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February 8 2016
Outdated website design can harm your business, leaving unrepairable and long-lasting consequences. Unprofessional and poor website design with lack of browser compatibility and low speed may reject your customers immediately. Today, more than 50 % of everyday purchases are performed online. This means your site must be developed and well organised to attain customer trust.
Many businesses quite often overlooked the fact that no successful business story can happen without having a great website design as a foundation in their growth strategy. There are plenty of factors you should consider if you want your business to look more professional. A decent web design is one of them- it never goes out of style. (more…)
November 3 2015
Sass is a stylesheet scripting language, an extension of CSS3. Sass (and other CSS preprocessors) can be a powerful ally, a tool that any style-crafter can easily insert into your daily work. It plugs the holes in CSS as a language, allowing you to write DRY code that will be faster, more efficient and easier to maintain.
Depending on what type of your operating system and the ability to work with command line there are a few ways how to install Sass.
If you don’t want to use the command line there area few installers some of them are paid but there are also a few of them that are free.
Hammer (Paid) (Mac)
Koala (Open Source) (Mac, Win, Lin)
Prepros (Paid) (Mac, Win & Lin)
Scout (Open Source) (Mac, Win)
The following ones are no longer working:
CodeKit (Paid) (Mac)
Compass.app (Paid, Open Source) (Mac, Win & Lin)
Ghostlab (Paid) (Mac, Win)
LiveReload (Paid, Open Source) (Mac, Win)
If you are quite familiar with using the command line you can use the following commands, depending on the OS that you are using:
If you’re using a distribution of Linux, you’ll need to install Ruby first. You can install Ruby through the apt package manager, rbenv, or rvm.
sudo su -c "gem install sass"
Before you start using Sass you will need to install Ruby. The fastest way to get Ruby on your Windows computer is to use Ruby Installer. It’s a single-click installer that will get everything set up for you super fast. The installer will also install a Ruby command line powershell application that will let you use the Ruby libraries.
If you prefer the command line over an application then getting Sass set up is a fairly quick process. Sass has a Ruby dependency but if you’re using a Mac, congratulations, Ruby comes pre-installed.
For more info you can always check the official site of SASS.
There can be a situation (and this actually has happened to me a few times), where the client wants his brand colour for instance to be “more red” and you should manually change that colour everywhere in the CSS. This can be done with Sass. You can define a variable for that colour and change its value in one place that will reflect in the entire stylesheet where the variable is used.
$brand-color: #b20000;
a {
color: $brand-color;
}
nav {
background-color: $brand-color;
}
Another simple and very handy example is the following one. Using Mixins for repeated blocks of styles that are used in various locations throughout the stylesheet. Mixin is a reusable block, defined only once but included wherever you needed them.
CSS only:
p {
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-size: 14px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
footer {
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-size: 14px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
Sass:
@mixin default-type {
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-size: 14px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
p {
@include default-type;
}
footer {
@include default-type;
}
Recently one of our Web Developers at Webski organised an internal crash course for Sass that inspired me to write this post and he was more than happy to share his slides.
Feel free to download the Sass Presentation or the Sass e-book
April 25 2014
Back in 2011 if you ask me the same question, I’ll probably will show you the following link, an infographic called What is happening on the WEB every 60 seconds. But if see the following infographic you’ll notice an increase in the numbers.
In 2011 Youtube users were uploading 25 hours of new video content every minute and now 72 hours of videos every minute. Twitter noticed an increase in the number of tweets – 277 000 compared to 98 000 back in the 2011. Google served less than 6 times more search results – 4 Millions compared to 0.7 Millions.
There are some new but big players in this Online Game such as: Pinterest, Tinder, Whatsapp and Vine. Enough words, the following Infographic speaks for itself. Click on the infographic to see the larger version.
This is the original source of the Infographic created by DOMO
October 23 2013
Let me introduce you the jQuery plugin that you’ll might use on the next project when the client will ask for a Dynamic Grid Layout similar to Pinterest.
I give you the BlockIt.js. It’s an easy-to-implement and light-weight jQuery Plugin for dynamic and responsive pinterest-like layout.
