We Now Offer WordPress Packages!

Freelance I.T. Solutions is now offering customized WordPress sites. As an introduction to this service, get a 25% discount off the regular price.

More info here: http://freelanceitsolutions.com/pages/wordpress_landingPg.php

We've worked on many WordPress sites with other designers - creating custom child themes, plugins, and widgets.  Now we are doing it all in-house!

Use the link above to see the packages we offer or to get more information on a completely custom WordPress site.

Screenshots - UCLArts and Healing

This is a site we are currently working on with Kraupp, Inc.  It is a heavily modified WordPress site based on the Brio theme by QueryLoop.

Above is a shot of the 'home' page for the site.  We began by creating a child theme for the client, as a proof-of-concept and then continued modifications - including modifications to plugins such as WooCommerce and UberMenu.  We also created plugins and templates from scratch to meet the needs of the client.

This is the original Brio theme by QueryLoop (home page).  Compare this to the last image and you can see just how much the child theme we created has been customized.

Outside designers created the designs and layout for the site.  They provided us with images and PSD files which we used to create site graphics and customize code to get the desired 'final' product. *This site is still in progress... this might not be the final product!

The client required that each section use a different header.  This posed a challenge since all of the pages for the original theme are based on just two PHP files.  But, we were able to manipulate and add to the code and provide the client with what they wanted. (Also see next image).

The UberMenu plugin was used for the main navigation menu at the top of each page.  Text, background and rollover colors where all customized beyond the original capabilities of the plugin.

Drop down menu colors also match the color of their section's header.

The store, cart and checkout pages are very customized versions of WooCommerce for WordPress.  We were able to customize the code so that these pages match the rest of the site.

For this site we created custom templates, a plugin, and widgets - including a widget to add a custom sidebar and a widget to calculate shipping charges based on the client's requirements.

If you are an end business, an ad agency or a design company that needs code work to customize your WordPress site, please visit our website and feel free to contact us with any questions or for an estimate for your project.

Website: http://www.freelanceitsolutions.com

19 "Hard Things" We Should All Do Everyday

19 "Hard Things" that we should all do everyday:

•You have to make the call you're afraid to make.
•You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.
•You have to give more than you initially get in return.
•You have to care more about others than they care about you.
•You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.
•You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.
•You have to lead when no one is following you yet.
•You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.
•You have to look like a fool while you're looking for answers you don't have.
•You have to grind out the details when it's easier to shrug them off.
•You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.
•You have to search for your own explanations even when you're told to accept the "facts".
•You have to be willing to make mistakes and look like an idiot.
•You have to try, fail and try again.
•You have to run faster even though you're out of breath.
•You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.
•You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.
•You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.
•You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what's in front of you.

mCommerce – Why You Should Have a Mobile Site

Click for larger view.

mCommerce – sales that take place over mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, is steadily increasing. In June of this year, 55% of all online sales originated on smartphones and tablets. And 71% of those polled said that their purchases, both online and brick and mortar began on a mobile device; this includes research of products and pricing, research of businesses that sell the products, location searches and on-site product price comparisons. What does all this mean? If you do not have a mobile presence, you are missing out on sales!

There is good news... getting a mobile presence does not have to be expensive and there is still time to get something set up before the holiday season!

Yes, developing a dedicated phone or tablet app can be expensive. But, in a recent survey, responders said that they prefer shopping on mobile websites rather than dedicated apps. And developing a mobile website does not have to be expensive because you have options.

• Redesign your current site using the 'responsive web design' model. The responsive web design model uses techniques that allow you to create one site that works on many screen sizes. In the long term, this is probably the best idea for most businesses. But, it's the most expensive option and requires the most time.
• Create a dedicated site for 'small screens' – those of smartphones, tablets, and phablets. (Phablets? A phablet is a device that has a screen larger than 5 inches but less than 6.9 inches – smaller than this is a smartphone and larger is considered a tablet. A popular example of a phablet is Samsung's Note III smartphone). If you want a site ready for the holiday season, this is your best bet. It is also less expensive than a complete redesign of your website.
• Your final option is to do nothing and hope your site looks good on the plethora of connected mobile devices out there. But, unlike the early days of mobile websites, users are not willing to put up with sites that don't render well on mobile devices. Is this really a good option?

