Gen X Design

Design & Business

Stan

4 Different Types of Web Codes

Whether you’re interested in designing your own website from scratch or are simply interested in web codes in order to edit and maintain a website, simply continue reading to discover a few of the most commonly used types of web code.

4 Different types of web code:

1. HTML

HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language, is one of the first widely used web codes and has been around since 1990. If you’re looking to learn the basics of developing a website, you may want to start off by learning the basics of HTML.

One of the key reasons why you may want to learn HTML is that HTML is one of the simplest web codes to learn and within a few hours of experimenting with simple HTML codes, you’ll be able to create a simple, rudimentary website. That features colored text, headings of various sizes, links, photos, videos and a navigation bar.

2. Java

Java is a popular web code which was first used in 1996 and which was designed to help programmers design functional, efficient software programs for a wide variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux.

However, while Java was first designed to design computer programs, Java is also commonly used to design, edit and maintain web pages. If you haven’t heard of Java, you may know Java by its secondary name C++.

So if you’re looking to learn a web code that can be used for a variety of different purposes, you may be interested in learning the basics of Java.

3. Javascript

Javascript is a separate web code to Java and is advanced, high-level web code and was originally launched back in 1995. Javascript is also commonly referred to by the simple abbreviation JS.

Most websites utilize Javascript as Javascript is responsible for the creation of modern, interactive websites and web applications. However, you can’t design an entire website, just using Javascript, as Javascript does not boast its own storage facilities, graphics facilities or networking facilities. So if you plan on embedding Javascript code in your website, you’ll also need to utilize another web code such as HTML or CSS.

4. CSS

Chances are high that you’ve heard of CSS as CSS is the second most recognized web code, after HTML. CSS was originally released in 1996. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is a document based markup language which is regarded as a cornerstone of the internet, along with HTML and Javascript. Both of which were mentioned above.

If you’d love to be able to design a stylish, highly customized website and want to learn about selecting the right layout and color scheme for your website, it’s well worth taking a few online CSS courses or tutorials. As if you care about the aesthetic of your website and your website’s overall look, you’ll be best off learning CSS, rather than Javascript, C++ or HTML.

So whether your primary reason for learning a new web code is to be able to design a professional looking website or you’re simply interested in coding, it’s well worth learning at least one of the primary web codes listed above.

Marketing 101: How To Use Marketing Techniques To Help Your Business

If you’d like to be able to confidently use a wide variety of marketing techniques, in order to help your business grow, simply continue reading to discover a few simple yet effective marketing tips.

Marketing 101: How to use marketing techniques to help your business grow

1. Make sure that your business boasts a positive online reputation

If potential customers use a search engine to find information on your business and are confronted with negative reviews, they won’t want to deal with your business. So it’s a great idea to focus on convincing your satisfied customers or clients to leave positive reviews about your business on unbiased review sites such as Yelp.

It’s also a great idea to get in touch with any individuals who have left disgruntled reviews about your business online as if you’re able to rectify any issues which such individuals may have with your business, you may be able to change their minds about your business. If you’re lucky such individuals may edit or delete their online review on your business.

2. Use frequent contests in order to encourage your customers to make new orders

One way to get your customers to place new orders is to run a contest where each order which a customer places earns them one entry in your contest. As an example, you may want to offer a contest where the winner is given a few hundred dollars of free products or services from your company.

3. Create and market a rewards program for your most loyal customers

Another way to encourage your customer base to continue purchasing products and or services from your company is to create a rewards program, which rewards your customers for their repeat business. As an example, you may want to create a tiered rewards program which offers different tiers for the different amounts of money which your customers may spend with your business.

As an example, customers who have purchased over $100 of products in a single calendar year may qualify for the bottom tier of your business’ reward program. While customers who spend over $1,000 with your business in a year, may qualify for the top tier of your rewards program.

Usually the higher up a customer is on your rewards tier, the more perks which they’ll unlock such as percentage discount off their orders or free shipping.

4. Sponsor local community events

It’s well worth sponsoring local community events and posting about your sponsorship on a variety of social media platforms, in order to increase your business’ following. As an example, you may want to consider sponsoring a local fun run or a local sports team.

5. Advertise on Youtube instead of on TV

As most individuals visit Youtube several times per week, it’s a great idea to advertise your business on Youtube instead of on a local television network. Furthermore, if you pay to run Youtube ads, interested potential customers will be able to click on your ads, to find out more information about your company, by being linked directly to your business’ website.

