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	<title>Maca is Rambling</title>
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		<title>Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:30:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Celina Conner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web design tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2494</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In a digital world where creativity abounds, web designers are constantly exploring ways to create attractive sites that will entice users. Recently, we are seeing the beginning of a new trend—the neon-colored websites. Fluorescent or neon colors are making waves &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/07/most-awesome-neon-stock-photos-backgrounds-and-textures-on-stock-xchng/"     class="crp_title">Most Awesome Neon Stock Photos, Backgrounds and Textures on&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In a digital world where creativity abounds, web designers are constantly exploring ways to create attractive sites that will entice users. Recently, we are seeing the beginning of a new trend—the neon-colored websites. Fluorescent or neon colors are making waves in the fashion world again and graphic artists and illustrators have been using neon more prominently, too. In fact, it is now being studied in most <a href="http://www.martincollege.edu.au/courses/diploma-of-graphic-design-course.aspx">diploma of graphic design</a> courses. This flashy color is also gaining steam in the internet with attractive fluorescent hues being used as the main color while incorporating complementary colors at the same time. Here are some of the things you need to know about neon colors.</p>
<h2><b>Brief History of Neon</b></h2>
<p>Neon reached its peak in the 80’s. In fact, you cannot mention 80’s without thinking of neon colors. However, this bright pigment was created in the 19th century by a company known as the CCC. It introduced the neon color to major apparel companies such as American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and A-list celebrities. Just like any fad, neon lost its appeal during the 90’s. Since its impact wass so great in different fields, it was only a matter of time before we saw its comeback. Now, neon is back with more attitude as it permeates the biggest visual platform—the Web.</p>
<h2><b>Why Go for Neon?</b></h2>
<p><b><i><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Neon-Yellow.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2495" alt="Neon Yellow" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Neon-Yellow-300x131.jpg" width="300" height="131" /></a>It’s bold.</i></b>  Going neon for your website is a risky move but it makes a bold statement about your brand. Not many sites can pull off a design with fluorescent color and still make it look clean and professional. This is where the skill of your web designer comes out. Most sites go for safe and neutral colors so having a neon-themed site can show a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2013/04/08/why-character-is-a-branding-essential/">more distinct character to your brand</a>.</p>
<p><b><i><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Neon-website.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2496" alt="Neon website" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Neon-website-300x272.jpg" width="300" height="272" /></a>It’s current.</i></b> Neon colors are obviously trending and using these hues will show that your site is new and fresh. Since the Web in general is constantly updating and evolving, it is important that your site keeps up with the times. Having bright fluorescent colors show that your brand is modern and up-to-date. Neon is synonymous to cool and young so if these are the very things that you want your brand to be known for then going for this bright tone is the best design move for you.</p>
<p><b><i>It’s attractive.</i></b><i> </i>All websites want their layout to look attractive and enticing. There is no better way to communicate this than by using fun and flashy neon colors in your site. Neon is every bit unique in its tint and hue. Having these colors highlight key parts in your website will make it more engaging to your visitors. In addition, fluorescent colors also show how dynamic your site is. Going neon will make your site stand out in every possible way.</p>
<p>As much as neon gives life to your website’s layout, it also poses a huge risk when it is overdone. You need to closely coordinate with your web designer on how you want to incorporate neon and fluorescent colors to your site. The key is not going overboard and using other complementary colors to balance its brightness. Neon can be classy, funky, and even professional when it is nicely done by a creative designer. It is worth trying out most especially if you want to show something new to your site visitors. You can start small with specific segments, tabs, or links in your site before making it the main color in your website. It’s just a matter of making a strong statement through these loud and trendy hues!</p>
<div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/07/most-awesome-neon-stock-photos-backgrounds-and-textures-on-stock-xchng/"     class="crp_title">Most Awesome Neon Stock Photos, Backgrounds and Textures on&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Useful Free Icon Font Sets</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:05:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brian Taylor</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[icon fonts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2485</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you were to ask several designers about icons, they will have a varied number of opinions. Some would like make their icons, especially those who are creative and technically savvy. That combination is difficult to find but some people &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/11/five-fantastic-resources-of-free-flag-icons/"     class="crp_title">Five Fantastic Resources of Free Flag Icons</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/08/high-quality-social-media-icons-from-deviantart/"     class="crp_title">High Quality Social Media Icons from Deviantart</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/06/free-icons-smileys-emoticons-up-for-grabs/"     class="crp_title">Free Icons: Smileys/Emoticons Up for Grabs</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/05/internal-server-error-500-when-installing-magento/"     class="crp_title">Internal Server Error 500 When Installing Magento</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you were to ask several designers about icons, they will have a varied number of opinions. Some would like make their icons, especially those who are creative and technically savvy. That combination is difficult to find but some people do that. The reality though is that not all of us can take the time out to build our own icons. When on thinks of icons, usually the standard associated feeling is that images that show something is relevant to the design at hand.</p>
<p>Despite the ease of images as icons, there is on serious problem – manipulation. With image based icons, manipulating them becomes a lot of hard work and usage of image editing software becomes mandatory. If a designer wishes to do some serious manipulation that means investment in image based software and more time spent working on it.</p>
