Visitors expect the user interface to be easy to understand so they spend less time learning it and more time on the desired information. Users also want to accomplish their desired tasks in a fast, efficient manner. Memorability is the degree to which a user remembers the process in order to effectively use the site on a subsequent visit. Web design either contributes or detracts from memorability, affecting user experience over the long-term.

By avoiding the most common usability errors, website designers make their sites more appealing. Most sites feature lots of hyperlinks and if these are too small, they will not be utilized. Designers should use the padding property in CSS to make clickable areas big enough to click on successfully during the first attempt.

When used correctly, pagination is a useful website feature because it enhances convenience and makes long lists of information easier to absorb. Misuse of pagination makes a site inconvenient to use. Avoid using pagination to divide basic content across multiple pages. This is a sneaky way to increase page views and charge more for on-page advertising.

Usability is also affected by page content. If copy is difficult to for readers to scan, these visitors will quickly exit and never return. Users tend to jump between pieces of content based on what attracts their eyes. Designers should structure pages by providing a limited number of focus points, each with descriptive headings and concise text that is easy to read.

Creators of YouTube content will now be able to charge viewers to watch uploaded videos, providing another revenue stream. Fees for monthly subscriptions begin at just 99 cents and content creators will retain more than 50 percent of the revenue they receive from subscription sales with the remainder going to YouTube. Channels will provide 14-day trials at no charge and may offer discounted rates for yearly subscriptions.

Currently in a pilot phase, only 30 creators and brands have established 50 paid channels. Additional channels are expected to join National Geographic TV, Sesame Street, and the others in upcoming weeks. According to YouTube, millions of subscriptions take place each day, allowing users to connect with people or things they are interested in and remain in the loop. Established in 2007, the YouTube partner program that provides creators with revenue-earning capabilities led to this new service.

More than one million channels generate some form of revenue from using YouTube. These creators asked for additional flexibility regarding content monetization and distribution. Subscriptions are the answer and after subscribing from a computer, users can view paid channels on a computer, television, phone or tablet.

YouTube will roll out paid channels on a broader, self-serve basis to qualifying partners. As these new channels are created, YouTube will make them easy to find. If your business harnesses the power of video for social networking, contact YouTube to develop a paid channel. This new method of reaching target audiences could become a huge income generator.

The Web went from 600 pixels wide during the 1990s, to 800 pixels wide in the early 2000s, to 1024 pixels wide a few years later. Approximately five years ago, this trend reversed when smaller-screened devices entered the market. Tablets then appeared, allowing the viewport to exceed the width. Developers never knew the actual size of all windows but they can no longer ignore users who cannot view their entire sites.

Once upon a time, most people used a mouse to access a website. However, many mouseover interactions do not function on a touch device. Designers must acknowledge the increasing popularity of touch screens and develop interactions that function with these components. The mouse may soon become a relic just as dial-up Internet has. Speaking of which, though Internet connections are now faster, many people still use unreliable 3G connections so designers should account for this.

Computers used to become faster every year but mobile devices focus on battery life rather than on processor speed. Even computer manufacturers have changed their priorities, concentrating on battery life and device price. As some people purchase new computers, others take their old ones, keeping antiquated hardware in use.

These are just a few examples of how the Web and the devices used to access it have changed…or not. Designers should be aware of the variety of situations that exist. To make a site accessible to the most people in a convenient manner, it may be necessary to adjust common, long-held assumptions regarding Web design.

Using Photos of You, an individual user can tag another Instagram user, a product, or a business Instagram account in a photo. The same goes for businesses so when a company posts a photograph of a celebrity endorser, it can tag the image so the celebrity can add it to his or her photo stream. This engages not only the followers of the company but everyone who follows the celebrity.

An account receives a notification when it is tagged in a photo and may opt to publicly display the image in the Photos of You section of its profile. Companies can curate photos that are tagged with their names and highlight some of these in their profiles. This makes it easier for consumers to interact directly with businesses and the brands they offer.

This new feature transforms photo-sharing into a group activity, personalizing the action. Instagram hopes that brands will benefit from the tags, enriching their experiences on the social network. Brands can showcase user photos that are the best reflections of their products or services. Consumers serve as free testimonials and advertisements and brands benefit from this publicity.

Photos of You is available in version 3.5 of Instagram for Android and iOS. Members should review and edit the Photos of You area of their profiles before May 16 when this area will become visible to other users. This gives companies time to revamp Pictures of You to showcase the best of what they have to offer.

Developers should heed this warning because “pimping” native apps and providing mobile Web users with doorslams can dramatically affect site traffic. Some sites provide the option to open a native app even when the app has already been installed on a mobile device, making things more frustrating. Even other developers are confounded by why these messages appear on certain sites.

In other formats including television, music, and books, this behavior would be considered unacceptable. Why content restrictions, redirects, and doorslams are allowed to persist on the Web is unknown but there seems to be no excuse. Sites that do not offer optimal user experiences should not promote other solutions that may not be any better.

Site developers should recognize the Web as a global distribution channel and harness the opportunities that it provides. Forcing people to install an app when they visit a website is a waste of time that will cause many visitors to cease their interaction. When users visit a site, they have made a conscious decision by entering a URL and developers should respect this.

Doorslams are annoying and there are much less invasive ways to inform visitors that a native app is available. Blocking the natural flow of a visitor interaction may lose customers forever. Developers should respect visitor decisions and make the user experience as simple and convenient as possible regardless of what devices visitors are using.

