by Gary Stevens | Sep 21, 2018 | Industry News, User Experience
Internet users want a speedy experience and they’re not getting it, a fact that leaves them frustrated and website owners with less revenue. Don’t believe it? Numbers don’t lie. A full 53 percent of surfers want any site they visit load in three seconds or less. The largest ecommerce sites in the world recognize this necessity – they load incredibly fast. Most of the rest of the internet leaves a time gap that makes for a lot of gritted teeth and nervous toes tapping the floor. The good news is that speeding up a slow website is not difficult or time-consuming. The bad news is you might not choose to do it.
Are You Flirting with the Performance Poverty Line?
The performance poverty line is a term that represents the point at which being slow doesn’t matter because you’ve already lost most of your traffic. That number sits at around 8 seconds. The more pertinent question is, do you know your website’s speed. REALLY know your website’s speed?
No guessing because this is important stuff.
There’s an easy way to find out. Pay a visit to a website called Pingdom — it’ll probably load fast because it’s sort of their business — and enter your URL in the box. Select a location from the dropdown menu and hit “start.” Unless they’re exceptionally busy (it happens sometimes) you should get a performance summary in less than a minute.
There’s a good chance what you see won’t impress anyone, but that’s okay. Few websites do. We’re here to provide you with a road map to get those numbers headed down, down, down and your visitors to start getting happy, happy, happy. Let’s call this…
A 6-Part Roadmap to Fast Websites and Happy Customers
Part 1: Magically Shrink Your Website
Actually, as far as we know, there’s no way to magically shrink your website but you can get the same effect by applying a sweet little bit of technology called Gzip compression. When implemented, some site owners have seen overall file size reduction of as much as 70 percent. That’s huge. Actually it’s tiny and that’s the point. It works like this. When a request hits the server to view the website, it automatically zips all the files before sending them onto the requester’s browser, where it is unzipped and displayed.
Part 2: Fix Bad Design and Too Many HTTP Requests
Every element on your website — we’re talking about images, videos, scripts, and even text — generates an individual request to the server. The more “stuff” your website has, the more requests there are and the longer it takes to load. If ever there was an argument for using a minimalistic approach when designing your website, this is it. Fewer requests mean a faster website. The tricky part is to not get distracted by all things you could do and stick to only what is needed to accomplish the site’s mission.
Part 3: Put Hefty Images on a Diet
Images are huge. Incorrectly (or not at all) optimized, they put a terrible strain on bandwidth and leave the server and browser gasping from the strain. While we could write a book on the topic, there is one thing you can do that will fix a lot of the issues and that is choose the correct format — png, gif, and jpeg are good — and make the things as small as you can stand BEFORE uploading to your website. If you upload a full size image, even if you reduce it later, the server still has the original version and that’s the one that clogs the pipeline.
Part 4: Upgrade Your Hosting
We love cheap stuff as much as the next person but when it comes to choosing a web hosting plan, you need to understand the different types of plans and know when it’s time to upgrade. Inexpensive shared plans can be as low as a few dollars a month and that’s okay for a hobby or site that doesn’t have much traffic yet. Once you reach a certain level, though, the shared resource approach of this kind of plan will almost certainly mean slow-loading and downtime. While a dedicated server might not be worth the expense, a virtual private server or VPS hosting can be a great compromise.
Part 5: Turn on Browser Caching
Browser caching is an easy-to-implement, tactic that most fast-loading websites use. The idea is simple. Rather than force the server to send over all the website files every time someone visits, static files (those that don’t change) are stored in the browser’s temporary memory and only dynamic files have to be retrieved. Obviously, this doesn’t help on a first visit but, with browser caching enabled, subsequent visits will be quicker. For WordPress websites, W3 Total Cache is a free plugin to look for. Others just require a simple code addition.
Part 6: Resolve Plugin Conflicts
This WordPress-specific advice is based on the reality that a lot of site owners install plugins that they never update or even use. Considering the third-party nature of these bits of software, it should be no surprise that they don’t always play nice together — they weren’t intended to. If your WordPress website is slow or buggy, one of the first actions to take is to uninstall any plugins you aren’t using. After that, turn what’s left off one at a time and check site speed. There’s a good chance you’ll find one of the culprits to slow loading.
