Following are the golden rules that you have to consider while designing a blog:

	Keep focus on the content: Content is the most important element of a blog, thus you should keep the blog design simple. You should not use unnecessary images and other items as this can be distracting for the readers.
	Make the Navigation Easy: Most of the readers will visit your blogs through search engines, links from other blogs and RSS feeds, etc. So you should use the sidebar to include the navigation buttons with links to categories, recent posts and popular posts.
	Your Blog Should Load Quickly: It is very irritating for the visitors to wait, if the blog takes time to get loaded. They won’t have patience to wait and may just click off your blog. Thus, to grab the visitor’s attention your blog should load quickly. For this you need to take care that your blog is clean and free of unwanted items.
	Start the Page with the Content: You should start your blog with a catchy introduction. You also need to keep the content simple and understandable. This is also important to generate traffic from the social media sites.
	Apply Themes that are Memorable for the Visitors: Themes play an important role in making your blog standout from the rest of the other blogs. Thus, you should use such themes which make it easy for the visitors to remember your blog.
	Don’t Overrun Your Blogs With Advertisements: If your blog overruns with the advertisement, the visitors feel irritated. Thus, you should use the advertisements in such a way that they should not take over the blog.
	Test for Compatibility with Multiple Browsers: If your blog doesn’t function properly in different browsers, then you could lose the readers. Thus, its very important to test your blog in multiple browsers to ensure that it is functioning properly.
	Use Good Color Combination: Effective use of the good color combination improves the appearance of your blog.
	Use Formatting Elements that Makes the Blog Easy to Read: Formatting the blog content is very important, as most visitors will be scanning your blog posts rather than reading them word by word. To make the blog content easy to understand use the headlines, white spaces, lists and bold text.
	Place the Important Items in Prominent Positions: You should place the important items, such as subscription information, important links, and images at such positions where the visitors will be able to see them.

Keeping these above points in mind you can design a blog which is unique compared to the other blogs and also your blog will be able to attract more visitors. XceedAgents is one such organization where you can get consolidated blog designing, writing and managing services at one place.

Web designers who understand the importance of SEO can create websites that are not only attractive but also perform to achieve good search engine rankings. Here are some design focused SEO tips that helps to create websites that are efficient on both the fronts – design as well as SEO.

Use Descriptive Text Links

Links inform the search engines about the contents of the web page. And the words you use in your link text holds immense importance with the search engine crawlers. Therefore, avoid using ‘Click Here’ and instead try to include your keywords and phrases in the link text.

Even though ‘Click Here’ may guide visitors to click through a particular link, it offers absolutely no value to the search engine crawlers. On the other hand, keyword rich headings not only inform them about the page contents but also add to the relevancy of the page. You can use CSS to maintain the style of the web page design but make sure to link the major headings and change the link text to make it more descriptive. This would improve the internal linking of the website to an enormous level.

Practice Linkbaiting

One of the most crucial processes of SEO is to gather links from across the web. And websites that generally offer links love great looking designs. Therefore, a well designed website would help you find favor of a major chunk of web communities like gallery lists, showcases, directories and so on.

Test your Website on Lynx

This is one of the most precious SEO tips! If your website can perform well on a browser like Lynx i.e. it is easy to navigate, the content renders well and so on, then you can be sure that you have designed a great website. The idea is to think of search engine crawlers as extremely poor, non-functional browsers or probably unintelligent users. So you would need to make sure that they are able to browse through your website with ease and come across no problems. And this is the key to designing efficient and search engine friendly websites!

Learn to Use Hash

The hash symbol (#) is an extremely powerful SEO tool that helps developers create an element in the URL that is not considered unique by the search engine crawlers, and so, it dropped. For example, for long web pages that require users to scroll down a lot, there is generally a ‘Back to Top’ link placed towards the end that leads users to the top of the page. This link uses the hash! These small tweaks go a long way in optimizing the website for search engines at the same time preserving its look and feel!

Kabir Bedi is the the senior web consultant at LeXolution IT Services, a premier web development company based in India that specializes in offering a range of web design & development services and internet promotion services. He has over 10 years of experience in the web design & development industry and caters to a niche international clientèle.

Here are certain design aspects that have an impact on the SEO.

Website Content

Content is the undisputed king! Therefore, make sure your website design has lots of room for content i.e. quality and relevant information. In fact, the presentation of content is as important as its quality. Unless you have well laid out content, web users will never care to read it even if it contains potent information. The design and layout of the website should be such that it represents the content in the best possible manner.

