How to make an anchor link within an email or web page using FCK editor

This is a handy trick either within an email or a long web page. You can place a link to a section of the page such as chapters or sections.

Open up your editor, the first step you will need to do is add an Anchor at the destination location of the link. This is like a bookmark within the page that you will refer to when creating a link.

To insert an anchor in the text place your cursor before the text or section you want to the anchor to refer and press  button on the toolbar. A popup window called “Anchor Properties” will appear: 

• Anchor Name: specifies the anchor name. You will be referring to this name while linking to the anchor.
  

Press “OK” and the anchor will appear in your document.

You won’t see the anchor but it will be placed in the code of the page as a reference.

To insert a link to an URL address, anchor or an e.mail press  button on the toolbar. A popup window called “Link” will appear.

• Link Type: specifies the type of link you want to put in the document. You can choose from “URL”, “Link to anchor in the text” or “E-mail”. Depending on which option you will choose different options and bookmarks will appear in the window. We will start from the Link Type: URL.
  

Link to anchor in the text

If you chose Link Type: Link to anchor in the text new options will appear in the Link Info bookmark.

You may select the link to the anchor in two ways.

• By Anchor Name: selects the anchor by name you have previously specified in anchor properties.
  
• By Element Id: selects the anchor by Id.
  

Pressing “OK” will insert the link in your document.

For email you can send a test to yourself or preview your web page to test out the link.

Using these anchors should make your document easier to read.

How to make an anchor link within an email or web page using FCK editor is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Getting The Most From Your SEO Provider

SEO is one of the most sought after skills on the web that will last for as long as “keyword search” continues to be the key factor in web browsing.  Many pursue careers in search engine optimisation and many are also buying SEO to promote online businesses.  But in spite of its growing market, some clients are still anxious to invest because of the appalling stories they hear from others who give account of their bad experience and how they lost their investment.  The client, of course, thinks badly of the SEO provider.  The provider, on the other hand, criticizes the client for not giving full support and for being mistrustful.

In the discussions that will follow we will be uncovering some very important points to ponder.  Reflecting on ones responsibilities and actively engaging to do ones part will give you the leverage you need in accomplishing your goals.  In order to get the most from your hired SEO provider you should:

Manage SEO with a strategy

As a client, you should teach business goals and models to providers upon buying SEO and keep them in the loop so they will know what to expect.  You should also identify SEO Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that best suit your business objectives.  Discuss the KPIs to providers so that they will be able to come up with a specific set of SEO strategy. KPIs are also a good way to gauge SEO Return of Investment (ROI).  Appoint an SEO liaison, a special person tasked to monitor your KPIs and one who is in frequent contact with SEO stakeholders to deal with them and communicate developments back to your office.  Having boosted SEO, you should always protect it and keep it going, never holding up.  Stalling your momentum will decrease search engine ranking, a perfect opportunity for your competitors to exploit.

Anticipate delays and be responsive when given SEO advice

When receiving advice from your SEO provider, you must be reasonably prompt to reach a decision and give out response so as not to waste precious time that otherwise would be spent for other important works.  Anticipating the negative effect of delays when conducting communications is all important.  Send the right person to stand as representative in meetings where critical recommendations from providers are discussed.  Fast tracking the cycle from review, to approval, to implementation will ensure action that is right on schedule and gives early notice if there are likely problems ahead.  You have to be proactive and responsive when buying SEO.  After all you need to protect your investment.

Quick to inform SEO provider for opportunities to exploit

For a chance to leverage your online business exercise your SEO wisely.  One way to do this is to let your provider be aware of your upcoming projects and activities that require their knowledge so that they can take action at the early stage of the process.  Exploiting opportunities at the right moment will guarantee a perfect finish free from any setbacks and delays.  Setbacks will place you behind your competitors and this is not something you’re prepared to tolerate especially when you are buying SEO at a premium.  To cite an example, a client is building a new website and fails to inform the provider of this new project until the final stage when the site is almost ready to be deployed.  Just imagine the setback, the amount of overhauling work that has to be done, to get the new site optimized for the search engines.