Final Thoughts
The state of technology today is such that people expect (even if it’s not a reasonable standard) a website to load in three seconds or less. A clean, fast-loading experience will go a long ways towards creating loyal customers and more revenue, which are both good things to shoot for as an online entrepreneur. Keep in mind that the process is iterative. There’s no magic wand that will turn your site into a speed burner. Small actions taken methodically, such as the ones described, should, over time, move you incrementally closer to that three second target. Good luck and thanks for reading.
Member author Gary Stevens is a front end developer. He’s a full time blockchain geek and a volunteer working for the Ethereum foundation as well as an active Github contributor.
by Harshala | Sep 14, 2018 | Industry News
Why Your Business Needs a Mobile App?
More and more small and midsize businesses are following the mobile trend, understanding that an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile-friendly website. These days you’ll notice that many small businesses you interact with in your everyday life have their own dedicated mobile app. These companies are ahead of the game when it comes to taking their marketing to the next level.
Here are 7 reasons of why your business needs a mobile App.
Speaking of apps, here are some of those we have found useful. Perhaps you rely on others. Please post yours in the comments.
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by Harshala | Sep 7, 2018 | Content Strategy, Industry News, State of the Web
What is Virtual Reality?
The computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors. The definition of virtual reality comes, naturally, from the definitions for both ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’. The definition of ‘virtual’ is near and reality is what we experience as human beings. So the term ‘virtual reality’ basically means ‘near-reality’. This could, of course, mean anything but it usually refers to a specific type of reality emulation.
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by Mark | Aug 31, 2018 | Web Security
Another week, another data breach
As we develop web sites and APIs, we need to keep security in mind. I know this is obvious, but it is also something often overlooked. It is not glamorous. It is not something that has perceived value by many in management. That is, until there is a security breach and associated bad publicity. Security vulnerabilities come in many different guises. Many have one thing in common – they were addressed many years ago. Yet, we often keep making the same mistakes on sites. We know how to fix many of these. We simply have not forced the idea that security must be incorporated into all our work processes. Just look at the OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities. Sure there are differences between the 2013 and 2017 versions, but there are many similarities as well. Cross site scripting remains a threat (as does SQL injection and many other vulnerabilities).
We all need to be thinking about security as we develop web applications. However, those teaching application development need to stress this in every project assigned. Unless security becomes ingrained in our application development process we will continue to repeat the mistakes of the past. And. Data breaches will continue.
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by Harshala | Aug 24, 2018 | Uncategorized
What is World Wide Access or Accessible Web Design?
The World Wide Web has rapidly become the dominant Internet tool, combining hypertext and multimedia to provide a network of educational, governmental, and commercial resources. Because of the multimedia nature of the web and the poor design of some websites, many Internet users cannot access the full range of resources. Some visitors cannot see graphics, cannot hear audio, cannot operate a mouse, uses slow Internet connections and modems or equipment that cannot easily download large files, or have difficulty navigating sites that are poorly organized with unclear directions because they have learning disabilities, speak English as a second language, or are younger than the average user.
What is Accessible Design?
Accessible design is a design process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. Accessibility sometimes refers to the characteristic that products, services, and facilities can be independently used by people with a variety of disabilities.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops and maintains the protocols used on the web to insure interoperability to promote universal access. The W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has proposed guidelines for all web authors.
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by Harshala | Aug 17, 2018 | Content Strategy, Web Content
What is Information Architecture?
Information architecture is the practice of deciding how to arrange the parts of something to be understandable. It is in the websites we use, the apps and software we download, the printed materials we encounter, and even the physical places we spend time in.
A good Information Architecture helps people to understand their surroundings and find what they’re looking for – in the real world as well as online. Practicing information architecture involves facilitating the people and organizations we work with to consider their structures and language thoughtfully.
Information architecture (IA) focuses on organizing, structuring, and labeling content in an effective and sustainable way. The goal of IA is to help users find information and complete tasks. To do this, we users need to understand how the pieces fit together to create the larger picture, how items relate to each other within the system.
