August 2010 - Issue 14

We're happy to announce the launch of Riptide Ride, another joint project with 9zero6. Head out to Munising for the most thrilling ride on Lake Superior! (Where else in the U.P. can you ride 700 HP on a Navy Seal vessel?)

Hello!
Welcome to the August edition of The Maestro Monthly, an email newsletter published by Web Maestro, LLC. The intent of this publication is to bring you news and updates on Web Maestro services, local business news, as well as general Web related news.

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Why Your Website Doesn't Look The Same On Different Computers

by Nathan Lyle

One of the common questions we see as website designers is "why doesn't my website look the same on your computer as it does on mine?" The main thing to keep in mind is that the Web is fundamentally different from other media—television, magazines, newspapers, etc. When you put together an ad to be printed, you know the height and width it will be displayed in. You know whether it will be printed in black and white or color. You know that it will be viewed by people who can see. That last point might seem silly, but a website can be accessed by someone without sight, using various technology tools. This points to the underlying cause of differences in websites across computers—the technology used to view the website changes from computer to computer, user to user.

To look at it another way, a print ad is a solid complete thing. If it's printed in multiple magazines or newspapers, the various parts of the ad won't move around or change proportion. However, a website will change depending on the computer operating system you're using (Mac OS, Windows, etc.) and the Web browser you're using (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) Why does this happen? A website is not a "finished product" in the way a print ad is. A website is a collection of information and instructions, text and images, that must be interpreted by software before you can view it. That software is where the differences can creep in. A browser downloads all the pieces and then follows built in instructions on how to render that information. Not all sets of instructions are the same.

While this reality can cause web designers to pull their hair out (I used to have hair past my shoulders, now there's more hair on my arm than on my head) all hope is not lost. It just takes some programming skill and artistic creativity to put together a website that is at least similar in most common browsers. It comes down to a statistical game....

[read the full article]

Want to read more articles? Read previously published articles on our website's article archive.

7 Ways to Avoid Overwhelm Paralysis

Guest Article by Kimberly Riggins

It is a known fact that overwhelm is the number one cause of stress for solo entrepreneurs. You add in a family, kids and working from your home and the stress just compounds. I suffered from overwhelm paralysis too. There are days that I still do but I have 7 ways that I combat it. They actually work. The key is to implement them consistently. So the next time you are fighting overwhelm, try the following ideas.

1. Create a relaxing morning routine. Don't just jump out of bed and start working. It is best to ease into it. Now I am not saying lounge around until noon. I want you to exercise, eat breakfast, read something inspirational, meditate, whatever makes you feel good before you dare turn on the computer.
2. Turn off your email when you are working on big projects. If you ever plan on getting anything accomplished, do yourself a favor and shut down your email in-box. I know how tempting it is to check for new messages. This will not help you stay focused.
3. Turn the ringer off your cell phone during working hours. It is totally acceptable to return phone calls after your set business hours or during a designated time during the day. After all, you are running a business. Work needs to get done first and those who need something from you or just want to talk, like family and friends, can wait.
4. Take some of your work and get out of the house. This will definitely help you with your energy. I have found that staring at a computer screen all day can be a bit draining. So go to your local coffee shop, diner or wherever would be suitable and absorb the presence of other people. It is a surefire way to stoke your creativity.
5. Set a timer for internet or email time. If you don't consciously put a limit on your time surfing the web, it can literally waste hours of your day.This is not productive so be strict with yourself.
6. Cancel all your subscriptions you don't read. This will eliminate a crazy email in-box and will free up some extra time you could be doing something more constructive with. Of course, keep all those newsletter and such that you find valuable.
7. Create No Computer Time Zone. It is extremely important that you have boundaries around your business. You do not have to be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make time where your computer is off and do something fun with your family, for yourself or with friends. The good news is the work isn't going anywhere and it will be waiting for you tomorrow.

About the author: Kimberly Riggins is the creator of The Art of Eating Chocolate Naked. In her own words, she is "a crazy over the top solo entrepreneur with a big mouth but an even bigger heart."

Miscellaneous Maestro Minutia

The biggest news of the moment is our new more official partnership with 9zero6 to bring SEO and online marketing into our regular set of offerings. If you have questions about how to market your website in an ongoing basis, call us and ask to talk with Tom Dolaskie. Tom will also be taking on a sales position at Marquette Web Maestro, with Myra Lloyd joining the team to take over project management.

We've jumped on our first bandwagon this last month, with the registration of a .co domain name. We registered webmaestro.co (which right now forwards to webmaestro.biz) to prevent domain squatters from getting it. Why? The .com is still the most widely accepted domain extension, and while extensions like .biz and .us are getting to be more common, we felt that .co as short for "company" may well become a very common extension. We could be wrong, of course, but we took the leap. Let us know if you're also interested in a .co version of your domain name. (You can check availability here: webmaestrodomains.com.)

That's it for now, thanks for reading! Please feel free to let me know what you find useful or what you'd like to see us cover in future issues.

Sincerely,
Nathan Lyle

Website: www.webmaestro.biz
Email: nathan@sylvaniawebmaestro.com
Blog: www.webmaestro.biz/blog

Business Tip

Add Content To Your Website!

If you're concerned with SEO (search engine optimization) and ranking highly in search results, one of the best things you can do is focus on having good content on your website. Not spammy space filling content, but content relevant to who your business or organization is, and relevent to your target audience. The thing is with search engines—they want people to find what they're looking for. It's up to you to become what people are looking for. If you do that, you've overcome the largest barrier. For help with this or any other SEO or online marketing goal, contact us today!