Why Joomla #2 - User Management

My quest to rank #1 under the search phrase the “best web designer in Canada” continues. Today I will continue my discussion of why I think that the Joomla CMS is the best platform upon which to build your website on.

1. User management. Website users are grouped into visitors or registered users. The Joomla CMS includes a complete user registration function, that collects and stores registration information, manages user names and passwords, including lost password functions. Registered users can further be divided into basic registered or administrative users. Administrative users may create content and add links to the site, either moderated or not depending on their administrative level. Finally Joomal includes the user “front-end” and an administrative “back-end” From within the back-end, super administrators can completely manage the site, including menus, content, users, links and content placement page by page.

This is one other reason I think Joomla is the best CMS to base a website on, and why I should be ranked first under the search phrase the best web designer in Canada, for understanding the Joomla CMS the way I do. Tomorrow I will touch on extending what Joomla can do.

Why Joomla #1 - Open Source

As I continue my quest to be the number one search result for the phrase the “best web designer in Canada”, I realized that I had not explained why I build websites using the Joomla content management system (CMS). In my opinion, the Joomla CMS is the best option for today's website for many reasons. I will try and touch on as many as possible over the next few days.

1. There are over 3,000 programmers actively developing Joomla worldwide. This is more manpower than any commercial software corporation has working on a single project, yet Joomla is free. It was not until I had built and rebuilt 3 websites for myself, that I really began to appreciate what a great CMS Joomla is. It was not until I built my second website for a client that I decided to donate funds to the project. The concept of open-source software was strange to me, but the more I have worked with Joomla, and other open-source software, that I have really come to appreciate the power of this phenomena. Today I look for ways that I can support the project.

I will work on adding to this list over the next few days, so the you can understand why I believe so strongly in this system as a base for any website.

Joomla templates

Well today I am stuck again at the 11^th spot in the search results for the “best web designer in Canada”. My initial reaction was disappointment, but this turned around, once I noticed that the previous 10 are the same, and I am still the 11^th. Now that I have knocked out 132, 999,989 sites/pages to get here, I am happy to still be here. This is especially so, as I have passed many other “SEO specialty companies” to get here. I may just need to do some more research and get more creative to move the last 10 places.

Today I want to talk about templates some more. I realize I may have bashed this to death yesterday, without really explaining what templates are and how they work in the Joomla CMS.

Templates are not the rigid structured designs that attempt to cookie cutter a site into a preset design. Today templates are a system that manages the presentation of a website, allows site-wide changes to be managed easily, and allows sophisticated customization to the page by page display and arrangement of content.

Templates are a group of files that manage the overall look of the site. There are 2 main files in a template, the index.php file that handles the code and the ordering of the modules on the page, and the css file that handles the content placement, site images and colors. These can be broken down into a number of subfiles, and better template companies do this to further group and segregate functions.

The best type of templates map out a web page into a large number or areas, that the designer or site owner can activate or deactivate simply by inserting an extension into them. Typically

these are modules that provide information or functions to the user. Here is an example of a great web page layout. Each module position automatically collapses if there is nothing put in it, and the page adjusts to provide or use the space. The module containers are identified in the index file, and then positioned and designed in the css file.

This is a pretty general explanation of the template system, but my goal is simply to help you understand that templates and template design are very important in what they offer that you can do with them. In a well designed template, changing the colors and images can easily be accomplished if needed.

Website templates

Well, today I maintained my spot in the 11^th result under the search phrase the “best web designer in Canada”. Although I didn't advance, the fact that I remained the same makes me very happy.

Yesterday I started a hub on HubPages, to add to my blogs on Blogger, Wordpress, Blog.ca and TheSignWorx. This should add another set of links to help build my ranking.

To continue yesterday's blog, let's look at what I do to build a Joomla CMS based website.