As many students (and teachers) begin a new term this month, we thought it would be helpful to review some of these fundamental tenants. It is always a good idea to focus on the basics and make certain we have a solid foundation.
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by Harshala | Aug 10, 2018 | Content Strategy, Semantic Web, Web Content
What is Semantic Markup mean?
Semantics is the study of language meaning – the words used to communicate. Semantic markup should be used in web pages we create and modify.
In our technology world we use semantic language. Semantic HTML is the use of HTML markup to reinforce the meaning of the information in webpages and web applications rather than merely to define its presentation or look. Semantic HTML is processed by traditional web browsers as well as by many other user agents.
For HTML it is the tags we use to mark a document up. Markup is how a web document is created, or the way you write a document using the language available to you. For most web documents this is still HTML, so it is how you write the content you want to display using HTML.
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by Harshala | Aug 3, 2018 | Employment Issues, Job and Resume Tips from the Pros
What work skills can make you more marketable to employers in 2018?
Change is always constant. So naturally, the job skills that employers look for in new hires change from year to year. It’s one of the best ways for companies to stay competitive and ahead of the never-ending curve. According to Julie Friedman Steele, board chair and CEO at World Future Society “The workplace moves rapidly and employers need workers who stay current.” That means you need to consistently improve your skills and develop new ones.
Here are 7 work skills most employers look for –
- Problem solving
- Data analytics
- Social media literacy
- Creativity
- Resiliency
- Good business sense
- Willingness to learn
This list comes from a good article covering 7 work skills which make you more marketable to employers in 2018. Note that most of these relate to non-technical skills. Those are assumed these days.
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by Mark | Jun 8, 2018 | State of the Web, Web Design, Web Development, Web Pro Education, web standards
In a couple of weeks, we will be holding our 15th national web design competition in Louisville, KY. This involves competitors from many states at both the high school and post-secondary level. We spend a significant amount of time and money every year making certain this competition happens. Why do we do it? Sure, this is an opportunity for competitors to showcase their best work. It is also our opportunity to reinforce industry “best practices” in a field which is constantly changing. The main reason we do this is that we are influencing (and improving) the careers of these competitors.
Many changes made to our 15th annual competition
We have made a number of changes in our web design contest this year. For example, we will be bringing a server and network to Louisville. Competitors will each have their own container on the server (a sandbox where they can showcase their work, but other competitors can not see their work). Judges will be reviewing competitors work on Wednesday and Thursday evening. We have outlined both our server environment and network on our Web Design Contest site.
We are helping students prepare for jobs in our field
No, really, why do we do this? To paraphrase the old question “how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.” Over many years, we have observed that many students struggle to identify and learn what is important in web design and development. Many do not have the opportunity to take formal classes (this is especially true in nigh schools). In some cases, when formal classes are offered, the materials covered are outdated. By participating in this competition, students learn what is expected in today’s business environment (with respect to web design and development). Practice is important along with the need to test your knowledge and skills against others. Competition brings out the best. Students are exposed to a formal interview (by practicing web professionals). We provide hours of training before the competition on many aspects of web design and development. In many cases, this is one opportunity that students have to interact with web professionals and learn what will be expected of them. While our time with competitors is brief, we do help them better understand what is happening in the industry today. Sure, technical knowledge is important, but process, teamwork, communication and related “soft skills” can make all the difference when dealing with clients. this is why we stress these aspects as well.
We are what we do. And how often we do it. And how we respond to feedback and suggestions for improvement on our work. These students have decided they want to pursue a career in web design and development. By focusing on current practices with web design and development, we are reinforcing knowledge and skills that students need to succeed in our industry. Students also have an opportunity to test what they think they know and see how it stacks up against others throughout our nation. This is why we do this competition every year. It is our opportunity to affect the lives of aspiring web professionals and get them started properly. Sure, there can only be one winning team at the high school level and another winning team at the post-secondary level. But every team participating is exposed to rigor and concepts they may not receive elsewhere. Every participant gets the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge.We often receive feedback after the competition that it was a lot of fun and a great learning experience.
International competitor also being chosen
We are also selecting a competitor to represent the U.S. in the next international web design and development competition (to be held in Kazan, Russia in 2019). In order to be considered for this honor, these competitors had to first win our national competition and were involved in a lengthy selection process. Two finalists will be competing in Louisville. One will be selected to represent the U.S. at WorldSkills 2019.