Cultivate TRUST

Trust makes life easier.  For a client who knows how to cultivate trust, success is never far away.   Giving your provider the freedom to work uninterrupted by too many petty justifications for every recommendation made and letting him exercise instead his expertise with full discretion will result to a swift and clean strategy implementation with a positive outcome.  To allow your provider to exercise all his duties freely as an SEO expert will save you and your provider time, effort, and money.   Trust promotes efficient use of available resources that pushes the project forward.  Mistrust exhausts precious resources and puts the project to a stall.  When buying SEO, establish trust to efficiently manage your resources that are crucial to achieving your goals.  It’s not going to be easy nevertheless, it is necessary.

Defend necessary alterations to website for Search Engine Optimisation

Corporate policies that hinder SEO sometimes need to be re-evaluated and examined by the corporate management and safely changed to give way for SEO to work.  To make this possible you have to defend this purpose and work together with your SEO provider to help bring the case to top management and reason that a policy change is necessary for the SEO to become effective.  Alterations to corporate websites may be structural or content-based.  Many companies imposed their strict policy on the area of link building, which also happens to be one of the most important areas for SEO purposes.

Be Open-minded and willing to learn

When buying SEO, you should be willing to accept and learn important concepts right from the start because it is from those concepts that your provider will build and continuously promote the level of SEO sophistication to ensure that the competitive edge of your company stays sharp.  If this is missed from the beginning then your provider will have a hard time convincing you to support for more advanced techniques such as link building using social media.

Author: Carmichael Pineda

Getting The Most From Your SEO Provider is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

WordPress Multi-Site:  What it Can Do for Your Online Business

If you are running a huge online blogging business, which by the way the internet is rife at the moment; WordPress has an innovative way to simplify the management of your blog network.  The experts of this blogging CMS cooked up something that actually makes your blogging network easier to handle.  The newest improvement is called WordPress Multi-Site, a feature of WordPress that, once enabled, will allow multiple websites to be handled from a single installation.

WordPress Multi-Site, What is it?

There used to be two WordPress versions you can download separately.  These are:

• Standard WordPress – the most common WordPress installantion; and
• WordPress Multi User (WPMU) – specializes large networks with multiple users

The emergence of WordPress 3.0 reveals a new and streamlined CMS.  The two separate products were now merged together.  It’s basically like a standard WordPress being fitted with the key features of WordPress MU.  The core feature of WordPress 3.x incorporates networking functions named “Multi-Site”.

WordPress Multi-site equips website owners with the ability to create and manage their own network of independent websites out from one WordPress installation.  A website owner has full control whether to allow or disallow each user to generate his own branch of the network (website).  Even though each independent site performs autonomously, configurations in the main site will permit sharing of information for the entire network.  Shared information includes settings (themes and plug-ins), contents, and codes.

Each network site does not hold a separate directory on the server making it a virtual site.  However, each independent site can hold a separate directory where a user may upload all his media files.  Additionally, database tables for individual sites are also separated.

When all configuration work is finished, the newly installed WordPress is now ready to host the desired network of websites, each competent of holding its own individual content, users, themes and plug-ins.  The beauty of Multi-Site is found in its efficiency to manage and maintain from a single location.

Ideal Situations to Use Multi-Site Feature of WordPress

WordPress Multi-Site is ideal for:

• Online freelancers who are offering hosting and maintenance services to clients
• Organizations aiming to streamline and consolidate management of multiple web presence
• Large publishers running with many different departments and are looking for ways to isolate role of every department
• Huge blog networks who operate thousands of separate websites

Centralized management of many websites in one WordPress installation simplifies upgrading of each website in a whole bunch of websites.

What are the Benefits of Using WPMS?

WordPress Multi-Site saves your online business time and money both in management and maintenance.  Enumerated below are the benefits.

