Web design has changed dramatically during the past 20 years. In many ways, these changes were driven by the new types of Internet connections, computer hardware and browsing software that people used to access websites. Designs have steadily increased in complexity. Web design continues to evolve as Internet users obtain mobile devices and even faster connections.

During the mid-1990s, there were fewer multimedia formats and not as many HTML tags. Web design remained relatively simple. Website designers sought to accommodate users with monochrome monitors and slow modems, according to Astra Web Design. In the early days of the web, many designers put a strong emphasis on efficiency and accessibility.

As time went on, Internet users obtained faster modems and fewer people used text-only browsers. Icons, banners and pop-up ads started to appear on many websites. Macromedia Flash first appeared in 1996; it eventually led to a profusion of online animations and videos. Meanwhile, more designers began to use visual design programs like FrontPage.

In recent years, website operators have sought to provide more and more interactive functions. To satisfy these demands, web designers have learned to set up comment areas, rating systems, complex forms, blogs and similar features. This trend will probably persist in the future, although designers may need to enhance their security measures.

Smartphones, netbooks, tablet computers and other mobile devices continue to gain popularity. Designers will not be able to ignore these trends. As in the 1990s, they will need to simplify web designs for better compatibility with a wide range of screens and browsers.

At the same time, more and more clients will expect designers to create highly sophisticated websites. As Jason Matthews points out on Technorati, it has become easy for almost anyone to build an attractive website for free. This means that many website owners will only employ designers for complex, interactive projects.

Some clients will expect designers to become skilled in HTML5 and CSS3 web design as well. Designers may also gain an edge by learning a variety of programming languages. IT school enrollment will probably increase as students seek to keep up with the increasing demands of web design and technology in general.

I use Constant Contact to build my email list and send out email newsletters. You can try it for FREE for 60-DAYS!

Make sure you get the email address of every customer that enters your store. Even if they don’t buy anything they are still a potential future customers. You can keep in touch with them via email and newsletters to tell them about upcoming specials.

Make sure you have a link on your website to sign up for your FREE email newsletter as well as a sign in your store.

Constant Contact also offers a way you can have people sign up via text message. You can sign up for my Web Design Tips & Tricks newsletter by texting the keyword WEBDESIGN4HIM to 22828!

It is more important now than ever before to have a website for your business. Many businesses are closing their doors due to today’s economy. High rent, the cost of inventory, gas prices, utilities, etc. Business owners are suffering and customers just don’t have the extra money to spend like they used to in the past.

The Internet has taken over and if you don’t have a website for your business then you are missing out! Today people are researching a business online before actually walking into the store. A strong online presence is absolutely necessary for your business to survive in today’s economy!

With a website you can offer your customers and potential customers the opportunity to sign up for your mailing list and contact them about special events, new products, exclusive discounts and much more. It’s a great way to keep in touch with your customers and build customer loyalty.

Once you have your website up and running it will be your best advertising tool. You can place special offers for online customers only or you can drive traffic to your store with a printable coupon on your site.

Here a few key points to remember about your website.

• Sure you can do it yourself; there are many places on the Internet where you can build a free website; however, you get what you pay for!
• Do yourself a favor and hire a professional website designer. After all, you don’t want to spend all of your time working on the website; you need to be taking care of your business. Let a professional worry about your site.
• Keep your site updated with fresh content
• Make sure your site is easy to navigate
• Don’t forget the ‘call to action’. Give your website visitors a chance to buy your products, give them a reason to visit your store.
• Contact www.webdesign4him.com today for a FREE quote and let us help you find a home on the Internet for your business!

The best way to advertise and find new customers (no matter what business you are in) is WORD OF MOUTH!

Here’s an example of word of mouth advertising. One of the first websites I created I did for FREE. The organization was so pleased with the site that they told others about it. From that one original site that I did at no charge, I ended up with 12 other paying clients. Then those 12 resulted in 6 other new clients! So I got 18 new clients without spending one penny on advertising.

Here’s another great thing about referrals. They end up being loyal customers. Everything single one of those 18 clients are still with me today, and it’s been over 10 years!

The bottom line is simply this: Take good care of your customers and they will take good care of you!

Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals, they will be the backbone of your business. The best time to ask for a referral is right after you have a satisfied customer. It’s also important that you get the name, phone number and email address of the referral so you can make contact yourself. I’ve found that others telling their friends about you and the services you offer is great, but that doesn’t usually lead to a sale. You need to make the contact and show the referral how you can help them!

The number one rule for success in any business is: ALWAYS BE PROSPECTING FOR NEW CUSTOMERS!

Word of mouth advertising and referrals is by far the best way to advertise your business and find new customers!