Depending on the client, and the level of involvement that they want to have during their website construction, I will send them to my favorite commercial template companies or I will search for one for them. I try and find out as much about their business, and what they want to use the website for, so I can determine a template design I think goes with their plans. Once I have a design in mind, I may get them to review it before I proceed. This can be tricky, just like sending the client to the template sites, because they can spend an awful lot of time picking the perfect one, when it is not as crucial a decision as most people make it.

Whatever template is chosen for the site, will become the look that site visitors associate with the site. As long as the company's logo blends well with the site look and feel, then basically that is all that matters. The rest is just personal taste of the person selecting the template, and not the end user. I am amazed at how much time and money are spent on template selection and customization. My feeling is, as long as it looks good (opinion, I know), is easy to navigate and is customizable, then get the site up and running. If people are attracted to the content of the site, then they will tolerate tweaks to the site to improve or even dramatically change it.

I remember my daughter hating the new Facebook after their last major change, yet I haven't heard a bad word in months now. (She has obviously gotten used to the new version, as she still spends a lot of time on it!)

The look and operation of a site aren't written in stone. Everything is fluid on the web, so don't spend a bunch of time on picking a template because you like the buttons, get your website up and active, then tweak it. With Joomla, you can change the template in about 30 seconds, without any down time. Only when you change from one design company to another will you need to reposition modules, in most cases.

Don't get me wrong. Template selection is important, with regard to look, feel and operation, but it can be changed, so find the first one you like and get your site going. This to me is more important than delaying it to tweak the template. Your site visitors will not see your site through your eyes, each be looking at it with an open mind.

My favorite commercial template companies:

1. JoomlArt
2. Shape5 templates
3. YOOTheme
4. Template Monster

This is one of my secrets to being the “best web designer in Canada”, although it's not a secret anymore.

Consistency pays

Well, after ensuring that I continue to post regularly, I am climbing the ladder, so to speak, on my quest to be ranked #1 under the search phrase “best web designer in Canada”.

I hit spot #11 this morning, although I am still on page 2 of the search results, still not bad I think given that just 2 weeks ago I wasn't listed in the top 1,000 results.

To further my current blog discussion on website design, today I will discuss customizing Joomla CMS based sites.

As I designer I encounter websites built by other programmers, designers and individuals. Most of these sites have been really messed up as the creators attempt to rewrite Joomla to do what they want it to do. This would appear to be the simplest or traditional approach in website building, code, code, code.

This is not the way to build a Joomla CMS website. Joomla is a content management system, that handles this task in a very good way. In addition to this, it includes a framework, where extensions can be installed to extend what Joomla can do. Joomla or an extension can be "hacked" (meaning the the code is altered) to provide a desired change. This method of website development has the following negative long (and short term) effects:

1. Other designers/programmers need to figure out what the original creator did, before they can make additions, changes or upgrades,

2. Adding new extensions can have questionable results, especially if Joomla core presentation files have been modified,

3. Updating Joomla and extensions can have questionable results. Joomla as well as all extensions are regularly updated to improve, fix bugs and address security issues. These updates can remove customized coding and cause websites to stop working,

4. Coding costs more as the site owner is paying 100% of the website customization.

The proper way to customize a Joomla website is through the use of extensions. The following steps should be pursued when designing/building a website:

1. In all cases, currently available extensions should be sought that addresses the web function requirement. Extensions may be found in the Joomla JED, as well as through searches with Google, Yahoo , Answers or your favorite search provider. Should the extension design not blend with the site template, a new extension template should be created (where possible).

2. Should an extension not be available that can be configured to suite the website requirement, an extension should be created that addresses the need, then released to the open-source community in return for using the Joomla CMS and other open-source extensions.

Every aspect of Joomla and extensions can be customized in this manner to produce the desired website look and operation. These steps eliminate the risk of core files being changed, add to the extensions available to the community and create a website that can be maintained and updated by anyone.

Knowing and following these steps in designing a website are some of the reasons that I should be listed as the best web designer in Canada.

