The Design Features of Web 2.0
While watching/listening to one my favorite vlogs of late called commandN I came across this great blog entry by the folks over at Pixel Acres. There has been a lot of buzz around Web 2.0 amongst web developers and I can attest that I for one am incorporating some of the design elements of the emerging style into my new web projects. The great thing about the direction of web design is that it’s trending towards well thought-out and SUPER clean designs that get the design out of the way so that navigation and content become easy to use and manage. Wahoo!
The one encouragement to all designers and those looking to hire designers is that the trend towards “clean” and “simple” design does not mean that things are getting easier and thereby cheaper. In fact, more thought and professional design is REQUIRED for a well-designed thought than ever before. Don’t let the clean look fool you or your budget. Being someone who does this as a profession may make this statement seem suspect but it has more truth to it than ever in my educated opinion. More than ever - PAY THE MAN! If you go cheap…then you WILL get cheap. Cheap design = clunky websites that people will only go to if they absolutely HAVE to. Great design = a site that people will be more likely to not only return to…but also to refer their friends and colleagues to as well.
Click here to read the article on Web 2.0 Design.
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Some Web Design Basics
I just read an article on NYTimes.com that is nothing new for the seasoned web professional but it does offer some good basic information for those that are new to the field or others who could benefit from the knowledge. I’m constantly amazed at the failure at the most basic levels of websites. Too often I see techniques that were used years ago but have long since passed their shelf-life. Things like opening splash pages and the excessive use of graphics and flash on sites is still all-too prevalent.
Here’s an excerpt from the article…
“…Graphics also do nothing to help a site get discovered by search engines like Google or Yahoo. Those sites troll the Internet for key words, as well as the frequency and quality of one site that links to another.
Text embedded in a graphic, like the name of a shop in a photograph, cannot be seen by search engines. And the old practice of embedding key words in white-on-white type will not increase a site’s page ranking; in fact it will do the opposite…” [ Read Full Article ]
To see bad design on newer sites is even more unbelievable. If you haven’t updated your site in a few years, then I can understand. But if you or your designer doesn’t obey the simple rules of web design - then you need to analyze your current web strategy and make an informed decision. I often see businesses and organizations choose web developers based upon either 1) who they know or 2) who provides the most sparkle. Don’t be afraid to shop and make sure you have a good list of questions to ask up front.
If you are a decision maker in the web development of your organization or church, you can and SHOULD be informed enough about the basics to ensure that you don’t get stuck with a product that does nothing for you but take up some digital space. Your website says a LOT about your church or organization. Avoid the temptation to go cheap on something that will be, for many, the only glimpse (and too often the last) of you. Your site speaks volumes about your organization….fair or not.
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Blogging 101
The following is a recent article I wrote for a state-wide church organization here in Oregon. For many of you reading this, none of this information about blogging will be “news” but I make it available nonetheless.
Blogging 101
By Jon Haarstad
I must start this article with a brief overview of what a blog is before I delve into the importance and value of maintaining a blog of your own. This is no longer a niche or fad that may be on the cusp of disappearing. Rather, this method of communication has shaken the entire communication channels to the core as people find the value of a well-thought out blog to communicate your message to your friends, family and people you would otherwise never have any contact with.
Ok, quick overview. What is a blog? Here’s a good definition pulled from my favorite quick resource on just about every term used in technology…Wikipedia.org
“A blog is a website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Most blogs are primarily textual although some focus on photographs (photoblog), videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media.
The term “blog” is a portmanteau of “Web log.” “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. (Definition from www.wikipedia.org)”
As the definition states in the end, the use of the word “blog” is now commonplace enough to be used as both a noun and a verb. More and more we use the phrase “I’ll have to blog this later” in daily conversation.
For me the power of the blog is only beginning to grow as I’m able to meet people on the internet that share my interests and pursuits of information. As an example, I met someone who contacted me after doing a search on the phrase “Web 2.0”. My web technologies blog popped up in his search and after reading my insights on the phrase, we’ve fostered a dialogue related to matters involving the church and technology. By the way, this person lives in Nashville which you may realize is nowhere near Portland Oregon.
The initial intentions that blogs served was to give non-technical individuals an easy-to-use medium to maintain an online journal that had little-to-no value for anyone outside of themselves or close friends. Now, blogs have become increasingly useful and in many cases necessary for business (for-profit and non-profit) to create a channel of communication with their customers and/or constituents.
Early adoption of blogs was tenuous as people have found not only the positive elements of blogs, but also the negative consequences that can result from mis-statements or writing that reflects negatively on the organization.
So, for ministry and especially for pastors, is there a value of having and maintaining a blog? Yes. Most definitely yes. Beyond the occasional message that may pop up on your weekly bulletin or Sunday morning messages, a well-written blog (updated at least once a week but no less than once every two weeks) can be a great way to encourage your congregation to get a sense for who you are as a person and minister.
In ministry, as much as we would like to, we are simply unable to maintain close contact with EVERY member of our congregations but a blog can go a long way to give that same feel with just one or two postings. It’s like sending out a mass e-mail except with blogs, you can receive feedback from your readers through comments they are able to leave you thereby engaging a larger group will little extra effort required.
Of course, there are some key elements to making this a successful effort and not just a “cool” idea that wears off fast. Here’s a basic list of MUST DOs to make this effort really effective.
- Get a good blog system that you are comfortable with. You’ll see a list of free blogging resources at the bottom of this [article]. For a small fee, I also offer customized blogging services if you would like a blog that matches your church website.
- Write out the great WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, WHY questions and answer them in detail. You need to have a plan to make this work.
- Along with Step 2, a key element is to determine the frequency of blogs you want to write and then a plan to be consistent. I recommend at least a once-a-week blog entry.
- Promote your blog! If no one knows that you have a blog, well, guess what happens. If you guessed that everyone just happens to stumble across your blog when they type a search for “God” and “church” you would be wrong. Reference it in your bulletins and on your website.
- Blogging by pastors, especially in situations that have multiple pastors requires some guidelines that should be followed to avoid possible conflicts. Avoid blogging about personal items that do not relate directly to the ministry. You need to have an understanding of what items should be blogged about and which items should be reserved for other mediums that aren’t tied directly to your church.
- Be informed and positive! A lot of my blogging material comes from my daily job pursuits. I also try to choose items that would benefit others. If you offer something meaningful, you will be able to grow your readership.
If you currently have a blog and would like some feedback, feel free to e-mail me and reference your blog website address.
Blog Resources:
www.blogger.com
www.wordpress.org
www.typepad.com
www.vox.com
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