<p>A clever solution to use would be alternatives to use in place of image icons. That alternative is the ever popular icon font sets. There are some simple and effective advantages of using icon font Sets. For instance, changing the size of icon font is as easy as changing the size of a word font. Same goes to the properties related to changing the colour of these icons. Further, if you like being able to shadow the shape of the icon, you can do so. Other features that are seriously cool about icon fonts are that they come with simple transparency features, rotation ability and pretty every trick you can think of.</p>
<p>Nothing is more evidence of the popularity of icon font sets than the fact that there are hundreds of icon fonts sets, some free, some paid that are available. Many icon font developers have taken it upon themselves to make available a wonderful array of icon font sets, with many of them being free. We give you our pick of the best five icon font sets for your use.</p>
<h2><a href="http://adamwhitcroft.com/batch/">Batch</a></h2>
<p>A quick online search will reveal that this happens to one of the most popular icon font sets that are used and downloaded by website desiogners. Previously, this set was paid for only. However, now it has been made free and developer deserves a big thank you for this.<b></b></p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Batch-font-icon-set.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2486" alt="Batch font icon set" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Batch-font-icon-set.png" width="800" height="780" /></a></p>
<p>The best part about this font set is that it has a smooth and grey appearance, which goes well with websites that are aiming for a classy appearance. It has more than 300 icons in the set and they are all available in the standard formats of PSD, SVG, PNG and Webfont. Our personal favourite icons among the set is the one which looks like an alarm clock, quiet and the ringing ones. We can think of a few designs where that might fit in just fine.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.tenbytwenty.com/sosa.php">Sosa</a></h2>
<p>For some designers, the batch icon font set may across as being too serious. If you are looking for something that is equally elegant but at the same adds some colour to the mix, then you should go for Sosa.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Sosa-font-icon-set.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2487" alt="Sosa font icon set" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Sosa-font-icon-set.png" width="742" height="644" /></a></p>
<p>The font does sound like the name of beautiful woman. The font definitely lives up to that name and the developer believes that it is ideal for usage in scenarios of web design, shopping sites, weather based applications and web sites and also for sites which need to process a lot of forms. The icons do seem to be oriented for these people related sites.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.dafont.com/breezi-icon-set.font">Breezi</a></h2>
<p>The title of the font seems like an odd permutation of the words that from the term breeze, but that is the only thing about this font that you may not like.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Breezi-font-icon-set.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2488" alt="Breezi font icon set" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Breezi-font-icon-set.png" width="809" height="405" /></a></p>
<p>In fact, we think the title of the font is really cool, just like the actual font itself. The font is as different as it can be from the earlier two fonts – Sosa and Batch – that were discussed earlier. It seems designed for websites that like to highlight items in contrasts of light and dark.</p>
<h2><a href="http://zurb.com/playground/foundation-icons">Foundations</a></h2>
<p>Foundation fonts are similar to the Breezi fonts. The idea behind the design, according to the developer is give the designers something that can be used on its own.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Foundations-font-icon-set.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2489" alt="Foundations font icon set" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Foundations-font-icon-set.png" width="963" height="644" /></a></p>
<p>At the same time, they also suggest that you make the most of its simplicity to get more use of it. It appears that this font is suited for both those who want something simple but also wish to ratchet up the visual appeal slightly every now and then.</p>
<h2><a href="http://icomoon.io/">IcoMoon</a></h2>
<p>Icon Moon is a special type of the font set, when compared to the others in the list. The font set itself is an extremely appealing prospect, but it is the support system that comes with the font which is amazing.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/IcoMoon-font-icon-set.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2490" alt="IcoMoon font icon set" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/IcoMoon-font-icon-set.png" width="805" height="397" /></a></p>
<p>The Icon Moon set comes in three variants. There is the free version, which in itself comes with over 450 Icons and that is a wide range. Further, each icon has been handcrafted for greater variety. Also, if you like these fonts and want more, you can upgrade to either the essential pack or the ultimate pack, which boasts of more than 1200 fonts.</p>
<div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/11/five-fantastic-resources-of-free-flag-icons/"     class="crp_title">Five Fantastic Resources of Free Flag Icons</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/08/high-quality-social-media-icons-from-deviantart/"     class="crp_title">High Quality Social Media Icons from Deviantart</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/06/free-icons-smileys-emoticons-up-for-grabs/"     class="crp_title">Free Icons: Smileys/Emoticons Up for Grabs</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/05/internal-server-error-500-when-installing-magento/"     class="crp_title">Internal Server Error 500 When Installing Magento</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 23:57:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Claudia</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web design tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2478</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the past few months, many famous websites have been redesigned, redefining web presence, indicating the evolution of fresh designing trends in the New Year. In this post, we’ll be discussing the top 5 trends in the web designing arena &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/write-for-us/"     class="crp_title">Write For Us</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/"     class="crp_title">Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/privacy-policy/"     class="crp_title">Privacy Policy</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the past few months, many famous websites have been redesigned, redefining web presence, indicating the evolution of fresh designing trends in the New Year.</p>
<p>In this post, we’ll be discussing the top 5 trends in the web designing arena that have been gaining popularity, and you ought to follow while designing a website, so that you can make your online presence felt; otherwise your website would look outdated and obsolete.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Top-5-Web-Designing-Trends-Which-Will-Rule-2013.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2479" alt="Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Top-5-Web-Designing-Trends-Which-Will-Rule-2013.jpg" width="627" height="300" /></a></p>
<h2>1. Responsive Web Design</h2>