First, include the jquery min library then the blocksit java script in the head tag of the html:
Web Design
Telco Drafting
Marketing, SEO, PPC & Social
Commercial & Residential
Graphic Design
3D Modelling
Hosting & Support
Game Development
Mobile Apps
Other Services
<script type="text/javascipt" src="jquery.min.js">script>
<script type="text/javascipt" src="blocksit.min.js">script>
Then call the main function .BlocksIt() :
$(document).ready(function() {
$('#container').BlocksIt({
numOfCol: 5,
offsetX: 8,
offsetY: 8
});
});
The following image describes what of the parameters in the main function stand for:
The following javasript code allows the resizing the browser and changing the number of coulms depenging the size of the screen:
var currentWidth = 1100;
$(window).resize(function() {
var winWidth = $(window).width();
var conWidth;
if(winWidth < 660) {
conWidth = 440;
col = 2
} else if(winWidth < 880) {
conWidth = 660;
col = 3
} else if(winWidth < 1100) {
conWidth = 880;
col = 4;
} else {
conWidth = 1100;
col = 5;
}
if(conWidth != currentWidth) {
currentWidth = conWidth;
$('#container').width(conWidth);
$('#container').BlocksIt({
numOfCol: col,
offsetX: 8,
offsetY: 8
});
}
});
And the following code is an example of how to implement the plugin.
<div id=”container”>
<div class=”grid”>
<div class=”imgholder”>
<img src=”/images/img1.jpg” />
</div>
<strong>Sunset Lake</strong>
<p>A peaceful sunset view…</p>
<div class=”meta”>by j osborn</div>
</div>
<div class=”grid”>
<div class=”imgholder”>
<img src=”/images/img2.jpg” />
</div>
<strong>Herringfleet Mill</strong>
<p>Just a herringfleet mill…</p>
<div class=”meta”>by Ian Flindt</div>
</div>
.
.
.
<div class=”grid”>
<div class=”imgholder”>
<img src=”/images/img3.jpg” />
</div>
<strong>Sundays Sunset</strong>
<p>Beach view sunset…</p>
<div class=”meta”>by Robert Strachan</div>
</div>
</div>
For this totorial I've uploaded the demo and the zip of the source files, use the following links:
Click » BlocksIt.js jQuery « to view the DEMO
Click » BlocksIt.js jQuery « to DOWNLOAD the EXAMPLE
April 26 2013
Mobile marketing is the process of marketing performed on or through a mobile device. Considering the number of people that are connecting to the internet through their mobile devices, mobile marketing represents the newest development in online marketing. As such, its full potentials are yet to be realised. Although mobile marketing can be regarded as an upgrade of online marketing, there are certain peculiarities that need to be kept in mind. Since the mobile screens are much smaller compared to personal computers, marketing a product or service on mobile device s is much harder. The ads are more limited in terms of available space and marketers need to be much more creative and to the point in order to catch the users’ attention.
SMS and MMS marketing- All of us have sent SMS and MMS messages through our mobile phones and we are all familiar with what these terms mean. The difference between the two is that SMS are mostly text messages, while MMS include images, video or audio files. Using SMS or MMS messages as a way of marketing a product of service means that marketers send messages about certain kinds of promotions, discounts, events etc. to customers who have opted in to receive these messages. Just like with e-mail marketing, sending unsolicited messages is considered as spam and is not advisable to use. In comparison to e-mail marketing, this kind of marketing is more effective because we all carry our phones with us all the time and we open personal messages much faster and sooner than e-mail messages. Research shows that most people read their phone messages within five minutes of receiving them.
Application marketing- The boom of mobile applications has created another mode of marketing. Since many users are installing and using various applications, advertising through a mobile application is also an easy and effective way to reach your customers. Most applications have an in-built push notifications feature that marketers can use to send customers news, promotions, discounts etc. If you are a business, the application itself is a form of promoting your brand and the products or services that you offer.
Game mobile marketing simply refers to showing ads while a user is playing a game on their mobile device. This can be very effective since many users, especially young ones, are using their mobile phones to play games.