Here is my newest website…it’s still a work in progress. Next time your at the NC State Fairgrounds Flea Market, check out The Olde Loft.

Enter through gate 2 on Hillsborough Street then turn left and you will see The Olde Loft. Step inside and you will find a large selection of Primitive Antiques that will bring back memories of days gone by!

Visit The Olde Loft website and be sure to register for their FREE email newsletter so you won’t miss any special offers!

First of all you need to make sure you have a place on your website where people can register to receive more information such as an email newsletter or special offers.

This will build a database of people who are interested in what you have to offer.

I use Constant Contact for this. You can get a FREE 60-Day Trial of Constant Contact by clicking on their ad below.

Once you have a decent size subscriber list then you can start sending out regular email newsletters using Constant Contact. The newsletters can include articles you have written or you can use articles from other people which you can find at places like www.isnare.com and many other sites that offer free article content.

The best way to do this is only include a piece of the article in your newsletter and make a link to your website where readers can see the full article. This drives traffic to your website.

In the newsletter you can also include special offers, again linking to your website.

Visit Commission Junction: www.cj.com and register for an account there. Select affliates that have something to do with your business and then you can place their ads on your website and in your newsletters. Each time someone clicks on ads you will make a little money and if they buy the affliate’s product you will make more money!

Another way to monetize your site is to use Google AdSense. Go to www.google.com and sign up for AdSense then you can place Google Ads on your site and you will receive a little money each time an ad is clicked on!

You can also sell advertising space on your site and in your newsletters. Just place a small ad on your site and in your newsletter saying something like, “Your ad could be here.” I have several people that advertise in my newsletters and on my website.

These are just a few of the ways that you can make money from your website. Give them a try; it’s not a get rich quick scheme but you will begin to see a stream of income coming from your website and every little bit helps!

There are plenty of ways to advertise without spending huge amounts of money, here are just a few.

• Craigs List
• Facebook & Twitter
• Business Cards and Letterhead
• Word of Mouth
• Email

Craigs List
There are local lists for your specific area. Most areas are FREE to advertise in. Find the area and category that best matches your business and set up an account with Craigs List. Then it only takes a few minutes to post an ad. Craigs List is very popular and I always get a lot of responses when I post something there!

Facebook and Twitter
Do not underestimate the power of Social Networking! In my opinion these two sites are the top networking sites. For example on Facebook I have 588 friends and each of them have hundreds of friends and so on and so forth. One post can be seen by thousands of people. I have picked up several web design jobs just by posting on Facebook.

My Twitter account is linked to Facebook, so every time I Tweet it also automatically appears on Facebook! All you have to do is say something like, “Check out my newly designed website and let me know what you think.” Add a link and you’ve got some instant traffic.

I also have several blogs which automatically Tweet my blog posts which in turn post to Facebook.

Business Cards and Letterhead
This one isn’t free but very inexpensive. Make sure you have your website url listed on your business cards, letterhead, email signature, and any other literature you may use such as flyers or brochures.

Word of Mouth
This is a must do! Make sure you mention your website to everybody you talk to. Word of Mouth is one of the best forms of advertising and it’s absolutely free of charge!

Email
Everyone uses email these days so make sure you have a signature in your emails that lists your contact information, including your website url. Also send an email to everyone in your email list announcing your new website. Ask them to tell you what they think. Most people love to give their opinions.

These are just five of the ways to spread the word about your website and create traffic; there are many more. The bottom line is, if you want people to visit your website, you need to tell them about it. So start spreading the word!

Here is my latest website. It’s still a work in progress. Your comments are welcome. This was a remake of an existing website. I used NetObjects Fusion 11. Still much more to be added to the site, but let me know what you think so far.

If you need help with an existing sound system or need to buy or install a new one, Larry Stover is The Sound Doctor and he’s the man to see for all your sound system needs!

www.sounddoctor.com

I have been using NetObjects Fusion to design the websites and I am very happy with the product. Lately people have been asking me to design sites that they can edit on their own.

I decided the easiest way to go would be WordPress. They offer many FREE template designs and it’s pretty easy for someone to learn how to edit the content.

I set up the site and instead of using articles I use pages…that way you don’t have to mess with comments and dated articles, etc.

I give the clients access to edit pages but not access to change templates or other code. That way I maintain control of the design but they can do the updates to the content or add new pages.

It seems to be working out pretty well so far. I have even turned one into a paid membership site.

www.gtgauto.com

My first new website for 2011. Good to Go Auto Sales in Angier, NC. This is a work in progress. The design is complete but client still has to upload photos and descriptions of vehicles.

This site was built using GoDaddy’s Quick Shopping Cart feature.