<p>Combination of CSS 3 and HTML 5 is used widely to create advanced animation clips and video games these days. However, it is not the sole reason why HTML 5 and other mark-up languages have become really popular in web development field across the globe.</p>
<p>HTML5 allows web designers to create web applications, which adjust automatically to match the screen size. You can also create a web design that looks pretty appealing on small screen devices such as tablets and smartphones. Such a design is also called as fluid design or responsive web design, and that’s the latest rage in the industry.</p>
<h2>2. Benefits of Fluid Design Approach</h2>
<p>With the introduction of new designing concept, every web designer wishes to create different websites that are rendered perfectly on different devices. For instance, if you want to design a website for travel service provider, then you can choose fluid design, so that even the mobile users can access the website seamlessly, and make the bookings.</p>
<p>When it comes to responsive web design, content of website shifts and shrinks automatically, without disturbing the usability and readability factor; it also suits a specific screen size.</p>
<p>Award-winning blogs such as TheNextWeb and Mashable have shifted to the new web designing strategies, and the number of people accessing websites from tablets and smartphones is growing at a tremendous pace.</p>
<h2>3. Typography</h2>
<p>Typography is one of the latest elements of web design across the globe. You don’t see action buttons limited to Arial font nowadays, as several other designs, font types, and styles are being incorporated in headings and online buttons to add to the visual appeal.</p>
<h2>4. Minimalist Color Scheme</h2>
<p><strong>It’s another </strong>web designing concept, which is in vogue today. With the help of minimalist color scheme, using shades of blue and dark red, you can design an appealing and eye-catching website that looks professional at the same time.</p>
<p>You can visit popular websites like TheNextWeb and Mashable, where you can see single color used throughout the website. Whenever you follow the color scheme consistently, the readability aspect would be significantly improved.</p>
<h2>5. Featured Boxes</h2>
<p><strong>In 2013, you can see Featured Boxes replacing the older JavaScript Sliders. The era of </strong>JavaScript sliders has probably ended, and nowadays, web designers are using static featured boxes with background image outdone with a punch-line.</p>
<p><strong>You can see hundreds and thousands of web designing companies emerging across the globe today. And, to help those who’re new to the web design arena, plenty of</strong> web designing are also being conducted. Fresh graduates can attend these programs and learn the latest trends in designing aspects, while the professionals can hone their skills further, and progress in their career path.</p>
<p>So, stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in the web design industry, and follow the latest trends, otherwise your designs would look outdated, and your clients won’t be interested in your services anymore.</p>
<div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/write-for-us/"     class="crp_title">Write For Us</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/"     class="crp_title">Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/privacy-policy/"     class="crp_title">Privacy Policy</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Benefits Of Using Codelgniter Framework</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/benefits-of-using-codelgniter-framework/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/benefits-of-using-codelgniter-framework/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 22:25:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brian Taylor</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[codeigniter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2469</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are a lot of technologies that go into making a website a wonderful experience for your users. As a business owner, you want your sites to be dynamic, so that it interacts with them to give a fantastic experience. &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/benefits-of-using-codelgniter-framework/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/07/codeigniter-video-tutorials-for-beginners/"     class="crp_title">Codeigniter Video Tutorials for Beginners</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/"     class="crp_title">5 Useful Free Icon Font Sets</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/11/drawing-practice-sheets-for-guide-and-reference/"     class="crp_title">Drawing Practice Sheets for Guide and Reference</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/how-to-stop-individual-plugins-from-updating-in-wordpress/"     class="crp_title">How to Stop Individual Plugins from Updating in WordPress</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/codeigniter-logo.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2470" alt="codeigniter-logo" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/codeigniter-logo.jpg" width="500" height="265" /></a>There are a lot of technologies that go into making a website a wonderful experience for your users. As a business owner, you want your sites to be dynamic, so that it interacts with them to give a fantastic experience. Of all the tech that can go into a site to achieve this goal, we would personally recommend PHP. PHP has been around for a long time, it is reliable and there are some truly awesome sites that have wowed users all over the world, literally. All this, thanks the tech wonder that is PHP.</p>
<p><b>Programming Challenges and Roadblocks</b></p>
<p>What is wonderful is always challenging. PHP programming is not easy. However, some of these challenges find their source in managing the actual code and how it interacts with other elements. In a way, the actual programming of PHP is not a tedious. It is a rewarding experience that programmers, at least genuine PHP programmers, completely enjoy. The actual roadblocks that exist in incorporating PHP in websites comes in the form of establishing access to associated databases, creating and manipulating templates and also managing multiple programming sessions.</p>
<p>One way to alleviate these roadblocks so as to get back to making PHP programming fun again is to use frameworks. Web site building frameworks allow the programmer to not worry about all the roadblocks we just mentioned. They are like a outsourcing agent who takes care of certain aspects of managing the code, there by granting the programmer a sense of peace. An interesting side effect of using frameworks is that they encourage code reuse. If you have been programming for a while, then you would know that being able to reuse the code is a boon indeed. That boon gets a boost from frameworks.</p>
<p><b>Choosing A PHP Framework</b></p>
<p>When choosing a PHP framework, either for your own personal use or for your team of developers who will soon embark on <a href="http://www.forixwebdesign.com/">developing a website project</a>, there are a few general considerations. For instance, the chosen framework must be easy to use. This is easier said than done because there are a plethora of frameworks that are available on the internet. Many of them are free, while some of them are proprietary and will require you to buy a license.</p>
<p>Based on our experience, we find the PHP web application framework that goes by the inventive title &#8211; Codelgniter, one of the best. We mentioned how some of the frameworks available are free, and this happens to be one of them. Making the deal a whole lot sweeter is the fact that this happens to be an open source offering. This means, the source code for the package is available for everybody to peek into, make modifications to suit their own needs.</p>