Mobile websites marketing- This form of advertising occurs when users are looking for information on certain websites and ads show on the website the user is browsing. That is why having a mobile website is essential if you want your website to be able to show ads.
Paid search mobile marketing- Similar to advertising through Google on a PC, ads can be placed above the organic search results and be available to users as they are searching products or services on Google through their mobile devices.
The above list is not exhaustive as there are additional ways to use mobile marketing for your business. If you need help, our mobile marketing specialists can help you achieve your desired goals and objectives. Keep in mind that you have to mobilize your business if you want to keep up with the latest trends.
April 23 2013
Need Help With Social Media Marketing?
Having a successful business online can be challenging. It can be hard to attract people who want to buy your products or services, so you have to go and find them. Marketing with social media can be a great way to do this. Here are some effective social media tips that will make you a success.
Link your social media sites together. Have links from each site you maintain to all the others as well. This way if a person who follows you on Twitter also has a Facebook page, they can find it and see you on both platforms. You can increase the amount of followers you have dramatically.
When you are using a blog for social media marketing, keep your readers interested. Keep your blog fresh with articles that educate your readers or inspire them in some way. Put effort into your blog, as it is the face of your business in that medium. The better your blog, the bigger your potential for success.
Maintain a positive perspective regardless of what others post on your page when using social media marketing. Being positive is essential to making your customers feel good when they visit your page. If they feel good, they are more likely to share your page or revisit to see what deals or promotions you may have running.
Once you get involved with social media sites and set up one for your own company or business, make sure that you visit these sites often and keep your stuff updated. Your visitors and fans will lose interest quickly if you don’t give them a reason to keep coming back.
Use these tips to make your business stand out on the internet. It will be much easier to get people to visit your website once you start putting these social media marketing tips in place. Once you see results, you’ll be even more motivated to stick with this great way of marketing.
If you require more information or help with your social media marketing contact us and we will be glad to help you.
April 11 2013
Great Ways To Start Optimising Your Web Site
Search engine optimisation is an important tool when you want more visitors for your web page. But perhaps you are not too familiar with this technique? You are about to learn some important tips. The following article is going to help you get a better understanding of how to efficiently use search engine optimization.
SEO
When attempting to optimise your business for a search engine, the number-one tip you can possibly use is to be committed to the process. Proper SEO isn’t a one-time thing, nor will it happen overnight. Like it or not, you’re going to have to educate yourself on many matters, from tags to keywords and XML maps and everything in between.
Remember that SEO results are rarely instant, so be patient and try not to get discouraged. Because of the way search engine algorithms work, it can sometimes takes months to reap the rewards of today’s effects. As long as the SEO methods you are using are solid, try to think of the work that you are doing today as a long term investment for the future.
Utilise the AdWords tool kit from Google, to increase the effectiveness of your keyword selections for SEO. By using these tools, you can increase traffic to your site and increase traffic that translates into sales. You can search by specific keywords or type in a specific URL to discover the keywords that drive those particular searches. Choosing effective keywords boosts your ranking in search engines and increases your sales.
As It was stated at the beginning of the article, search engine optimisation is important when wanting your website to get more visitors. But in order to make the most of the search engine optimisation, you need to learn more about. Apply the advice given to you to use SEO to your advantage.
If you require help with your SEO, contact us today!
April 5 2013
Facebook Marketing Tips That You’ll Want To “Like”
Facebook is a social media website where people like to hang out. They share photos and videos, link to sites they like and chat amongst friends. They also have the ability to interact with companies and brands they like, or find new firms they want to buy from. Tap into this market with the advice below.
Facebook Marketing
If your Facebook marketing campaign has stalled, launch a new contest. Announce your intentions to your friends and email list members and make it something exciting. Word will catch on quickly that you’re up to something interesting and that will create a social media buzz around your business. You will reignite the interest of your old customers and sign-up new ones as well.
Keep in mind that some of your customers will not be interested in your Facebook marketing campaign. If you sell products to a diverse audience, do not make some of your customers feel excluded by requiring them to connect with you on Facebook to get exclusive content. You should give them another option to receive this content.