What does all this and the numbers in the accompanying infographic really mean? It means if you have a business that targets public consumers, you need a mobile presence. Mobile devices are getting more and more popular – they are currently outselling both desktop and laptop/notebook computers. Can you afford not to be in front of the customer's eyes when they want your product? The answer to that has always been NO.

Please contact us if you want/need a mobile friendly web presence: http://www.freelanceitsolutions.com

Please see infographic for sources.

Recently Completed Project for Disney

We recently completed a project for Disney. The project requirements:

• Paper forms had to be reproduced as on-line forms. Every effort had to be made to make the on-line forms look like the paper forms, so that they would look familiar to the applicants.
• Potential applicants would be required to pass an eligibility test to access the forms.
• The system had to save form data so that applicants could come back to the forms as often as needed.
• Once all forms are completed, applicant submit the forms, Disney personnel receives an email notification and applicants receive an email with instructions on how to continue the application process.
• After the forms are submitted, PDF versions are generated. The PDFs must be available for Disney personnel and the applicant to view, download, and print.
• The entire application had to be secure.

Slide show with screen shots here: http://www.freelanceitsolutions.com/pages/portfolio_disney2014.php

Here's a cool little device...

Remember the movie "Minority Report?" Tom Cruise uses hand gestures to control the computer – scrolling through screens, bringing up data, zooming in on photos... it was all pretty cool, wasn't it?

We've seen new interfaces that give us the ability to control games with gestures and body motions. And now we are getting phones (Samsung’s Galaxy S4 for example) that have gesture recognition. The new comer on the scene gives you control over any computer with a USB port.

Leap Motion wants to replace your joystick, your mouse, even your keyboard with their motion-sensing device. It's about 12mm by 80mm small and uses your hand motions and finger gestures to interface with your computer. You can use it in place of game controllers, drawing tablets, the mouse, etc. And it costs a lot let than an XBox 360!

Link to Leap Motion: https://www.leapmotion.com/

Landing Pages - The Successful Formula

You've probably heard the term – 'landing pages.' They're very big among marketers and your web programmer may have referred to them as well. But, what are they?

A landing page is a page on your website that you send visitors directly to for a specific reason / action. You might want them to,

• Sign up for a newsletter.
• Enter a contest.
• Purchase your product or service (usually through some kind of sale or promotion).
• Highlight a product or service.
• Register for some 'free-be.'

The goal of all landing pages is to get the visitor to interact with your business somehow and eventually to make a sale.

Your landing page is your opportunity to showoff your products and services. You should pay very close attention to the design and content of these special pages.

Design First, Content Second and Always Optimize

A professional design MATTERS. In a recent study by Standford University, participants where asked to comment on what made a website credible to them. Nearly half (46%) of participants commented that the design was most important. Following design was information structure (29%), information usefulness (15%), information accuracy (14%) which tied with name recognition (14%), site functionality (9%), and customer service (6%). 

First impressions are important. And what the visitor sees first is the design. If your landing page is poorly designed, you loose half your visitors before you've even had a chance to give them your message. (That goes for your website as well).

So, use/create an outstanding design, then write informative and accurate copy, then optimize it for your audience.

Design and Content Fundamentals

Images – Spend Time and Choose Carefully

A picture is worth a thousand words. Studies have shown that visitors to websites look at pictures before they begin reading – even before they look at page headlines. We gravitate to pictures. Images are the best way to show your product or the results of your service. And although they are very important, they should also be used sparingly. It's not easy – the balancing act is to include enough images to keep your visitor interested without clutter. If you have more than one or two images that you would like to present, consider using an automatic slide show. This will allow the visitor to focus on one image at a time.