We bring a number of web professionals from different parts of the U.S. to Louisville to help run the two day competition (and provide an additional day of training). We also have judges reviewing competitor work remotely. All projects are uploaded to a web server and judges review aspects of this work with an emphasis on their expertise. For example, we have judges who specialize in UX/UI focus on those aspects on projects submitted by competitors. We have judges focus on graphics, type and related aspects and so forth. Competitors receive general feedback as to what they did well and those areas where they need to improve. In many cases, this is the only feedback they have received on their work.
Good, fast, cheap – pick any two
During our competition, we ask competitors to focus on getting things done quickly. We also ask they spend time creatively solving the problems presented. While we are not always successful, we try to focus on doing things the correct way (including comments in your code and properly naming variables, for example). Sure, it will take a little more time up front, but competitors will be able to submit work which is easier to maintain. Rather than spending money, competitors spend a more valuable resource – time – to complete the work orders they receive.
Comments and observations will be posted on our Web Design Contest site soon after the competition concludes later this month. We will be posting via social media channels during the event.
Are you willing to help our profession?
For those reading this, we are always in need of additional judges. It only requires a few hours of your time. You get the opportunity to see directly what high school and post-secondary competitors are capable of producing these days. You also have the opportunity to provide general feedback to these competitors (and many others reading your summary comments). If you are able to devote a few hours of your time on the evenings of June 27 and 28, please contact us. You will be amazed at how greatly a little of your valuable time helps aspiring web professionals become more successful.
Best always,
Mark DuBois
Community Evangelist and Executive Director
by Mark | Jun 1, 2018 | Industry News, WebProfessionals.org News
We suspect you have received more than your share of GDPR related notifications in the past couple of weeks. Rather than send out another email on the subject, we thought it might be worthwhile addressing the issue in our weekly post. You have thoroughly reviewed every email you received with GDPR in the subject line, haven’t you? We thought not. For those who are not familiar with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) [which took effect May 25, 2018], we recommend a quick review of the GDPR and you site. For those who need a reminder – Web Professionals (official business name World Organization of Webmasters) does not retain much in the way of personal information to begin with. We always take requests regarding data seriously and make every effort to keep said data secure.
Minors
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Information we collect
As with many websites, we collect basic information about all visitors. This may include the date and time of your access, your IP (Internet Protocol) address, the website you visited before arriving at WebProfessionals.org and the website you go to when you leave our website. We track your operating system, screen resolution, and browser details. This is automatically collected. Such data is only used for high level analysis (unless you are trying to hack our website – in which case, such information will be provided to appropriate law enforcement).
We may use cookies and local storage to keep track of your session on our website. You can disable this in your browser if you do not want to have a customized experience when you visit our site.
You may initiate transactions on our website which involve credit cards, debit cards, online payment services and similar financial mechanisms. During those transactions, we will collect some information (such as your email address) and billing address so we can contact you in the event of questions. We do not store your credit card details (only a transaction code).
What we do with your information
We use the information collected to run our business. For example, we periodically send email news to our members. We use the email address you provided when signing up as a member to accomplish that. We do not provide customer data to third parties without your permission. You always have the option to opt out of any of our mailings.
There is one exception. We may (at our discretion) provide your information to law enforcement (or related government agencies) in the event of fraud investigations or other suspected illegal activities.
Login Credentials
Members create a username and password to access some restricted areas of our website. We recommend periodically changing your password (and keeping it long and complex). Your password is encrypted in our data stores and backups. We have no way of telling you what your password is. If necessary, we can issue you a new one (once you have properly identified yourself).
We also recommend logging out when you are finished reviewing that part of our website. If you are extremely concerned about this, we also recommend closing your browser when you leave our site.
Questions
If you ever have questions about what we do with any data collected or wish to have personal information removed from our data stores, please contact us.
As a member supported (and not for profit) organization, we take our responsibility to safeguard any information you provide as safely as possible. We have not (and will not) sell any of this collected information to any third party.
Best always,
Mark DuBois
Community Evangelist and Executive Director