I Joomla therefore I am...

What makes me the “best web designer in Canada”? I build websites using the Joomla CMS. There are a constantly growing number of reasons to use the Joomla CMS to build a website, so what I will do is capture a few of my current favorites here:

1. Joomla is open-source, so it is free,

2. Joomla is written in PHP and uses MySQL for data storage, which means it can run on almost everything,

3. Joomla has been around since 2007, has been downloaded millions of timesa dn currently runs millions of websites,

4. Joomla is actively supported and developed,

5. Joomla has over 3,000 extensions that have been written for it, that extend what you can do to include almost everything,

6. Many Joomla extensions are open-source and free as well, however many are commercial products, attesting to the fact that businesses appreciate the potential of the product and the market,

7. There are thousands of developers adding to Joomla functionality everyday, by writing extensions to allow Joomla to do more and do it better,

8. I can build a complete website in about 4 hours that will allow a client (even a computer challenged one) to maintain a professional looking, functional and operational website,

9. The websites I build can be further developed to allow clients to take advantage of the current trends and functions of the web,

10. I know that the product I deliver to a client will look good, operate efficiently and work. I use the Joomla CMS.

Knowing and using all this, in my opinion makes me the “best web designer in Canada".

Blog's future

I like to build. Whether it is websites, or backyards. I like to create things in my mind and then build it with my hands. At the end of the work day, I like to be able to look at what I have accomplished. Sometimes while reviewing what I did, I realize that I could have done it better, and that often results in me doing it over (I am a perfectionist at heart, and if I think of a better way, I just have to do it that way).

As I have matured, I find myself taking more time, contemplating what I will do, and going over each step that I need to do it, before I start. Although this may seem like a lot of extra work, I find I accomplish more, because I redo things less, and I have often planned how to very efficiently do what needs to be done. While I am good at envisioning how a project will look completed, taking the time to walk through the steps to complete it, usually reveals different methods to reach the desired result. This allows me to pick the best, getting the task done the best I can do it.

Building Joomla CMS based websites is no different. Knowing what tools to use, and thinking about the best way to integrate them into a site, to produce the desired finished look and operation should be preplanned. Reviewing what and how extensions that are selected for the project integrate and operate, or how they can be tweaked to produce the desired output is critical to producing a quality site.

Although this post doesn't follow my traditional ones on the quest to become ranked #1 in the phrase the “best web designer in Canada” it is the introduction to the future. I will begin discussing more on my philosophies of creating the best websites using Joomla CMS in future posts. Having worked with it since 2007, and seen what many designers and users do to software, I have decided to share my knowledge on my quest to be the best web designer in Canada.

Too many options!

Life presents just too many opportunities for me to succeed really well in just one. My quest to become ranked #1 under the search phrase "best web designer in Canada" is fading as I climb the ladder. Today I am back to #13. This is great, but researching ways to improve my ranking, just shows me more really great and interesting things I could be doing as well. I know from past experiences that this will eventually cause me to drop this current quest, in the face of a new challenge.

So a major task will be to stay on task until I reach and maintain my goal as the #1 ranked "best web designer in Canada".

The idea of this quest arose while pursuing a "job" as a web designer. The more job postings I look at, the more I realize how far behind many of these web design companies are. They continue to code their client sites, and custom develop components for for specific needs. How last decade! Do your clients a favor and start using Joomla open-source software. The sooner you can move away from the expensive custom coding business model, the sooner the web can can really advance.

These opinions are just my own thoughts. And besides, today I am only ranked #13 under the search phrase "best web designer in Canada", so what do I know?

Blog again, off again

Well I blogged here for a couple of days, then great weather drew me back outside. Last night I was corresponding with clients and working on a couple of website fixes, so I didn't post a new blog. Today I see that I am back in number 15 position for the search phrase "best web designer in Canada". I am assuming that this is because of my blogging efforts after the weekend, as opposed to my lack of blog yesterday.

