iems

It is said that several things need to come in mind - one without the other is like running a marathon with only 1 foot. With that being said, a website must be visually appealing (to not turn visitors away), easy to navigate so information can be found, the info must be informative and able to sell the message yet not overwhelming, and THEN of course the site must have ethical seo so it is found by search engines. In the end, the site must engaging of the target market and reflect the unique value of the business as well as the person representing the business.

Choose a name that speaks to who you are as a person / business and the unique value that you offer. Ensure this name will resonate with the customer you are targeting.

I love the CTA & quote underneath. Nicely done. I only wonder if things could be spaced out a bit more? Padding, white space etc.? Just feels a bit cramped. Also, trust the colors are properly synced as going together? The combo just seems a bit off. Not sure. Anyway, just an opinion. Nicely done.

This might be a simple case of you are needing complete content from them (text, pics, etc.) and they simply do not have time to put it together. You may need to (without spending a ton of time on it) drum up some decent copyright and stock photography just to fill the gaps and complete the design and get paid. Subject to change after the fact. This is of course you've confirmed they are still interested in working with you.

I am curious as to the significance of the name and the color scheme? When I did a google search, two things popped up: 1 - the Scottish rock band, and 2 - the gremlin. Just curious is all. : - )

1 - "Crisp clean interface design" - your site absolutely reflects this. Nicely done. Just be sure to note what it is that makes you different, and possibly better than your competition. 2 - You have rollover effect in your navigation. Why not have the same for the various buttons (CTA, Services, Social Media)? 3 - For the home slider: 4 words - "the power of three". 2 just doesn't seem enough. Add one more "wow" there that takes care of point #1. Overall, good job.

answer - use link instead of a metatag

Does anyone have the html5 valid version of the publisher meta tag? Done some research, and all options I cannot get to validate. Please advise. Thank you in advance.

I was curious if anyone has a good resource for icons: RWD, Marketing, SEO, Gears, & Social Media (FB, Tw, G+ etc.) Letterpress style? Thank you in advance.

Even though seeking a review is "asking for it", I've never really understood the purpose of being so harsh in an answer - other than making yourself look like a ____. So, now that the harsh criticism is out of the way, how 'bout something that's actually constructive... Disregarding any opinion about your website, because that is just what it is - only an opinion, this is what I would do if I were you: 1 - Look at the name of your design company. Does reflect who you are as a person and the unique value you are offering? 2 - Look at the website you've designed for yourself. Does it reflect who you are as a person and the unique value you are offering? 3 - Look at your personality and unique value you are offering. Is it relevant to the market you are targeting? If all of the above is true, then it doesn't matter what anyone else has to say. If your target market likes it, that's all that matters.

Correct me if I am wrong but this is essentially an online magazine right? Which means lots and lots of content added on a regular basis? If this is true, and the initial impression of your site is not a good one, perhaps look at the competition - ie: online magazines (specifically those targeting the high-end luxury client) and see what they are doing. I personally do not find this site to be too bad concerning design. If anything, perhaps add a bit more space between each post, and between the posts column and the side bar. What you might want to focus on next is user experience. Can the visitor quickly find what they are looking for? On a side note, make sure your advertisers are relevant and add value to your site - not take it away. Keep pressing forward.

The transparency under the text "social media strategies" that is over the pic doesn't look right. I wouldn't force a design element just because it's current if it doesn't look right.

I had asked a question earlier regarding the same thing - specifically how they came up with the percentage to use. Was it automatically imported or taken from a test they took or was it pulled from thin air? I agree, I don't really get the point. I think the conclusion was that it is indeed pointless. At the end of the day, it's the portfolio that says if you know what you are doing or not.

AS & RD - Yes a portfolio is the ultimate reflection of skills as opposed to the self-proposed skill level listed manually. 4l14s - I hate to name names and be that way. Basically is a list of skills with a percentage of competency usually reflected via a bar graph of sorts. I was just curious if this info is imported via an extension or entered manually, and in either case, how were they tested? Just curious is all. No biggie. BTW - congrats Robby on the accolade.

I'm seeing some freelance website designers posting competency test results on their sites. May I ask where this info comes from? I know elance has such tests. Can it be safely assumed this is where it comes from or are there other resources as well? Just curious. Thank you for your time.