Also, check out the content of your competitors’ websites. Are they offering something that you are not? Is their content better looking then yours? If any one these is in affirmative, then its about time you consider getting your content updated.

Images and Graphics

Images and graphic elements add to the aesthetics of the website. But then you have to be extremely crucial while using them on your website. This is because even though they may serve to attract visitors, they add on to the load of the website. Moreover, it gets quite difficult to optimize them for search engines because search engine crawlers have a difficult time indexing the textual contents within the graphics and images. Always create an HTML side of your website that will help with the search engine rankings.

Databases

One of the most common problems with websites that contain large databases is that certain pages do not get indexed. These are known as dynamic pages and their URLs typically consists of a long string of characters and numbers. Since these pages are generated automatically by their databases, search engines have a difficult time keeping them relevant and up to date. However, you can include a sitemap on your website that includes all the strategic pages in order to inform the search engine crawlers that you have permanent content there. You could also strengthen the internal linking of your web pages in order to make a strong website structure.

HTML

HTML should be used with utmost caution. There are several word processors that allow you to create HTML documents and upload them onto a website through FTP. However, all that is visible to the search engines are strings on non-relevant fonts. Therefore coding should be done very carefully. Good coding gets you better rankings in search engine results.

Domain Names

Your customers and audiences should be you prime priority. And it should be the same while choosing your domain name. Select a name that reflects your company name or your business or the type of products and services that you offer. Search engines place increased importance on the domain names and if you place your strategic keywords within them, you’ll have considerable benefits.

Kabir Bedi is a senior web consultant at LeXolution IT Services, a professioanal web development company that has a team of skilled Web developers India. The company offers a plethora of web services including web design and development services.

PSD-to-HTML services are quite easy to deal with: you send or upload image files on a provider website, select conversion and layout options, pay through an online payment system (PayPal, Google Checkout, etc), and get a resulting markup coded. But in order to make the most of it and avoid unnecessary troubles it is better to follow some simple rules.

Properly prepare designs for uploading
1. If you have several files to convert, archive them and give that archive an understandable name, for example, “AnnSmith23June2009.zip” (i.e. “YourNameDate.zip” or “ProjectNameDate.zip”). It can be convenient for you as well, especially in case you need to check your previous orders.
2. If there are files additional to your main .psd image (e.g., custom fonts), don’t forget to send or upload them too.
3. Make sure you send or upload right files. PSD-to-HTML services are very fast, and by the moment you notice the problem with your files your markup may be ready. As a result, it could cost you some money to correct a mistake.

Design slicing, xHTML/CSS conversion requirements
1. Try to explain as accurate as possible what you want to get. Usually an order form on PSD-to-HTML websites has special subsections and items to help you with this task.
2. Nevertheless, if your requirements cannot be described in this way or you don’t have time to use it, don’t hesitate to write down your requirements in a field named like “Notes” or use other communication channels convenient for you: live chat or email.
3. If you are confused with something (”Is that option included? What is the delivery time?” etc), ASK! Sometimes even friends and relatives see things differently. So it is better to ask and to be sure that you and your provider get everything right and in the same manner.

Communication
1. DOUBLE check your email address that you state in the order form of the PSD-to-HTML service.
2. Make sure that your anti-spam filters and email servers are not too overzealous and allow the provider’s emails reach you.
3. It depends on the PSD-to-HTML company but usually they send you an order confirmation (as well as your login and password to access a client zone on their website). If you don’t receive such an email during several minutes, contact them through the order form or live chat — the reason may be a misprint in your email address.
4. Just in case give the provider’s team an alternative communication channel (mobile telephone number, instant messenger ID (Skype, MSN, ICQ), etc).
5. If time is crucial for you, specify the provider’s time zone.

If there are any doubts
1. If it is your first PSD-to-HTML project or you select a company for long-term cooperation, start from a relatively small pilot project to test the waters.
2. Check the provider’s Returns Policy, e.g., whether they offer a money-back guarantee.
3. If it is important for you, don’t hesitate to ask for NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
4. Specify whether they offer after-sale support and what it means. If the provider is confident of their work, usually the technical support is free.

