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Browser Statistics – December 2011

Matt Ward — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:47:45 +0000

Browser Statistics - December 2011

The web browser statistics have been released through December 2011. The stats are published monthly at W3CSchools.com.

Below are the web browser stats for December 2011.

2011	IE9	IE8	IE7	IE6
January	.5%	16.6%	5.7%	3.8%
February	0.6 %	16.7%	5.7%	3.5%
March	1.1 %	16.3%	5.4%	3.0%
April	2.1 %	14.8%	4.9%	2.5%
May	3.1 %	14.1%	5.3%	2.4%
June	3.6 %	12.9%	4.4%	2.3%
July	3.9 %	11.7%	4.1%	2.3%
August	4.2%	11.9%	4.2%	2.0%
September	4.8%	12.4%	3.9%	1.8%
October	5.1%	11.8%	3.5%	1.3%
November	5.1%	11.5%	3.4%	1.2%
December	5.1%	10.7%	3.2%	1.2%

2011	Firefox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
January	42.8%	23.8%	3.7%	2.4%
February	42.4%	24.1%	4.1%	2.5%
March	42.2%	25%	4%	2.5%
April	42.9%	25.6%	4.1%	2.6%
May	42.4 %	25.9%	4.0%	2.4%
June	42.2 %	27.9%	4.0%	2.4%
July	42.0%	29.4%	3.6%	2.4%
August	40.6%	30.3%	3.8%	2.3%
September	39.7%	30.5%	4.0%	2.2%
October	38.7%	32.3%	4.2%	2.4%
November	38.1%	33.4%	4.2%	2.4%
December	37.7%	34.6%	4.2%	2.5%

In summary, again, Internet Explorer numbers are pretty much holding steady. Firefox usage is still on the decrease while there has been another full percentage increase in Chrome users. No changes to Safari usage, but there has been a strange slight uptick in Opera users.

Meta Tags; Say What?

Matt Ward — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:01:16 +0000

You cannot get high ranking with meta tags.

What is the fascination with the Keyword Meta Tag? In November of 2008 I wrote a blog about Meta Tags. I figured by now, clients would have stopped asking for “Keywords” or “Meta Tags”, or at least for the reason’s that they do. I find that people ask me about meta tags solely for the purpose of ranking high on Google. For some reason, perhaps just lingering rumor, folks think that meta tags help rankings, this is not the case. Let me restate that, “You cannot get high ranking with meta tags”. The primary reason for this is that Google doesn’t care about it. Even Google told us that in September of 2009. Here is a video from Matt Cutts of Google, you can see the proof for yourself.

Now that you can see that Google doesn’t use the Keyword Meta Tag, there is no reason to use it. Instead, focus on the keywords that you want to rank for and put them into the content of your website. If you want to really rank for something here are a few things you can do:

Update your content on your website
Add new and fresh content to your website
Make sure your content has geographic terms in it if you want to show for that geographic area
Don’t expect things to happen overnight, it won’t
Focus less on the backend or code portion and much more on the front end, like the content and the conversion factors

Ranking is important, but focusing your efforts in the right direction is much more important! Hope this helps! If you need someone to help you maintain your website, we can help you do that, just contact us.

Browser Statistics – November 2011

Matt Ward — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:15:54 +0000

Browser Statistics - November 2011

The web browser statistics have been released through November 2011. The stats are published monthly at W3CSchools.com.

Below are the web browser stats for November 2011.

2011	IE9	IE8	IE7	IE6
January	.5%	16.6%	5.7%	3.8%
February	0.6 %	16.7%	5.7%	3.5%
March	1.1 %	16.3%	5.4%	3.0%
April	2.1 %	14.8%	4.9%	2.5%
May	3.1 %	14.1%	5.3%	2.4%
June	3.6 %	12.9%	4.4%	2.3%
July	3.9 %	11.7%	4.1%	2.3%
August	4.2%	11.9%	4.2%	2.0%
September	4.8%	12.4%	3.9%	1.8%
October	5.1%	11.8%	3.5%	1.3%
November	5.1%	10.7%	3.2%	1.2%

2011	Firefox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
January	42.8%	23.8%	3.7%	2.4%
February	42.4%	24.1%	4.1%	2.5%
March	42.2%	25%	4%	2.5%
April	42.9%	25.6%	4.1%	2.6%
May	42.4 %	25.9%	4.0%	2.4%
June	42.2 %	27.9%	4.0%	2.4%
July	42.0%	29.4%	3.6%	2.4%
August	40.6%	30.3%	3.8%	2.3%
September	39.7%	30.5%	4.0%	2.2%
October	38.7%	32.3%	4.2%	2.4%
November	38.1%	33.4%	4.2%	2.4%

In summary, Internet Explorer users are slowly but surely upgrading their browsers to the latest version – IE9. There was a minor dip in Firefox users while Chrome usage jumped up a full percentage point. Safari and Opera, as usual, are holding steady at their usage rates.

