Web Smart Newsletter

Typography and the Web

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Me and type go way back. At RISD I did an internship with Barry Moser whose fine, press limited-edition books blew my mind. Hot type printed on handmade paper--it's a thing of beauty. My degree project was designing, illustrating, printing and binding an edition of 50 handmade books. I still remember taking a file to my 36pt metal type to tighten up the kerning for the book title. Setting type by hand, justifying with coppers, tins and little slips of paper--typography was not for the lazy.

Creative Commons Clarifies Community Collaboration

Sun, 2 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Much of the world's stuff, especially digital stuff, is online. Music, books, opinions, news, photos, illustrations, movies, videos, data, software - it's all there to be had. A natural result of everyone having access to all this stuff is the act of sharing. Mashups, derivative works, and re-use of everything from music samples to photographs have created an altogether new genre of content. Marketers are only beginning to learn how to use trendsetting and viral campaigns to build a cultural "buzz." Generating talk can often be more effective than broadcasting to the mass market.

You're Using RSS Now...Right?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

I (Eric) have been writing our Web Smart newsletters, month in and month out, for over seven years. Which makes this month's newsletter a happy, yet sentimentally somber relief. This month Chris Butler, Newfangled's web strategist, will pick up where our March 2006 newsletter on RSS left off.

RSS is a powerful advance in Internet technology. It's a game changer. Yet, RSS is also one of the most underutilized Internet technologies. If you feel like the Internet is taking over and you just don't know how to catch up, RSS can help. And, if you don't feel that way you should look behind you; there's a rising tidal wave of Internet marketing that is threatening to capsize the traditional marketing boat. It's time to start bailing out that water rising around your ankles, and RSS is the best place to start.

How To Do SEO, Part 2, Farming vs. Hunting

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The search engine optimization approach Newfangled practices is more akin to farming than it is to hunting. Farming involves planting lots of seeds and then waiting patiently as each one contributes to a harvest. There is a place for SEO hunting, that aggressively goes after a few prize keywords. Direct sales of consumer products, for example, may require an SEO hunter. But in my opinion those goals fit an AdWord campaigns more than organic SEO. But hey, if you can get performance in organic search results for phrases like "ink jet cartridge refills" or "cheap airline tickets to Bermuda," more power to ya.

SEO farming on the other hand is about casting lots of compelling content onto your site. As we saw last month this approach is more in line with how search engines work, and it benefits from how searchers search. This month I'll use Google Analytics to demonstrate how you can reap an SEO harvest using a farmer's approach.

How To Do SEO

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

While social media sites like Facebook may be getting all the press these days, it's important to remember that search not only started it all, but is still the most effective Internet marketing channel.

Any Internet marketing strategy needs to be heavily weighted toward search. And search engine optimization is the first place to start. I've written quite a bit about search engine optimization in the past, but this month I'll begin a two part video series on how Newfangled approaches search engine optimization. Here in part one I'll cover the nitty-gritty of how to optimize a specific web page for search engines, and next month, I'll review our search engine performance using Google Analytics.

Time To Get Gmail

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I will become platform and computer independent. I'm very close to being able to work from any computer anywhere in the world and I'm moving toward this goal by adopting web-based applications instead of desktop apps. I began this journey in June of 2006 when I started using Gmail. Email is a critical function. If I couldn't accomplish email independence, my dream of platform independence would soon be over.

It's hard to imagine something as pedestrian as email being exiting, but Gmail is one of those tools that makes you wonder how you ever managed to get along without it. If you haven't made the move to Gmail, hopefully, after reading this month's newsletter you'll be ready to make the leap. If you already use Gmail, read anyway. I've highlighted some features and options you might want to know about.

How We Prototype

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500

We kicked off our 2007 newsletters with "Why We Prototype." It was a short re-telling of how we stumbled upon our grayscreen prototyping process. The longer version is recounted in our book, Client vs. Developer Wars.

We'll finish the year off with the subject of prototyping again--but this time we'll talk about how we prototype. We've also produced a ten minute video demonstration of our prototyping process.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Last May I asked the question, is social media madness? The culture of openness can be perplexing, but whether or not you think social media is madness, there's no denying its growth. And social media's potential for marketing is profound (which is why a 15 billion dollar valuation for Facebook is not entirely absurd). Missing from last May's newsletter was a review of Facebook. While MySpace still has a lead in terms of overall users, Facebook is catching up quickly. According to ComScore, from 2006 to 2007 Facebook's growth rate was 270% compared to MySpace at 72%.

Posts about Facebook's recent controversial announcements about a new advertising platform are all over the new media blogosphere. The advertising model for social media is tricky, and while it's way too early to declare a winner in this space, the last man standing may become even more powerful than Google.

Whether you're inclined to create a Facebook profile or not, understanding how Facebook works and how social media marketing is developing is important for agencies.