• allow users to access a single website or multiple websites from the same account
• allow users to manage multiple sites from one account and profile
• can be manipulated to detach one website’s information from others
• can be manage to allow sharing of information among websites within the network
• allows common usage of theme and plug-in functions across the entire network through parent-child relationship
• efficient use of time when updating multiple sites resulting to a remarkable diminution of overhead and maintenance cost
• easy dissemination of WordPress customizations by making use of plug-ins from a central control spreading down to every individual site

If you are looking for a complete reference on how to install and configure Multi-Site, then go to WordPress Codex.  There you’ll find rich and detailed instructions to help you achieve your end.

Wrong Reasons / Situations to Apply WPMS

If you think you need to configure your WordPress installation for a Multi-Site function, think twice.  Examine your reasons if they qualify in the first place for a Multi-Site implementation scheme.  Otherwise, you’d be wasting your time implementing this special feature for totally inappropriate reasons.

Following are the wrong reasons to implement Multi-Site:

• If the intended purpose is only to post for categories.  WordPress has a built-in “categories” feature, no need to configure for Multi-Site.
• If you practice uniformity for all your sites in all aspects (i.e. same look and sense).  This situation can be achieved using categories, Custom Post Types, and tags.
• If you require users for different sites, but they remain completely incognizant of the network’s presence.
• If the sites hosted are too small.
• If your users require javascript embeds into their posts.  This is a restriction that you, being the super admin, need to impose to protect your network from dangerous hacks.
• If you have similar posts for each site.  This could give Google search engine the wrong impression that identical content found in different sites is the work of spamming.  Google could slap you with a penalty and downgrade your site ranking, after all Multi-Site is meant to be unique and discrete.

Author: Carmichael Pineda

WordPress Multi-Site: What It Can Do for Your Online Business is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Customise Your Website Design for Optimum Results

The importance of a website for any type of business or organisation is now undisputable. With the mad rush of businesses towards the worldwide web, sticking to the ‘traditional’ way could be disastrous for your business. Think about building a website to create an online presence for your business. Think about reaching more people who are interested in your products or services anytime anywhere. And best of all, think about getting customised website design for optimum results.

Customised or ready-to-use? Ready-to-use website templates are easier to put together and, of course, cheaper. However, you should think twice before going for speed and cost rather than quality and better results. The thing about ready-to-use website templates is that a load of other businesses will be using it too (and even your competitors!).  Remember, your website will bring your business on the bigger world of internet marketing and building your image is very important.

Customise to maximise. Here is a website’s primary goal: “Attract viewers, entice buyers, and generate sales”. It’s really easier said than done for website development need serious consideration. However, it would be a lot easier if you will customise your website design to achieve this goal. A customised website can specifically express your company’s brand and reputation. It can also include features and tools that you particularly need to bring your products and services to your customers.

 Consider these. It is best to choose creative and innovative website developers to help you with your customised website design. First, think about the kind of image you would like to portray. From this you can conceptualise on what colour to use on your pages, the font style, size, your logo and the graphics that you will use.  Aside from that, also think about your contents. They should be both informative and interesting as to appeal to readers and entice them to read more and avail of your products and services. And most importantly, there comes navigation. A proper and user-friendly navigation could work wonders for your website. Always remember that viewers tend to be impatient online and would immediately switch to other websites if your navigation does not get them to their desired pages fast.

Building a customised website is an important thing to consider in website development. An efficiently built customised website can bring in more viewers, convert them into buyers and ultimately generate sales. To help you achieve this goal, think about hiring a team of expert customised website developers. And with proper coordination and planning, you will soon have your very own customised website up and running and, of course, giving you optimum results.

Customise Your Website Design for Optimum Results is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Seven Useful Web Development Tips & Tools for Cross-Compatibility

Many people consider the web development thing as a piece of cake. However, the fact is many times it becomes a daunting experience. A web designer has to test the web page a number of times after coding with different popular browsers. It is important to check with every browser since they are different in some way or the other. Different web browsers showcase CSS and HTML in different ways. So when you are designing any website, you need to consider on a very important factor generally known as cross browser compatibility. With this you make sure the website you design is displayed in a consistent manner in every web browser. However, this is certainly not an easy task, the following seven useful tips and ideas can help you in the cross browser coding work to show better results.