Pantone Color vs. Process Color

Mark Smith — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:33:40 +0000

Pantone vs. Process

The process of offset and digital printing has truly become a science, particularly when it comes to color. One of the biggest challenges in printing is getting the colors just right. Basically, any type of printing that includes a full color photograph will require process printing. Process printing utilizes a mix of the four CMYK colors; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Printing requirements where only one or two colors are required, such as business stationery, typically is printed utilizing Pantone Colors.

In the past, process color has typically been more expense, particularly if utilizing the offset printing method, where 4 pieces of film, plates, and inks would be required to print the job. For this reason, one, two, and sometimes three color jobs would utilize Pantone colors, specific colors that are an exact match to a Pantone numbering system that is utilized to get the right color match. With the advent of digital printing, which primarily uses the 4 color process method, some of the rules have changed. Now when making decisions as to how a project should be printed, a lot of the decision making is based on the colors you want to match. One limitation with process color is matching certain colors. CMYK mixing is limited as to the colors that can be created from those four colors. You can particularly notice this in the blue range where a lot of times the blues will appear more purplish than they should. For this reason, if no full color photography or graphics are in the printed piece, utilizing a Pantone ink color, say PMS286 will give you the exact match you want. For large printing jobs, where both 4 color process printing is required, but also Pantone color matching is required to match a company branded color, there are presses that print 5,6,8 or even 10 colors. Printing on these presses can certainly be expensive if the quantities are small, but on large jobs the cost can be affordable and the quality exceptional.

As a general rule, if color matching is not super critical but overall quality is, then either hi-end digital printing or “gang” offset printing is typically the way to go. Though digital printing has gotten to the point now where it is very difficult to tell the difference, in my opinion offset is still the way to go if the cost is comparable. As mentioned before “gang” printing, which is running several jobs together at once to help keep costs down, is an excellent option.

In conclusion, there are various subtleties when choosing the method by which your project will be printed. You will want to take into consideration the paper color, weight, and finish, as well as grain direction if the job is being folded or scored and if you want any type of coating applied to the finished piece. With the many choices available it is definitely a good idea to sit down with an experienced printer to help you decide how the job should be printed and why.

Browser Stats – October 2011

Matt Ward — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:40:35 +0000

Browser Statistics - October 2011

The web browser statistics have been released through October 2011. The stats are published monthly at W3CSchools.com.

Below are the web browser stats for October 2011.

2011	IE9	IE8	IE7	IE6
January	.5%	16.6%	5.7%	3.8%
February	0.6 %	16.7%	5.7%	3.5%
March	1.1 %	16.3%	5.4%	3.0%
April	2.1 %	14.8%	4.9%	2.5%
May	3.1 %	14.1%	5.3%	2.4%
June	3.6 %	12.9%	4.4%	2.3%
July	3.9 %	11.7%	4.1%	2.3%
August	4.2%	11.9%	4.2%	2.0%
September	4.8%	12.4%	3.9%	1.8%
October	5.1%	11.8%	3.5%	1.3%

2011	Firefox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
January	42.8%	23.8%	3.7%	2.4%
February	42.4%	24.1%	4.1%	2.5%
March	42.2%	25%	4%	2.5%
April	42.9%	25.6%	4.1%	2.6%
May	42.4 %	25.9%	4.0%	2.4%
June	42.2 %	27.9%	4.0%	2.4%
July	42.0%	29.4%	3.6%	2.4%
August	40.6%	30.3%	3.8%	2.3%
September	39.7%	30.5%	4.0%	2.2%
October	38.7%	32.3%	4.2%	2.4%

In summary, Internet Explorer 9 has broken into the 5% range while the later versions are on the steady decline. Firefox is steadily making its way to the lower percentage ranges while Google Chrome is steadily climbing up. Safari and Opera are still hovering in the extreme low percentage ranges.

Browser Stats – September 2011

Matt Ward — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:21:41 +0000

Browser Statistics - September 2011

The web browser statistics have been released through September 2011. The stats are published monthly at W3CSchools.com.