If you use the marketing guide listed above to market your business online, you’ll be sure to increase hits to your website as well as your business’ profit.

Tips on Managing Your Business’ Finances

If you’re the proud owner of manager of a business and are looking to simplify managing your business’ finances, continue reading to discover how

Tips on managing your business finances:

1. Purchase DIY accounting software to make managing your business’ books a whole lot easier

In order to stay on top of your business’ books, it’s a smart move to install DIY accounting software onto your primary laptop. As you’ll be able to meet your business’ accounting obligations, in a short amount of time.

2. Try to forecast the future performance of your business, if your business remains on the same financial trajectory

It’s a great idea to try and forecast the future performance of your business, to see how your business’ finances may look in six months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years. As if your business’ projected profit margins disappoint you, you’ll be able to make quick changes to your business plan, in order to try and change the future of your business’ finances.

3. Make sure that your personal finances are kept separate from your business’ finances

Make sure that your personal finances are kept completely separate from your business’ accounts and finances. As your business’ accounts may need to be audited in order to comply with taxation laws, it’s a wise idea to keep your business’ accounts and your personal accounts separate.

4. Make sure to keep all of your business related receipts

In order to keep track of your business’ finances and to meet your business’ tax obligations, it’s also a great idea to keep all of your business receipts and invoices. If possible, make sure to collect all of your physical receipts and invoices as well as your online receipts and invoices for your business’ expenses.

5. Limit your high-interest debt

If you’re offered a large business loan from your bank manager, don’t accept the offer if the interest rate which is associated with the loan is too high as you’ll end up increasing your business’ debts unnecessarily. Instead, try to negotiate a lower interest rate for a smaller business loan or to book meetings with bank managers at other branches or banks.

6. Make sure to carefully manage your business’ credit cards

It’s also a wise idea to look at your business’ credit card statements each week. In order to see if there are unnecessary payments on your credit cards, which you may be able to cull from your future budget.

7. Plan for the future but putting aside money for your business’ upcoming major expenses

In order to ensure that your business will be able to grow as the years pass, make sure to start budgeting now, for your business’ future expenses. As an example, you may want to start saving for your business’ second premises or for a new website for your business.

8. Don’t rely on an accountant

Even if you choose to hire an accountant, it’s still worth looking over your business’ accounts, to ensure that you’re aware of your business’ numbers.

So if you want to ensure that your business remains financially viable in the future, it’s well worth following the 8 financial tips listed above.

7 Finance Tips

If you’re interested in increasing your net worth and taking control of your finances, simply continue reading to discover 7 must-read finance tips.

7 Finance tips:

1. Minimize your debts

The first step which you should take in order to take control of your finances is to make a concentrated effort to decrease your debts.

2. Consider consolidating your debts into a single loan

If you want to decrease the amount of interest which you pay on your loans, it may be a wise idea to consolidate all of your current loans into a single loan. As an example, if you currently have a car loan and two credit card loans, it’s a great idea to consolidate all three loans into a single loan. By consolidating your loans, you should decrease the interest which you’ll pay by several hundred dollars per year.

If you have loans which total tens of thousands of dollars, you should be able to save thousands of dollars in interest by the time you pay off your loan.

3. Pay off more than the minimum monthly amount, off your credit card

Many individuals make the mistake of paying off the minimum amount off their credit card each month. However, it’s a far better idea to pay off larger chunks of any credit card debt which you may have accumulated.

In the long term, your goal should be to pay off any money which you spend on your credit cards, before the end of the month. That way, you will enjoy the convenience of being able to use a credit card to shop online, without spending money that you don’t have.

4. Sign up for a debit card

If you’d rather stop using credit cards altogether, it’s a smart idea to sign up for a debit card. As a debit card can be used anywhere where credit cards can be used but only utilize your own money.

5. Make sure to start regular contributions to your retirement fund

No matter whether you’re in your early twenties or you’re in your late fifties, it’s a smart idea to work on making regular contributions to your retirement fund. To ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy a comfortable standard of living in your twilight years.

6. Check your individual credit report

It’s well worth taking a look at your credit report. As if your credit score is low, you may want to start taking action to increase your credit card score. Especially if you plan on applying for a home mortgage in the future.

7. Work out your net worth

To discover your net worth, which is a great indication of your current financial status, simply add up your assets such as investments, savings, and cash and deduct your liabilities from the total worth of your assets, in order to discover your net worth.

If your net worth isn’t as high as you had hoped, simply work on decreasing your debts and increasing your assets, in order to increase your net worth.

