Breakdown of a website project – or, how much does a website cost?
A perennial question: how much does a website cost? More than you think? Less than you think? I don’t know the answer … how much money do you have? So, perhaps a better way into the conversation around budget and investment is to understand where your money goes. If you have £5,000 to spend, or...
Journey to Sustainable Web Development
Longest journeys / small steps etc. … mighty oaks / acorns … you get the picture. Last week we took the first steps to becoming a sustainable agency. We’ve started with the easy stuff – because, y’know, it’s easier. We’ve partnered with OneTreePlanted to plant trees every month to help counter the impact of hosting...
Basics of SEO for e-commerce
SEO has long become too complex for me to offer it as a full service to my clients, but certain basic principles remain intact. In response to a client question last week, I wanted to share the five pieces of advice I shared with them that will give them a solid start on their SEO...
How to give & receive design feedback
Getting feedback on a design from a client is an often difficult process. Nobody really enjoys it, and the expectations on both parties are rarely communicated effectively up front. I’m here to put that right today! (Never hurts to dream big … !). So, first, what are we talking about here … Every web design...
Genuine Real People
Ever wondered if those ads you see on telly feature ‘real people’? You know the ones … a couple of talking heads discuss how much better their life is now that they’re using XYZ Product. I was sceptical myself … until I met Genuine Real People! A wonderful group of people doing wonderful things in...
The demands of content creation for new website owners
One of the toughest challenges for a client to get to grips with, when they have a new website, is the demands of content creation for it. I know, I have the same problems – I’ve not always been good at writing regularly. I have not made it a priority and it gets left undone....
Thinking of redesigning your website? Here’s the checklist that all MD’s and owners need
This article appears in full over at Consult VIA – you can read my thoughts on redesigning your website from the perspective of an MD or business owner. Interesting stuff … although yeah, I would say that! We’re all tempted by the website redesign. The promise of instant rejuvenation and that ‘new website smell’. It’s...
Site Launch: Direct Vintage – online vintage furniture
This is a nice looking site (if I say so myself!), and a fun project to be involved in. Direct Vintage sell vintage style furniture online … it’s actually a joint venture I’m involved in. TickTockDesign are providing marketing services for the site – as well as all the web design and development, so a...
Why Facebook and TickTock struggle with mobile apps
I read this short piece the other day: Why the Facebook innovation machine doesn’t work on mobile devices. It’s an interesting read and I couldn’t help draw parallels with my brief (and aborted) foray into mobile app development. (And I refer here specifically to mobile apps – apps you download in an app store, and...
WordPress plugins for advanced content management
I’ve been spending a good amount of time in WordPress lately – with two projects in particular really testing it’s capability as a full content management system. Since WordPress reached what we might call ‘full maturity’ with version 3.0 back in June 2010, it has become an incredibly powerful system – not just for blogging...