Below are the web browser stats for September 2011.

2011	IE9	IE8	IE7	IE6
January	.5%	16.6%	5.7%	3.8%
February	0.6 %	16.7%	5.7%	3.5%
March	1.1 %	16.3%	5.4%	3.0%
April	2.1 %	14.8%	4.9%	2.5%
May	3.1 %	14.1%	5.3%	2.4%
June	3.6 %	12.9%	4.4%	2.3%
July	3.9 %	11.7%	4.1%	2.3%
August	4.2%	11.9%	4.2%	2.0%
September	4.8%	12.4%	3.9%	1.8%

2011	Firefox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
January	42.8%	23.8%	3.7%	2.4%
February	42.4%	24.1%	4.1%	2.5%
March	42.2%	25%	4%	2.5%
April	42.9%	25.6%	4.1%	2.6%
May	42.4 %	25.9%	4.0%	2.4%
June	42.2 %	27.9%	4.0%	2.4%
July	42.0%	29.4%	3.6%	2.4%
August	40.6%	30.3%	3.8%	2.3%
September	39.7%	30.5%	4.0%	2.2%

In summary, all browsers have stayed very close to the previous month’s percentage ranges.

So Much for the Field of Dreams – Red Sox Implosion and Your Website

Matt Ward — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:18:57 +0000

If you build it, they will not come! Remember that!

Look…you cannot count on your hands and feet (because you don’t have enough) how many times I tell people that you cannot just put up a website and expect traffic to show up. So what does that have to do with the Boston Red Sox and their EPIC Implosion during the 2011 Baseball Season? A ton! First, the Red Sox have the third highest payroll in the major leagues in 2011, behind only the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Red Sox spent 160 Million Dollars this year on their payroll! I think if you ask them, even their front office of Larry, John, and Theo, they would tell you that no matter how much you pay someone, that person still needs to perform. I couldn’t agree more. Even Theo tells everyone here that they did this to themselves.

So, let’s talk about relevance to your website. Here is a scenario I see way too often:

A business buys a website – they design it themselves or they have a company do it – and they put it live on the web. After a month, they begin wondering why they are not getting business. So they call a website company like ours and in the initial brief 2-3 minute discussion, they tell me that they are not adding content, making changes or updates.

They are not doing any maintenance at all to their website! So why did they expect to get results? Because they don’t think that they need to do any work to “win” the search results game! Ask the Red Sox how that worked for them in September!!! It doesn’t. Let’s face it…if you pitch for the Red Sox and you throw strike after strike over the plate all day long at 75 MPH…you won’t be pitching there for long! Why? Because you won’t win!

Reality is simple, but it is often hard to digest! If you don’t produce results, you’re out of a job. You need to be the Terry Francona and make changes. Preferably you make better ones than he did in 2011, but remember that if you do nothing, you fail!

On another note, never assume that you have your rankings all set! Don’t let anyone else think that you have things all wrapped up! Boston Globe Columnist Dan Shaughnessy did this to the Red Sox during a rain delay of their final 2011 Season Game when they were winning and the Tampa Bay Rays were losing, he now he is eating crow. Here is what Dan said:

We have all heard it before, it’s not over till it’s over. Look, you might be doing very well in your search engine rankings, but you need to keep the pressure on or someone is going to come from the second page of Google and overtake you in a heartbeat and you will be crying foul!

Website maintenance is the key to getting, receiving, and constantly obtaining high rankings on Google! If you don’t do it, no one else will – you will not make the top 10 and you’ll be out of the playoffs! Your website is not, nor will it ever be, Kevin Costner’s Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will not come! Remember that!

NFL Comebacks and Google Rankings

Matt Ward — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:45:25 +0000

What can we learn from yesterday's NFL Comebacks?

What can we learn from yesterday’s NFL comebacks, specifically the New England Patriots implosion to the Buffalo Bills (34-31), as it pertains to your website ranking on Google? One Thing! It can happen if you are persistent and consistent. Google Rankings are much like a football game; you make mistakes which may result in you losing your number 1 position on Google for a specific search term. That is okay – so long as you don’t panic. The end game is what matters and much like football, if you can execute you can put a win in the win column.

How so you say…

Well, let’s presume that you have the number 1 spot on Google and tomorrow you wake up but now your number 2 – or worse, your number 10. Immediately you need to pull out your trusty yellow pad of paper that you bought from Staples and start a list. The first thing at the top of the list needs to be the keyword, exactly as you entered it.