<p><a href="http://ellislab.com/codeigniter"><b>Codelgniter</b></a></p>
<p>Does that mean, the standard package is not user friendly? Far from it, it is friendlier than most frameworks that are available, paid and free ones included. In other words, one could even say that the Codelgniter is as customer ready as any other such software could be, despite being an open source software. One of the set goals of the enterprising group of open source contributors behind this project is to help programmers get their projects built faster. The software achieves this goal by making available an established, rich in features library.</p>
<p>The library is keeping in with the agenda of making code reusable. The interface of this framework is a delight to use. Sometimes frameworks fall victim to irony. There are supposed to help you program better. Under the hood they will have all the necessary items to get things cracking. Unfortunately, the folks behind the framework spend a lot of building a powerful framework but end up ruining everything by building an incredible stupid interface.</p>
<p><b>Great Interface With Powerful Underlying Tools</b></p>
<p>Codelgniter is not like that. Equal amount of effort has been put to both the interface as well as what goes under the skin of the framework. If you are thinking of targeting multiple platform and want to build sites with functionality of mash-up applications, then this is indeed the framework for you. A hidden aspect of Codelgniter is how far reaching is the thinking behind its designers.</p>
<p>The resulting code from Codelgniter is always clean, in the sense that you will be using more efficient code that is part of the library. This is nowhere more prevalent than the speed with which the framework operates. You only need to build a small web application to see how fast this framework works, while also given an opportunity to appreciate the simple and efficient code it helps you develop.</p>
<div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/07/codeigniter-video-tutorials-for-beginners/"     class="crp_title">Codeigniter Video Tutorials for Beginners</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/"     class="crp_title">5 Useful Free Icon Font Sets</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/11/drawing-practice-sheets-for-guide-and-reference/"     class="crp_title">Drawing Practice Sheets for Guide and Reference</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/how-to-stop-individual-plugins-from-updating-in-wordpress/"     class="crp_title">How to Stop Individual Plugins from Updating in WordPress</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based Businesses!</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 22:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Emma Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[responsive web design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2464</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Opting for mobile web design is just like oxygen to survive in the tough current market place. Responsive web design has more weight than building a separate website for mobile users. The major concern is to make a website highly &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/"     class="crp_title">Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/importance-of-hyperlink-optimization-in-seo/"     class="crp_title">Importance of Hyperlink Optimization in SEO</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/responsive_web_design.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2465" alt="responsive_web_design" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/responsive_web_design.png" width="646" height="391" /></a></p>
<p>Opting for <a href="http://www.dudamobile.com/">mobile web design</a> is just like oxygen to survive in the tough current market place. Responsive web design has more weight than building a separate website for mobile users. The major concern is to make a website highly functional for the site users. It’s not just about organizing the content for smaller screens, but providing the users with an overall enhanced experience of the site.</p>
<p>In the lines below, some compelling arguments are given to support the need of responsive web design.</p>
<p>Small updates of Google, like Google Doodles, make a great impact. Although, they have to update the code base frequently, but results in major buzz. It’s also surprising how Facebook updates the code base twice a day. Both these cases direct towards future demands of the users about frequent updates of the content as well as features. Other than demands of the new content, the sharing content trend gives rise to the need of a reliable approach of accessing the content. The solution to all these problems is a responsive web design.</p>
<h2>The Allegory Of Content</h2>
<p>Restricting the content for mobile users is an old myth. As, users access the websites from their mobile devices from any place, so they demand full functionality. According to stats, 28% Americans use Smartphones to access internet. They demand the same functionality onto mobile device as they enjoy on desktop.</p>
<p>The question is it’s not good to eliminate the content or remove some functionality to make any website friendly for mobiles, but it’s also not possible to show everything onto the small screens of the smart devices. It means there is a need to redesign the website and reorganize the content to make it small screen friendly. Although, it’s not that much easily, but need of the hour.</p>
<h2>Structure Of Your URL Should Be The Same</h2>
<p>Structure of the URL plays an important role in making a website popular today. People find a URL through search engine results, through Ads, through Facebook, or through some friend’s reference. If users share some specific URL from the device they are using, and there are chances that the person receiving the hyperlink will visit the misleading layout. Although, this problem can be fixed with redirects, but involves more complexity and usually done incorrectly.</p>
<h2>Search Engine Optimization And Responsive Web Design</h2>
<p>If there weren’t any structured URLs, it would be hard to recognize for search engines that different URLs are meant to provide the readers with the same content for the different devices they are using. It can break the analytics reporting and search relevancy, as observed by web design Glasgow experts.</p>
<p>Many mobile websites don’t have just the different URL, but also the web page structure. That practice should be avoided at all. Google, the top search engine, is indexing the web pages separately and serving the web pages according to the version demanded by the site users. However, it’s not good to rely totally on the computer that two different URLs would be indexed as different versions of the same page. To make it sure that Google index your different URLs, the most important thing is to follow their guidelines and add some extra code. However, Google has made it clear that responsive web design is the recommended configuration to be followed by webmasters.</p>
<h2>Load Time And Responsive Web Design</h2>
<p>Responsive web design minimizes the load time that websites usually take to appear onto the screen of the site users. Along with having the same page structure and the same URLs, the content should also be organized, which is a big challenge for responsive web designing.</p>
<p>While creating a responsive website with one code base, some extra divs are added along with some hidden elements that become a big hurdle in way of a website loading quickly.</p>
