Image by LAC/BAC
The hazards of DIY web design
When you build your own website and don’t have a practiced eye (or training) in graphic design, there are a few DIY mistakes that can undermine your presentation.
Some of these you’ve seen, and can congratulate yourself on avoiding.
A couple might send you scrambling.
In spite of the dire warning above, those mistakes won’t be the death of you. Yes, it’s embarrassing—your website is out there for all the world to see—but nothing is etched in stone.
The good news
The great thing about a website is you can make changes on the fly. In many cases, the changes that need to be made are relatively small, but have a big impact on how your site looks.
Here are seven of the most common mistakes that make you look like an amateur, and a few tips on how to fix them.
Image by Kerstin Wellekötter
Fear and fascination in social media
Social media is a funny thing. Some people still talk about it like it was invented last week. Despite the vast number of how-to’s out there, I still see frustrated comments about people using it badly.
Observed: someone was struggling with people posting their stuff on her fan page without asking. She didn’t object to the content, just wished they checked with her first.
I don’t know if they were using said fan page to market themselves, or just blundering in without showing a simple courtesy to their host.
“Courtesy” and “host” are good guide words to use when navigating social media.
You can think of it as a far-flung cocktail party, with the expected cast of characters in attendance.
Some of these people you don’t want to talk to, but they have a few traits you’ll recognize—and might be afraid you’ll inadvertently imitate.
I want to get the words, “There’s no such thing as everybody” printed on a t-shirt. I’ve been thinking lately about the alleged necessity to sell online. Some creatives are doing it and getting great results. Others, not so much. And there are plenty more who haven’t yet jumped on board.
I’m not much into bandwagons or one-size-fits-all thinking. Not with t-shirts, and definitely not in business.
Here’s a little anecdote: recently I had a conversation with a couple of women about online shopping. Specifically, artisan-made jewellery. They were both 40-ish, and neither was too thrilled with the idea of buying jewellery online.
