight answer when trying to determine how much your website will cost.

1. WORDPRESS HOSTING

Not surprisingly, there are a range of options for serving your WordPress website to the world. WordPress.com offers free hosting but with numerous “upgrade” features and very limited options for customization. For example, if you do not want ads to appear on your blog or website, you’ll have to pay an annual upgrade fee. You’ll also pay for the privilege of gaining access to your CSS file (to make simple design modifications). And, you’ll have to pay to use a custom domain (so that visitors type in “yourcompany.com” rather than “yourcompany.wordpress.com” to access your website). For these and other reasons, I do not recommend WordPress.com hosting for any serious business venture.

The best solution for most small businesses is a dedicated, WordPress-supported hosting company. But don’t skimp– otherwise, the service may be slow and unreliable which can harm your website’s “findability” via search engines, and ultimately cost you far more money than you save. And don’t forget to consider the quality of customer support– a competent and responsive tech team can also save you a lot of time and money.

In my case, I’ve been very pleased with Media Temple’s “Grid-Service” hosting for my WordPress website and blog, which, at the time of this writing, costs around $20 per month.

2. WORDPRESS THEMES

There are many websites that offer free and low-cost WordPress “Themes” (website templates). For example, at WordPress.org, there are over 1,000 free themes (with over 36 million downloads). However, many of these Themes are intended for blogs rather than websites (for your business, you’ll want a Theme that allows you to do both), and, there is no technical support with these free themes.

Other websites such as themeforest.net offer a broader and higher-quality selection, with prices ranging from (roughly) $15 to $50.

So, there you have it– $20 per month for hosting, and roughly $50 for the website to get started.

Wait. What? You don’t know the difference between a post, a page, or a plug-in?! Not sure where to find your widgets, how to add your logo, or change out a few photos? Need to edit a Theme graphic but don’t have Adobe Photoshop (which costs about $700 for a new license)?

3. THE FINE PRINT

The questions I highlighted above do not even begin to address the most important and most overlooked elements you’ll need to carefully consider: your business objectives; how to best serve your target audience; the competitive landscape; product and/or service differentiation; traffic generation; quality of content; creative assets; brand consistency across multiple media; usability; testing; and so on. And this is precisely why I’m not a big fan of pre-designed Themes (such as those mentioned above) because it is impossible for the designer to know these things about your business in advance, and therefore, s/he cannot incorporate this intelligence into your design. Trying to do this retroactively, and independently of the original designer, can cost you more than going with a custom design (or a semi-custom design).

My point is, any small business that takes its web presence seriously, will, at the very least, need help from a copywriter/editor, a web designer, and/or a web developer. Employment of these individuals, whether on a full-time or freelance basis, is among the largest hidden costs of designing, maintaining, and promoting any successful website (yes, we’re talking thousands of dollars here, depending on your specific needs). Do you know the difference between these roles? In my next article, I’ll help you better identify and qualify the kind of help you will need.

Currently, WordPress is by far the most popular CMS on the Internet, with over 50% market share (compared to Joomla with 10%, and Drupal with 6.2% market share).*

WHY IT’S SO POPULAR

One of the reasons WordPress is so popular is that it is free! It’s also fairly easy to install and you can count on a large community of users, web designers, and web developers who are eager to help you succeed. There are also numerous low-cost “Themes” (website templates) to get you up and running in no time. And you can even sign up for a free account at WordPress.com to take WordPress for a spin— without having to install anything.

But before you attempt to go it alone, let’s consider what WordPress (or any other CMS for that matter) can’t do for you.

WHY IT’S NO MAGIC BULLET

Clearly, WordPress is a great find, but it can’t create content that is worthy of driving customers to your website. It can’t prevent you from making expensive design mistakes that frustrate customers and make your company look bad and untrustworthy. It can’t create matching marketing collateral or differentiate your company among competitors. And no, it alone can’t customize your website, or track down and remove a rogue plugin when your website goes down.

The point here is that WordPress is a great publishing tool, but it still takes a lot of hard work to create and maintain a successful web presence. In my next article, I’ll help you identify the hidden costs you’ll want to know about.