• Keep the coding simple:  If you use complex kind of HTML or CSS coding, you will for sure invite the browser compatibility issues. Hence when you are at the stage of designing, make sure you keep the layout as simple as possible. Avoid using a number of elements in your markup coding. For instance while creating a menu make sure you avoid using the series of  ”p” elements, rather simply use ‘li’ and ‘ul’ for this task.
• Try always the code validation:  Make sure you use proper validators to check the HTML and the CSS coding before you upload your website. Since if you have any invalid code in it then it will be a tough task to fix them especially when the site is up on the server. You will find a number of validators for both the HTML and CSS validations. Plus you may also find them in a form of plug-ins as in the case of HTML Validator Firefox add-on to test the web pages.
• Avoid the quirks mode of browser:  With the quirks mode you get a duplication of older and faulty kind of version of the browser. This compels the older websites to carry out the task with any new browser without any recoding work on these pages. The quirks mode can complicate things especially when you are creating modern pages as the browser submits something of the older versions

• Employ the CSS reset rules: A majority of browsers carry the default settings regarding the padding and margin around element. These default settings can wreck havoc in the other CSS rules. This can be avoided by making the CSS rule consistent across all the web browsers.
  
• Test your site in Firefox:  Designers often test their website at one browser and then head to other. Instead of doing this, you can test your website in just one browser like the Firefox, since this is considered to be best in many ways. And the moment you are satisfied testing over the Firefox, time to try with others like Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera and so on. You may find some issues with IE since you tested your site with Firefox, but it’s better to stick the HTML and CSS coding with the latter choice and then move on to test with the former browser.
• Make IE 8 to work with transparent PNGs: The transparent PNGs are the image files which are performed to get translucency factor along with smooth borders in the background of the site. However, the default setting of IE 8 do not display the transparent PNGs. This is the reason why you need to make IE 8 work with the transparent PNGs.
• Prefer manual coding: To get a good level of browser compatibility, sticking to the idea of manual way of coding of HTML and CSS is always considered to be a better deal. Hence avoid using any kind of software for the coding purpose to get better result.

Cross-Compatibility is always going to remain in debate until and unless everyone in the world start using the very same browser like Firefox. This is certainly not possible, as everyone has its own taste and people for their own reasons still use the dreaded and obsolete browsers like the IE. Hence for designer it’s important to follow a number of ways to get good cross browser compatibility as discussed above.

Guest Blog Post by: Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of phones. Recently an article on wireless security attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on electric wheelchair.

Seven Useful Web Development Tips & Tools for Cross-Compatibility is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

9 More Reasons to use Magento Commerce for your eCommerce Web Design

The time when building an online store is very exhaustive and would often cost an arm and a leg is long past. With the introduction of the Magento ecommerce platform, developing a fully functional and customised website has never been easier. More and more people had gone on the move to secure a great website using the Magento platform, making this ecommerce solution the most sought after solution to date. This is really no surprise since the Magento solution comes with great benefits.