<p>The load time can be minimized by using efficient and smart coding. Although, responsive web designing minimizes the load time, but it takes more time to develop such a website.</p>
<h2>Images And Responsive Web Design</h2>
<p>Larger screens need big sized images and smaller screens need small sized ones. There are many groups available online where responsive images are shared by the community members. Responsive Images Community Group (RICG) is one of them where standard solutions are provided after intensive searching.</p>
<h2>Updating Content And Adding New Features</h2>
<p>On mobile websites, content and functionality are required to be updated on frequent basis. For a responsive web design, the content and functionality needs to be updated to a single code base, which not only saves time, but also creates focus. The time estimation for maintaining a separate version of two identical websites is often not realistic.</p>
<p>Concluding the discussion, it’s a fact that users want high functionality and fresh content every time they visit a website. The URL structure is important for the enhanced user experience. Load time matters a lot to get good site traffic. If all these concerns are considered, responsive web design is the best option that could help the website owner to win the hearts of the site users.</p>
<p>If you consider that having a separate mobile version can be a better option, then do consider that there would be tablet versions and TV versions as well. More website versions can be a choice, but it will end in putting more efforts for maintenance.</p>
<p>Responsive web design is not just the need of today, but it will benefit tomorrow as well. The evolutionary Smartphone and tablet market will provide the users with more choices, so website owners and website builders have to think about every possible option that could bless the users with enriched website experience.</p>
<h5>Image credit: <a href="http://johnpolacek.github.io/scrolldeck.js/decks/responsive/">johnpolacek</a></h5>
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		<title>5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:32:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brian Taylor</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecommerce]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2448</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With an e-commerce website, you can reach out to potential customers worldwide and offer them your products and services directly through the Internet. Whether you own a small/large business or are planning to start a new one, an online presence &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/11/how-to-create-a-fully-functional-product-catalog-with-ecwid/"     class="crp_title">How to Create a Fully Functional Product Catalog with Ecwid</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/"     class="crp_title">Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With an e-commerce website, you can reach out to potential customers worldwide and offer them your products and services directly through the Internet. Whether you own a small/large business or are planning to start a new one, an online presence can help you generate more revenue. Here are some guidelines that can help you in optimizing your e-commerce website to reach a large number of people.</p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ecommerce.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2449" alt="ecommerce" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ecommerce.jpg" width="613" height="275" /></a></p>
<p><b>Make your logo eye-catchy</b></p>
<p><b></b>The logo is often the first thing that customers look at when they visit your website. A clear and impressive logo is important for a business as it describes who you are and what you do. The logo of an e-commerce site must be able to grab the attention of visitors and remain in their minds. Keep it simple, choose a suitable font and be wise in the choice of color. As a logo has a vital role to play in corporate branding, it should be versatile, unique and stand the test of time.</p>
<p><b>Write appropriate, quality content</b></p>
<p>In an e-commerce website, the products and their descriptions play a vital role in converting the target audience to customers. All the products which are displayed on your website must have suitable descriptions and all other important details. By reading the content, customers should be able to get a clear idea about the product(s) and move forward to make the purchase. The content on your site will have to be both user-friendly and search engine-friendly. To secure high ranks in the SERPs and to be popular among visitors, your website&#8217;s content must be interesting, appealing, relevant and unique.</p>
<p><b>Include a search box, login box &amp; shopping cart</b></p>
<p>Some essential elements that decide the sales of a product are the shopping cart, search box with category option and the login box. A search box in an e-commerce website makes it easy for customers to search for a specific product among the vast pool of goods. When you attach a combo box for categories to it, the search process becomes even simpler. The login box in an e-commerce site can be provided to customers, to help them choose a personal login id and password for future access. This reduces registration formalities when customers return to your site to make a new purchase. Make sure you have a shopping cart that is flexible to the needs of shoppers. Design your shopping cart in such a way that your customers can easily add, remove, select and purchase products.</p>
<p><b>Incorporate various payment methods</b></p>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/payment-methods.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2450" alt="payment methods" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/payment-methods.jpg" width="577" height="158" /></a></p>
<h5>Image Credit<b> – </b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountspro/6299667720/">Mountspro Flickr</a></h5>
<p>E-commerce websites provide electronic payment facilities for all types of purchases. When your business starts expanding and you need to deal with customers from across the globe, you can provide them with different methods of payment like smart cards, digital wallets, credit cards, e-cash, and mobile payment. The payment process should be hassle-free, quick, efficient, safe and secure.</p>
<p><b>Are you mobile ready?</b></p>
<p>As more people have started using mobile devices for e-shopping, it is necessary to optimize your e-commerce site for mobile devices. All the features and functions present on your website must be made available to mobile users. A mobile-ready website provides ease of access and lets users navigate with minimal scrolling and key strokes. Do away with large chunks of text and make use of bullet points, wherever possible. Animation and graphics can be a hassle as they take time to load. Compress images to enhance the performance of your site.</p>
<p>With these tips you can design an interactive e-commerce website that will increase your conversion rate. Apart from the above-mentioned points, your e-commerce website must also have social media links, offer 24/7 customer service and provide free shipping to attract customers and widen its reach. And most importantly, update your site regularly to make it look and feel fresh. Offer discounts and run promotions from time to time. The pleasure of discovering new products will provide a new shopping experience to your customers each time they visit your site.</p>