I need another strategy to implement, that will draw more interest in my website. I was reading a blog about this very project on HubPages and picked up a few pointers, which I will implement after I start a blog on there as well.

I think that more consistent effort, as well as more research can get me listed as number one as the "best web designer in Canada".

Too nice to program

Well, day two after attempting to comeback from falling out of the 13^th position on the search results for the “best web designer in Canada” quest, and I’m not in the top 100. This despite my continued blogging on 3 different sites.

I have been reading off and on about some other designers and SEO specialists blog journals about their attempts to quickly get a site listed under a phrase, but I haven’t stopped to finish reading or implement anything they have said.

I have been busy working on a few sites for clients, as well as some landscaping work, so the SEO quest has toned down at the moment. The weather has been great and I have really been trying to get as much landscaping done as I can in anticipation of the bad weather to come.

All that being said, I am making sure I add a new post daily to the three blogs I have got going, as I continue on my quest to be ranked the “best web designer in Canada”.

Just can't stop

After making it up to #13 for the phrase the “best web designer in Canada” in a Google search on Friday, I got busy with other work and didn’t add any new posts. Working around the house on the weekend (I am doing some major landscaping in my backyard, a potential new blog topic) I didn’t get to posting anything until Monday morning.

Disappointingly, by Sunday evening, I had dropped off Google’s search results under the “best web designer in Canada”. I was really surprised that I was so easily displaced in such a short time, but then again, this is a very difficult phrase to get (and as it turns out) to continue to be listed under.

So I will keep up the follow of content, and continue looking for new ways to get and stay listed on as the “best web designer in Canada”.

Look for a new blog to be started, and added to my list, later today …

The Quest to be the Best Web Designer in Canada

Well, great news! I am now ranked #14 under the search phrase "best web designer in Canada". This is page 2 of the search results, after not even showing up in the top 800. What a difference a day can make.

Yesterday I did a bunch of things to try and boost my ranking:

• I used Google's webmaster tools to get by blogger blog "GrandPatch" crawled
• I got a new AdSense account for TheSignWorx.com
• I put some Google AdSense ads on select pages on TheSignWorx.com
• I registered TheSignWorx.com with a free Google business listing
• I registered TheSignWorx.com on the Open Directory Project

I was hesitant to post ads on my sites, as I feel that it is an intrusion for site visitors. After looking over the AdSense options and considering how I might place the ads to provide a service to visitors.

I realized that my aversion to ads is not really to the ads themselves, as they can provide useful information and business/service sources. My problem is with the webmasters that feel that they need to have 75% ads to their 25% content, in order to make money. This may make money, but it ensures that I would only visit their website as a last resort.

So let me know what you think of my ads...

... and my improved rankings!

Stay tuned as I continue my quest to be the Best Web Designer in Canada.

Persistence

Ok, so it is going to take persistence and consistent effort to become listed as the Best Web Designer in Canada. I started another blog on Wordpress about my venture, in the hopes of generating further interest, buzz and links to my site to drive up my ranking. I am tweaking the meta tags in the blogs to focus on this as well.

I added AdSense to my blog and on my site (but only on some specific pages.) I hate a lot of ads, but this should boost Google's awareness of me. I also added a free Google business listing, again to get Google to take notice of me.

Finally, I came across the Google Directory project and submitted my site. I am looking forward to tomorrow...

... a lot!

One tough duck

Working on becoming the Best Web Designer in Canada is going to be a challenge.

Today I noticed, as I was looking to see if I had made it into Google search results for the phrase Best Web Designer in Canada, that there were about 1,110,000,000 results by the time I made it to page 79. No I am still not within the top 800 listings. I am not surprised however, if the number of results is really over a Billion, it's gonna take some work.

I searched thesignworx, and I am ranked number 1 there, so yes Google knows I exist. I just need to keep at it.