You need to build community to create great Facebook marketing opportunities. Just building a Facebook page isn’t enough. There’s a lot of work involved with getting your fans active with your brand. The more fans that you have that are engaged at this level, the more powerful your future marketing will be.
Don’t clutter your Facebook marketing pages with too much bling. Although you want it eye-catching and appealing, you don’t want to overwhelm people with more information than they can process. A simple page that looks clean, colorful and is easy on the eyes will be far more effective than one that screams to the reader.
Marketing on Facebook is now an avenue which is open to your business. You know what it takes to engage an audience, supplying advertising to those you target. This knowledge is something your competition likely lacks, so act on it as soon as possible to get the most out of it.
April 5 2013
Need Advice On How To Use Email Marketing? Try These Tips!
How many times have you signed up for a mailing list, usually to get something free in return, only to unsubscribe later because what you get is garbage? Avoid driving customers away with these types of emails by reading this article and learning some techniques, which will make your email marketing effective
In today’s mobile world, almost nothing will hurt your email marketing campaign more than not making your message and hyperlinks accessible to mobile users. Imagine many people getting your email when they check their phones but not being able to access your site. This would affect your campaign in a highly negative manner.
To get the most of your email marketing, invest in a program that personalizes your emails with every customer’s given name instead of a generic greeting. Ensuring that every email starts with the recipient’s name is key to encouraging your customers to see your newsletters as valuable information and not just more sales spam.
If you want your email marketing messages to get to the right inboxes, target anyone whom you send to. If you already have a core set of fans or followers, offer discounts or promotions to those who get friends to show up. Anyone curious in your products and services probable has known others with similar interests, which mean you, can organically grow your list through existing social relationships.
Beware of including attachments to your email marketing! Mass emails with attachments are instantly suspected as spam by most spam filters. As well, these days many types of computer malware and viruses are carried in email attachments, and people are aware of this. Your email is in jeopardy of being immediately deleted when they see an attachment without even being read.
Respect for your subscribers has to be the cornerstone of your email marketing efforts. One way to show this respect is to limit your frequency of communication with them. Familiarity breeds plenty of other negative traits besides contempt! Limit yourself to two or three emails per subscriber per month. If you communicate more often, you risk losing readers’ interest and becoming background noise.
Now that you have read the tips listed here you have the knowledge which can put your email marketing campaign head and above the rest. Consider printing this article aside. So that you can refer to it as necessary in order to get the most out of the information in this article. Success will come to you as soon as you put your mind into motion!
We can help you with your next Email Marketing Campaign. Contact us for more information
April 5 2013
Creating Videos For Marketing Your Business
One of the best ways to increase the visibility of your business is through video marketing. Whether it is hilarious YouTube video, or a helpful how-to guide, a well executed video marketing strategy can be extremely helpful to virtually any business. Read on and learn what you should do in order to successfully develop a marketing plan.
Video Marketing
Make most of your videos yourself in your video marketing campaign, but do spend a little on a few showcase videos. A showcase video is one that you would use at a trade show or conference. Webski Solutions can help you with your feature video. The videos that we can create for you will have a more professional feel and will reflect highly on your business.
When considering video marketing, you have to think about the idea of search engine optimisation. You should always include a transcript or overview of your video for people that would rather read instead of watch the video. This is a great idea, and you should make sure you keep up with it as you post videos.
Avoid making your video a commercial. If your video looks like an ad or like spam, people will avoid watching it. People certainly will not share it. A successful video marketing video is interesting, fun to watch, and it provides information that the consumer is interested in learning about.
Jump right on into the action with your video marketing. Show case it like it is a major motion picture. Make it the event of the season. You can captivate the viewers attention and make them want to continue watching by getting right into it and starting with what you have to say.
With any luck, you now have a better understanding of what it takes to create a successful business marketing strategy. Make sure to use the tips mentioned in this article when you develop your plan. If you plan carefully, and use the advice given, you are sure to see your business reach a whole new level!
Contact us if you require help with creating for business video.
