106 Questions to Ask Before Building a Website

Ask yourself 106 non-technical questions before building your next website, and you’ll make it better. The goal is to spark a dialogue between client, developer and your internal group; and create a mutual understanding of how your site will work, and the features you need to achieve business objectives.

We compiled these questions from our own development process, clients and best practices of the industry.

The white paper is available free at 106 Questions to Ask Before Building a Website. We hope it helps you avoid expensive mistakes.

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Ideopia Toots Up Valves in New Website

We had the wonderful, nerd-salivating experience of re-building a website from scratch for Cincinnati’s Jordan Valve. The company is a top-tier industrial valve provider with offices in China and distribution in 120 other countries, but that certainly wasn’t reflected with their web presence.

The challenge was multifaceted: The first goal was to create a site that would immediately distinguish Jordan Valve from its competitors. Secondly, the architecture of the new site was greatly simplified to boost SEO and speed.

Looking to the future, we chose a content management system (CMS) powerful enough to accommodate future websites of Jordan Valve’s sister companies. The CMS reduces the cost of day-to-day maintenance and future development. To give you a rough idea of what we accomplished, here are the before and after photos of the home page.

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Are Smartphones Making Us Crazy?

It’s official: We’re all going insane thanks to smartphones. The very technology designed to make our lives easier is doing the exact opposite.

A recent study from the University of Worcester, U.K., revealed that as smartphone use increased, so did stress levels. And those who compulsively checked their phones were plagued by “phantom” vibrations when no message was received.

Profession surprisingly had no correlation to stress levels. So just because public relations and advertising positions rank among the most stressful jobs in America, smartphones probably aren’t to blame. But they’re not helping, either.

So, has your mobile phone become another appendage, or have you fought the urge to meld with mobile? For us, we’re cautiously optimistic about the study. After all, it didn’t dissuade us from developing Ideopia’s mobile web site.

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Why Google+ is Good for Business

Google+ has evolved from a curiosity to a necessity for business. One of the most pragmatic reasons is that participation in Google+ boosts your company’s search engine rankings.

An informal study by Rand Fishkin, CEO of SEOmoz, seems to support the conclusion. After distributing links to a blog post on other major social media platforms, Google+ received the most clickthroughs.

Major companies, like Pepsi, Macy’s and Toyota have committed serious resources to Google+, betting it will plus-size their profits. That’s why we suggest getting out in front while the competition is still relatively low.

Launched in July 2011, Google+ was designed to dethrone Facebook. The debate has raged among SEOs, social media experts and marketers about the ultimate relevance of Google+. The conclusion? You have to join us.

To open a Google business page, you must first have a personal Google account, which configures quickly with just an email address.

Installing Google+ is a breeze. Just add a scrap of code from Google that your developer can place on your web page. Like our site? Show your love by hitting the Google+ icon at the bottom of the page.

Read more about Google+ on Ideopia’s Wavybrainy blog.

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Ideopia Celebrates Squirrel Appreciation Day

Because we’re the only ad agency with a spokessquirrel, it’s only fitting we celebrated Squirrel Appreciation Day in style. We tried to catch up with Dano for a quote on his big day, but unfortunately, he guzzled too much acorn juice and passed out. So instead, here are some quirky facts about squirrels you probably didn’t know:

• A newborn eastern grey squirrel weighs about as much as two quarters.
• The world’s largest squirrel? The 3-foot-long Ratufa jumps 20 to 30 feet without breaking a sweat.
• Before migrating, squirrels typically gather in the thousands. No one knows why.
• Squirrels roam everywhere except Australia, Madagascar and the polar regions.
• Squirrels are adept swimmers and cross lakes and rivers with ease. Take that, Michael Phelps.
• Squirrels can always see you without moving their heads, unless you’re in front of them. Their eyes allow them to see above, below and behind themselves, but they have to cock their heads to the side to look forward.

Hungry for more about our spokessquirrel? Check out Dano’s bio and find out how this Argentinian native found his home on Ideopia’s public relations team.

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Invasion of the Social Media Snatchers

Who owns your Twitter or Facebook followers? Are you sure?

Tweeting on behalf of an employer or trolling for new business through LinkedIn could get your accounts snatched. Two companies are suing former employees over the issue. Both cases are still winding through the halls of justice.

At stake is who really owns a personal Twitter or LinkedIn account, when it’s used to rustle up new business or spew company talking points.

Mobile phone site Phonedog.com says a former employee’s 17,000 Twitter followers are actually a customer list. Training company Edcomm tried to argue that its employee’s LinkedIn account was a trade secret—even though she had the account prior to working there.

“Watch out for sour grapes,” isn’t the only moral of this story. Employers beware: when people move on, their social media accounts may too. Working stiffs need to be cautious as well. When you change jobs, you might not be able to take your Twitter friends with you. Keep an eye on the courts!

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Does Your Company Need a Social Media Policy?

Most of us use Facebook and we Tweet. Heck, most of us are doing it while at work. So what’s your company’s policy on social media? Here’s how some corporations handle it:

• If Dell employs you, you're encouraged to use social media, but you better disclose where you work. And use spellcheck! If your account features Dell branding, you probably don't own it, including all the contacts. If you don't follow the PC giant's policies, you may need to find a new job.
• If you work at the Mayo Clinic, feel free to Tweet, just don't let it distract you from work. Also, don't "friend" any patients and make sure you write in the first person, not on behalf of the organization.
• Part of the team at Ford Motor Company? Use common sense. Don't share privileged information and don't speculate on future products. You speak for yourself, but your actions reflect on Ford. And also: The Internet remembers, and it's virtually impossible to take something back, so keep that in mind.

There’s still a lot of grey area when it comes to social media, but each day more and more companies adopt policies to cover themselves and their employees. Have you noticed any social media snafus at your workplace?

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Find Inspiration in 5 Easy Steps

We’ve all had those moments when we stare blankly at the monitor, desperately scavenging the depths of our brains for any kernel of inspiration. Here are 5 ways to spark creativity and brush aside those murky feelings:

1. Blog posts are a goldmine for inspiration because they usually offer the writer’s unique perspective on a subject. There’s no better place to discover a fresh look at a mundane topic.
2. Don’t forget comments on blog posts. Sometimes they’re more valuable than the story. On active blogs, commenters share their own ideas and links that can take you in a new direction.
3. Music is an often-overlooked source for inspiration. Everything from song lyrics to album titles to guitar riffs can stimulate creativity.
4. Go outside and reunite with nature. Whether you go for a run, a hike or a stroll around the block, you’ll get your blood pumping and thoughts flowing.
5. Get social with friends, co-workers, Tweeps or your favorite Barista. A good conversation is the perfect way to hear new ideas and brew up some inspiration.

What do you do when you need a creativity boost? Let us know on Facebook.

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