I registered for a Google Adsense account, and I am running ads on the blog. Today I will also start a new blog on another service to try and improve my ranking.

Onward ... and upward (I hope :)

More than I can chew?

Ok, I admit it. I really bit off more than I can chew with this "Best Web Designer in Canada" web phrase attempt.

I mean, what was I thinking? Every website design company has said something about "Web Design" and they have been ranked on their websites for years by Google. Funny, but when I came up with the idea, I didn't really think about this.

So I checked the Google rankings for the search phrase to see where my website was after posting my article "Best Web Designer in Canada" was. Well, after scanning through the first 45 pages (450 links) and not seeing my website, I thought maybe I had missed it. I looked again more carefully, and when Google's search results would not display any more after 75 pages, it dawned on me how big a task I had chosen.

Well, I'm not one to back down from a little challenge, so I have decided to stick with it. Also I have realized that I have never gotten any work through search engine placement, and now I know why. I also realized that many other web design companies, claiming to be SEO specialists are ranked pretty low under the key words web, design so I am realizing that it is easy to make a claim, but harder to produce results.

Stay tuned...

Best Web Designer in Canada

How is the best of anything decided? Quite often the best is decided by a group or organization of peers. But what if such a group or organization doesn’t exist? How can the word be spread about something?

These were some of the questions that went through Ed Peterson’s mind at TheSignWorx.com when he was thinking about claiming the title. Although the internet has been around for a number of years now, there are still many organizations and groups that have yet to be formed that will determine who is the best in many areas.

So what would be some of the determining factors to the title of Best Web Designer in Canada? Here is a list of the top 7 proposed criteria:

1. Value for money. The Best Web Designer in Canada would need to produce a quality website for a reasonable cost. Any company can hire enough web designers to produce a great website, but the cost would skyrocket through labour costs, which would prohibit who could afford the site, thereby reducing access to the designer, thereby making them Not the best.


2. Maintainability of the site. A site that requires that skilled programmers be required every time anything new is to be changed or modified, is not producing the best site possible for the client. The Best Web Designer in Canada would produce a great website that can easily be maintained by anyone with basic word processing computer skills. They would incorporate a Content Management System (CMS) that would assist the user in managing the information on their site.


3. Website expandability. The best site design would allow site owners to have addition functions easily incorporated into their site. What a website owner wants to use their website for today, may not be what they want to tomorrow. The Best Web Designer in Canada would use a system that allows for expansion into many new areas of website usage, while not relying only on custom coding as the only means of providing it.


4. Core functionality sustainability. The Best Web Designer in Canada would not use proprietary software for the website main software. Proprietary software would mean that development would be limited to a company’s funding and management abilities, as well as their limited focus for development. Open-source software overcomes these limitations and would be the best option.


5. Changeability. A static website, even one that incorporates dynamic content will be costly. Website owners, whether large corporations or small individuals will look to redesign their website look at some time. The Best Web Designer in Canada would use a system that allowed easy design, look and feel changes, without the need for programming changes. Design changes would be managed through a templating system, where many different vendors would support the system.


6. Core understanding. Almost anyone with basic website understanding can install many of the Open-source Content Management Systems available today. The Best Web Designer in Canada would intimately understand how to customize the system to meet their clients’ needs without jeopardizing the core functionality.


7. Creativity. Much of the glitz on most websites is graphics based. This requires specialized graphics and/or Flash programming knowledge. Such knowledge is costly to implement on a website, and costly to update and maintain. The Best Web Designer in Canada would use understanding and creative extensions to produce similar results, without the cost and reliance on these types of professionals.

This list is by no means the only way to determine the Best Web Designer in Canada, but it is a start. As Ed Peterson at TheSignWorx.com web design does meet all of these criteria, there does not seem to be any reason why he should not earn this title.

If you have any suggestions as to other criteria that could be used in determining this title, please submit them here.