Change management
1. A small addition to .psd designs may lead to large modifications in xHTML/CSS code. If the process of PSD-to-HTML conversion is in progress or finished and you change your design, be objective while estimating changes to be made in the markup.
2. Small changes are usually free.
3. But if changes are large then it is like an additional page in your order and should be paid accordingly (note: usually prices on secondary pages are up to 50% discounted).
4. If you are not sure, talk to the provider — together you will find a reasonable and mutually beneficial solution faster.

Project completion
1. Check the finished xHTML/CSS markup how it corresponds to your design and conversion requirements. If you have some remarks, ask to fix them.
2. Change access rights to your servers (passwords, logins) if you gave it to the provider’s team.
3. If you think the provider has deserved your testimonial, give it. You will support a qualified and diligent PSD-to-xHTML/CSS company in the market and help other users to get to know them.

PSD-to-HTML services are just a tool to slice and convert designs into website markups, Wordpress themes or Drupal templates. The better you know how to work with them the more you get.

About The Author
Natalia Savchenko is the CEO of HTMLcut.com, a PSD to HTML/CSS slicing and PSD to XHTML conversion company.

Who uses PSD-to-HTML conversion services

Before starting discussing benefits themselves it is reasonable to consider in brief who PSD-to-xHTML/CSS conversion companies’ clients are.

Here are some of them:

a). Web design and Web development companies, graphic design studios, creative agencies — often they are regular clients and build a long-term cooperation with PSD-to-HTML providers;
b). Companies which need to develop a piece of custom software — such customers usually need to convert graphic designs into templates for content management systems (Drupal, Joomla), e-Commerce systems and shopping carts (osCommerce, X-Cart), corporate blogs (WordPress) and so forth;
c). Independent graphic designers, web freelancers — division of labor could be mutually beneficial in this case;
d). Bloggers, networkers, owners of small websites — as a rule, their orders are one-off.

Benefits of using PSD-to-xHTML/CSS services are somewhat different for each of those groups.

Benefits for companies

For companies cost and organizational benefits are usually the most essential. They embrace:

1). Cost saving — is achieved due to a number of reasons, including economies of scale typical for special-purpose, highly tailored companies like PSD-to-HTML providers;
2). Access to the best-of-breed specialists and best xHTML/CSS coding practices –Design-to-HTML conversion requires specific skills and knowledge. It is especially true when it comes to W3C standards compliance, semantic coding, cross-browser compatibility, and other modern requirements to website markups;
3). Better markup quality — as a result of the above;
4). Design-to-xHTML/CSS conversion time decreasing;
5). Total project turnaround improvement;
6). Easy and fast assistance in the periods of overload;
7). No need to rent additional office space;
8). Better customer satisfaction;
9). More efficiency and flexibility in core revenue-producing activities;
10). Better honed company’s business focus.

Benefits for Web and design professionals

Needless to say that to know the basics of HTML or CSS and to have hands-on experience and to keep abreast of the latest tendencies is like apples and oranges. So if xHTML/CSS coding isn’t your main focus in web design then hiring a PSD-to-HTML provider, you get rid of in-depth study of xHTML, coding and debugging markups, finding and collecting CSS tricks and tutorials.

Therefore, our list of benefits is continued with:

11). No need to learn in detail HTML / CSS / XHTML / AJAX / W3C standards / 508 Standards / WCAG / and so on, and so forth;
12). No need to bother how to solve different markup problems (e.g., overcome peculiarities of IE, etc) — that in itself can definitely save some nerves;
13). More time and energy for design, customer care, promotion, after all, for recreation;
14). More design orders completed;
15). As a result, an opportunity to gain more money — not out of place in these uncertain times.

Benefits for individuals

16). Professional look and feel of your website or blog;
17). Speed optimized markup — users and search engines prefer quick websites;
18). Cross-browser website — she/he won’t say it looks bad in their favorite browser;
19). W3C validity — your website is WWW Consortium standards compliant, it is like a prestigious seal of approval;
20). Semantic coding — it helps search engines to understand and rank your web pages better;
21). Authority — xHTML/CSS table-less templates and themes are trendy now.

Of course, the list is not completely comprehensive. But even in that form it evidently shows that there are enough weighty reasons to use PSD-to-HTML conversion companies.

About The Author
Natalia Savchenko is a proficient web designer and the CEO of HTMLcut.com, a PSD to HTML conversion and PSD to XHTML/CSS services company.

There are three main options to solve this problem:
1) Code it yourself,
2) Use automated tools, and
3) Hire a provider of PSD-to-HTML/CSS conversion services.

And here comes another question: Which option is the best?

