What is HTML5?

Posted: Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 by | Filed under: , ,

Just as you probably guessed, HTML5 is the next evolution of HTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language. Most websites are designed and are created using HTML code, which turns plain text into readable WebPages you can navigate through. The last form of HTML, which was HTML4 was released in 1997 and has been tweaked here and there with the upgrades of the Internet overall. The goal of HTML5 is to improve the code to be able to support the latest multimedia, but still following the code for technology devices to read and understand. Web designers and web developers should learn about the new HTML because it will soon take over the current HTML4.

HTML5 will add a number of features to the functionality of HTML that HTML4 is not compatible with. Many platforms require plugin functionality that HTML4 cannot support, such as Flash. The iPhone and iPad don’t support Flash right now, which becomes problematic for users.

Two major features of HTML5 are media playback and storage offline. It’s common that web designers have to look to Flash for showing videos or playing music. HTML5 will allow sites to embed codes with simple tags that will automatically play the media your website needs. You can now insert images; audio and video directly into any document and easily manipulate them through the coding. The second aspect and new addition to HTML is the idea of being able to create files or draft emails without Internet connection and have them automatically sync next time you’re connected to the Internet. Read more …

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Importance of a Sitemap in Web Design

Posted: Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 by | Filed under: , , ,

One of the most important first steps in designing a website is developing a sitemap. A sitemap is a page within your website that lists and categorizes all the pages and content of your website. The page can be used as an outline for your web design as well as a way to organize your website layout and content throughout your site.

A sitemap is built for organization and structural reasons. It gives users and search engines a quick outline for what your website contains and where all the content is located. Users may view this page to get a glimpse of how your site is organized and they can also find exactly what they’re looking for.

Search engines rely on sitemaps to find your content. When a search is conducted, every page on your website gets sorted through. Search engines can’t send your website traffic if they cannot share the content hiding within. With search engine optimization techniques added throughout your web design, your pages will eventually start ranking high in web searches.

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A Minimalist Approach to Designing Websites

Posted: Sunday, April 17th, 2011 by | Filed under: , , ,

At Premiere Creative, we work with our clients to design and build websites that reflect the real-world needs of both our clients and the visitors to the sites. As such, there are conventions that we know work so we continue to use them in our web design. Having a logo at the top center or top left of the page, horizontal main navigation, left-side sub-navigation on interior pages, search near the upper right corner, main contact information at the top of the page, utility links in the footer, a text line length of 50 to 80 characters, and prominent social media sharing links are all important website design features and should be used in the creation of your website.

Once the important features are secured in the web design, we may propose alternatives, often our clients choose large images on their home pages that give visitors an initial impression for their business. Further, clients often choose a sequence of images so that visitors can see various aspects of their businesses. If the client needs to sell products, we will feature those as well on the homepage and also offer promotions if available.

Our websites are designed with best practice for search engine optimization (SEO) and user interface (UI). What this means is that we use a standard page width that can be viewed on the minimum common monitor size (17 inch). In adhering to this format, over 95% of the visitors to our sites are able to view primary information and navigation (everything above “the fold”), without having to scroll. At Premiere, we design all the pages within your website with SEO in mind from the start. We continue to build those pages with read content so that people looking for our clients’ services can search for and find what we’ve created. Read more …

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How to Design a Website

Posted: Friday, April 15th, 2011 by | Filed under: , ,

Website design can be very effective for both you and your company. There are many basics you want to be sure you’re following when you design a website.

First and foremost, be sure to keep your web design clean and simple. Make sure your colors are appropriate and nice to look at, not too dark. Be sure to make the website design appealing as well, something that jives with the business. Your homepage should have minimal features; you don’t want to distract the user, you want to draw their attention.

Use the least amount of JavaScript and flash animation effects as possible. Flash animation and JavaScript take longer to load than other options, such as Ajax programming. Your web designer will share the differences, pros and cons of each program and why you should avoid Flash animation and Javascript. When you design a website, using CSS is in your best interest. This layout presents your language in an easier, faster manner that arranges your content properly.

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Benefits of Using CMS

Posted: Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 by | Filed under: , ,

There are many points to consider in web design. When you choose your web designer, be sure a Content Management System (CMS) is included in the website build. Most web designing companies don’t offer CMS as part of the package, but Premiere does. A CMS is a software system that allows you and your web designer to manage and make changes to the content of your website. A management system of this sort has many benefits to you, your company and your web design team. A website shouldn’t be built without a CMS for a number of reasons, but let’s discuss the benefits of a CMS first.

First, CMS is easy to use with simple navigation and you can access from any computer with an internet connection. CMS helps keep you stay organized and can store web content (documents, shopping carts, polls and more) for future updates to your website. Since your website design and CMS are separate, you have the ability to change your web design without having to update the content as well.

You also have complete control of the CMS. You and your team can have full access to the CMS, and the administrator can customize settings for each account. A website with constant updates, whether it be articles, polls, surveys or promotions, can benefit tremendously from a CMS. With CMS you can control the scheduling of your updates without having to constantly edit the system manually. This can help when you are publishing content from multiple authors or seasonal themes you want to promote. Your website designing company can demonstrate how simple and helpful this is for you. Read more …

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