Web Smart Agency Consulting

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This month's newsletter marks a significant jump forward for Newfangled. Since our start, in 1995, we've partnered with many mid-sized advertising agencies to build hundreds of sites together. In addition to building sites with agencies, we also write these Web Smart newsletters. They are one way we advise our agency partners on the web trends, tools, and technologies that they need to know about in order to craft a client's web marketing strategy. Today, we are excited to announce Web Smart Agency Consulting. The goal: to deepen the strategic role our agency partners have with their clients when it comes to web strategy.

Local Search Revisited

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This week I'm heading to St. Louis to speak at a conference for one of our clients. Pet Sitters International is an association for educating promoting, and supporting pet sitters. I'll be talking about how small local service providers, like pet sitters, can effectively market themselves online. Over two years ago I wrote a newsletter called "Let Your Fingers Do The Clicking." I discussed the rise of local search and how it would disrupt traditional local Yellow Pages advertising. Consider it disrupted. The marketing landscape for a small local business, such as pet sitters, restaurants, doctors, and designers has changed.

So what steps should a local business take to recoup losses from Yellow Pages abandonment? And how can they take advantage of the many opportunities this disruption has created?

Step one: read on.

Blogging: The Bedrock of Advertising 2.0

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Blogs are the center of gravity in the Advertising 2.0 world. They are the voices of conversational media. But blogging is also a focal point for other aspects of digital marketing. Search engine optimization and marketing, online advertising, online public relations, and even branding all engage blogs in one way or another. This month's newsletter addresses subjects such as "what makes a blog a blog," "how many blogs are there," "how to find blogs," and "how advertisers and marketers can engage bloggers to promote brands and services." So let's get right to it...

Workin' Web 2.0

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

In our newsletter The Internet at Work, I reviewed some of the Internet-based applications we use here at Newfangled. Well, Web 2.0 has been in high gear for a couple years now and today there are vast numbers of web-based applications that can replace just about any desktop equivalent. Word processing, accounting, image editing, video production, database development, customer relationship management, and presentation software all have their online counterparts.

But how do these web apps compare with their offline brethren? Are they as reliable? What about privacy and access? Important questions all, but one thing's for sure, desktop applications are being given a run for their moneyer, well maybe not for their money, since these online apps are usually free.

This month we'll review some of these web-based applications and share which ones we use.

Internet TV has Arrived: Coming Soon

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Out back, behind my shed, lies a big, parabolic, dish-shaped hunk of metal. It's my old DirecTV dish. Okay, I still have a DirectTV dish--I had the old one replaced with a High Definition dish this spring. But that old dish lying in a junk pile symbolizes things to come--things that are, in fact, already here.

Television delivery moved from the air waves to cables and the dish. Next, it's moving to the Internet. With this simple shift in delivery method comes an exponential increase in content, an entirely new approach to advertising, and changes in how entertainment is produced and delivered. Get ready for Internet TV.

Online Advertising with Google AdWords

Thu, 2 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400

Online advertising is back. After the burst of the dot com bubble in 2001, online banner advertising dropped dead. Now that the technology world has recovered and the internet has matured, online advertising is again garnering attention. This month's newsletter addresses the pitfalls, benefits, and opportunities for online advertising. It specifically reviews the popularity of Google AdWords. You might be surprised at how inexpensive and effective online advertising can be!

What in the World is Your Website Doing?

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

There's a lot of buzz these days about Web 2.0, blogging, YouTube, and Google vs. Microsoft. Interest is growing in Internet TV, wikis, and social media. And of course interest in old fashioned search engine optimization is stronger than ever. But what's the net effect? (..."Net effect"--that's a good one.)

Do you know how your website doing among the billions of web pages, millions of videos and all manner of things for sale on eBay and Amazon? Do you know if all the activity of bloggers, RSS feed junkies, and online communities is increasing traffic to your site?

Well, since all this activity is happening on the web, your website is a good place to start measuring.

Social Media - Madness?

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Over the past year, as I've been writing about how Web 2.0 relates to advertising and marketing, I've described social media concepts, tools, and websites. This month I delve deeper into the realm of social media.

One underlying value of social media is openness. The suspicious side of my brain looks at the culture of online openness and wonders what madness has overcome our self-preservation privacy instincts. Yet, on the other hand, there's tremendous value being created by the vast connections, collaborative efforts, online communities, and the many tagging and recommendation engines that run on openness and participation.

Has the Internet culture gone mad? Or are we beginning to see a new digital fabric that weaves human and machine into one vast environment of knowledge and resources? And where does marketing fit in this new community? Is it welcome?