In fact, there is no all-purpose choice to suit every situation. Really, people and circumstances are different.

To convert yourself or not yourself – Is that a question?

Some of my friends-designers agree with marketing guru Tom Peters: nowadays design is one of the most essential competitive differences that can set products (and websites) apart from other commoditized rivals. A designer is becoming a central figure in website success. And she/he should be completely concentrated on design because very few people can be a universal genius like Leonardo da Vinci.

Others say that web designers should know not only the color theory or graphic techniques but also PSD slicing, HTML coding, content writing, SEO, and marketing. Only in this case designers will create something really effective in the present-day Internet.

For me every website element should be well-designed: website concept, its structure, graphics, layout, HTML/CSS markup, and content. The deeper designers know respective phases and website development operations the better, because she/he can see and control the process in whole. But it doesn’t mean that designers should do all the work themselves.

Which of PSD-to-HTML options is the best when…

… HTML/CSS is easy for you or when it looks like mumbo-jumbo? When there is a long line of clients or only few orders? When you design an experimental site for yourself or an important custom work? When there is a large budget or tough times?

These situations obviously require different solutions.

So what is the recipe?

To be effective, we should be flexible. It is difficult to be a universal genius but it is possible to have a universal (or almost universal) knowledge base and manage the process.

1. Collect information: Design-to-XHTML/CSS tutorials, reviews of automated conversion tools, and lists of PSD-to-HTML services providers.

To keep track of new developments, Google Alert can be of very useful assistance or just regularly visit such sites as designfloat.com, designm.ag, noupe.com, tripwiremagazine.com, csstea.com, just to name a few.

Speaking of tutorials, gather not only the newest techniques and CSS tricks but older materials too, because they may contain gold nuggets of information.

2. Try them and make your own lists. Select tutorials, automated tools, and providers that are the most useful, efficient, and comfortable just for YOU. It takes time but it pays off. Moreover, one day you can publish your own lists named “Practical Collection of PSD-to-XHTML Tutorials” or “My Favorite Design-to-HTML Services.”

Select several (2 or 3) providers because of:
1). Risk management considerations: if you urgently need to convert your design and the primary provider is overloaded, you will have a reserve option.
2). Providers can have strengths in different fields, e.g., one is more proficient in PSD to WordPress themes conversion, others — in design-to-Drupal or Joomla templates development and implementation.
3). Services and your requirements to them (as well as functionality of automated tools or perceived importance of tutorials) change with time.

Check out selected providers yourself. It is not out of place because what was the best for someone may be not so good for you.

3. Evaluate project circumstances: volume of works, urgency, project requirements (including W3C standards compliance, browser compatibility, semantic coding), project importance, budget, your level of HTML/CSS knowledge, and so on. Then take your lists and choose an option or their combination that is the most effective for you in this concrete situation.

Each of these options — Do it yourself, Use automated tools or Service providers — can be a good solution to convert PSD into HTML. But no less important is that there are different alternatives available for choice. Really, to be flexible and succeed — that is the best option.

About The Author
Natalia Savchenko is a proficient web designer and the CEO of HTMLcut.com, a PSD to HTML conversion and HTML coding services company.

The latest trend to cut these unnecessary overheads and high salaries is to get a virtual assistant who can help you in fulfilling your organization’s staffing requirements very conveniently and comparatively in very less money.

Virtual assistants are professionals who provide a variety of services that can support your business via phone, fax or internet. Hiring a virtual assistant can reduce stress of handling administrative tasks, giving you more time to concentrate on the things that can take your business to new heights.

Not only the administrative tasks, but virtual assistants can help you in achieving your overall business goals. By delegating your tasks to a virtual agent as compared to a full-time employee, you can get following benefits:

• No need for office space
• No payroll tax or benefits
• No equipment to maintain
• Cost-effective support service
• Pay only for the working hours
• Pay only when your task is completed

Virtual assistants is apparently a better staffing solution in the midst of current economic slowdown because they can assist you in all your business requirements from administrative support services to very specialized web design services in an hourly fee of only few dollars. You can also train your virtual assistant for your very specific needs like marketing support or client relationship management.

Outsourcing your job to a virtual assistant can help you in concentrating on other more important tasks giving you an edge over others in your business area. You can control your professional as well as personal life in an efficient manner. But before delegating your task to any virtual assistant, it is always recommended to research and find out best service provider. Check out the website, referrals and samples before subscribing to any virtual assistant service.

