Categories
Code

Use .htaccess to make all your HTML files PHP

Note: the following will not work on all server configurations, which may be why you’re using SSI in the first place. Call your server administrator/tech support and see if the following techniques are supported. Escape static HTML If you want the power and flexibility of PHP but don’t want to (or can’t) shift away from […]

Categories
Blogging

How to increase online exposure through social bookmarking

Are you having the exposure blues? Do you write articles that few people read? It may be because they aren’t finding your article! Writing on your blog is not enough when you’re starting out. It’s important to spread the word. Doing a little legwork after you write an article makes a large difference in the […]

Categories
Design Politics

Found: Hillary Clinton's web designer

We know who Barack Obama’s web designer is.  Let’s find out who Hillary’s web designer is! I’ve looked through the CSS and there’s no trace of the designer. Anyone know? Hillary Clinton’s web designer has been found! Thanks to krs who left a comment below, Hillary’s web designer has been found. Design by Mayfield Strategy Group […]

Categories
Politics

Bill Clinton talks about Hillary – and actually makes great points

I’ve been not too happy with Bill Clinton recently — it seems every chance he gets, he makes an ass of himself and hurts Hillary’s reputation.  He probably needs therapy to cope with being First Gentleman.  Anyway, there’s a video on Hillary’s website  that is really well done.  It shows Bill talking about Hillary’s lifetime of […]

Categories
Blogging

How to get more comments on your blog

I was asked a question by a potential client about blog comments.  She was concerned that some of the blog designs I’ve created have little user interaction.  She wrote (emphasis added by me): I have been looking at the blogs you have created.  I am wondering why there aren’t many comments.  I want to use […]

Categories
CSS Design Politics

Found: Barack Obama's Web Designer

Update: The New WhiteHouse.gov Website Update: Who will be the White House web designer? A lot of people have wanted to know who designed Barack Obama’s website. With good reason: Obama’s website is beautiful. It even conveys Obama’s message of hope in it’s wistful design. Well, here it is: Barack Obama’s web designer is: SimpleScott. […]

Categories
KWS

Katz Web Design is now on Facebook

You’ve heard a lot about social networking, bookmarking, and media. Facebook is the biggest social networking site out there.  Katz Web Design now has a page on Facebook. My clients have been interested in how to use Facebook and other social sites (like MySpace) to promote their business. I will write articles shortly about advertising […]

Categories
Personal

How I got my domain name back from cyber squatters

I was given the domain zackkatz.com for my 17th birthday by my mom. It turns out, it was a good gift 🙂 I used it as a blog, music promotional area, and art gallery. I owned the domain (and let it stagnate) until around 2006, when I wanted to switch hosts. I waited for my domain […]

Categories
Politics

Democratic Convention – losing focus and message through technology

I listen to NPR (KFCR in Colorado), and I’ve heard a few bits about the Democratic National Convention here in Denver. One of the main topics in these bits is how technologically advanced the DNC ’08 convention is going to be.  There will be blogging, there will be YouTube, there will be Twittering, and so […]

Categories
Blogging

WordPress.com finally updates to 2.5 — A review

A picture [of my cat] is worth a thousand words. I’ve been waiting for WordPress.com to update the administration panel so that I can have galleries.  That is the main feature that I’ve been waiting for.  Now it’s here, I can finally upload pictures of my cat (and my wife 🙂 )   This will […]

Categories
WordPress

Admin Drop Down Menu plugin does not break WordPress 2.5 Image Uploader [updated]

The plugin has been updated. The multitudes may celebrate fewer clicks! As sad as it is to admit (since the plugin has saved me thousands of clicks), Admin Drop Down Menu by Ozh breaks the WordPress image uploader. If you’ve tried everything WordPress tells you to do in order to fix that Image Gallery feature […]

Categories
Blogging For Clients

Is Blogging Really Worth the Time?

Today, a business associate asked me “I know about blogging, and it seems like a waste of time. Why is blogging worth the time?” I was able to reply with some very convincing arguments — and in a way, I reminded myself about the value of blogging. Blogging establishes you as an expert in your […]

Categories
Personal

Google is crazy and amazing: Completed Street View of Denver

I went to Google Maps today, and I found that Google has updated its Street View functionality to include almost ALL of Denver and the suburbs, including Boulder. This is a CRAZY amount of information.  It’s a truly boggling accomplishment.  I’m kind of shocked.Check out Street View yourself.

Categories
SEO

Optimizing a website for search: Google vs. Yahoo! and MSN

When I think SEO, I think of Google. Why? Is it because Google’s PageRank system determines better websites? Is it because Google’s advertising options are superior? It’s as simple as this: Google gets better results than any other search engine. The major search engines often don’t agree Optimizing websites for search is frustrating sometimes. The […]

Categories
Blogging

Tumblr is a great website if you find blogging intimidating

I was reading an article on A List Apart the other day and found a link to a website called Tumblr. It makes blogging really easy by making it less intimidating. You choose what type of content you’d like to post, and then you do it!It’s one of the most simple signup forms around, and […]

Categories
SEO

Denver SEO: Achieving Goals – a slow trek toward good search engine ranking

I am a Denver web designer, and lots of what I do is advise my clients on how to improve their ranking. I do what I can to optimize the code using tried and true SEO techniques. But in the end, it comes down to this: are you willing to work for search engine placement? […]

Categories
Design KWS

How does a 30% conversion rate sound?

I like to brag every now and then. When we set out to design a landing page for my Denver client, we had our eyes set on a minimum 2% conversion rate for their pay-per-click campaign. Currently, we’re achieving a 15.94% overall conversion rate. I made some tweaks to the form design last week, and […]

Categories
Personal

Finally, a music website that knows how people think

I was browsing using StumbleUpon, and I came across a brilliant website: it lets you play music according to a grid : energetic/calm and positive/dark and so many different ways.  It’s really hard to explain, but you just need to check it out yourself!Musicovery.com

Categories
Politics

When will Hillary & women have their turn?

Ok, I get it. Obama delivered a brilliant, vital, on-the-mark speech discussion about race relations in America. Everyone applauds, some people cry. Pundits unanimously agree it’s the most important speech…like…ever. That’s cool, good for him. Race is a-ok. What about gender?