Welcome to Web Yodel’s blog.

With this blog, Web Yodel likes to share some of the recent research, cool tools we found, marketing tips, and anything else that's interesting and related to website design & development.

Enjoy...

Mia Mestdagh, Web Yodel, Boulder, CO

When can I use…

Compatibility tables for support of HTML5, CSS3, SVG and more in desktop and mobile browsers.

Good website about what CSS3, HtML5, SVG can be used on which browsers

How to Make Your Site More Customer Friendly

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

A Store in Your Pocket: Retailer Mobile Websites Beat Apps among US Smartphone Owners

Smartphone owners are increasingly using their devices for shopping, from researching products and reviews, to comparing prices, finding retail locations, and redeeming coupons. And retailers are responding with mobile apps and websites designed to attract smartphone shoppers. So, who’s winning so far? Nielsen’s detailed analysis of smartphone usage reveals that retail websites are more popular than retail apps, and that Amazon’s is the most popular retail mobile website of all.

Read full article…

jQuery Mobile: Touch-Optimized Web Framework for Smartphones & Tablets

A unified, HTML5-based user interface system for all popular mobile device platforms, built on the rock-solid jQuery and jQuery UI foundation. Its lightweight code is built with progressive enhancement, and has a flexible, easily themeable design.

Check it out

50 Excellent CSS3 Techniques and Tutorials for Beautiful Design

CSS3 has got a huge potential to create very elaborate and complicated details by strictly using  CSS and no images. It can carry out a lot of functions as it is based on motion techniques. Many designers all over the world believe that CSS3 is a technique which has unbelievable potentiality which will be used to create wonderful designs in the years to come. At present, it is not being used variedly all over the world due to a number of limitations – obsolete browsers being one of them.

Take Charge of Web Design Projects by Teaming Up with a Copywriter

by Wes McDowell

The Problem: you just had a meeting with a new web design client. It went great. You asked all the right questions, and have a good sense of the client’s goals. Before wrapping up, you ask them where the content for the site will be coming from. “We’ll just write it ourselves and email it to you,” they say. Fantastic.

They sign the contract, which outlines a rough time estimate, including a deadline for when your client should send their site copy to you. You start designing (with dummy text,) and you’re just waiting for the copy to arrive.

The Solution

The next time you meet with a new client who needs a brand new web presence from scratch, imagine not asking who will be writing the site’s copy, but rather telling them that they can expect a call from your copywriter.

Read full article…

The Value Of Google Analytics For Mobile

In the marketing game, numbers are crucial. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. There’s a reason why MarketingLand has a whole area designated for analytics. If you’re a website owner or marketer, chances are you spend a lot of time looking at Google Analytics for your website. Do you give your mobile site and app the same kind of attention?

Why Use Analytics For Mobile?

The main reasons to use analytics for mobile are the same as the reasons for using analytics on any website. Analytics answer a number of important questions:

  1. Where is traffic coming from (for mobile web)?
  2. Where is traffic going within the site or app?
  3. What features in the site or app are getting the most use?
  4. Are people getting stuck trying to perform some function?
  5. Are people meeting (sales) goals when using the site or app?

Read full article…

Remember, Employees Are People Too

by

Most of your employees joined your company for more than just a paycheck – they believe in your product, your culture, and the customers you serve. Similarly brand evangelists typically love more than just your product – it’s also your ethics, your customer service, and your ability to connect with them. Help your customers become evangelists and build this loyalty by bringing them together with your employees through these three simple steps.

People are loyal to people, so lift the curtain on your company’s greatest asset – your employees – and humanize them by leveraging your customer forums.

  • Employee introductions.
  • Workspace photos.
  • Team spotlights.

Read full article…

55 Best WordPress Plugins – Want Unfair Advantage?

by Dustin Betonio

Nice list of WordPress Plugins

How to Conduct Competitive Research

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

It’s vital that you understand your competition well enough to give your new business a unique shape that can attract customers.

1. Identify Your Main Competitors

Before you ever begin a website, you need to carefully assess the competition. First, make a list of your top five or ten online competitors. You can do this in three steps

  1. Ranking
  2. Pay Per Click Ads
  3. Traffic

2. Study Your Competitors’ Strengths

3. Study Your Competitors’ Weaknesses

4. Study Your Competitors’ Marketing

Read full article…