So I was trying to do an automatic popup with JCEPOPUP. I knew that JCE could do overlays of internal links, external links, photos or videos from youtube. I wanted that overlay/lightbox to happen automatically. The reason I wanted this is so that when ads from Google AdWords hit a landing page, a lightbox would show asking for contact info. I'm trying to raise the level of capture and conversion rates for my clients.

I search through the documentation but couldn't find anything useful. But then, like many other times, searching hard enough found the following in a forum thread post:

 <a rel="width[540];height[360]" class="jcepopup autopopup-single noicon noshow" target="_blank" id="popup1" href="/index.php?Itemid=122&option=">Contact Us</a>

Now when you hit the landing page, a lightbox automatically shows from JCE with JCEPOPUP. For the curious, it requires an "ID" of any value. This is why I couldn't get it to originally work.

Also, the CLASS is what determines this. Here are a few of the JCE CLASS that seems to be important:

• jcepopup = this is what determines if it popsup or not
• autopopup-single = only popup once. This is determined by the ID. If it senses you've hit the same page twice, it won't show. It does this by the ID.
• autopopup-multiple = show the popup everytime.
• noicon = don't show any icon
• noshow = don't show the link at all

SITUATION

MooTools Fx.Slide used to showhidecontent in article. Default is hidden. Click on link, content shows.

Works great in FF, Chrome, Safari. Doesn't work in IE8. Expanded content shows behind other divs.

RESOLUTION

ie8.css (or if gt IE 7) must have "display: block;" on the entire content you want to show/expand. This means the div that getting overlapped or underneath.

Rabbit Trails

overflow, Fx.Slide Height, css on the overlapping div. Clearing css on current div.

Needed K2 items to have a form. Wanted the form to be in the extra fields.

First create the EXTRA FIELD

• -click EXTRA FIELDS
• -click NEW
• -name the field NEWPRICE
• -make "Type" be: TEXTAREA
• -leave "Default Values" blank
• -click SAVE

Next, edit the ./administrator/components/com_k2/models/item.php

• -vi item.php
• -:510
• -change: $variables = JRequest::get('post', 4);
• -to: $variables = JRequest::get('post',JREQUEST_ALLOWRAW);
• -:wq

Finally, test it out.

• -click ITEMS
• -select item
• -click EXTRA FIELDS tab
• -type your HTML or FORM code
• -mine was: <form action="https://domainname.foxycart.com/cart" method="post" accept-charset=utf-8>
• -click APPLY

Your code should stick!

Just because I forget and have to go trouncing around the internet for a few minutes, here's the Google Apps Login to the Google Apps Dashboard:

https://www.google.com/a/cpanel/<yourdomainname.tld>

Putting it here for reference for myself and for our wonderful clients. Have we told you we love you? You mean the world to us!

Hi Sandy,

I really appreciate all that you do. You are a wonderful person that far exceeds the influence of many, including myself. I became aware of your influence while reading a Gitomer book, Social Boom. After reading the chapter mentioning you, I did simple research to look at your Twitter profile and blog.

The Twitter profile started with more tweeting than I'm used to but apparently you were at a function requiring the amount of tweets. I didn't have time to thoroughly consume at the moment so I saved it until the next day. When looking again I was surprised to see you announced a redesign of your blog. Further you asked for opinions.

Being a semi-pro and having gone through this process numerous times with clients, I was hoping you'd allow me to offer a friendly critique.

Here's the current design:

It's certainly function but there are areas of improvement that I'd like to list out and show progression with explanation.

BACKGROUND

The current background is black with white lettering. I suggest to reverse it to a white background with black text. The issue is that people have a hard time reading white text on black background. I probably could link to a usability article explaining this or some stats that could offer numbers to help support the decision but I'm unable to provide this at the moment.

Examples would be any media outlet such as cnn.com or yahoo.com. In fact, I challenge anyone to find a significant media outlet without a white background and black text.

