Playing by the rules:

Definition: playing by the rules to

include web etiquette and

Google…

Perspective: as a web designer.

Important clarification: a lot of what

I will discuss is avoidable, but there

is a lot to avoid and all the time…

Understanding the state of the

nation, and why web developers

often can’t play by the rules… even

if they knew them. Because most

of us leave our websites in the

hands of web designers.

The realities of commercial web design

• Web developers are asked to do a lot more than what they probably are able or trained to do.

• Limited Standards & lack of enforcement

• No code of conduct

We don’t know how to help ourselves…

• Web design is an opaque process: limited control or understanding by the customer in the process, and limited knowledge of what or how to control it.

• Web Industry is constantly under pressure to perform under tight margins and technical innovations. This leads to inadvertent and adverse decisions being made.

The realities of commercial web design

• The client is ultimately responsible for the mistakes and errings of the web developer and there is very little remedy against the web developer:

An unlicensed copy Dreamweaver is our biggest asset.

Only you lose your reputation.

The inputs and outputs of web

development and avoiding the obvious

issues, because prevention is far

better than cure…

1. Planning: some quick points

Protecting your brand online

• Protect your domains, Twitter, Facebook and brand in general: Get in early, lock them, renew them, and adopt central company ownership.

Squatters are very real.

•Resolution is on case by case basis, start soft, and if paying use an intermediary service.

Accessibility

•Accessibility is the designing of a website to be easily accessible by people with special needs.

• Visually impaired• Physically impaired• Mentally impaired

•Accessibility is not Usability, however general ease of use of the site is improved with almost all accessibility changes .

Accessibility

•Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), administered by the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission.

‘one would contravene the Act if one was to discriminate on the basis of the need to be accompanied by an assistant or carer.’

•Australia is also a signatory to a number of international human rights agreements.

Accessibility

• Level 1 (A) – Must do• Level 2 (AA) – Should do• Level 3 (AAA) – Could do

• Administered by the w3c

• There are a number of high-profile cases to cite, and plenty of name-and-shame campaigns in existence.

Privacy

•Have a clear and very quick policy with dealing with privacy related requests.

•If you are engaging in behavioral targeting (advertising) have a clear privacy policy.

•State your intentions with user content, don’t hide your policy.

2. Building: some quick points

Building the website

• Get proof of every image purchased.

• Get written confirmation of all technology and licenses involved in the construction of your website.

WYSIWYG is not always WYSIWYG.

• Get confirmation that their concepts are completely original.

Building the website

•As part of the handover, request all source files, database technology and all necessary files. Request that web developer provides a reasonable pathway for handover.

•Greatest source of contention we see is in the handover process. The web developer is probably as pissed off as you are and they can make your life a living hell.

3. Owning and operating: some

quick points

Building a framework

• Have a blanket policy for all websites. Especially with work completed by agencies, sub agencies and freelancers.

• It is critical it is not a demeaning policy – this will work against you.

SEO

•Only one website can be number one, and everyone is trying.

• Unethical conduct is frequent, unbeknown to the client. This can include transplanting (stealing) content for short term traffic gains.

•Unethical behavior goes beyond the legal world and into Googles world.

•Monitor your content and copy using third party tools.

Internal plagiarism

•Positively many businesses are engaging staff to create content though this is throwing up many instances of plagiarism.

•Staff are not aware of these laws – it is your responsibility to inform.

Trademarks online

• Monitoring your trademarks online; use the available channels online (e.g. Google resolution) – much quicker than traditional legal avenues.

• Lead by example – don’t infringe your competitors trademarks.

Trade Practices Act changes

• Comply with recent changes to the TPA in respect to pricing: the full cost must be disclosed.

The end.

This presentation can be downloaded from;www.robertbeerworth.com

Wiliam Web Design www.wiliam.com.au