If you follow the 7 tips listed above, you should be able to take control of your financial future and to increase your net worth, in no time at all.

Invaluable Web Design Tips

If you’re unsure of how to go about designing a professional looking website, simply continue reading to discover a handy guide to developing a great website.

Invaluable Web Design Tips:

1. Make sure to use professional, easy to read fonts that will give visitors a professional impression of your business

Many individuals make the mistake of choosing fonts which are nearly impossible to read or fonts which are too childish such as Comic Sans. So when it comes time to select fonts for your website, make sure to choose professional looking fonts which can be easily read.

2. Ensure that your website looks professional and will reflect positively on your business

Remember that the look of your website will determine whether or not visitors see your business as a professional website. As your website will influence each visitor who loads your website. Especially if your business doesn’t have a traditional brick and mortar premises.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to design websites for businesses, it’s also a great idea to ensure that each website which you produce looks professionally designed.

2. Make sure that all the images which feature on your website are professionally shot

Make sure to take your time when it comes to selecting photos and images to place on your website. As just as poorly selected fonts will reflect poorly on your business, poorly chosen images will also give your business an amateur vibe.

3. Invest in getting a professional logo designed for your business

If your business doesn’t already have a professional logo, it’s a great idea to invest in having a professional logo designed for your business, which you’ll then be able to use on your business’ social media accounts as well as your business’ website.

4. Make sure that the colors which you select for your website show up well on your screen

While you may be tempted to use yellow text or to use a pale blue background for your website, it pays to ensure that all the colors which you select for your website, show up well on your screen. As visitors to your site won’t have the patience to try and decipher unclear text or images and will simply opt to visit one of your business’ competitors websites.

5. Make sure that your navigation bar helps your visitors easily navigate your site

Not only does a site have to look as professional as possible but a great website should also be a breeze to navigate. The easiest way for your potential customers to navigate your website is to carefully title the different pages on your website as part of your website’s navigation bar. As an example, you may want to label one link “About us” and another link “Shop”.

5. Get a trusted friend or family member to test out your new website before you publish it

Make sure to get a third party such as a trusted friend or family member to test out your new website before it goes live. As if you stare at your website all day long, you may not be able to see any simple flaws which should be staring you straight in the face.

If you keep the 5 design principles listed above in mind, you should have no difficulty creating a proffesional website.

5 Online Business Tips

In order to help your online business grow from strength to strength, continue reading to discover 5 invaluable online business tips.

5 Online Business Tips:

1. Make sure that your social media accounts post quality content

Many business owners make the mistake of posting on their social media accounts too frequently, without ensuring that each post which they post provides valuable content. So if you want to build a following for your business on social media, make sure to provide high-quality posts, that your target audience will actually enjoy reading.

After all, if your business’ social media accounts spammed individuals with junky posts, individuals will be likely to unfollow and ignore your business. Whereas if your business builds a reputation for posting quality posts, your followers will be more likely to engage with your posts and to share your posts with their social networks.

2. Don’t overcharge your customers for shipping

If your business sells physical items, it’s well worth trying to find ways to cheaply yet safely deliver your products to your customers. As potential customers will be very unlikely to go through with making an order from your site if your shipping prices are unreasonable. As in today’s day and age most individuals prefer shopping at sites which offer free shipping or inexpensive shipping rates.

3. Consider installing a chatbot on your homepage

One way to ensure that all of your customers are able to find the information which they’re looking for is to install a chatbot on the homepage of your website. As that way, you’ll be able to program your chatbot to answer the most frequent questions, which customers tend to ask your customer support team. As an example, you will be able to get a chatbot to answer questions about how to place an order on your site.

4. Make sure to create a mobile-friendly version of your business’ website

While it’s important to design a functional, attractive website for your online business, it’s also important to design a fully functional, easy to navigate, mobile version of your website. As a large percentage of your customers will try to access your website from their smartphone or tablet and won’t make a purchase if they’re unable to find the information which they need on their smartphone quickly and efficiently.

5. Send regular sales to your customers

It’s well worth encouraging your regular clients to sign up to a VIP email list as that way you’ll be able to send your long term customers regular links to limited time sales. As it’s human nature to strive to purchase products at a discounted price.

If you’re wondering about how you can convince thousands of your customers to join a VIP marketing list, you may want to offer each customer a one-off discount code, in return for successfully signing up to your business’ marketing list.

So if you’re looking to take your online business to the next level and are looking for simple methods to help your business grow from strength to strength, it’s well worth implementing all five of the online business tips listed above.