Have you ever been to a website that loaded very slowly? Did that website have some images that loaded abnormally slow, even though they weren’t that large in size? The reason for that may be that the images were re-sized improperly, most likely with a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) webpage editor such as Adobe Dreamweaver. This problem could have been avoided if the images were optimized.
Adobe Dreamweaver is a very powerful webpage editor that can be used to customize just about everything on your website, including specifying or adjusting the resolution of your images. When you click on an image you have inserted into Dreamweaver, you get the properties window, which allows you to specify the size of the image (resolution) and a host of other options.
Notice in the the above example the image file size is 4162K. That means it’s about 4162 kilobytes (or about 4 MB) which is very large. Also notice that the W and H (width and height) values are both in bold. That means that the current size of the image (266 x 140) is not the actual size of it (4096 x 2160). If you click on the refresh button next to the image size Dreamweaver will resize the image to the proper size (4096 x 2160).
If you change the size of an image using Dreamweaver’s image properties tab, you will just be changing the image’s resolution and not the actual file size. Using this method to downsize large images will make the images load very slowly.
This is NOT a good method for re-sizing an image for a webpage!
Dreamweaver wasn’t designed to be used for editing images. The purpose of the width and height boxes in the properties tab is to specify a resolution (size) for the image or object you have selected if there are no dimensions specified. A much better way of optimizing images is with Adobe Photoshop.
Using Photoshop to Optimize Images
If you have Adobe Photoshop, then you have the perfect tool for optimizing your images to display on your website. Here are some quick and easy steps to optimize your image in Photoshop:
1. Open the image (File > Open)
2. Re-size the image with the image properties window (Image > Image Size)
Notice at the top of the window where it says “Pixel Dimensions:” that the file size of the downsized image is now 109.3K which is a whole heck of a lot smaller than the original image file size of 25.3 MB.
3. Instead of “Save” or “Save As” use the “Save for Web & Devices” option (File > Save for Web & Devices).
If you look at the top right corner of the Save for Web & Devices window you will see these options:
Most of the time, I alternate between the 70 and 60 quality setting depending on the size of the image. I have set this image to the JPEG High preset, which gives the image 60 quality by default. If you are re-sizing an image for a thumbnail (320 x 240 or below) 60 is a great setting because you won’t see any degradation in quality from the original. I use the 60 quality setting most of the time, unless the image is very large (1024 x 768 or larger).
Original quality vs 60 quality
The original on the left is full quality (no compression) and the optimized on the right is 60 quality. At this smaller size, it’s hard to see any degradation in image quality at the 60 setting. As you can see, the optimized image on the right has an estimated load time of 3 seconds for a 56k dial-up connection. Of course, most users today have cable and other much faster connections, but it’s nice to know that even on the slowest connection, the image still won’t take too long to load.
4. Upload the new and improved image to your website!
Now you’re ready to load the optimized image(s) into Dreamweaver or whichever editor you use for your website.
Video of Image re-sized using Dreamweaver vs. Photoshop Method
As you can see in this video, the image that was optimized using my Photoshop method (on the left) loads a lot faster than the image that was re-sized using only Dreamweaver (on the right). The optimized image loads almost instantaneously!
Trust is one of the hardest things to give to another person in our personal lives let alone in business. However when we do decide to give it, it’s because the person has portrayed themselves in an unquestionably, trustworthy manner or have at least projected some character attributes which tells us it’s worth the risk. But before we ask a client to “ink the deal” they have to measure what’s said & done in dollars and cents and when 5 digits are on the line, they employ a vetting system like the DC Secret Service! Can you blame them?
In website design and branding, gaining and maintaining the trust of a client is ÜBER important. It’s a plastic surgery kinda trust-especially since a company’s website and branding materials are exactly that-their face to the world. If you’re on my side of the pitch table, here are some key points you might contemplate (or employ) before your next prospective or retained client meeting.
Don’t let your competency raise eyebrows! You’ve heard the old cliché come with your “A” game. When you meet a client for the first time, I say come with as many letters between A to Z as possible! Don’t just dress for success but prep for it with research! Know specifics about their industry and who their competitors are. Know about that company’s trends and how it has grown and/or morphed. Know what’s out in worldwide media about them – the good or bad press. Don’t be comfortable telling them what they already know but wow them with something they should know. You’ll have a better chance at gaining their professional trust and ultimately add more In God We Trust’s into your wallet. Engage your client into a dynamic conversation – one that requires Q & A from the BOTH of you. Questions FROM YOU TO your client conveys that their voice is important to you. Not like you don’t know anything but like you want to glean or learn something from them. For some, going in with a “wait till I show you what I can do for you” kind of arrogance can really be a turn off and leave prospective clients feeling less trustworthy of YOUR motivations with THEIR business. Likewise, this applies to repeat customers as well. It’s even more important to talk less and listen more for an ongoing, “worthy of their trust” relationship.