Online Advertising Redux

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Cooking up an Advertising 2.0 marketing plan usually includes at least some measure of online advertising. Online advertising has many flavors such as banners, blog ads, rich media ads, content sponsorship, email newsletter sponsorships and more. But the most popular flavor? Search engine advertising--with Google serving up the most ads. The lucrative Web 2.0 economy has been bolstered largely on Google's success in turning website traffic into money (I'm trying to avoid using the overused word "monetization"). Google has filled its coffers on ad revenues. Spinning web traffic into gold has emboldened all manner of content-oriented sites, blogs, web-based applications, and online virtual communities and social networks.

The announcement this week of Google's acquisition of DoubleClick for $3.1 billion demonstrates how big online advertising has become.

Recent developments in online advertising and new features--especially search engine advertising, makes it time to review and expand upon this important facet of Advertising 2.0.

Advertising 2.0

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Technology disrupts. But it also creates opportunities. Web 2.0 is disrupting traditional marketing and advertising, in its place a new form of advertising is evolving - I call it Advertising 2.0.

Why We Prototype

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The year 2000 was a pivotal one for Newfangled. We began work on what has become the NewfangledCMS, and it was also the year we first started grayscreen prototyping. While our CMS is the most appreciated by our clients, grayscreen prototyping is really the heart of how Newfangled works. In fact, I would go so far to say that without grayscreen prototyping we would have gone out of business well before our CMS ever had the chance to mature.

This month's Web Smart newsletter digs into the reasons why we prototype. And why we couldn't get along without it.

Goin' Live

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Last month we reviewed the new Newfangled website which had been in the works for over a year. Not all websites take that long to build--in fact we've launched significant sites in a little less than a month (not all websites are built that fast). However long one works on a website, there comes the day when we "send the site live." It's a day of great anticipation and anxiety. Getting everything together, making last minute changes, testing everything for the umteenth time, dealing with technical details, and finally pulling the trigger can be a momentous event.

This month's newsletter serves as a preparatory document for going live with a new site. Dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's before a site launch will make for a celebratory experience rather than a potentially fearful one.

The New Newfangled Website

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Back in June I mentioned that we had been hard at work on our new website. At that point the site had been in progress for almost seven months. It was supposed to go live in September. Alas, our clients kept us way too busy to finish. Finally, at long last, it's done; its live; its online.

This month's newsletter is a celebration of the finished product. In addition to some re-design we've added new content, updated five years of monthly newsletters, added an online version of our book, produced three videos, and implemented new search engine strategies and content management tools.

Come on--let's take a tour...

Browser Competition - Game On

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0500

It's time for an update on the state of the browser again. This month, the new Internet Explorer 7 was finally released. Having defeated Netscape some years ago, Microsoft was able to rest in its victory for quite a while. But nature and economics abhor a vacuum, and the browser space was soon filled by Mozilla's open source Firefox browser. And, of course, Apple has its own popular browser, Safari.

Anticipating the release of IE7, Firefox launched it's version 2 browser, and Apple has a Safari update in the works.

The million dollar question is, will the new browsers help or hurt?

Using Video on the Web

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Until recently, putting video on a website was not the simplest of endeavors. Digitizing media from video tapes required special equipment and detailed knowledge of video formats, codecs, frame rates and a host of other options that bewilder the digitally impaired. Once a video file was obtained there were further considerations such as which browser video plug-in to support, whether to stream or download, as well as file size and download speed concerns.

But significant improvements and simplifications for getting video on the web are underway. It is now possible to go from VHS to the web quickly, easily and even possibly for free. This month's newsletter explains why adding video content to a website is becoming so much easier and it walks through a sample process for taking a video from VHS tape to a website.

Urchin 6 is Now Google Analytics

Thu, 2 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0400

At Search Engine Strategies New York, I was able to preview the new Urchin 6 (now Google Analytics) website traffic analysis system. We have been happily using Urchin 5 for our sites, but the new Urchin 6 has some impressive new features. Now that Urchin 6 has been released and I've been able to use it for the past month, I'm even more impressed than I was with the preview.

Google Tracker

Sun, 2 May 2004 00:00:00 -0400

This month's newsletter is the second in a two part series on search engine optimization. Part one was one of our most popular newsletters yet. I'm very excited to write this month's newsletter because it describes a NewfangledCMS search engine optimization application that we have been working on since last September. This tool tracks inbound visits from Google, on a page-by-page, phrase-by-phrase, individual user session basis. It helps to quantify and refine your search engine optimization efforts. We've been using this tool on our website since November, learning and refining how it works. Now we get to show you how it all works! This month we describe a search engine strategy we've employed that works very effectively.

Maintaining a Website

Tue, 2 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0500

This month's newsletter makes the argument that content management is the foundation upon which the future of web development will be established. The potential usefulness of a website, to any given company, is contingent on what that company does. A manufacturer, a retailer, and a non-profit organization will all benefit from the web in radically different ways. However, the ability to easily add and change site content is the foundation for any future usefulness of a website. Upon the foundation of content management there are many new and exciting possibilities that can be explored.