Nowadays, more organized and professional services are provided by the virtual assistant companies where you can get all kinds of services at one place. XceedAgents is one of the most innovative and professional virtual assistant company where you can get experts and professionals virtually in every field of online business.
For more information on Virtual Assistants, read our newsletter at: http://www.xceedagents.com/resources/newsletter.php

With the advent of Internet, offshore outsourcing was the most preferred option in the business world that helps organizations to get high quality services in lesser money, ultimately increasing their profit margin. Nowadays, outsourcing is not limited to accountancy, IT services or HR and has acquired a new dimension that involves every thing that can be done by in-house employees. Outsourcing is now replaced by virtual assistants.

Virtual assistants can help you in administrative, creative, technical or any other task that you can think of. The only difficult part was to contact different home-based virtual assistants for different tasks. Realizing this XceedAgents came into existence with an idea of providing a platform where small and medium sized businesses can get all the services in a consolidated form.

XceedAgents provide plethora of virtual assistance services and you can select some of the best industry experts to get your work done. Don’t get confused, XceedAgents or virtual assistants are not temporary workers but they can work for you on the long-term basis or at a short notice, when needed. Now let’s see the various services that XceedAgents provides.

Website designing

In current business scenario, it is imperative to have your own website that can bring more traffic and business. Outsource your website creation to XceedAgents and you will get expert web developers, who can work with you for simple as well as dynamic sites. XceedAgents designers are innovative and fully capable of designing brochures, logos, posters, flyers, banners and templates.

Content

Content can drive extensive traffic to your website if it provides substantial information on your product or service. Blogs, press releases, articles are the most important component of online advertising and marketing strategy. If you want to create a blog or a whitepaper then XceedAgents is the best place to get any content related services.

PowerPoint presentations is another field where XceedAgents has remarkable expertise and have completed hundreds of presentations for its clients.

Sales, Advertising and Marketing

XceedAgents are expert in lead generation/verification, brand promotion, media advertising, email campaigns, customer relationship management and sales force management.

Internet Research

Internet research is one of the most sought after VA task. To get success in any business, it is essential to understand market demands and internet is the most reliable and quick medium to get valuable information. Whether it is competitive analysis or feasibility study, XceedAgents are proficient in conducting all sorts of Internet research.

Programming

XceedAgents have a pool of technical experts in the field of PHP, ASP, JAVA, C#, Flash that can deal with all your programming needs.

Other Professional Services

You can find inexpensive assistance for any of your administrative tasks like front desk management, calendar management, appointment setting or Ad-posting tasks.

For more information on Virtual Assistants, read our newsletter at: http://www.xceedagents.com/resources/newsletter.php

Some of the largest corporations failed to figure out consequences in this changing environment and circumstances is even more competitive for small and medium businesses. Companies, big or small, are badly affected and forced to lay off their staff to a considerable size where profits can go in hand with the production costs. Unfortunately, it is adding more work stress to the remaining staff and can result in some negative outcomes.

The good news is that there are some smart resources that have been evolved over the years from an unorganized sector of home-based or freelancers to highly professional and organized virtual assistants. Virtual assistance is an emerging trend and a very convenient and professional virtual solution to all your staffing needs. Virtual assistants are exceptionally the best choice, if you have only few hours of work each week because virtual assistants take payments of only the services they provide.

In-spite of the economy shakedown last year, Internet growth potential has never ceased and is actually bringing more and more people looking for virtual assistants to meet their business demands. Virtual assistants can take care of every sort of tasks including administrative, accountancy, research, creative, technical or secretarial according to exact needs of your business.

“As soon as your business starts expanding, it becomes more difficult to handle your administrative tasks and it can also distract you from taking care of more important things that actually drives success of your business”, says Vineet Narang, CEO of XceedAgents. “You can hire industry specialists for various job requirements without paying large salaries. With virtual assistants you get all the benefits of outsourcing minus tax and employee benefits.”

An increasing number of entrepreneurs have understood the importance of virtual assistants in existing business scenario and utilizing Internet to get their work done efficiently relieving them with the tasks that are draining productive time.

It is critical to understand global economic development because tomorrow’s success of any venture depends on today’s decision. It is time to take opportunity of networking advancements and advantage of professional services and a wide range of skills at the click of your mouse.

For more information on Virtual Assistants, read our newsletter at: http://www.xceedagents.com/resources/newsletter.php