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		<title>Importance of Hyperlink Optimization in SEO</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/04/importance-of-hyperlink-optimization-in-seo/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/04/importance-of-hyperlink-optimization-in-seo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:27:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2439</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hyperlink Optimization is like the life and soul of good SEO. Experts from SEO industry believe that optimizing hyperlinks is in fact a Herculean task and a comparatively trickier chore than merely creating the links. Also known as anchor text &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/importance-of-hyperlink-optimization-in-seo/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/09/10-wordpress-3-plugins-beginners-ought-to-know/"     class="crp_title">10 WordPress 3 Plugins Beginners Ought to Know</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/10/things-that-i-should-not-have-done-when-starting-my-blog/"     class="crp_title">Things That I Should Not Have Done When Starting My Blog</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/links.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2442" alt="links" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/links.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a>Hyperlink Optimization is like the life and soul of good SEO. Experts from SEO industry believe that optimizing hyperlinks is in fact a Herculean task and a comparatively trickier chore than merely creating the links. Also known as anchor text optimization, this particular practice is an important particle in the context of SERP or search engine result pages. Connoisseurs of this field reckon that the specific genre of optimization is going to be successful only when you have crystal clear idea of the way in which web crawlers would like to see the link you are trying to optimize. At the same time it is crucial to have clear understanding of hyperlink analysis and vital factors related top off page.</p>
<p><b>What should an optimized hyperlink comprise of?</b></p>
<p>According to the astute professionals and industry experts, optimized hyperlinks should comprise of link titles as well as standard anchor texts to give you measurable results.</p>
<p><b>Exhume the essence of standard anchor texts</b></p>
<p>Through years of experimentation, anchor texts have successfully been proven as the decisive factors in the context of SERP. A site might carry on well without a high precision site optimization procedure but it is going to act piteously if poor anchor texts are embedded in the interface. These texts are core elements of your site that perk up the page relevance of your site in the eyes of all major search engines. If masterfully optimized, anchor texts get assured traffic from your targeted niche and reinforce your page rank. You can project the subject matter of the content of your site to the search engines by inscribing and optimizing the anchor texts.</p>
<p>If you are going to be cautious at the time of inserting the right keywords in the anchor texts then you are definitely going to end up boosting up the relevance of a particular target page in the eyes of search engines. Therefore as site owners you should always make it a point to use these texts to your maximum advantage. Industry experts orate strongly that with the insertion of choicest keywords in the link texts you are going to make the URL of a target page more prominent for web crawlers. It has also been figured that link texts are the real heroes when it comes to Google algorithms. For example, Google uses a high precision operator (allianchor keyword) that specifically focuses on anchor texts, which are embedded in the indexed pages of a site.</p>
<p><b>Mull over the power of link titles</b></p>
<p>As the name suggests link titles are nothing but titles masterfully crafted and sewn in the body of the hyperlinks. Link titles serve the purpose of offering supplementary information about the link elements to the search engines. Therefore experts always prefer the usage of optimized keywords in the titles.</p>
<p><b>Significance of Hyperlink Optimization in the face of Google updates</b></p>
<p>Industry experts strongly opine that this particular practice is going to remain a core element in the arena of SEO activities in spite of the upcoming Google updates. SEO specialists believe that hyperlink optimization is going to make it sure that the ranking of your site is unharmed by the changing algorithms resulting from Google updates. In order to survive the brunt of Panda, Penguin and other crucial updates it is important on your part to avoid the tendency of over optimization. At the same time you should also make it a point that you focus on positioning thin content in your site.</p>
<p><b>How to optimize the hyperlinks </b></p>
<p>When it comes to the issue of optimizing hyperlinks you should focus on the anchor text in the first place. In this regard you must not forget to rectify the errors which might be there in the URL of your target page. It is highly important on your part to monitor the 404 errors which might be there in the body of the links. You should also take good care of the robots texts as well as Meta tags.</p>
<p>If you have to make it sure that your site enjoys a lofty rank on the search engines then hyperlink optimization is a reliable tool to serve your purpose. In this regard you might find an <b>SEO Company in India</b> useful.</p>
<p>Image credit: <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Yuman">Yuman</a></p>
<div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/09/10-wordpress-3-plugins-beginners-ought-to-know/"     class="crp_title">10 WordPress 3 Plugins Beginners Ought to Know</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/10/things-that-i-should-not-have-done-when-starting-my-blog/"     class="crp_title">Things That I Should Not Have Done When Starting My Blog</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top 5 Secrets That Will Make You Popular On Facebook</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-secrets-that-will-make-you-popular-on-facebook/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-secrets-that-will-make-you-popular-on-facebook/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:34:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Strike</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet & Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social network]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2427</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever thought why you see only some of your friends in your News Feed on Facebook? Well, it doesn&#8217;t mean they forgot about their pages and they didn&#8217;t open their Facebook profiles for a long time. Did you &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-secrets-that-will-make-you-popular-on-facebook/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2012/10/how-to-hide-a-friends-posts-without-unfriending-on-facebook/"     class="crp_title">How to Hide A Friend&#8217;s Posts Without Unfriending on&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/how-to-kill-your-facebook-news-feed/"     class="crp_title">How to Kill Your Facebook News Feed</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/08/facebook-ticker-ticks-off-facebook-users/"     class="crp_title">Facebook Ticker Ticks Off Facebook Users</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/11/simple-ways-to-protect-your-facebook-account/"     class="crp_title">Simple Ways to Protect Your Facebook Account</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2011/09/downloading-a-copy-of-your-facebook-data/"     class="crp_title">Downloading a Copy of Your Facebook Data</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/facebook-like-button.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2429" alt="facebook-like-button" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/facebook-like-button.png" width="200" height="200" /></a>Have you ever thought why you see only some of your friends in your News Feed on Facebook? Well, it doesn&#8217;t mean they forgot about their pages and they didn&#8217;t open their Facebook profiles for a long time. Did you pay attention to the fact that your News Feed had two tabs: <i>Latest News</i> and <i>Popular News</i>? The first one gives you a chance to see everything in a chronological manner, and the second one filters the content with the help of EdgeRank algorithm.</p>