Infrequently Asked Website Questions

Thu, 2 Oct 2003 00:00:00 -0400

How much is a website? Do your sites work with search engines? How much is a website? Will I be able to add pages to my site? How much is a website? What happens if you go out of business? How much is a web site? There are a host of frequently asked questions when it comes to web development. The new Newfangled website answers many of them. However, we think our new "Infrequently Asked Questions" section is much more interesting because there are some questions that rarely get asked, but really should.

Raising Website Expectations

Fri, 2 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

So, we're busy working on our new Newfangled website. It's targeted to go online in September. As part of this effort I've been reviewing past newsletters. Wow, five years of monthly newsletters - that's a lot of content! Some of these old newsletters will soon be removed or re-written since their information is out of date.

Wikis and Swikis and Blogs, Part 2

Tue, 2 May 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Last month we began to define "Web 2.0" as a resurgence of web based applications and services. Many startups, backed by venture capital, are creating all sorts of new web services. There are now hundreds, maybe thousands of sites that can help you store, access, discover and share websites, news, blogs, videos, music and even friends.

Wikis and Swikis and Blogs, Oh My!

Sun, 2 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Wikis and Swikis and Blogs are tools of the Web 2.0 renaissance. Not sure what I'm talking about? Well that's why we write these newsletters. Next month, in part two of this newsletter, I will describe tools like wikis and blogs, but for literary purposes (the title) these tools are representative of the overall Web 2.0 phenomenon, which is our primary subject this month. I think you'd agree the title flows much better than "Social Bookmarking, Folksonomies, and Link Clouds! Oh My!"

RSS: When the Web Comes to You

Thu, 2 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0500

RSS feeds are one way to keep your content out in front of your audience. RSS help you keep tabs on your favorite sources of information. This month we'll review RSS, how it works, how to publish a feed, and how to use an RSS reader.

SEM and SEO - What's the Difference?

Thu, 2 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Many people misunderstand the goal of search engine optimization as distinct from search engine marketing. Applying SEM expectations to SEO can lead to significant frustration and disappointment.

The Internet at Work

Mon, 2 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0500

The past year has been one of some transition for Newfangled. We've moved offices, moved employees, changed phone and network providers, and implemented new administrative software systems. After a year of trial and error searching for flexible and affordable business infrastructure tools, we've discovered a few that have really been great. These internet based systems have allowed us to keep our company running smoothly - no matter where any of us might be on any given day.

Number One in Google? Not for Long...

Fri, 2 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Everyone wants to be number one in Google. I'm happy to have a few phrases that hit that golden spot myself. But in the not-too-distant future (and for some that future is today), the notion of being number one in Google will come to an end.

AJAX Website Applications

Wed, 2 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BREAKING NEWS: Sun Sets in West - Expected to Rise in East.

Seriously Fun Websites

Sun, 2 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0400

"What can I do for fun, right now, today?" My daughter, Katie, came out with this snappy expression when she was four years old. This month's newsletter is just for fun. That's not to say that fun can't be serious business. One of the coolest things about the web is that is enables just about anyone to share their creativity with the entire world. There are some pretty creative folks out there - albeit sometimes with a bit too much time on their hands. So take a break from work for a few minutes, and rejuvenate your own creativity by enjoying bit of fun on the web - right now, today.

Advertising Agency and Artist Websites

Fri, 2 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400

Over the past year our monthly newsletters have addressed the topic of search engine optimization and the fundamental need for relevant content a number of times. I won't revisit that topic again this month, but I will apply these lessons specifically to advertising agency and artist websites. Given that fact that "Words Make the Web Work" (Oct. 2004), what happens when the primary content of a website is pictures and not words? Advertising agencies, design firms and especially fine artists ultimately create visual products and display them as jpegs on a website. When primary web content is pictorial, its most relevant subject matter remains invisible and irrelevant to search engines. Read on for some ideas on how to overcome this unfortunate, yet common problem.

Benefits of Cascading Style Sheets

Tue, 2 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0400

This month's newsletter is a short summer follow up to last month's newsletter about the current state of web browsers. It's also short because, for the first time in ten years since starting Newfangled, I've been able to take a week long vacation (two of them, in fact). Thank you, Mark O'Brien! Last month we reviewed the current crop of browsers and discussed some positive movement toward adopting browser standards, including the way Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are implemented. Cascading Style Sheets have been around for quite a while - if you're a web designer this subject may seem archaic - yet their effective use depends a lot on how all the various browsers support CSS standards, and that's where it gets tricky. This month we'll describe what CSS is and why it's so helpful. We'll also discuss how they can be implemented in the context of an imperfect web browser environment.