1. Open Source – For most website developers, this is the magic word. An open source platform allows developers to fully adapt and customise their codes to the needs of their clients. What’s great with Magento is that it is NOT just any open source platform. It is a highly efficient open source ecommerce platform that makes for the perfect choice among website developers.
2. Create or Upgrade with Ease – Are you building a website for the first time or is thinking of completely upgrading your existing website? Magento can surely work wonders.  Its different features will allow you to make extensive and dramatic changes to your existing website.
3. Stable Structure – In whatever you do, always ask for a secured and stable solution. The same goes true in website development. Always go for a solution that offers a secured and structurally strong platform. You can be at ease with Magento for it is built on a powerful PHP platform, the Zend framework.
4. Optimum Ecommerce Experience – Magento is the ideal online partner for it comes with a powerful suite of ecommerce tools. From analytics reporting, product browsing, payment and to marketing promotion tools, you can all find it in Magento.
5. Manageable Add-ons – The standard Magento version is, in itself, rich in features and ecommerce tools. What’s even better is that you can easily manage add-ons like Google Sitemaps and Google Shopping. It also has a superb extension library where you can get add-ons without downright burning a huge hole in your finances.
6. SEO Friendly – A fantastic website is fully useless if it is not search engine optimisation friendly. Magento helps website developers create SEO friendy URLs, codings and site navigations. This could help your website get into a slot in the most coveted first page of search engine results.
7. Easy Customisation – Magento is a dream-come-true for customised websites. Being an open source platform with rich features to boot, website developers are given a whole array of designs and features they can fully customise according to their client’s needs.
8. Magento Expertise – You will never run out of website developers that are Magento experts. The Magento Community is full of Magento experts who can give you great services that is within your budget.
9. Convenient Support – Magento now has a great following that has formed itself into a strong and active community. In this community, you can find issues, experiences and great advice from Magento experts.

We specialise in web development using magento so should you need any assistance with your magento website please get in touch.

What are your experiences with magento, please leave your comments below.

9 More Reasons to use Magento Commerce for your eCommerce Web Design is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

5 Rules When Sending Promotional Emails

Sending promotional emails is a fast and effective way for marketing your product or service, provided you manage to gain your target audience’s attention. Internet marketing is incomplete without email marketing. Make sure that your email is engaging and eye-catching. A carefully planned strategy can help you expand your customer base without any significant costs. You may send emails to prospects or existing clients to promote a new product or sell a new product. Another advantage of email marketing is that response rates can be tracked very easily.

1. Make a lead capture page

Make an effective landing or “lead capture page”. The main purpose of such a page is to get as many email subscribers as possible. Your landing page must include a headline, informative content preferably in bullet points and a subscription form. Make sure your landing page is attention-grabbing and is a fast read. Also ensure that the subscription form is simple and to-the-point. You can also get people to subscribe by only submitting their name and email address.

2. Personalize your emails

Make sure that you utilize the option of personalizing your email offered by most service providers. This enables you to add the name of your prospect in the email body and subject line. Personalizing the email increases the probability of your email being opened and viewed. A personalized email also gives the impression of being professional and credible. Your aim should be to make each subscriber feel like you are interacting with him or her on a personal level.

3. Create a mix of promotional and informative content

You need to create a balance between promotional and informative content. Too much information may bore your subscriber. Similarly, too much promotional content may cause your subscriber to think that you don’t take him or her seriously. Keep your content engaging, informative, and promotional. Your subscribers expect to get what they signed up for. Make sure that you live up to that promise otherwise you may lose a lot more than a few subscribers. If you are sending a series of emails, send a couple of informative emails, then send your promotional email. This will help you gain your subscribers’ trust and confidence.

4. Use attention-grabbing subject lines

The first thing that your subscriber is going to notice is the subject line. Make sure that it is relevant, concise, and above all, attention-getting. If you fail to achieve this target, you can be sure that no one is going to click open your promotional email. Your subject line should pique everyone’s interest and ultimately achieve the objective of increasing open rates.

5. Send promotional emails in a timely manner

Timing is an essential element of email marketing. Time your emails correctly. To keep your prospects interested, it is vital that you plan effectively. Too many emails at once may lead to spam complaints while sending fewer than the recommended number of emails may cause your readers to forget you.

Guest Blog Post by:   Richard has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last 3 years. Richard is a Magento specialist.

5 Rules When Sending Promotional Emails is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Choosing the Right Shopping Cart for Maximum Sales

An essential tool to achieve online success is to get the perfect shopping cart that suits your business needs. Getting stuck with a wrong and ineffective shopping cart can wreck havoc to your sales. Lots of sales opportunities had gone down the drain of more than just one online company because of shopping cart inefficiencies. Sure there’s lots of shopping cart options available in the market such as Zencart, Cubecart, and Magento. But, you need to get one which suits your business needs to a perfect T. Keep your customer needs in mind in choosing the perfect shopping cart for your online business and you will never go wrong.