<p>So, your friends&#8217; profiles which have a high EdgeRank will appear at Popular News tab. If your EdgeRank is very low, big chances are that your friends won&#8217;t see your Facebook activity at all! So, your aim here is to increase your EdgeRank and become more popular among your Facebook friends, How to do that effectively?</p>
<p>Let me share top 5 secrets with you that will make you more popular on Facebook and increase your chances to become “a citizen” of all your friends&#8217; Popular News tab.</p>
<p><b>Secret #1:</b> <i>Post topics that will motivate other users to comment or even start a discussion.</i></p>
<p>Use interesting headlines, ask controversial questions, don&#8217;t forget about bright pictures&#8230; Grab users&#8217; attention and motivate them to click on your post and take part in its discussion. The more comments you get – the more popular your post becomes: your friends will post it on their pages, sharing it with friends of their friends and so one and so forth. As you understand, it&#8217;s not bad for your Facebook popularity.</p>
<p><b>Secret #2</b>: <i>Post a quiz.</i></p>
<p>Choose a question that can be interesting for all your friends and followers. Quizes are very popular  among social networks users. I don&#8217;t know why but they like them very much. Well, maybe the reason is that you can share your mind with other people with one click only. Anyway, quizzes or polls are your good friends when it comes to your Facebook popularity.</p>
<p><b>Secret #3: </b><i>Add as many photos and videos as possible.</i></p>
<p>Facebook users like pictures very much. In their News Feed videos and photos look like small pics that motivate to click on them in order to see them closer. Don&#8217;t forget to add some comment or your own opinion as for this or that pic or video: remember that such a trick can be a really good motivation for clicking and sharing.</p>
<p><b>Secret #4:</b><i> </i><i>Share links.</i></p>
<p>Certainly, it&#8217;s very pleasant to share the content of your own website or blog with other users, but don&#8217;t be afraid to post links on other interesting sources. The more high-quality content you share with others – the much interest you&#8217;ll attract to your own content when it&#8217;s time. There is a big change that a link with many comments will appear in your friends&#8217; News Feed, so choose content carefully. Make sure that this link will be interesting for the majority of your Facebook friends and followers.</p>
<p>And finally,</p>
<p><b>Secret #5:</b> <i>Publish famous people&#8217;s quotes or just ask your followers to end a sentence.</i></p>
<p>It can be a perfect way to grab users&#8217; attention and motivate then to leave a comment on your post. Famous people&#8217;s quotes are very interesting for the majority of social networks users: they like commenting on them or just like it with Like button. As for a sentence, this is a very good way to motivate a user to reply on your post. For example, post a sentence: “There is nothing better than a tea except&#8230;.” and let your followers share their ideas.</p>
<p>Be social and stay cool!</p>
<h5>Image credit: <a href="http://www.logoeps.com/facebook-like-button-eps-ai-crd/5890/">Dian N</a></h5>
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		<title>A Map to Business Apps</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/a-map-to-business-apps/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/a-map-to-business-apps/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:09:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet & Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile devices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It can be tough to find out what business apps can help you, with this in mind here is a small map to guide you on your way. Apps, apps everywhere, but how do you find one worth its fare? &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/a-map-to-business-apps/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/5-must-have-social-media-tools-for-online-reputation-managment/"     class="crp_title">5 Must Have Social Media Tools for Online Reputation&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/benefits-of-using-codelgniter-framework/"     class="crp_title">Benefits Of Using Codelgniter Framework</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/five-useful-free-icon-font-sets/"     class="crp_title">5 Useful Free Icon Font Sets</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It can be tough to find out what business apps can help you, with this in mind here is a small map to guide you on your way.</p>
<p>Apps, apps everywhere, but how do you find one worth its fare? To be truthful, business apps have come a long way, very quickly, and now there are many possibilities to cover each and every part of your business.  If you are going to start using them, then it is worth going the whole hog and picking out a selection that will work together well and will cover all the relevant business bases, from marketing to recruitment to invoicing and human resources.</p>
<h2>Marketing<br />
LocalVox: Make your business heard in the neighbourhood</h2>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/LocalVox.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-2414 alignleft" alt="LocalVox" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/LocalVox-300x282.jpeg" width="168" height="158" /></a>This app has won plaudits for the way it assists brick-and-mortar businesses establish their brands on the web. It is a real deal app for the entrepreneur looking for a sustained, relevant marketing push. <a href="http://localvox.com/" rel="nofollow">LocalVox</a> offers tools to promote upcoming events, publish news and promotions across a range of online media in a timely, straightforward manner. This app broadcasts you business’s voice over social media and websites, and crucially local directories and newsletters.</p>
<h2>Recruitment<br />
The Resumator: Get the dream team</h2>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Resumator.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2415 alignleft" alt="The Resumator" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Resumator.jpg" width="164" height="166" /></a>This app is not the cheapest, but then again recruitment can be an extraordinary difficult and expensive process, especially when you get it wrong. <a href="http://app.theresumator.com/home/plans" rel="nofollow">The Resumator</a> applicant tracking tools are very simple to use and they really get you the most crucial information about your prospective candidates. It works especially well when you have a lot of candidates and a lot of positions to fill. You can still make mistakes, but they won’t come about from a lack of organisation.</p>
<h2>Invoicing<br />