Browser Detente

Sat, 2 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0400

Can it be? Has it been three years since we last wrote a newsletter about the Browser War? A lot has changed since 2002, and it's about time we updated you on this fundamental web development topic. Three years ago, we did some math and computed that, accounting for browser versions, computer platforms, and operating system versions, there were over 245 distinct browsers in use. That was three years ago! I don't think my math skills are capable of calculating how many there are now. But aside from the continuing proliferation of browsers, there is some good news too. Today's browsers have some great new features and, wonder of wonders, they are more standards compliant than ever before. This month we'll review the browser landscape, highlight new features, and provide information related to how Newfangled supports these new browsers.

Who's Your Homepage?

Mon, 2 May 2005 00:00:00 -0400

The homepage is, of course, the most important page on your website. If your site were a book it would be the cover. Your site's homepage ought to establish the site's main theme, and begin to hint at the most important content.

What Else is Google Doing?

Sat, 2 Apr 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Last month we reviewed the topic of local search featuring Google's new mapping system. This month I'll review other new Google features. Among the most interesting are Blogger, Google Desktop, and Google Answers.

Let Your Fingers Do the Clicking

Wed, 2 Mar 2005 00:00:00 -0500

If you only read one of my newsletters this year, READ THIS ONE!

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes on Business

Wed, 2 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0500

In past newsletters I've reviewed business books that have been helpful to me in running and growing my company. For example, in December of 2003 I did a book report on one of my favorite books - Selling the Invisible, by Harry Beckwith. Tipping Point, by Malcom Gladwell and On Writing Well, by William Zinsser are also among my favorite books. As good as these books are there are two others that are even better, because, among other qualities, they have stood the long test of time. They are the book of Proverbs and the book of Ecclesiastes.

The IT Guy

Sun, 2 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Over the course of my ten years in business development for Newfangled I have seen some excellent potential projects bite the dust based solely on a negative response from someone in the prospect's IT department. This is particularly frustrating when said technologist was not even part of the sales conversation. If we could only have discovered technological objections earlier, we could have provided answers or re-evaluated the needs and saved everyone involved from wasting their time. Some technology hurdles are objective - such as requiring Microsoft based technology. Other hurdles are subjective - such as how an IT professional feels about a particular vendor.

How People Search

Thu, 2 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0500

For the past two months we've been writing about the power of words on the web. When it comes to website marketing the dictum "content is king" is true. The most popular sites always provide the best and most interesting content. Website marketing efforts are rewarded when frequent, quality content is added regularly. For the past year Newfangled has been busily building and testing new NewfangledCMS tools that help maximize content based marketing. Email newsletters, advanced tracking tools, search engine sensitive pages, and a Google optimizer make the most of your content. But all these tools are useless without one essential ingredient - content!

Unleashing the Power of Words

Tue, 2 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Last month we wrote about how words make the web work. We talked about how good writing is rare on the web. In part because the work involved in writing well is often underestimated.

Words Make the Web Work

Sat, 2 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0400

When speaking of website content, the word "content" is an utter abstraction. Reliance on abstract words like "content" to stand in for specific, concrete realities is necessary in order to communicate broadly about concepts and ideas. Newfangled in particular relies on the term "content" quite frequently as we discuss the web development process. We talk about how we prototype the structure, content, and functionality of a site using grayscreen prototypes. We highlight the many benefits of content management using the NewfangledCMS. Yet when it comes down to it, the definite, concrete written words contained in a website are critically important to how a website works. This month we examine how the effective use of words can make or break website marketing.

Advanced Website Tracking Tools

Mon, 2 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0400

Newfangled stresses that content management is the foundation upon which a website can become a powerful marketing and communications tool. But content management won't accomplish this automatically. That's why the NewfangledCMS has advanced tracking tools that can further transform a website into a powerful marketing tool. This month's newsletter describes our advanced tracking tools and also functions as a how-to manual for our clients who use them.

Analyzing Website Traffic

Fri, 2 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0400

This month's newsletter about analyzing website traffic is an update to a previous newsletter we wrote way back in April of 2001. This updated newsletter goes into more detail about how to use, read, and analyze the information contained in an Urchin report. We've also provided some general benchmarks for evaluating the information contained in a site's Urchin report.

Designing for SelectEdit

Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:00:00 -0400

In January we announced SelectEdit. SelectEdit provides the same web development process and NewfangledCMS content management capabilities as Newfangled but in a simplified, low-cost way for small companies, sole proprietors and non-profits. SelectEdit's purpose is to help fulfill Newfangled's conviction that all clients (regardless of budget) should be able to control their website's content. SelectEdit allows us to bring this capability to clients that have less than $4,000 to spend. In order to make this price available, there are certain parameters to maintain. One of these parameters is the site's visual design. This month's newsletter provides a guide for providing website designs that fit within the SelectEdit framework.

Search Engine Optimization Strategy

Fri, 2 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Two years ago we wrote a newsletter about search engine optimization ("Struggling with Search Engines"). This month we begin a two part series on search engine strategies and new advanced NewfangledCMS search engine optimization tools that will soon be available to NewfangledCMS sites. Some of the terms we'll use in this newsletter were explained in the original newsletter.

