Articles by: Michael Alexander
Deciding to Become a Freelancer is Easy, the Hard Part Comes the Day After
April 4, 2009 by Michael Alexander
Becoming a freelance designer or writer is so easy my elderly father’s girlfriend, who also is 80-ish and who doesn’t have a clue what freelancers do, could set up shop within 24 hours, including the time it would take to hang a shingle outside the door of her condo and get her business cards printed. The fact is, anyone can become a freelancer. The trick is making a living doing it. If you’ve been successfully working as a freelancer for any length of time, you know what I mean.... [Continue reading this tutorial]
Plug into Smartphones and Use Google Analytics to Track Your Traffic
March 9, 2009 by Michael Alexander
The growing popularity of smartphones, and of mobile computing in general, is already starting to change the way visitors interact with your site. It’s not too soon to start laying out the blueprint for a version of your site designed expressly for pocket-sized screens. Times may be tough, but the smartphone market isn’t hurting because of it. According to market researcher, NPD Group, 23 percent of cellphones sold in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2008 were smartphones. That’s... [Continue reading this tutorial]
Use Infographics to Help Readers Visualize Data
March 6, 2009 by Michael Alexander
I’m a fan of GOOD, a site that is “a collaboration of individuals, businesses and nonprofits…who have been making a magazine, videos and events for people who give a damn.” One of the things I like about the site is its use of infographics to explain complex ideas. If you’ve ever looked at an issue of USA Today, you’ll know what infographics are about. [Continue reading this tutorial] Read More →
WordPress Plugins Everyone Should Try at Least Once
March 6, 2009 by Michael Alexander
Is there anyone who has tried WordPress and not liked it? I’m fond of WordPress because it’s relatively easy to use and highly customizable with themes and plugins. There are something like 4,200 plugins in the wild! I figured I’d give you a list of plugins I like to use. First things first, make sure you’re running an up-to-date version of WordPress. [Continue reading this tutorial] Read More →
Tools for Monitoring a Website’s Popularity
February 27, 2009 by Michael Alexander
Six Revisions, a blog for Web designers and developers, has a good piece called “15 Tools for Monitoring a Website’s Popularity.” Web metrics give you insight into how many people visit your site each day, where they came from, what they were looking for, whether you succeeded in achieving your goal — a purchase, download, registration or other objective. There’s a lot more to it than that, which is why I’m pointing you to the post. Jacob Gube, who writes Six Revisions,... [Continue reading this tutorial]
If You Use WordPress, Put a Premium on Your Themes
February 19, 2009 by Michael Alexander
When I launched my first blog about 3 years ago, I used a free WordPress theme called “Cutline,” designed by Chris Pearson. At the time, it was among the most-downloaded free themes available for WordPress. It’s a terrific-looking theme and it was designed with the reader in mind. Cutline uses plenty of white space, which makes pages more accessible; it’s easily customizable; the typography is just right for reading online; and it puts usability and clarity ahead of frou-frous.... [Continue reading this tutorial]
