All articles posted under General

Will UK Twitter help replace our beloved Reader’s Digest?

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Looking at news articles on the net today and from some of the comments posted about the impending demise of Reader’s Digest after 75 years, it would appear that this American brand licensed in the UK, was not the most popular periodical to reach the shelves on these shores.

Whilst our world-wide reputation for protectionism is there for all to see, we as a Nation whether for good or bad, seem to have always enjoyed and exploited our desire for ‘Splendid Isolation’. From our excommunication by Rome after under Henry VIII and our late 70’s Punk Rock backlash against imported candy floss disco music from the USA to our dogged refusal to join in a common European currency, it seems we are now finally exercising our right to disown the flailing import known as the Reader’s Digest.

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The Importance Of Using An Old Domain

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

The web has been around for a good while now, and domains that were bought around the dawn of the internet have become extremely powerful, especially in Google’s eyes. By getting your hands on a very old domain (10+ years old), you can cut your marketing costs, reduce time spent on link acquisition and have a head start in the rankings.

In Google’s view, an old domain = an old site. An old site will have accrued authority over time, especially if it has been linked to from other old sites. By developing a site on this authority, the rewards will come sooner, easier and faster.

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Can Google Buzz really challenge Facebook?

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Yep….I know I constantly harp on about Google and what they’re up to but this week they’ve announced plans which could affect every single one of us who are addicted to social networking sites. And, let’s face it, who isn’t?!

The world’s biggest search engine have announced plans to bring social media aspects to the already hugely successful Gmail service. Dubbed Google Buzz it allows users to quickly share messages, web links and photos with other users directly within Gmail. It’s designed to rival other networking platforms including Facebook and Twitter but can it really pose a threat? (more…)

Why Does Usability matter?

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you’ll understand that content is highly important, however, so is how it’s presented. By making your site more usable, you can increase conversion. Even small changes can make a big difference.

For example by having a less deep header, you can gain more screen real-estate for important content above “the fold”. By having a consistent style for links, you save the user any confusion as to what is a link and what is not.

When I design a site, there are so many things I have to think about. By diverting away from the norm, you can immediately complicate the user’s experience on the page. If you’re interested in making your own site more usable, there are plenty of great books out at the moment.

I recently read two great articles about the subject, one was from a UX (user experience) designer who was annoyed by the complexity of the American Airlines website. Have a read here. The other is a brilliant deconstruction of “Smashing Magazine” by another designer. Read this one here.

By taking the time at the design stage, you will reap the benefits massively down the line. By offering an easy to use site, visitors will return again and again.

What do redsauce.com look for in interviewees?

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Following the phenomenal success of the last 9 months, the team at redsauce.com have recently been interviewing to add yet another member to the already successful team.

As you know, we believe content is king so we’ve recently been faced with the task of enlisting the services of yet another content writer. While the atmosphere at the redsauce office is very relaxed and laid back, we still take interviews very seriously as only the best of the best get picked to join our select team. So what do we look for in interviewees? (more…)

A review of SEO and shopping carts

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

SEO shopping cartsWith so many shopping carts on the market, free or commercial, it can be difficult to know which one to run your online business through. Make a mistake and it could cost you dearly in the future. I am going to try and cover the best shopping carts in terms of SEO and some things you should look out for.

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A profile of the developers at redsauce

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Here is a glimpse into the department that is – “the development team” here at redsauce. ‘Small but mighty’ is the phrase I would use to describe us. Consisting of just two members: Tim and Chris, we have managed to create and sculpt the structure of some of the biggest sites in the industries we are involved in.

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redsauce.com Defies Recession!

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

Think tank Centre for Cities has said that it’ll take years for the majority of cities in the UK to recover from the recession.

It says that while some areas such as Cambridge and Edinburgh are “well-placed” to recover, areas such as Stoke-on-Trent are suffering because people are less qualified and there are fewer start-up businesses. While this might prove to be true for the majority, the same really can’t be said of redsauce. Since our launch last April we’ve gone from strength to strength. Hurrah!   (more…)

Websites and Commitment Go Hand in Hand

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Back in the late 90’s, the average Joe didn’t have a website. So if you were starting out, your competition online was limited. Knocking up a 5 page site on a certain subject and just leaving it may have been enough to see good rankings in the early Google search engine. Now, in the early ‘teenies’, the web is so saturated that a small website in a moderately competitive industry just wont cut the mustard.
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The maze of HTML

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

Picture the scene: first day back in the redsauce office and James calls a meeting. “That’s nice,” I thought. Just a nice welcome back meeting; how was your Christmas Amy? – That sort of thing! But oh no, that was not to be the case.

Within a few minutes James had shattered my post-christmas positivity by breaking the news that we were starting a new project which meant I’d have to get to grips with the basics of HTML.

I was hoping to ease myself back into work gently by writing a few blogs or doing a bit of client content. But those ideas soon turned out to be just distant pipe dreams….

Rather kindly Tim sorted me out with a few “simple” templates. I picked a template, took a deep breath, opened the HTML…..and instantly wished I hadn’t! (more…)