Now create a section on the left for the results of who is listed and write down all the domains and pages (listed in green text just below the result on the page). On the right, you are going to create a list called “Key Terms”. This will be a list that everyone is attempting to target. Ideally you would see these terms in the keyword that you put on the top of the page. You can find the key terms on each person’s site by looking at the code to find it. (Trick: In many browsers, simply hit CTRL+U and that will open the code. For Internet Explorer, click View then Source)

Now that you have your list, do something with it!…It’s like you have a shotgun formation with 5 wide receivers…you need a game plan and you need to execute. Here is a short game plan to help you get back to the top:

Make a list
Check it twice (just kidding, you can skip this step, since it’s not Christmas yet)
Make some minor changes to the page that you want to rank
Devise a plan for a new but similar page that will target a very similar but not exactly the same key term
Track both pages

There is no guarantee that you can come from behind to win the game of getting the top ranking on Google back, but it has happened for us and for some of our clients. Nothing is guaranteed in the world of search engines, just like the NFL, which is why they play every game.

If you want help for adding, adjusting or maintaining your website, feel free to contact us, we would be happy to help you.

Browser Stats – August 2011

Matt Ward — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:09:14 +0000

Browser Statistics - August 2011

The web browser statistics have been released through August 2011. The stats are published monthly at W3CSchools.com.

Below are the web browser stats for August 2011.

2011	IE9	IE8	IE7	IE6
January	.5%	16.6%	5.7%	3.8%
February	0.6 %	16.7%	5.7%	3.5%
March	1.1 %	16.3%	5.4%	3.0%
April	2.1 %	14.8%	4.9%	2.5%
May	3.1 %	14.1%	5.3%	2.4%
June	3.6 %	12.9%	4.4%	2.3%
July	3.9 %	11.7%	4.1%	2.3%
August	4.2% %	11.9%	4.2%	2.0%

2011	Firefox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
January	42.8%	23.8%	3.7%	2.4%
February	42.4%	24.1%	4.1%	2.5%
March	42.2%	25%	4%	2.5%
April	42.9%	25.6%	4.1%	2.6%
May	42.4 %	25.9%	4.0%	2.4%
June	42.2 %	27.9%	4.0%	2.4%
July	42.0% %	29.4%	3.6%	2.4%
August	40.6% %	30.3%	3.8%	2.3%

In summary, Internet explorer numbers are staying relatively steady. Firefox took a dip in usage and Chrome is still steadily rising. Safari and Opera still hold steady in the low percentage ranges.

RGB vs. CMYK

Briana Nobrega — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:03:07 +0000

These days, everything is done over the computer – bill pay, socialization, even ordering take out. In most cases it’s cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. So it’s to no surprise that it’s now standard practice for graphic designers and print shops to provide digital proofs instead of an actual printed hard-copy proof. This is exceedingly more cost effective and the turnaround time is just about as fast as the designer can make the change and hit save. The only drawback of this process is that the client needs to be aware that the colors that they are seeing on the screen will slightly vary from the colors that they will see on the actual printed piece. This is due to the fact that the colors on your computer monitor are created using additive light (using the colors red, green, and blue (RGB))and output devices use subtractive light (using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK)). Let’s explore the differences.

The additive color spectrum is produced by light directly emitted from a source, such as the small light beams within your computer screen. Because colors are coming directly from the light source, they tend to be more vibrant. It’s called additive because when you add red, green, and blue together in equal amounts, they create white. When you add any two of these primary colors, you get the secondary colors of the additive system which are cyan, magenta, and yellow.

On the other hand, output devices, such as printers, use the subtractive color system. These colors are created from light reflecting off of a surface (such as white paper). This is called subtractive because the surface subtracts the light waves that are not being reflected. In printing, the primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow. Black is then added to increase contrast. When mixed in equal parts, cyan, magenta and yellow will produce black. Because these colors are reflections from the light source, they tend to be less vibrant.

It’s a bit tricky to wrap your head around, but in short:

RGB

Additive Color System: Starts with black, ends with white
Produced directly from a light source
More vibrant

CMYK

Subtractive Color System: Starts with white, ends with black
Produced by light reflecting off of a surface
Less vibrant

Technology is improving and monitors can now be calibrated to better simulate the output of CMYK, but every monitor is different and will never be able to generate the exact same result. So, next time you’re reviewing an on-screen version of a print project, be aware that the colors you see on the screen do not mirror the exact outcome of the final printed piece.