Confessions of a Web Geek

Top SEO and Web Design Elements

Confessions of a Web Geek

July 17, 2012 7:05 pm By InOnline Marketing

I’m a geek web designer because I use three different browsers at all times and because I relentlessly search for information on my iPhone, laptop and even TV.  I love learning about the subtleties and nuances of how the world’s biggest competitors and “smartest guys in the room” determine what they show as relevant for a particular search.  It can vary drastically across the major search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.   Depending on what area of the country you are searching in, you will also get localized results.  But the changes don’t end there.

Google+ Personal Search

Google+ shows personal results in search.

Google+ Personal Results page

Selecting “personal results” shows people and companies you are linked to that have relevant results for your search.

If you are logged into a Google app, email account, YouTube or anything else Google owns; Google will now show you personalized results from others on Google+ who you have in circles.  Currently that’s in excess of 15-20% of all Google users and growing.

Once you click on a link to a website, the browser you are using helps determine how you’ll experience the website.  The major browsers which are Firefox, Safari, Chrome (and yes, some people still user Internet Explorer) all update their software regularly.   In web design, it’s essential to keep up with these updates because every browser reads code like CSS, HTML etc. a little differently.  In turn this means that they display your website differently.  This can mean dramatic image changes, like a header graphic being off center or even entire pages of content not being displayed.

Internet Explorer is notorious for not playing like the others.  While new content management platforms like WordPress and Joomla have made the process easier, they still rely on plug-ins from third parties that need to be updated regularly.  Also, various CSS code tweaks need to be done appropriately to ensure a uniform display on all browsers. This is where most amateur web designers run into trouble and where we often pick up the work.  We’ll try to share more about web design for multiple browsers and mobile platforms in an upcoming blog.

About Matt Ross

Matt Ross is the President and Founder of DigitalHipster Inc. est. 2009.  Matt and his Wife Wendy have two adult sons. He's a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Alumni, a member of The Society of Martin Scholars at The University of Akron, and an active member in a few book clubs. When he's not deep in code and cranking music, or trying to keep up with the latest Google Algorithm, Matt is gardening, mountain biking, off-roading in his Jeep, writing for fun or being a guinea pig for his wife's yoga instruction. He lives and works in Highland Square Akron, Ohio. For the 15 years prior to launching DigitalHipster Inc.  Matt worked as a Senior Advertising Account Executive and Integrated Sales Director for major television stations and newspapers in the Akron, Cleveland, Phoenix and Las Vegas markets. He has successfully planned, sold and executed millions of dollars in innovative multi-platform advertising campaigns consisting of television commercials, web video, content integration, multi-carrier mobile WAP sites, print ads, and radio. Matt says, "During my years working in broadcast and print media, I learned how to gather real-time advertising response rates and develop cost-effect creative that works for my clients.  By working for over a decade on the sales side with millions of dollars of advertising revenue, I learned how to spot bargains for my clients and see what worked and what didn't. We're not just a team of graphic designers, or artists that take chances with your ad budget. We have real advertising experience across all the major advertising channels."