Design:
Heat Maps, Scroll Maps, and Confetti: See Exactly What Your Website Visitors Click On and How Far They Scroll
A Heat Map is like a snapshot of a web page that has been dusted for visitors’ finger prints. It shows us what they’ve clicked on. And its sibling, the Scroll Map, shows how far down the page they’re willing to scroll. Let’s see how these, and yes, Confetti, can help improve the user experience on your website.
Measuring Engagement: Bounce Rates and Why They Matter
When a visitor leaves your website after viewing just one page, it’s called a “bounce”. Your “bounce rate” may be an indicator of a poor user experience, which can lead to frustrated visitors; poor conversion rates; and less search traffic. Let’s take a look.
Is Your Website Ready for Apple Watch?
Is it time to design websites that also work on wristwatches? Would a web page even be legible at such a small size? Out of curiosity, I created a mockup to see what my website might look like on Apple Watch, and was surprised.
Development:
WordPress Child Themes and Why You Should Use Them
If you or your WordPress developer failed to use a child theme, modifications to your website could disappear when your parent theme gets updated. Such an oversight could cost you hundreds, if not thousands in development dollars, and hours of downtime to correct. Here’s how to avoid that costly mistake.
Page Builders for WordPress: Understanding the Controversy
A page builder makes it easier for non-developers to build a custom WordPress website. But WordPress developers (i.e., those who code) argue that page builders make a big mess of your content. And they’re right! Here’s why we should use them anyway.
Introducing WPSimplifyd WordPress Support & Maintenance Services
Oddo Design has been offering WordPress support & maintenance services for years. Eventually I expanded and rebranded these services— now called WPSimplifyd. Here a few tips about proper WordPress maintenance and a few notes about WPSimplifyd’s new plans.
Marketing:
Introducing Oddo Audit— a Website Audit Service Exclusively for WordPress Websites
Last week, I introduced a new service that helps small businesses determine if their website is a clunker that’s due for a major overhaul, or, a diamond-in-the-rough that just needs polish. This article helps you identify what elements of your website require the most scrutiny.
How to Prevent Google Analytics from Recording Your Own Visits
Here’s a handy browser add-on that allows you to easily exclude your website visits from your Google Analytics reports— even if you have a dynamic IP address. Give it a try!
Getting Started with Google Analytics for Non-Technical Users
With Google Analytics’ complicated maze of unfamiliar terms, settings, and filters that only a geek could love, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed from the minute you log in. In this article, I’ll lead you directly to 5 key reports, and offer insights for each.
Your Website: How to Avoid the Post-Launch Blues.
After months of preparation and hard work, you finally have a website you’re proud of. Surely, it will resonate with your target audience and deliver the results you have planned for.
But the website goes live, and weeks later, you’re disappointed.
How to Hire a Freelance Web Designer for Your New Small Business Website.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses who are about to hire a freelance web designer for the first time, are usually in for an unpleasant surprise. Because these prospective clients rarely understand what it takes to build and maintain a website, they typically default to price as their primary method for selecting a designer, which is understandable, but rarely a good idea.