Customer Convenience

Convenience—this is the main reason why lots of people are now doing their shopping online. Instead of going to shopping centres or stores and take the risk of having to stand in lines, shoppers are finding the ease and comfort online shopping brings. They can now do their shopping at night, during office breaks, and even while travelling the train! However, the downside is that online shoppers tend to be impatient. If your shopping cart is taking forever to load or is a tad too difficult to navigate, you can kiss your sales goodbye. They can easily close the browser and look for another website. Rule No. 1 in choosing your shopping cart, look for a shopping cart that is user-friendly. As much as possible, make shopping in your website simple, fast and convenient.

Customer Security

Take care of your customer’s confidential financial information and you can be sure that they will keep coming back to your online shop. With the many cases of identity theft, online shoppers are now being cautious in giving their financial information online. Put your customers’ data security high up on your priority list. Look for a shopping cart that can give your customers high level of security.

Customer Review and Recommendation

.A great marketing strategy is the word-of-mouth advertising. In the internet world, you can get this through reviews and forums. Choose a shopping cart that allows your customers to give comments or feedback on your products or services. Not only will you learn what your customers have got to say and improve your services, new shoppers also look at reviews first before buying. Look for a shopping cart solution that also gives your customers the option to share or recommend products to their friends and family.

Partner with your professional website development contractor and choose the perfect shopping cart for your online business!

Choosing the Right Shopping Cart for Maximum Sales is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Website Design and Marketing for Healthcare and Medical Industries

Health is, and has always been, an important concern. However, living in this fast-paced world often limits the time we have in going from one healthcare provider or doctor to the next in search for good services. Thank God for the internet! Now, we can search for doctors, healthcare, and hospital information in the comfort of our own home at our most convenient time. With this, healthcare service is becoming one of the most well-searched topics in the internet.

More and more hospitals and healthcare providers are seeing the need for medical websites and are now on the run to create one. However, don’t rush into building a website! Medical websites need to strike a delicate balance of professionalism, user-friendliness, search engine optimisation, and compassion.  Creative Marketing’s thrust in building a website design and marketing for healthcare and medical industries is two-fold. First, we commit to get you “seen”—optimising your search engine ranking. And second, we commit to give your visitors a great visit once they get to your website.

Custom Web Design

In the medical industry, creating a customised web design is essential. Creative Marketing understands the need to build up the healthcare and medical company’s integrity and credibility. The web design must be both elegant and professional—channelling the company’s reputation the right way. Our team of experts do not build run-of-the-mill websites. We pride ourselves with elegant designs, useful contents, and user-friendly navigations. We will work closely with you to achieve a website design that is uniquely ‘you’ with the right amount of professionalism and compassion to attract new clients and keep your current ones.

Optimum Search Engine Ranking

Disregard SEO and you can just say goodbye to your website. Search engine optimisation is very vital in building any kind of website. Getting the right codes or keywords that can bring your website at the top of search engine listings is important.  Creative Marketing’s team also has SEO experts that can help your website achieve optimum search engine ranking.  We know just which codes, hidden tags, configurations and databases to tweak to give you the desired results.

Get everything in a package

.Get all your web design needs under one reliable roof! Creative Marketing offers not just customised web design and SEO services. We also give internet marketing services, domain registration, hosting, content writing and a whole load of relevant services that can surely get your website up and running. No need to talk to different providers to get your website good to go. Creative Marketing will be your partner in getting a great website design and marketing for your medical website!

Website Design and Marketing for Healthcare and Medical Industries is a post from: Web Designer Sydney

Ecommerce Product Attributes, Which CMS to Use?

What better ways to give your product online a perfect description than to list a complete set of product attributes.  Two very important complementary elements often missed by many online merchants when showcasing their product to online shoppers and ultimately loosing potential sales are:

a)    A clear, precise, and a systematic organization of ecommerce product attributes which will best describe and represent the marketed product; and,

b)    An intuitive user interface, driven by a robust ecommerce CMS, capable of displaying accurately the desired product online based on every user’s personalized search.

