Slick graphics can be attractive and have better impact. Fine, but the benefits of using text rich website with minimal images far outweigh the advantages of using lots of images. Web searches are mainly based upon – content, a bit more content, a little more content, and more & more content ! The speed of a Website is of paramount importance to visitors. There is less than 15 seconds to capture their attention and convince them to look further. If the Web page takes longer than 25 seconds to load, a potential customer/visitor will be lost.
Slow loading web pages can also cause a website to be downgraded by the Search Engines.
Hence folks, use images judiciously – they should only be used if they relate and support the Web Page content.
Given are a few factors to consider when optimizing Images on your website:

Naming:
Giving images a suitable file name will help search engines track and determine content, especially for Image specific searches. For example, an image in a Coffee shop website can be named “Hot cup of coffee.jpg”, rather than “ABC4.jpg”.

Quality and size of the image:
Image size is directly proportionate to the quality of that image. Here lies the greatest dilemma of every web designer/ UI designer, since low quality images decrease load time, but detract from the visual feel required and high quality images look great, but cause pages to load slowly. For large Images, it is best to place a small thumbnail Image next to the description, and then link it to a high quality Image.

Image compression:
Lossy and Lossless are the 2 basic types of compression methods.. Lossy compression creates smaller files by discarding some information about the original image. It removes details and color changes it deems too small for the human eye to differentiate. Lossless compression, on the other hand, never discards any information about the original file.
Currently, for the web there are three main image format types to choose from and all have their advantages and disadvantages. The 3 different compressed image formats are GIF, JPEG and PNG. They each use different techniques to compress the image information.

Image tagging (ALT Text):
An ALT text (the words/text that pops up when the user places the mouse over an image) that describes the image should be included for all images. Using the ALT text to make the image user-friendly – and describe what the Image is depicting.
Search engines understand the image content and context due to the alt text given to images in a web page which in turn allows more targeted traffic via text searches and image searches. If an image is used as a link, the ALT text must be used.
Only relevant Keywords should be put into the ALT text of Images since the contents of the ALT text can affect the search engine ranking and the ALT text may appear in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) listings.

In no particular order, here are 12 points that broadly define website eye tracking:

1.Headlines draw eyes before pictures. This might be surprising for some people since the trend has been to add photos and graphics specifically to draw the eye.
But the participants of a eye tracking study looked at headlines, especially in the upper left of the page, before they looked at photos when they landed on a page. So you can’t rely on eye candy to make up for poor headlines.

2. People scan the first couple words of a headline. Yes, long headlines can work. But this study suggests that people scan the first few words before deciding whether to continue reading. This means you should front-load your headlines with the most interesting and provocative words. It’s also an argument for getting your keywords up front in headlines.

3. People scan the left side of a list of headlines. This is related to the previous point. When presented with a list of headlines or links, people will scan down the left side, looking at the first couple words, to find something they’re interested in. They don’t necessarily read each line beginning to end. The implication is the same as before. Get your most mind catching words up front.

4. Your headline must grab attention in less than 1 second. Online readers are grazers. They move fast and nibble. If you want to hook them into spending time reading about something, you have to catch their attention very, very fast.
No nonsense. No unending copy. No “throat clearing” to fill space. You have to get to the point instantly.

5. Smaller type promotes closer reading. This makes sense because smaller type is harder to read. So, to read it, you have to really focus. Larger type promotes scanning rather than reading.
Be careful with this one. No one is suggesting you shrink your web type to make it barely legible. I think the takeaway is to avoid making your type too big if you want close reading and avoid making it too small if you want to communicate rapidly.

6. Navigation at the top of the page works best. I find this interesting from a design point of view since many sites now use side navigation. I take this one with a pinch of salt, since studies also shows that side navigation can work fine.
The point may be that anything at the top of a page will be seen immediately. And since top navigation must be simple because of space limits, its probably much simpler to use.

7. Short paragraphs encourage reading. No surprise here. Even in print this is true. Big blocks of type look imposing and difficult, like reading a thesis where a paragraph goes on seemingly forever.
In online writing as in most ad writing, you have to forget normal paragraph development. Breaks should be logical, but they’re organized into a flow of ideas rather than distinct paragraphs.