Announcing SelectEdit: Affordable Content Management

Fri, 2 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Newfangled's mission is to make content management a standard function of every website we build. Toward this end, every one of our clients receives a free user license to the Newfangled CMS (our content management system) regardless of the size of their project. We are pleased with our success to date, but we haven't yet been able to price our services so that the smallest companies, sole proprietors, or non profit organizations can afford them. SelectEdit was created to offer Newfangled content management through a simplified approach, at a price point within reach of the smallest companies.

Book Report: Selling the Invisible

Tue, 2 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Back in 1997 I was browsing through the business section at Barnes and Noble trying to find help. I was a young guy who found himself in transition from designing and coding websites to managing a growing web development company (my one professional practices' course at RISD wasn't cutting it). A book happened to stand out, probably because it was small, short, and the average chapter length was about one page. It was called, Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith. This month's newsletter is a book report on this marvelous little book. While not web specific, it can help any agency or design firm not only hone their own marketing message, but help their clients to do the same.

Fall Back in Love with Your Website

Sun, 2 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0500

I have to admit, that even though we're a web development company, I've never enjoyed working with our own website as much as I have over the past few weeks. We want you to experience the same thrill of using a website that actually produces results you can see and measure. We want you to see the potential for using the web to market your own services as an advertising agency or design firm. It's time to reconcile the past, and fall back in love with your website. Toward that end, we are making a special offer to rebuild agency or design firm websites to include all the features mentioned in this month's newsletter, and more!

Slogging Through SPAM

Sat, 2 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0400

I receive between 300 and 400 spam emails every day. Spam is not just an annoying time waster, but it is also beginning to strangle email as a useful means of communicating and as an appropriate marketing tool. Unfortunately, there are very few solutions to this problem. Most anti-spam efforts being made today focus on dealing with the spam you get, rather than eliminating it. This month's newsletter provides an overview of the growing problem, some tips for staying off as many spam lists as possible, and some advice on how to contend with the spam you are already receiving.
There are five stages we all go through as we deal with spam. The first stage is bewilderment. The first time we receive spam we are bewildered at why we've received an unsolicited invitation to meet with someone we've never heard of, or why we've been offered a solution to grow more hair, or why a senior aid to an African dictator needs our help to protect 10 million dollars. At first we are genuinely perplexed and not sure what to do with this information. The second stage is anger. As we continue to receive more and more email we start angrily clicking on the "remove me from list" link, or we might reply to messages with angry requests to be removed from the list that sent us the email. By replying, we are unwittingly helping the spammers by confirming that our email address works. As a result we get more and more spam. The third stage is frustration. As the amount of spam we receive increases, we are forced to spend more and more time slogging through it. The fourth stage is sophistication. At some point we get used to distinguishing spam from real email, and can quickly scan our inbox to identify and delete the spam. We might even learn how to set some email filters to automatically move email with certain words directly into the trash. Ultimately however, spam will win. Finally, we reach the fifth stage when we come to realize that we need an automated way of managing this problem. At this stage we resign ourselves to having to pay for a special service or software that will help us contend with spam.

Splash is Dead

Tue, 2 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0400

Splash pages are dead, well mostly dead anyway. In 1999 I wrote an article for Web Techniques magazine called "Web Sites That Really Make a Splash" (July 1999). In it I talked about the appropriate and inappropriate uses of splash pages. By a splash page I mean a "cover" page for a site that leads into a home page where links into the rest of the site are found. Splash pages typically use animations, sound clips, and perhaps animated tag lines. If the first page on a site has a "skip intro" link, it's a splash page. In the article, one of the appropriate instances for using a splash page was for a design company (like yours and mine) to show creativity. In fact I would venture to guess that most of you reading this newsletter currently use a splash page on your site. I hope, without ruffling too many feathers, I can persuade you that splash is now dead.

Keep Your Clients to Yourself!

Wed, 2 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0400

Many advertising agencies and design firms have been cautious in their involvement with their clients' websites. In some cases they have avoided the web all together. Those who do offer web services often struggle to win their existing clients' web business. When won, producing and delivering a site that makes their client happy, and the agency money, has been elusive. This is one reason Newfangled Web Factory, and other web development companies exist. It's because your clients have been coming directly to us. Many of our clients have agencies and design firms, but we never meet or speak with them because the web project is seen as being outside their expertise or capabilities. We'll take the business, but frankly we feel that you should, "keep your clients to yourself!"

