Increase Conversions through Responsive Web Design

Perhaps you haven't heard of Responsive Web Design (RWD), and if not, it basically means optimizing your website presentation for the device viewing it; yes, for the device viewing it, which these days equates to hundreds of different devices.
 
So RWD addresses this multiple device problem and the result is, hopefully, an engaged user that will be happier to convert because you've made it easy for them on device they're using. RWD also helps ensure that your site will address new screen sizes from desktop to smartphone as new dimensions and resolutions are released. So it helps to "futurize" your website.

Christopher Mathieu at +HubSpot posted a good overview about RWD: http://goo.gl/SOqjKd.

It's also worth pointing out that RWD development has become somewhat easier with freely available RWD frameworks. Zurb Foundation and Bootstrap from Twitter help speed development for RWD.

Visit my website and resize your browser window to see how it works. I use Foundation for RWD.

www.douglasgeiste.com

Usability Testing with Users Who are on Your Site RIGHT NOW

Articles from the Nielsen Norman Group, or anyone associated with Jakob Nielsen are always interesting, insightful, and full of useful and objective information. 

Marieke McCloskey, a User Experience Specialist with the Nielsen Norman Group, provides a good article on usability testing, but with a twist: Test with users currently on your site.

Doing usability testing is often done at the start of the design of a new website, but drops to the back burner for more important and high priority tasks after site launch. But it should be performed on a regular basis and be part of an overall web/digital strategy to ensure your visitors can find what they're looking for, and of course, convert. The last thing we want to do is frustrate visitors. That's a bad reflection on your organization.

Running usability testing, in the traditional sense, requires gathering users and testing your site in a live, face-to-face meeting. This isn't always feasible or practical, and lets face it, this process can be costly in terms of setup and time.

Marieky McCloskey provides an excellent step-by-step approach to usability testing with users who are on your site right now through a popup window invite using ethnio and then GoToMeeting.

This process saves time, money, and the best part is that you're testing with users who are on your site because of interest in your products, services or content. I don't think you have better testing subjects.

Read about the process on the Neilsen Norman Group website: http://goo.gl/vpuhCA

Most important "webmaster" videos from Matt Cutts

So I've put "webmaster" in quotes because first, I think it's so outdated, and second it doesn't accurately reflect today's person who manages a website. Mainly because it's no longer one person who manages the technical, marketing, content, social media, etc, etc. of an organization's digital presence; although this person needs to have some level of involvement in it all. And besides, the title can be construed as gender specific, don't you think? Again, another reason why it needs to be changed to something that more accurately reflects the position and is gender neutral.

Ok, that was quite the digression.

As you may or may not know, @mattcutts provides "webmasters" with helpful videos. They are a great source to help stay on top of what is going on and changes that need to be made to a website to stay relevant with search engine.

Pete Prestipino at Website Magazine puts the top 12 in an article. http://goo.gl/idzZoh