http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/ en Copyright 2010 Thu, 06 May 2010 19:58:37 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 14 tips for Twitter contests that build followers and brand visibility]]> Deconstructing a Threadless twitter contest to learn from it. Great ideas for Twitter contests. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/14_tips_for_twitter_contests_t.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/14_tips_for_twitter_contests_t.php marketing Thu, 06 May 2010 19:58:37 -0500 How to Turn Humdrum Photos into Cinematic Portraits ]]> Yes, I know the style is overdone but it has many techniques in here that are very useful for more stylized portraits. Until it starts looking "so 2009", anyway. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/how_to_turn_humdrum_photos_int.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/how_to_turn_humdrum_photos_int.php adobe Thu, 06 May 2010 19:55:21 -0500 Did Your Boss Thank You For Coding Yourself to Death? ]]> Fantastic quote: "I can see the necessity of occasionally putting in some extra effort and burning the midnight oil at work for a day or two. But when "occasionally" turns to "often", when your boss stops thanking you profusely for your efforts and just treats it as norm, this is when we're all in trouble. It sets bad expectations, not just for you, for the whole industry." http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/did_your_boss_thank_you_for_co.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/05/06/did_your_boss_thank_you_for_co.php business Thu, 06 May 2010 07:37:23 -0500 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know]]> today's tweet, a good once-over for those who actually still want their information and interactions to be private. Which apparently makes us quaint, mondo adorable (do people still say mondo?) dinosaurs with no real understanding of how the intertubes work. Mmmmkay, but I'd still rather keep some things just between myself & friends, y'know? Is it really just me? Am I a dinosaur? Your thoughts welcome.]]> http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/29/10_privacy_settings_every_face.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/29/10_privacy_settings_every_face.php community netculture Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:52:45 -0500 Best User Interface Design Resources ]]> B&A in there which hasn't updated since January (why?) but there are some must-haves, some new-to-mes and some cool apps listed in there as well. Kuler rocks. Some questionable choices, though - Twitter? An uneven list but some gold to mine.]]> http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/best_user_interface_design_res.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/best_user_interface_design_res.php UX Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:41:09 -0500 Web Standards for E-books ]]> The indefatigable Joe Clark takes on the concepts of HTML, HTML5, and e-book publishing's future. I tend to agree with his basic premise: that HTML, for all its shortcomings, is quite simply the format for delivering text, transforming text, and distributing text that continues to win out all others. And it, of course, is why I continue to be in love with Berners-Lee. He made my job, my life, possible. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/web_standards_for_ebooks.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/web_standards_for_ebooks.php books html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:34:55 -0500 How to Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment: 10 No-Brainers]]> Why is it when you compile a list of such seemingly obvious and innocuous methods to increase conversions, you suddenly realize just how many retailers don't follow these practices? The statistic: "23% of shoppers will abandon when asked to register before checking out." I've heard that a million times before, yet how many sites allow guest checkout, or even better - allows the user to register MUCH LATER in the checkout process? And persistent shopping carts are, IMO, a must-have; it's horrifying how many retailers fail to implement them. I've personally changed my mind on dozens of products because two days later when I went back to finish the sale, my cart was empty. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/how_to_reduce_shopping_cart_ab.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/12/how_to_reduce_shopping_cart_ab.php ecommerce marketing UX Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:45:46 -0500 Inline Validation: Can It Improve Conversion? ]]> Such a simple thing to make such a marked improvement. Behooves us all to remember that sometimes the Big Hairy solution isn't the thing that will make the user's experience - and conversions, by extension - better. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/09/inline_validation_can_it_impro.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/09/inline_validation_can_it_impro.php UX Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:34:34 -0500 Driven to Distraction ]]> "A month isn't 30 days. It's 30 todays." Liked that quote. I also liked the idea of getting rid of WE. And I've always loved the Don't Worry About Your Competition rule - it's one of the best to ensure you're innovating, not following. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/07/driven_to_distraction.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/07/driven_to_distraction.php business Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:31:20 -0500 Warren Ellis on space travel]]> Robb.]]> http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/07/warren_ellis_on_space_travel.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/07/warren_ellis_on_space_travel.php space Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:52:20 -0500 Log usability tests like a pro ]]> Brilliant solution to a usability test shorthand that lets you actually find a way to manage the data coming in, stay focused, and produce a very quick report (and beginnings of a bug fix list!) afterwards. With samples - always a nice extra. http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/05/log_usability_tests_like_a_pro.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/04/05/log_usability_tests_like_a_pro.php UX Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:56:51 -0500 Marketing: Social Media vs Banner Advertising ]]> best irrelevant (would you ever put any OTHER kind of irrelevant content on your web site? No? Then why devote so much ad space to it?) and at worst detracting from the content you've spent so much time creating. Hello? Common sense.]]> http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/marketing_social_media_vs_bann.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/marketing_social_media_vs_bann.php advertising marketing Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:59:00 -0500 Are You Willing To Strike Out? ]]> Loved this line: "Most people want to hit home runs, the problem is they are afraid to fail in order to get there. As Babe Ruth proved, you can't have one without the other. " http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/are_you_willing_to_strike_out.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/are_you_willing_to_strike_out.php business entrepreneur Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:44:36 -0500 Packrati.us = Twitter + Delicious ]]> That's just brilliant. Packrati trolls your Twitter feed and, when you post a link, it will automatically enter it into your Delicious account. It will even explode out snipped URLs (owly, bitly etc) to the end link and convert hashes into tags. Nice! http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/packratius_twitter_delicious.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/30/packratius_twitter_delicious.php tools Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:41:06 -0500 Information Architects Are From Venus, SEOs Are From Mars ]]> Given how many companies I've consulted with whose SEO-firm approved IAs were truly heinous, I'd have to agree. No, I don't think every SEO firm makes for a bad web site. But all too often getting #1 on Google supercedes - often to an incredibly damaging extent - the web site's ability to provide findable information and utility for its readers/users. As I've said a million times to clients, what GOOD is a #1 web site on Google if your potential customers/readers/clients can't find what they're looking for? http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/29/information_architects_are_fro.php http://www.angiemckaig.com/links/2010/03/29/information_architects_are_fro.php UX Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:10:21 -0500