Usability

Based on researching website usability companies (for oh, about 3 hrs), there seems to be a broad spectrum of usability companies ranging from:

really uber “I have a Ph.D in cognitive psychology, human behavioral sciences and human-computer interaction” scientific companies

OR

companies that offer unrelated usability services, but work really hard and have cool software!

Website usability, defined by MarketingTerms.com, is “the ease with which visitors are able to use a Web site.” Basically, it’s the science and psychology of how to best design a website so every individual can successfully navigate and utilize the site for his or her needs. With this in mind, I definitely want a usability company with a strong background in the sciences and directors or principals with a Ph.D or Masters. That being said, I would also consider, a much more modestly priced usability company, with a long company list and proven track record.

What I wouldn’t want is an overpriced usability company that focuses primarily on research and training and charges $25,000 for a ONE DAY “visioneering” intensive workshop. IF I or any company would pay that much for a one day workshop – you better supply some serious ROI facts, before any $ is dropped on a workshop with a made-up name.

PC Magazine’s List for Top Usability Firms
Human Factors International
Austin Usability/Perceptive Sciences
Creative Good
Cooper Interaction Design
Nielsen Norman Group
User Interface Engineering

I created a blog, so now what?

I stumbled upon a great blog which gives BEGINNER BLOGGERS everything they need to know to grow, customize, enhance and do everything possible to create a superstar blog.  The link to the site is on the left-hand side and I’m not going to reinvent the wheel or anything, but here’s the gist of what I learned and the steps anyone should take after creating a blog.

A) Start posting.

B) Add your blog’s URL to Blog Directories, Feed Directories and search engines so you can drive traffic to your site.

C) Add tags to your postings.   They basically sort postings into category listings which makes it easier for readers to find relevant posted information.

D) Add links.  Another way to drive traffic.

Start a Blog in 24hrs

The goal: to create a simple, plain, no nonsense blog with posts and a clean design.  Sounds simple right?  Well, starting a blog (I found out) is surprisingly easy and simple.  Figuring out which platforms or software to use, is not.  There are several options out there for every kind of user and every type of blog you want.  For my purposes, I needed something  a) free and  b) easy to set-up and use.  I picked the top 3 blog platforms that either popped up in reviews listed on Google (hey, most if not all beginners are going to start their research on Google or some search engine) or were recommended by friends and went through the process of starting a blog.  Below are my thoughts and criticism of each site.    WordPress - I had heard the most about this blogging tool from friends and coworkers and knew it was pretty popular.  The first page brings up featured blogs, news items and tags.  You have to search for their Features and About tab, but I was impressed with their sleek design and clear instructions.  I didn’t like how your username is also your blog’s address (username.wordpress.com).  There was an option to just get a username, but I wanted to get started right away and overlooked that process.  After signing in you automatically get a blog, where you can add a title and start a post.  I really liked their large theme selection with different formats for what your blog can look like.  Overall really easy to set up and lost of options for “tagging”, “keywords”, “linking” – all things I’ll be learning about in near future. Blogger - My favorite part about  this site is the tutorial!  Instead of rushing into creating a blog (which I might’ve done earlier), you get a nice introduction to Blogger.com and their different features (such as posting photos or Blogger Mobile).  When signing up you can choose an advanced feature, which allows you to host your blog other than blogspot.com, which I thought is a nice option for the more experienced blogger.  After signing up (using your email address vs. wordpress’ username) you name your blog, choose your template and then you can start posting.  Blogger.com doesn’t have as many templates/theme options as WordPress, but there’s still a nice selection available. LiveJournal - The landing page was pretty busy with sponsors, spotlights and ads, but it had a nice features explanation in the center of the page.  The main turn off for me, was their strong emphasis on “sense of community” and their description of LiveJournal as something you can “share with the world, just a few people or keep it private like a diary.”  Sounds more like 13 year old’s notebook than a blog.  I liked how when you sign up for a blog, it automatically lists pricing options and premiums.  A free account lets you display up to 6 photos, access to 100 designs and 25 subscriptions to news posts, friends or comments.  After signing in it asks for a display name, then asks if you want to connect to friends/communities and then automatically creates a page for you.  I don’t like how LiveJournal creates a page without asking for a preferred layout or design.  Bottom line: I’m not looking for another my space page, just a simple blog.I chose WordPress due to their ease of set up and quality designs.  For the more advanced blogger or if you would like to compare more softwares and platforms feel free to browse these links. Blog Software Breakdown http://asymptomatic.net/blogbreakdown.htm Blog Tools Reviews by PC Magazinehttp://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1403731,00.aspThe Best Blog Tools for Your Websitehttp://www.siteground.com/choose_blog_tool.htm

Hello world!

This blog was created to share the experiences of an inexperienced marketer (ME) trying to navigate the crazy world of internet marketing. I’ve got zero experience in the industry, but I’m here to figure it out and reveal to the world what I learn.