This method is based upon Float-less Layout. But I have made it simpler to fit my needs. I also don’t like how they make their entire site a list, while it seems to make sense, I find that putting a whole bunch of stuff inside a list becomes annoying fast, just like using tables. Since [...]

A marketer walks into a meeting, ready to see the newest designs for their client’s site. The new design is beautiful. It makes everyone weep with joy. It’s also totally devoid of text. The marketer (or SEO, or copywriter, or strategist) walks back out of the meeting, punches a wall until their hand flattens, and [...]

Whether you’re an internet marketing wonk, a top IT geek or an SEO pro, you need to know how to speak web server. Not fluently, of course. If you can do the equivalent of asking where the bathroom is, you’ll be in good shape. That’s what I’m going to go over now. When you visit [...]

The short version: Learn to use the TRIM() command in whatever programming language you’re using, so you remove spaces that some poor soul accidentally includes in a data they enter via web form. The TRIM() command Every programming language has some version of the TRIM() command. TRIM() removes leading and trailing spaces from any alphanumeric [...]

Last month, Google announced that they’re now accepting mixed-media XML sitemaps: You can put images, video and regular page URLs all into the same map. I saw this and rubbed my hands together while cackling maniacally. I could finally make sure that valuable images that clients paid for, or paid to have taken, would get [...]

OK, getting VERY geeky here. You only want to read this post if: You program in ColdFusion. I’ve been using CF since the late 90s. It’s far and away my favorite programming language. You get happy tingly feelings when you make an application run 60-70% faster. You’re a nerd. If you’re still here, this is [...]

This is part of my ever-growing list of tips for developers building e-commerce sites. I cover a lot of territory in one list, so be gentle folks. Use SSL only within your cart. There’s a hell of a lot of debate around this. But one fact is clear: SSL page requests require more server cycles [...]

Full disclosure: I am not a designer. I cannot select color palettes. My favorite textures involve brushed steel. Whenever I walk by, our design team seems either out for coffee or in a meeting. That said, even I can recognize colossal web design blunders. It's amazing how the perfectly wrong photo will rip the eyes [...]

This one’s an experiment: I’m going to spend this and the next few HTML Basics lessons showing you how to use WordPress to apply the HTML stuff you’ve learned in the last 4 lessons. An introduction to using WordPress to add and edit content on the web. Please let me know what you think – [...]

Lessee, so far we’ve talked about creating a basic web page, working with headings and paragraphs, and creating links. On to lists: If you can work with lists in HTML you can make your blog look better than 90% of your competition. Here’s how: Learn to create ordered and unordered lists, and why you need [...]