Cheap Web Design With Open Source Templates

A quality web design is often difficult and extremely expensive to come by. There are literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of web designers out there to choose from. The task of sitting down and finding the right company or individual to handle your web design project can be incredibly daunting especially if you are on a very tight budget or under a fast approaching deadline.

Thanks to a software movement known as Open Source there is a quick and simple solution for anyone under those kinds of web design constraints. Open Source is a philosophy popular in the programming and software industry that basically refers to code or design that is given away to be used or modified at no cost. With each passing year, Open Source is catching on in the web design world.

There are a wide variety of Open Source web site templates that you can choose from. A quick search on any popular search engine for the term "open source templates" will result in a ton of quality resources.

By using a template that is Open Source you can have a fresh and attractive looking site up and running within a few minutes. This will not only help save you time but since these templates are free you'll be saving an incredible amount of money as well. Web designer prices run a wide range these days but it's not uncommon for a simple site to cost several hundred dollars to start. That's not only too high priced for many people but the time it takes to get the work done can sometimes be frustrating.

As with all things, there are some downsides to using an Open Source template. First, if you're not familiar with concepts like HTML you're going to still need to hire someone to modify the template to suit your needs. Second, most Open Source templates are generally of high quality and have attractive designs but they can be rather simple in their design. This is done to make the template as useful to as many people as possible but you'll probably want to modify the look a bit to make it more your own. That leads into the third drawback of using an Open Source template: originality. If you leave the template unmodified there's a very good chance there will be other sites on the web that look incredibly similar to your own.

Those three downsides shouldn't be enough for you to dismiss using Open Source templates. The savings in time and money make them an incredibly viable option for anyone looking into a new web design for their current or planned sites.

AskGraphics is professional website design service provider. Askgraphics specializes in web design, blog design and ecommerce solutions

The Top 3 Ways To Get Professional Headers Templates For Free Or Low Cost

Header templates can boost your website sales, increase opt in rates and make your websites look more professional, they also keep the readers on your websites longer. If you search around you will see that nearly all websites that are online will contain header templates.

This is because they will make your websites stand out and be instantly recognized, but you need to make sure you get a professional header template and not some amateur looking one that was put other in a few seconds.

There are a few ways to get hold of header templates some are free and some are costly, it all depends on how professional you want your header templates to look. If you do decide you want a header template and decide to do it yourself using cheap methods, your header templates will suffer. If that's the case then it's probably best to not have a header template if it looks unprofessional as this will seriously turn customers away and put a dampen on your profits.

The top 3 ways to get professional headers templates for free are;

Barter - offer your services to the graphic designers in exchange for professional header templates. - If you don't have anything to offer I would highly recommend you pay for them, ask for a discount if you're desperate. Being a professional graphic designer I have actually done this a few times, I once received a full blown sales letter that converted like crazy all I had to do was create a few graphics, including a header template.

Creating them yourself - this is another good way but only if you know what you're doing, if you don't, use a different method. - The best software for creating header templates is Photoshop which comes with a 30 day free trial. There are lots of websites that teach you how to create professional header templates just search on Google and you will find plenty.

Join a template resource which gives you professional header templates for a small fee or free - although this one does cost a little money, its actually well worth the small fee, there are also a couple of free sites that gives you header templates in exchange for subscribing to their lists. When you join one of these sites you are given header templates and video training so you can learn to edit them and keep them professional. WebsiteGraphicsDIY.com offers professional header templates & video training for a small fee.

The above 3 resources are the best ways to receive professional header templates for either free or low cost, if one of the resources don't work try the next one.

If all else fails then pay a graphic designer or join a site which offers video training so you can learn exactly step by step how to create professional header templates.

Want Professional Graphics For Your Websites In Less Than 72 Hours! Let eCoverGeeks design your websites/blogs, guaranteed to boost your sales and conversion rates, check out our stunning portfolio at http://www.ecovergeeks.com

7 Ways to Improve the Stickiness of Your Website and Convert Browsers to Customers

Today more than ever, consumers are overwhelmed with choices, and distractions. The cost of attracting users to your website continues to increase and keeping them engaged is more important than ever.

Engagement doesn't end with an individual browser reading content or clicking on an ad. Rather, engagement is an ongoing process that results in loyal customers who come back again and again, becoming more vested in your web site.

How can you make sure you're engaging and keeping customers?

In order to create a loyal following, there are some basic principles you need to consider. From first impressions to life-long membership, put yourself in the shoes of your browsers and make their experience a valuable one.

1. Reduce Clutter. How many times have you visited a website only to be overwhelmed and confused? What is this site about you may have asked yourself. Or perhaps you found yourself asking, 'Where is the information I'm looking for?'

Don't ask your browsers or potential customers to figure this out. Make your site clutter free and create a visual priority that emphasizes the information, resources, or actions your browsers want. By reducing obstacles you build trust among new web site visitors and allow for simple decision making - which benefits everyone.

2. Make Navigation Intuitive. There are many ways to navigate a web page but intuition rules the day. Don't try to get fancy with your navigation or overuse java script. Basic navigation that follows current convention is the best way to lead individuals through your web site to the information they're looking for.

3. Make The Initial Site Interaction Relevant. When a browser reaches your web site, you have less than seven seconds to get them engaged. Making your initial site interaction relevant to what individuals are looking for is essential for keeping them interacting long term.

If you are promoting your web site with Google AdWords, or any pay per click advertising for that matter, be sure to create customer landing pages that are truly relevant to the individual who clicks-through your ad. Once you've established relevancy, you can move them deeper into your content, tools, and resources.

4. Ensure That Your Content Is Up-to-date. Web site content that isn't up to date does not serve your audience and browsers are likely to move on. One way to ensure that information is timely is by providing a feed of relevant news or information. If including static text on your web pages, try not to include specific dates. However, if you must publish dates, be sure to update this information on a regular basis.

5. Start An Interaction With Your Users. Each time a browser views your web page, you have an opportunity to interact with them. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. One great way to interact is to offer something of value at no cost. This can be a white paper, access to an exclusive list, or simply a 30 day free trial. Be sure to capture an individual's valid email address and include them on your mailing list. An auto-responder is best if you wish to engage these individuals on an ongoing basis.

6. Provide Plenty Of Support. Don't hesitate to offer support right from your home page. Prominently display your 800 number, support email address, and additional information for your prospects and customers such as mailing address. This information is viewed favorably by search engines and also creates a sense of legitimacy. Contact information builds trust among prospects and elicits interest in your company.

7. Make Sharing Easy. Once you've made your web site easy to use, don't hesitate to offer browsers the ability to share your web site with others. This can be in the form of a simple widget that allows users to bookmark your page, subscribe to an Rss feed, or submit your content to popular news sites like Digg.com

Individuals are much more likely to visit a web site based on a friend's recommendation versus some other type of marketing initiative. Leverage the power of viral marketing with easy sharing tools.

Your web site can be your greatest asset. Unfortunately, many marketers and website owners are so focused on increasing traffic that they lose site of the audience that's already visiting their web pages but are simply not converting.

Don't make the same mistake. Improve the quality of you site through relevant content that is up-to-date and easy to find. Once you've engaged users, encourage them to share. Doing so will make your site perform better, increase conversions, and deliver value for all involved.

Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert with more than 12 years of marketing experience. He has appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Learn hot you can improve search engine rankings with the help of Michael's ebook, The Webmasters Book of Secrets.