Book Report: Don't Make Me Think

Mon, 2 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0400

One aspect of Newfangled's agency alliance is our design consultation. Typically when we are working with an agency or design firm they will send web page layouts to us for review before presenting them to their clients. This allows us to provide technical and information design feedback to the agency so that they can be confident that what they present will be easily produced. We have written a couple of newsletters that provide some tips for print designs as they transition to designing for the web. We're often asked for recommendations for books that can further help in this transition. While there are plenty of books out there on this subject, there are few that provide practical help without getting into the minutia of HTML coding (which most print designers don't want to deal with) or becoming too theoretical. One book that does an excellent job of providing concrete information design tips for the web is Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think. This month's newsletter is a book report on his book as well as a short list of other books we recommend.

How Much is a Website?

Fri, 2 May 2003 00:00:00 -0400

A website costs as much as a car. The range of options and costs associated with buying a car are actually a very good comparison to the cost of a website. It's possible to buy a decent used car for under $5,000 that should be perfectly adequate to get you where you need to go. Similarly, buying a new car can run the gamut from a bare bones Kia Rio for under $10,000 to a high end Porsche 911 for $80,000 plus. Beyond the desired car's look and style, there are many other considerations that will affect its cost like how many people fit in, how fast it goes, what options are included, etc. This month's newsletter is intended to provide a rough framework of how Newfangled approaches project pricing. It looks at the major factors that we consider when creating a budget.

Building E-Commerce Websites

Sun, 2 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Building an e-commerce site is a challenging process. Certainly there are some technical challenges, but more critical are the challenges related to the customer's expectations. Additionally, how a company manages their offline business practices has a direct impact on how their online system will function. Finally, there are quite a few details that need to be explained and discussed when building an e-commerce site. E-commerce sites tend to have a much broader range of scope and complexity then other kinds of sites. This month's newsletter will describe various aspects to e-commerce sites and identify the particular aspects that tend to complicate e-commerce projects.
Heightened Expectations
Prior to the "dot-com" crash of 2000, the marketplace was filled with businesses that wanted to sell online. Many ill-conceived business plans were enabled by venture capital with the primary motivation of getting their companies to an I.P.O. Perhaps the most detrimental result of all that hype was that genuine businesses with solid products and markets got caught up in the rush and made many costly mistakes (paid out of their own earnings, not from venture capital). After the bubble burst, e-commerce companies closed their doors. At that time companies that invested their own money realized that the online market wasn't as easily grabbed as they'd hoped. Additionally, the expensive and complex e-commerce systems that they hastily built, trying to keep up with the "dot-coms," were extremely buggy and undependable. Many companies were seriously hurt and their expectations were entirely unmet.

Advertising Agency Client Extranets

Thu, 2 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Newfangled's Client Manager system is an extranet designed for the purpose of creating and maintaining password protected client pages for advertising agencies and design firms. This system is available to our agency partners. This month's newsletter takes a look at how the Client Manager system works, identifying its features and discussing how it benefits an agency.
Newfangled's Client Manager is an agency specific extranet. Extranets are password-protected websites that enable communication and the distribution of information within a specific group of business partners. The Client Manager extranet was created to facilitate the transfer of information between an agency and their clients. Because agencies and designers communicate in a visual medium, the web is an ideal venue for presenting works in progress.

Dealing with DNS

Mon, 2 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Sometimes it's the simplest things that can seriously complicate launching a website. Domain name issues are amoung those little details that, if not caught, can create problems. For example, most clients expect email and website hosting to be grouped together. Understanding the differences in these two services can be confusing and complicated. One of the reasons this happens is a failure to understand that hosting a website and hosting email are actually two different services. This month's newsletter discusses potentially confusing aspects of hosting, and defines some technical terms.
At its inception the Internet was used solely by computer geeks and techies. Today the web has grown to become something we use on a daily basis. It's amazing how quickly the Internet went from obscurity to becoming something we take completely for granted. We hardly give a second thought to how this incredible system works.

Grayscreen/Whitescreen Process Applied

Wed, 2 Oct 2002 00:00:00 -0400

New England Gas Company needed to integrate four distinct websites into one. Since ProvGas, North Attleboro Gas, Valley Resources, and Fall River Gas had merged into one company, the new www.negasco.com website needed to combine the information of all four. This created some complex information design problems since terms, conditions, and policies were not yet consistent throughout all three regions. The new site also needed a completely new design and some new interactive features. To compound the complexity, the redesign project needed to be directed by a committee of more than ten people from various departments within New England Gas Company. Oh yeah, one other challenge, the project needed to be completed in less than one month.

Online Surveys

Mon, 2 Sep 2002 00:00:00 -0400

Surveys can provide an effective means for research, marketing, and customer service. Unfortunately, they typically take a considerable amount of time to create, distribute and collect. Online surveys solve the distributing and result collection problems. Newfangled has a website survey application with the ability to create unlimited custom online surveys using the simple NewfangledCMS interface.

