There is little doubt that the age of social media is well and truly upon us. You will be hard-pressed to visit a website today without spotting a Twitter feed or Facebook page link. It’s hardly surprising then that some of the internet’s key players are trying to get in on the act. Read the rest of this entry »

With rapid developments in the way people both perceive and use the internet over the last few years, debate has grown over the use of traditional websites and their place in what has arguably become the age of social media. Read the rest of this entry »

Originally, press releases were used to inform the TV and print media about new information or products. But the days of the standard, market-spun press release are pretty much over. Whilst words still certainly have their part to play, the landscape has most certainly shifted to the point where simple marketing rhetoric won’t cut it any longer. Read the rest of this entry »

IT and technology-related issues are frequently reported in the media. A well-known website is hacked, a new technology is unveiled, user feedback is discussed… Many times articles contain factual inaccuracies. The problem is that reporters are not “techies” and often provide misleading or erroneous analyses.

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Inspiration can come from unusual sources. I am a regular reader of several blogs and forums, and happened to notice an interesting discussion on one of these yesterday. The participants were reviewing the newly launched website of a brick-and-mortar shop, and how the site – despite the company’s generally good reputation – failed to meet some critical customer expectations.
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PHP offers you more than one way to connect and interact with your MySQL database. Two common ways to interact with MySQL through your PHP script are the mysql and the mysqli extensions. Both accomplish similar things but there are distinct and notable differences between the two.

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So, you’ve designed and built a visually attractive website, uploaded the client’s content and you’re about to turn it over to the client to maintain themselves. You’ve used the latest in CSS to create a fantastic look and feel for the site, and you intend to add this site to your portfolio as a showpiece. The client is thrilled with how the site looks, and can’t wait to start search engine marketing or pay-per-click campaigns to get the traffic coming in.

Hold on just one moment… how much does your client know about CSS – and how long is the site content going to retain the look and feel they’re so pleased with if they’re not confident with HTML?

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As web behaviour evolves, online and offline marketing need to evolve with it. The World Wide Web has not only brought everyone closer, it is also bringing about a significant shift in attitudes toward consumers, including the recognition of their value as customers. Brands that recognise this shift, and successfully engage with their customers will win the day.
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Websites have moved on from being merely online company brochures. While your website should still be your online ’shop window’, open twenty four seven for your customers to visit – it should also be working hard for you to convert visitors into clients.
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One thing is certain when working with the World Wide Web: change. Web technology is not stationary – nor should it be. Complacency in implementing improvements leads to limited functionality, which translates ultimately into losing traffic. No individual or company is exempt, including the Internet giant Google, which has maintained its dominance in global cyberspace through its clever adoption of leading- edge technologies for its online tools and services.
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