Using Google as a Dictionary
1/31/2006

If you want to look up a word on Google, simply enter "define:" plus the word you would like defined. This is particularly useful for tech lingo, as the dictionary doesn't always have the best definitions for such words. For example, if you wanted to define blog, type define:blog into Google's search box.

Web users judge sites in the blink of an eye
1/17/2006

A recent study by Canadian researchers shows that most users decide whether or not they like a website in just 50 milliseconds. In a world where mass amounts of information are available at the click of a button, looks draw people in and keep them coming back to your site. What are the design characteristics of the "winning" sites? Keeping graphics to a minimum—perhaps to a single eye-catching image per page—and otherwise implementing a "puritan" approach to design, which helps you communicate your site's information clearly and quickly. (These basic principles have been the building blocks of Stop Time Studio for years.)

Who Couldn't Use a Few Extra Bucks?
1/12/2006

With Google's AdSense it couldn't be much easier. Just drop a bit of Google-code on your site, and in minutes you can be running ads. Your ads can include images or text; you can display a few adds, or a lot—it's up to you. Of course, the trick is to do it tastefully, so that it doesn't interfere with your site's main message. For an example, check out the bottom of Jazz Conspiracy's site. The ads are out of the way of the main content, and they play well with the overall design. Of course, being at the bottom of the page won't generate as many clicks as the top would. But in this case, that's a smart move: screen real estate is at a prime, and the average JC visitor would get turned off with anything too heavy-handed. Your audience and site usability should always come first, or your traffic will suffer.

A Little Decker'll Do Ya Good
1/4/2006

Every once in awhile I check out Bert Decker's blog about business communication. While I don't give presentations or do public speaking very often, I often find the tips he offers both insightful and practical on a day-to-day level. But the most fun things to read are his critiques of well-known figures, and his post on The Top Ten Best (and Worst) Communicators of 2005 doesn't disappoint.