Browser Battles

Tue, 2 Jul 2002 00:00:00 -0400

Web development would be great if weren't for browsers. Of course without them we would still be back in the days of Lynx - anyone remember that old text-only browser? Browsers have made the web what it is today, but they have also made developing sites for the web an extremely tricky business. This month's newsletter is part one of a two part series on browsers. Part one will review the history of the Netscape/Internet Explorer browser war and where the battle lines are drawn today. Next month we'll highlight current design issues that can be problematic with regard to browser compatibility.

Overlooked Advantages of Database Driven Websites

Thu, 2 May 2002 00:00:00 -0400

This month's newsletter reviews the fundamental principles behind database driven web development. While content management is an important aspect of database driven web development, there are other more foundational benefits to this approach that are often overlooked. How database driven sites work
A database driven approach to web development simply refers to the use of a database for storing a website's content. It involves the separation of a site's content (words and pictures) from its design (the look, feel, and navigation). The design is most typically stored in template files. When a site visitor requests a page by clicking a link, a template draws the appropriate information from the database before it displays the result as an HTML.

Web Design Tips for the Print Designer

Thu, 1 Mar 2001 00:00:00 -0500

Designing for the web can be really fun. Unlike other mediums, where you might not be sure exactly how things will look until you get back a proof from the printers, or see color separations, there is an immediacy to web design, where what you design is exactly how it will look.

Struggling with Search Engines

Mon, 1 Apr 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Search engine registration and positioning can be a confusing issue, especially when we receive so many bogus offers for "top 10 guaranteed placement" services through daily spam email. There are, however, many ways that you can actively work on improving your placement and increasing traffic in search engines. This month's newsletter provides background information on how search engines work, and how you can maximize the value of your search engine registration and placement.

Web Design Tips for the Print Designer, Part 2

Fri, 1 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Spam Free Email Marketing

Fri, 1 Mar 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Nobody likes getting spammed with unsolicited, irrelevant, and often offensive email. I've had to get used to the fact that a few minutes a day will be taken up hitting my delete key in Outlook. Getting spam email is a universally annoying problem. There are however, acceptable, appropriate, and effective ways of using email marketing. Email marketing has not been irredeemably corrupted by spammers. Thanks to spammer though, we have to learn how to break through the spam clutter when sending legitimate email.
The proliferation of spam makes marketing through email a challenge. Unfortunately spam pollution has obscured many appropriate and effective uses of email marketing. Nevertheless, email is still a powerful means of marketing. Perhaps technology will someday cure the problem of spam altogether, until then we just have to get used to using filters and spam blockers to minimize unsolicited and undesired email. At least we aren't wasting paper and ink when we trash our email.

Web Development Fallacies, Part 1

Sat, 1 Dec 2001 00:00:00 -0500

Web development can be a particularly tricky endeavor. The complexities of hypertext, technological concerns, and contending with inflated expectations can cause web development projects to quickly spiral downward. One of the ways we can avoid some of the problems inherent in web development is by recognizing common fallacies that can lead to negative experiences. We can avoid these traps if we know how to look out for them. Misconceptions often exist in the minds' of the developer's clients (which we will discuss in next month's newsletter), but the misconceptions that exist in our own minds can be even more dangerous!
Developer FallaciesIt can be tempting to blame and criticize clients when projects go bad. But more often than not, problems can be traced back to mistaken assumptions on the part of the developer. Recognizing these fallacies can help clarify our responsibilty as the developer in a web project.

Web Development Fallacies, Part 2

Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Last month we examined how understanding common web development fallacies can help avoid some of the problems inherent in web development. We specifically looked at how developer fallacies, those wrong approaches and misplaced assumptions that we can be blind to, can cause problems.

Designing for the Corporate Intranet

Thu, 1 Nov 2001 00:00:00 -0500

Benefits of Using Extranets

Mon, 1 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0400

Extranets share protected information with business partners, clients, and special customers. Extranets are one example where the web can show measurable return on website investment. Extranets take advantage of the web's ability to share information in ways that other mediums simply cannot. It is unfortunate that complex and expensive content management issues have made it unrealistic for many companies to effectively utilize extranets. We have been able to utilize our NewfangledCMS to overcome these barriers. This has introduced our clients to some of the exciting and practical ways the web can be used to facilitate and enhance the way they do business.
Both intranets and extranets are just like any other website except that they require user name and passwords to access the information. Extranets are distinct from intranets in that they are intended for users outside the company (whereas an intranet's users are those inside the company). Extranets are used to provide information to business partners, clients, special customers, or anyone else who needs access to information that would not be appropriate for the general public's consumption. Extranets can contain special pricing information for retailers, resellers, or wholesalers. Extranets might contain detailed product specifications and instructions, resources for product reps, or information on their product's latest features. At Newfangled we use an extranet for maintaining password protected client pages. On our client pages we post company and client contact information, links to pdf files of project related documents (proposals, contracts, creative briefs etc.), production schedules, and layouts of work in progress.