Harvest: Make sure you get a full yield from your business crop</h2>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Harvest.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2416 alignleft" alt="Harvest" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Harvest.jpg" width="156" height="156" /></a>Time is money. The old adage has never been more true as in these recessionary times. That is why it is vital that your invoicing gets done quickly and professionally, and it is also essential that you track the time between invoice being sent and your payment reaching you. <a href="http://www.getharvest.com/" rel="nofollow">Harvest</a> also does a fantastic job of keeping time on how long you have spent on projects. So that whether you are charging by the hour, or even if you are lucky enough to charge by the minute, this app will make sure that you know exactly how much to bill for. It has a handy 30-day free trial, so you would be wise to give it a little spin to see how it can help your business grow.</p>
<h2>Human Resources<br />
BambooHR: Don’t spread out your data</h2>
<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BambooHR.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2417" alt="BambooHR" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BambooHR-300x72.jpg" width="300" height="72" /></a>Spreadsheets can proliferate like a plague of locusts. They are everywhere and yet often apparently nowhere &#8211; at least when you can’t find the right one. Managing your staff is tough, and it only gets rougher as your team gets bigger. There is more and more information to keep track of as your business expands and your staffing needs become more involved. Inevitably your spreadsheet requirements explode, with tabs increasing exponentially too. <a href="http://www.bamboohr.com/" rel="nofollow">BambooHR</a> is capable of managing all your employee data through spreadsheets, but crucially it keeps them all in one place. It has saved companies money and time. Don’t take my word for it, give a (free) trial. I reckon you’ll get more out of it than you expect.</p>
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		<title>Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing a Business Website</title>
		<link>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/</link>
		<comments>http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:51:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Celina Conner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Development & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karlmac.com/?p=2406</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most companies nowadays are meticulous with their company&#8217;s online presence. They venture on most Social Networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. In this article, we will tackle some things you shouldn&#8217;t take for granted when designing Business websites. &#8230; <a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/top-5-things-to-consider-when-designing-a-business-website/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/04/5-features-your-new-ecommerce-website-must-have/"     class="crp_title">5 Features Your New Ecommerce Website Must Have</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/02/a-map-to-business-apps/"     class="crp_title">A Map to Business Apps</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/top-5-web-designing-trends-which-will-rule-2013/"     class="crp_title">Top 5 Web Designing Trends Which Will Rule 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/05/responsive-web-design-the-winning-ingredient-for-web-based-businesses/"     class="crp_title">Responsive Web Design: The Winning Ingredient For Web-Based&hellip;</a></li><li><a href="http://karlmac.com/2013/06/neon-colored-websites-the-new-trend/"     class="crp_title">Neon-Colored Websites: The New Trend?</a></li></ul></div>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Website-Dev.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2407" alt="Website Dev" src="http://karlmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Website-Dev.jpg" width="410" height="293" /></a>Most companies nowadays are meticulous with their company&#8217;s online presence. They venture on most Social Networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. In this article, we will tackle some things you shouldn&#8217;t take for granted when designing Business websites.</p>
<p><b>1. Look and feel</b></p>
<p>To <a href="http://www.shopify.com/">create a website</a>, you really must bank on the product your business is selling. Highlight it, emphasize it, make it all about the product. Internet customers are generally characterized by a simple trait, haste. They are looking for whatever is the fastest, most convenient, and most easily accessible. So you basically have just a few seconds to impress your customer and make him want to buy your product or services. That is why you really need to make your product the star when you design a business website.</p>
<p><b>2. Usability</b></p>
<p>Many business websites are easily navigated with just a few clicks. And they use words that anyone can relate to. These words could be something that the most loyal of all customers are familiar with or it could be something that a newbie customer can easily identify with. It is also important that the process for ordering items or services is at its simplest. The lesser time it takes to make a sale, the more the customer will feel encouraged to purchase more.</p>
<p><b>3. Call to Action buttons</b></p>
<p>It is quite important to consider hiring a company to do CRO or Conversion Rate Optimization for your particular business website. Conversion Rate Optimization is characterized by how your website is constructed to make simple browsers to customers to patrons. It is the manner by which your business website can convert hits into money. There are many available companies out there that have sworn to double or even triple their revenue because of CRO. This can happen to you too.  After one has considered how to make a customer friendly website, you can also consider how to make it all the more visible and consult an SEO or Search Engine Optimization company. The more visible, the more traffic in your website generated by SEO,  the more your CRO will work for you.</p>
<p><b>4. Aesthetics</b></p>
<p>Your aesthetic will be dictated by your audience and by your product. You need to really know your audience and how you are going to reach them. So doing the basics for your business and finding out what excites and attracts your market will greatly help in constructing your business website. One can also do an FGD after the business website has been constructed to know whether it is effective and  has a positive response from your target market. The small yet foundational details when done right , go a long way.</p>
<p><b>5. Make your brand a part of it</b></p>
<p>Many business websites tend to be stale and just upfront about their product or service. Make it very easily relatable by putting the heart of the product, your brand. Make it personable. Make it humane. In time, your investment in your brand will pay off as you try to venture into different products and services. People will easily associate the product or service they avail off to the new product or service you are selling. It will be an easy transition for them.</p>
<p>It is very simple to make a business website. One just basically needs to have a battle plan on how to go about things. Success in making one&#8217;s business website must be intentional and results based. This will allow your business to grow and flourish beyond the web, beyond face to face retailing.</p>
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