Maybe you’ve asked yourself, “What is ecommerce product attributes?” “Is it really important for my business?”  “How can it affect my online sales?” “Does my current CMS support the best product attribution?”  These questions may not give you much reason to be concern at first, but as you dig deeper for answers you will realize that product attribution really plays an important role in determining your ecommerce success – in a very tricky sense.  Your concerns will even be compounded if you are running a large scale online business.

Ecommerce Product Attributes

For a basic start, let’s define what product attribute is.  If for instance you are selling a product online, say a line of footwear.  Now, you want to showcase your product and give it a nice description of its inherent properties such as brand, color, style, size, etc.  These traits and peculiarities describing your product are what we called “product attributes”, also called “metadata” because it is a collection of data about data.

Creating the product attributes lexicon – the terms to be used in the definition and description of a line of product for an upcoming online store – is a difficult yet necessary process that has to be done without errors.  The product attributes dictionary is very essential in describing precisely each unique product in order for it to show properly in the search.  Quite often, a company seeks professional help in creating the detailed list of product attribute terms and in classifying and structuring those terms.

Product Attributes Purpose

The purpose of building a clean product attributes list devoid of any error is to create a reliable thesaurus of descriptive terms which are then grouped and classified (Taxonomy) and organized into hierarchies (Ontology) to be acted later by an interface program with an attribute-based filtering feature.

The end result of this technique is a rich customer experience when navigating the ecommerce website.  Product search is smooth, clean, and well-organized ensuring efficiency and guaranteeing the costumer that what product he/she is searching for is the right product displayed on the computer screen including those that are related or are validated by the attribute-based filter.

Ecommerce Product Attributes Uses

The major uses of ecommerce product attributes include efficient navigation, personalization, and mass customization.  For a clear, smooth and enhanced way of navigating down the line of products, the website is reliant on a strong product attributes construct ensuring that no product is lost as a result of conflicting elements observed in a flawed creation.  Another great use is for personalization of a customer’s search for the product of choice.  Personalization is more interested in asking the question “why” a customer buys a certain product rather than “what” product did that customer bought.

This ushers an understanding on what ticks a customer by closely observing the pattern of his attribute choices.  Perhaps the next time that same customer pays a visit to the site, products with similar attributes may be presented to him predictably.  Finally, product attributes can be used for mass customization wherein an ecommerce site proffers a feature, which allows customers to have the freedom to customize the product of their choosing through addition or modification of some very specific product features.  This would help merchants envisage the next ideal line of products to be displayed based on trends gathered by their robust system.

Ecommerce CMSDynamic Evolution

There are many popular and highly dynamic ecommerce CMS available out there, most of which are open source (free), yet many also charge for a license to use their software.  Every CMS developed is vying for a chance to dominate the market by constantly providing plug-ins and extension modules continuously expanding the functionality of their CMS platform.  Every CMS has also managed to flourish its own community of supporters as well as developers.

In effect, these platforms are constantly evolving to meet the growing demands of the public.  You can choose from among many ecommerce CMS out there that you’ll find suitable for the type and scale of the online business you have.  You can opt for Magento, Prestashop, Joomla, Zen Cart, osCommerce, Ubercart and Drupal, WordPress (yes, even WordPress has an ecommerce feature applicable to small and intermediate size business), and many more.

Conclusion

In my personal opinion going after the best CMS with the best support for ecommerce product attribution isn’t much of a challenge these days because every leading ecommerce CMS available today is fully equipped and capable of handling the complexities of ecommerce product attribution.  While these CMSs are contending to be at the top, each take turns on the hot seat as being the best when new solutions, updates and developments of their software emerges and are being distributed over the internet.  I think the real challenge behind lies in building the dictionary, taxonomy, and ontology of product attribution for a clean, robust and more responsive system.

Author: Carmichael Pineda

Ecommerce Product Attributes, Which CMS to Use? is a post from: Web Designer Sydney