For landing pages, make sure you don't clutter up your page with images. Remember, the main reason you're bringing them to this page is to get them active.

Also, images take longer to download than text. The longer it takes for your page to load, the fewer visitors will stick around to see your message. Studies show that after five seconds, you start losing visitors. For every one second after five, you lose 7-10% of your visitors. So, if your page isn't loading material that will keep visitors interested, you're basically losing all your visitors in about 15 seconds!

Example Landing Page

Keep it Clean – The Minimalist Approach

The goal of your landing page is to keep your reader focused on the product/service. So keep the content – copy, links and images focused on the product/service. If it doesn't get the visitor emotionally involved, leave it out.

Most visitors are not going to spend a lot of time reading. So, keep your copy short. If you have a lot of information to convey, try using bullet points. If possible, let a picture 'do the talking.'

Links should only be included if they are absolutely necessary. For example, if you feel the visitor may need more info about the product/service, include a link. If you have a tutorial, include a link. The thing to remember here is that you do not want to give the visitor an 'escape route.'

There really should be only three ways to leave the page – get more info, buy or sign up, click the browser's back button.

Finally, leave plenty of white space. A cluttered landing page is confusing. White space give a sense of freedom... the visitor has time to think, he/she is not being pressured. You want to give them the feeling of comfort and easy. Visually show that your product/service is going to make their life easier.

Be Responsive

In non-work situations, more people now access the Internet with mobile devices, gaming consoles and TV interfaces than with computers. In 2013 about 15% of non-gaming, online sales will be made with mobile devices. Your landing page must be able to display on devices with different screen sizes and still look appealing and professional.

Use a professional web developer who understands and implements Responsive Web Design or you risk losing sales.

Keep it Familiar

If you have a 'standard layout' used with printed material or other online media, keep that layout. If there is an industry standard, try to stick to it. Unless these things horribly violate the standards above, you want to use them and keep things familiar for your visitors. Familiar is comfortable and you want to keep your visitors comfortable.

Call to Action

The call to action is the essential element of a landing page. As important as everything above is to a successful landing page, without a well thought out, attention grabbing call to action, you've wasted the change to gain a customer.

Stand Out

Action buttons like 'buy' or 'enter' should stand out. Studies show that these links and buttons should be of a contrasting color to the rest of the landing page. Also pay attention to the wording of action buttons. 'Enter to Win' will get more responses than simply 'Enter' or 'Submit.' Adding a short phrase to clarify the call to action can help convert visitors to customers as well.

Urgent

Don't let the visitor think this is going to be available forever (even if it is). Add a time limit for the offer and make it stand out. You may want to use a countdown timer that displays the days, hours, and minutes until the offer expires. Or include a calendar image with a big, red “X” over past (missed) days.

The key here is to include something to keep the visitor from thinking, “I'll come back to this later.” Studies have shown that more than 50% of visitors do not come back, even if they've indicated they plan to.

Keep it Simple...

Many times you will want to collect information from/about your visitor. Forms are a necessary part of many landing pages. The rule of thumb here is keep it simple. If your visitors feel it is too difficult or will take too long, they're not going to fill out the form. Collect the essential information you need and nothing more. Remember, even if you are getting minimal info here, you are getting info and can request more later. If they leave now, they're lost.

Your Call to Action

Now it's your turn. You can probably think of a product or service you would like to spotlight. Or perhaps a contest that will draw in potential customers. Jot down your ideas, give some thought to images and copy, contact a professional web developer and create your landing page(s)!

Comments Welcome

Leave comments below – let my blog readers know what's worked for you. Have you had a spectacularly successful landing page? How about a disaster? Share your experience.

Russ Thompson is the owner and lead developer at Freelance I.T. Solutions.