Plug into what’s up with the industry headliners! Who are your clients’ competitors? What are the industry trends of similar/competitor clients and how do you one up them? Their trust of you and your abilities is not just tied to your portfolio of projects but also based on your ability to offer innovative solutions to move them ahead and become industry leaders as opposed to followers.
Say I Do & Mean It! When you give a client an expected date of completion or they’re the one giving you the deadline, MEET IT or DON’T COMMIT! Nothing is worse for a budding business relationship or repeat business than not making it to the finish line. Especially when it’s the first leg of the race! Give reasonable timetables and make sure that if there are hiccups along the way that alter the timeline, communicate with the client before they have to call you.
What’s your rep? Growing up my father continually emphasized that “what people think about you can hurt you”. This has far worse consequences in the working world than the hallways of high school. If you’ve proven to be unreliable, gave shoddy work for good payment or burned professional bridges {or in some other manner} with clients, you might be the butt of a blog instead of the author. Remember, word of mouth can be the best advertising or your worst adversary. What a client thinks of you affects not just your relationship with them today but your future with all others too.
Want better customer retention and loyalty? Start earning it by giving them your best, prove your competency and follow-through with all commitments to show them you value their business and the relationship.
Call to Action: Shoot me a line and tell me – How Do You Measure Up?
Getting creative on websites can sometimes feel constrained due to traditional layouts and verbiage, and most certainly when it comes to navigation bar and menus. Many of us think that we need to have the standard, cookie-cutter menu navigation bars that have become the “norm” for almost all websites. You know the type:
Most are similar in wording and format. I’m not saying that there is anything WRONG with this per se but if you can, know that outside of conventional thinking and web design, you can get creative without compromising easy navigation of your site.
Websites are certainly your worldwide face but even the prettiest of girls can use a little makeup. Sometimes that’s demure or other times an unexpected shocking red lipstick drives home a certain affect. So can your website. Don’t be afraid to try and incorporate some artistic menu design ideas. I had a ball researching some pretty interesting and witty design elements for menu navigations.
I thought this was a great use of the industry-driven design even with the typical wording. Another idea would have been to use the bricks themselves as the navigation bar.
You don’t see many vertical layouts for navigation bars so this really stood out to me. I bet it does the same for the current and prospective clients too!
Most of us would enjoy seeing a fun and innovative menu layout. This one made me comment out loud when I saw it “oh, that’s different”!
Don’t be afraid to use representative artwork and images either with or in-lieu of typical or generic menu names. It gives a personalized look to customary naming conventions.
When to keep it standard vs. using Atypical menu choices
I would say this is probably governed by the industry you’re in. If you are let’s say a law firm, then maybe you wouldn’t use the layout above but creative wording can be your breakout of the blue suit moment. Don’t be afraid to use your thesaurus here as long as you don’t compromise the ease of use and appropriate industry jargon. Example: I’m a recent law school graduate looking to work at “JP Law Firm” and upon reviewing their website, I see a menu item titled “The Brief” (which is a legal term for a written document presented in court arguing why the party to the case should prevail). It would not be a tough leap to guess they were using that instead of “About Us”. It’s a witty play on words which can be a little amusing and personally, I’d be impressed by the break away. Not everything needs to be starched and buttoned up. So with this said:
TGIF! Time for some free stuff! Check out this collection of free web buttons, provided by Sketchdock.com. You can download the collection in .PSD format for easy editing in Adobe Photoshop. Enjoy!
Is it really necessary for a small company to have website? Can I really make SEO work for me?
Can blogging really benefit my company? Is this all just a waste of time and is any of this profitable?
In a very Dr. Phil-ish candidness, you bet your butt they do! And here’s why:
1. I’ve said this to potential clients, current clients, on previous blogs and to my friends…YOU NEED A WEBSITE! Whether you live in a big city or small town, the truth is that most of the world doesn’t know you exist. Unless your business has a product or service that is exclusive to your geographical region, you need to expand not only your mind but also your client list and profit margin. How else can a small company in Nebraska acquire a client in Maine?
2. If you have sneakers, you need laces. Since you need a website, you need SEO. It’s the only way to get higher rankings in the major search engines for your company with limitless advertising. Yes, it can be a little time-consuming at first if doing so yourself (or you can just hire someone to do it…see www.jpdesigntheory.com) but it is worth the time and your dimes. 3. Do you see the visual example of a necessary principle? The more you or someone else writes about your company and services/products exposure expansion & growth.
4. It’s evident from all the market growth and promotion of social media, it is not only big now but it’s here to stay.Customers are savvy enough now to use it to their advantage and that directly benefits your company if you get on board. Especially since customers are utilizing all the tools the worldwide web offers to discuss product/service experiences and research them prior to purchase. In the end, I hope these answers to common questions help you to understand the importance and necessity of websites, SEO and blogging. Can’t wait to see YOU on the www!
This is NOT a good method for re-sizing an image for a webpage! 