8. Introductory paragraphs enjoy high readership. Just to be clear, an intro paragraph is a content summary that appears after the headline and before the main text. It’s common in some news writing.
The downside is that while intros get read, some studies says they don’t affect readership of the main text. Maybe they help improve comprehension.

9. Ad placement in the top and left positions works best. The eye tends to start in the upper left of a page. So an ad, or anything else, in that area will be noticed.
This is another one you have to be wary of. Ad blindness tends to happen when people get used to seeing ads in a particular place. So even the prime upper left area won’t work so well if you always put ads there.

10. People notice ads placed close to popular content. Obviously. This mimics the well-known idea in the offline world where ads are placed anywhere eyeballs point.
This is why ads right over a urinal work. Men look straight ahead, usually at a blank wall
12 inches from their face when standing at a urinal, so any reading material there will get read. 

11. People read text ads more than graphic ads. Not everyone will agree with this one. But it makes sense if you consider that information is usually in the form of text. So people looking for information are looking for text, not pictures.
However, graphics can be useful for conveying information that is difficult to communicate in pure text, such as how something looks, mathematical information, before and after comparisons, etc.
Which leads us to the last tactic.

12. Multimedia works better than text for unfamiliar or conceptual information. Reading relies on people having some understanding of the subject. The more familiar they are with the subject, the faster and easier reading is.
For example, if you’re trying to describe a process, a video or illustration conveys this information better than text.

Hope this info helps you GRAB EYEBALLS. Ciao!

Why was it that all the students from the same design college, same degree with the same graphic design lessons did not come up with equally remarkable work?
Today I want you all to help me clear this confusion… when so many people are going through the same educational process, why only few succeed to come up
with extraordinary creations?

In my opinion it’s the gifted spark which is possessed by few people. I’ve heard the argument so many times that art can be learned, but I think people
with the natural artistic sense can only succeed. The vast information available on net has made it easy for folks (without any sense of design and
aesthetics) to claim themselves as graphic designers. A non artistic person can be taught about designing but I don’t honestly think they can truly create an exceptional design.

I strongly believe that design lessons and degrees can develop one’s skills to a certain level of perfection but if someone lacks the imaginative talent,
he can’t be a successful designer. There are so many people who have successfully obtained their designer degrees from top colleges who can become “good”
designers, but will never be “great”. If there’s not at least some of that innate thing we call “talent” though, there is no way to get it.

However, many people strongly believe that an individual can be whatever he wants to be, no matter if he is not bestowed with any god-given talent, just practise and determination can fill in the space.

How many of you agree that hard work, determination, and motivation are crucial requirements to achieve success, which talent cannot do?
Well, my vote goes for “Talent”…let’s see how you guys have valid points to prove your opinion.
Until next time, Ciao!

The biggest benefit about Social Media especially for small to mid size companies is that for the first time ever, the playing field has been leveled.With old media tactics it was the large companies that had the most money to spend, would win every single time. They would just buy all the ad space on TV, Radio, newspapers, magazines and every place the consumer was located. That is no longer the case.

Consumers are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other Social Sites. They are having conversations on a daily basis. These conversations are FREE so anyone can engage them. You don’t have to have a massive marketing budget to reach your potential customers. All you need is time and engaging content.

Provide value on these sites and you will be able to reach a large new audience that you never had the chance to reach before.

A new study released by enterprise wiki provider Wetpaint and theAltimeter Group shows that the brands(Irrespective of size) most engaged in social media are also experiencing higher financial success rates than those of their non-engaged peers.
Some tips to bear in mind:
* You don’t have to leverage every social media vehicle; find one that helps you best connect with your audience.
* Build a presence and use it to engage followers, customers, etc. with special promotions – and don’t forget to ask for feedback.
* Find the right voice for your social media efforts; a passionate employee is best in this role, not necessarily the most senior.
* Keep it up! Starting to use a social media site and then dropping the ball does nothing for brand image.

Good luck in your social media involvement and branding efforts, and until next time, Ciao!