While the homepage is your website’s face, the layout is how it looks. You want your face looking good, right? Let’s see how we can make this happen. We have already talked about design and content, and will discuss their sub-elements in upcoming posts. So today I’ll concentrate on the visual essentials of your website’s layout.

Layout basically consists of four visual parts: Header, footer, right-side and/or left-side panels, and a content section. Each of these parts should state their purpose.

You should take into consideration things that are different for each of your site’s visitors:
• Screen resolutions, and how your layout will look in different resolutions (I’ll go into this further in a future post).
• Which web browsers the visitors are using, and how the site looks in each major web browser (also to be discussed in detail later).
Ideally the site should look, and function, the same on any screen or web browser—but unfortunately, in most cases this just isn’t possible.

Place the most important things above the fold, i.e. on the top part the page that can be seen without scrolling. It is fine if some other elements are placed below the fold and the visitor has to scroll down to see them—after all, if there is no need to scroll, the page might be too short.

It is a great idea to work with a “templatized” site. By this I mean that the templates of different sections can be easily edited, removed, or added without affecting the general structure of the site. Most of today’s websites are created that way, both custom-built sites and those using content management systems (CMS). It makes the editing work much easier when your site is structured by elements combined together. It also ensures that your layout stays the same no matter how many different changes you are making to any section of your website.

Do not use too many graphics on your site. Texts and images should be laid out in natural proportions. Look at your favorite sites to decide which proportions will work best for your web pages.

In the next post we will talk about your website’s navigation. Until then,

Shavkat Karimov
Internet Marketing Manager
mobileStorm, Inc.
Every problem comes with a solution
SEO Manager - Consulting

I’d been expecting it

Ever since I first told wrote about the presidential candidates’ digital promotions campaigns–including the now President-elect Barack Obama’s savvy use of texting–I’ve anticipated increased adoption of digital messaging by consumers and marketers alike. The masses would be encouraged by these leaders’ example, I figured. Call it my own trickle-down theory.

Seems I was right: The aggregator Sybase 365 reports that mobile messaging traffic increased dramatically last Tuesday night, the evening of the election. From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific time, U.S. subscribers sent more than 1.2 billion messages. Volume tripled between 8 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. Pacific time. Overall, SMS volume that day was 10 percent higher than the previous day.

What better way for people to discuss the newly-elected president than SMS, the platform that he himself chose to use to communicate with supporters. While catering to young voters, Sen. Obama’s campaign certainly encouraged people of all ages to text-message more than ever.

Sadly, email didn’t receive the same PR boost. The campaign neglected to use double opt-in for subscribers, resulting in pranksters signing people up using creative names–so that victims received messages calling them things like “StupidSpamSuckerSlutface.”

At least the faux pas re-emphasized the importance of email best practices. Meanwhile SMS has become less niche and more mainstream. It’s change that all mobile marketers, red or blue, can celebrate.

Eydie Cubarrubia, Marketing Communications Manager, mobileStorm

“I’d rather you text me”

Today’s your last chance to sign up for “Making Money With Mobile Coupons,” a free webinar happening tomorrow at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

mobileStorm CEO and founder Jared Reitzin will explain why mobile coupons are integral for today’s marketing campaigns. He will also share basic instructions on the ideal way to launch a mobile coupon campaign.

Despite last week’s elections, Americans are still worried about the economy. SMS coupons are one way to encourage consumers to spend, while being an economical marketing strategy for businesses large and small.

To register for “Making Money With Mobile Coupons,” click here.

Eydie Cubarrubia, Marketing Communications Manager, mobileStorm

“Id rather you text me”

While the world watched U.S. citizens’ votes with a careful eye on Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously on something pretty important too: It decided to allow the unlicensed use of the white space television spectrum.

This means that a big chunk of radio airwaves–those being freed up once all U.S. TV broadcasts go digital early next year–can now be used to create wireless broadband networks. In turn, we soon could see Wi-Fi Internet access as democratic as this week’s election was.

“Opening the white spaces will allow for the creation of a Wi-Fi on steroids. It has the potential to improve wireless broadband connectivity and inspire an ever-widening array of new Internet-based products and services for consumers,” said FCC chairman Kevin Martin.

The creation of this “Wi-Fi on steroids” has innumerable implications for anyone using digital communications. For marketers, it means that their email messages will reach people more often, and in more places, than ever before. Travelers with laptops will be on the Internet much more, since they won’t have to struggle to find a wireless connection. Notebook-users on a budget could connect to the Internet at home, too.

Meanwhile the latest smart phones are being equipped with Wi-Fi. Consumers without a 3G connection, and/or a special Web plan with their cellular providers, will still be able to access the Internet on their phones thanks to Wi-Fi. Their latest mobile email messages–including marketing messages–will always be at their fingertips.

Eydie Cubarrubia, Marketing Communications Manager, mobileStorm

“I’d rather you text me”