In a recent episode of my favorite podcast, Stuff You Should Know, hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant explore the mystery surrounding the Bermuda Triangle.  From fantastic claims of wormholes leading to other dimensions and portals used by aliens to abduct planes and maritime vessels to more realistic explanations of turbulent weather, strong ocean currents or the fact that the topography of this 500,000 square mile territory includes the deepest crevasses found on planet Earth, they leave no stone unturned in the search for an answer.

During their spiel, Chuck references the website of a Bermuda Triangle fanatic.  The site itself is somewhat of a ‘Bermuda Triangle’ because it is poorly designed with text that overlaps images and pages that just won’t load.  Although the information provided is accurate, thorough and interesting, its overall lack of quality greatly discredits it as a reliable resource.

I’m sure we have all stumbled upon sites like this.  The information is there, but it’s difficult to find and irritating to navigate.  A company may offer the highest quality product or service on the market, but a poorly designed, outdated website results in an increased bounce rate and reflects poorly on the business as a whole.

As a new wave of web technologies and innovation again changes the scene of effective online marketing and overall business management, our goal is to provide our clients and visitors with a few tips on how to keep pace with this ever changing landscape in 2012.

1. Be Bold

A lot of websites are making their presence known by taking chances and letting the creative forces flow.  The old-school, template website has taken a back seat to a variety of bold new looks.  Whether you feature an exaggerated footer, turn to minimalist format or feature a unique typeface, incorporating and mastering a key graphic element can speak volumes about your company and your dedication to detail.  Once you truly own the ability to modernize your site’s appeal you will remain on the cusp of innovation for years to come.

For those on a tight budget or not experienced with coding, reference our blog history and you’ll find The $60 Billion Savior, an entire post dedicated to the Content Management System, WordPress.  Services like WordPress and Google open API font styles provide webmasters with cost-free tools to help create enticing websites.

2. Try HTML5…carefully

While you’re out there trying new things, join the swarm and find out what all the buzz is about behind HTML5.  But do so with caution, you wouldn’t want to get stung.

HTML5 offers a range of flexibility that allows you to create a truly interactive website.  Requiring very little code work, you will be able to embed seamless video, create drag-and-drop interfaces and manage dynamic message posts.

As with any new technology there will be laggards who experience compatibility issues.  While your glistening new site looks stunning on latest version of Google Chrome, it may look like a series of broken features or nothing at all on Internet Explorer 7.  Fortunately, as we revealed in  Let me Upgrade Ya, Grade Ya, Microsoft has taken the initiative to activate automatic updates for users not running the most recent version of their browser.

In the meantime, we have Modernizr, an open-source, JavaScript-based tool that detects the compatibility of each user and customizes their interaction with your site.  However make no mistake, if you are not experienced in coding use caution when considering this route.

3. Less is MORE

In other words, cut the fat.  Put your site on a diet and do away with clickable tabs that route users to separate pages for Contact, About, or Testimonial information.  Rather than maintain several pages with extensive, time consuming code, many companies have opted for a strong one-page websites with a bold designs that make a powerful statement and leave a lasting impression.  Check out pickupamerica.org to see the potential of an interactive, one-page website (not to mention a good cause).

The coming year will surely unveil the benefits and flaws of one-page websites.  While using HTML5 will allow you to create a unique page with pop-up windows and embedded video, the amount of information presented remains limited.

Do you want your site to make a bold statement about your company or would you rather focus on a blog-style page that plays heavily on testimonials and case studies?

4.  Use your Social Media manners

It’s undeniable that announcing your social media presence on your company website is an absolute must.  But the way in which you execute this presence makes all the difference in the world.  Automatically updating widgets that stream social media presence are both invasive and outdated but this does not mean altogether eliminating an interactive link to your Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace page.  Consider integrating graphic links or a social ticker with the user’s eye in mind.  When social media is incorporated in your site with intelligent design and careful consideration, your site will show a strong social connection while maintaining a modest appeal.

We hope these tips will get the gears turning in regards to your 2012 website renovations.  Take each tip with a grain of salt and season your site to taste.  We love to receive feedback and answer questions from our visitors because here at WebChiqueMarketing we are all about relationships and results.