Content, not budget, determines whether a video will go viral. Just look at the videos published by the blender company Blendtec. Videos show Blendtec blenders chopping up golf balls, rake handles, and even iPads. Blendtec reportedly spent just $50 to create its first video that showed marbles being crushed by one of its blenders. This video received more than six million hits and a subsequent one was viewed more than 15 million times.

One way to get other people talking about and sharing video content is to become a sharer. Companies that consistently share online content are likely to receive reciprocal shares of their own content. Site administrators should be creative when sharing other content on their websites or through social media accounts, adding their take on the information or explaining consumer benefits.

Selecting certain companies and asking them to post your videos may also prove effective. Once they understand that the videos feature information that their own audiences will find valuable, they will be more likely to share the content. Creating strategic alliances with noncompeting businesses that have similar target audiences can be mutually successful and creates a network of companies willing to share your video content.

Online journalists and bloggers regularly seek unique and informative content. Videos are particularly appealing because they are concise and visual. Sharing company videos directly through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and other social media sites is another excellent way to reach large audiences and encourage re-posting.

Historically, Chromium has used multi-process-architecture that is unlike browsers based on WebKit. As Chromium grew, it became more complex, slowing progress and innovation. The new project will simplify the code base and remove thousands of files that comprise seven build systems. Though blog posts indicate that Web developers will not experience many changes over the short-term, developers wonder what Blink will deliver over the long-term.

A need to improve the Chrome Web platform speed, performance, security, and stability spurred this change. As of March 2013, Chrome was the leading Web browser with 38 percent of users. While Chrome usage continues to increase, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera usage have been steadily declining. The Blink project will provide a faster JS and DOM engine, a secure platform, more powerful layout and rendering, and will be refactored for performance.

Since Blink is open source, anyone who desires to may participate in the conversation and assist with development. Despite this, experts expect few software developers to begin rendering engine code if they are not already involved in browser development. New Chrome innovations and Web standards should not be expected in the near future.

Apple has a substantial stake in the WebKit-rendering engine so Chrome is smartly distancing itself by creating its own rendering engine. Developers can learn more from the Blink Developer FAQ established by The Chromium Projects. While Google has not been clear with its motivations regarding the establishment of Blink, this project may yield future benefits for websites that are clamoring for attention.

Even top news organizations were guilty of issuing details when conflicting reports existed. Some companies that utilize automated marketing issued very poorly-timed messages. Users of reddit and several other sites were chastised by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations for initiating digital manhunts for the bombers.

By Friday, police in the Boston area were asking journalists to stop live-tweeting scanner traffic and police actions. Tweeters had begun jeopardizing the effectiveness of the manhunt and the safety of law enforcement officers. Eventually, the confusion subsided and the remaining living bomber was caught but many reporting agencies suffered tarnished reputations due to their social media actions.

News spread through social media has the quality of immediacy, which most people view as a positive attribute. However, there is always the chance of spreading incorrect information. When sensitive news breaks and is updated in real-time, business owners should avoid issuing comments as the situation progresses. They should also put their scheduled marketing messages on hold to prevent angering consumers focused on much bigger issues.

Sharing links for services that are useful and helpful in these situations is the best way for companies to use social media. Examples include pointing people to sites that help them find loved ones or submit photographs or videos to law enforcement agencies. When a crisis arises, businesses should use social media in a constructive way rather than contributing to mass confusion and causing emotional upheaval.

Timing is everything when it comes to website content so tailor content for the seasons or popular events like the Super Bowl, World Series, or Olympics. At the relevant time each year, the site will experience an increase in traffic due to a large number of backlinks to this timely content. Combining this content with contests will capture even more attention as other sites write about the contests and link to them.

Our society is obsessed with information and data ranks as some of the most useful information available. However, too many statistics and details can overload a reader. Infographics provide data and other information in a simple, easy-to-read format that attracts links and encourages embedding to create even more links. The owner of the infographic retains control of the embed code anchor text, creating another marketing opportunity.

Free web tools capture attention because they are fun and save users time. Interactive Web content writing is also engaging and it is relatively novel at this point. Create both of these and watch other sites begin linking to these features in droves. Quizzes and surveys are other engaging tools that garner some links. Tutorials educate readers and when they include videos, they may go viral.

These are just a few ways to attract backlinks through website content. In addition, consider less common methods like using Google Maps to map events within the industry and conducting interviews that feature consumer-provided questions. Combine these methods to improve search results ranking by increasing the number backlinks to the website.

Creating a mobile device app that provides access to products, product reviews, discounts, and purchasing capabilities requires hiring an experienced developer. The expertise of the developer determines the quality and effectiveness of the app so take the search process seriously. Asking prospective developers the right questions streamlines selection.

Begin by asking for examples of mobile apps that these individuals have developed in the past. Good developers are proud to show off their past work. Since it can be impossible to identify who developed an app, request names and contact information for the clients represented. Speak directly with these individuals to verify that the developer actually created their apps and learn more about responsiveness and reliability.

Get down to business by learning what special features the developer can create and how the app will make money. Social media sharing, coupons, and GPS-based check ins are popular features. Decide whether to use a pay-per-download model of revenue or offer a free app that features display ads or a paid subscription service. Ensure that the developer has the skills to make this a reality.

Learn more about how the individual will stay in touch during the development process, how the app will be tested. Request a written agreement outlining flat fee or hourly payment and verifying that you will own the source code, design, and content. Developer services should include submitting the app to app stores, which can be a long, involved process. With the best developer on the job, a mobile app will be a lucrative investment.