Here's the result of changing the background:

WIDTH

The current width is 1280 pixels. I think it's a fluid design. I suggest to narrow this down to a standard of 960 pixels. The issue is that people have a hard time reading text the stretches too far across the screen. They lose the line and have to start at the beginning of the line again. Think in terms of a paperback book. It's easy to read because the width isn't too long.

Here's the result of changing the width:

SIDEBAR

The current sidebar is the same color as the main body. To break it up, I suggest changing the color. In this case, we'll keep the same blue as the current blue (#002A53) and reverse the text to white. This works because people aren't reading the text as much as they are scanning the text.

Here's the result of changing the sidebar:

FONT SIZE

The current paragraph font size is 12px. I suggest raising this to 15px. While 12px is plainly accepted, the issue is that people have a harder time reading text that is small. Enlarging the text allows your readers to have an easier time reading the blog.

Along the same lines, the title font size is 18px. I suggest raising this to 38px. The issue is that having a small title font size doesn't break up the blog posts enough for the readers. Having a larger title font size allows for readers to easily determine between the articles.

Here's the result of changing the font size:

ARTICLES ON A PAGE

Currently, there are numerous articles on a single page. I suggest limiting the number of articles to 10 per page. The issue is that people have trouble finding an article in a long page. Limiting the articles to 10 per page allows the readers easily digest newer articles from older articles.

REMOVING UNNECESSARY ITEMS

Currently there are a few unnecessary items on the page. For example, the menu bar below the header. If it doesn't serve a purpose, I suggest removing it.

Here's the result of removing the menu bar:

PICTURE & YOUTUBE SIZES

Currently the pictures and youtube videos are all different sizes. I suggest keeping all the photos and youtube videos the same size... say 550px. This serves the purpose of having a uniform layout and is pleasing to the eye.

The result of having all the photos the same size is above.

OTHER ITEMS

There are items I may suggest. For example, you like to have your picture in the header. In truth, most people don't like to see it. Not that it's unimportant, it's just that you may think it's more important than the reader thinks.

The header may be a tad bit smaller as well. This goes with the classic story of an ad agency with a client who always says, "Make the logo bigger." It truth, as above, most people don't think it's that important.

I'd be more interested in redesigning the header. The image is kinda weak and the words blend into the background.

CONCLUSION

All of these items together help give the reader the impression that you're serious about your blog. After all you only have 50 milliseconds to make a good impression.

Take care and thank you for allowing me to hand a friendly critique to hopefully strengthen your web presence.

We are apart of the CMS Association and just got back from their main event, the CMS Expo held in Evanston, IL, a bustling suburb just 10 miles from downtown Chicago. The CMS Expo is conference based on content management systems or CMS's.

What's great about the conference isn't the number of people as only about 400 people show but the quality of people that show. This year Dries Buytaert, the founder of Drupal, showed once again. A core developer from the Joomla project, Andrew Eddie, showed.

Also, the founders of DotNetNuke, Umbraco, SilverStripe, Accrisoft, Terminal4, Typo3, Agility were all in attendance. In addition, representatives from organizations like Microsoft (displaying their Web MS project), MailChimp, Carnegie Mellon University, The National Weather Service and the Gilbane Group showed.

There was certainly a large focus on who's CMS is best. The answer is always the same... it depends on the requirements and people running it.

However, Buytaert's keynote speech on Monday (or was it Tuesday) intrigued me. He highlighted how CMS's go from inception to bespoke solution to commodity, or a solution everyone can comfortably purchase. The issue is that companies no longer have one web site, they have multiple web sites. The question is how do they organize all the sites?

Buytaert draws the conclusion that web sites can be broken into three distinct categories for an organization. First some of which are on company-owned hardware for internal and external private use (internal government web site for employees). Secondly some are on cloud-based systems combined with content delivery networks, or CDN's usually for large scale public sites (whitehouse.gov). Then there's the microsite category or web sites that can be put up and taken down based on events (a temporary site for the tornadoes in Alabama).

Accordingly, Acquia, the company that maintains the Drupal project, offers three distinct products. First the freely available Acquia Drupal project that companies can use for private use and customize to their hearts content. Secondly for public large sites there's the fully managed Acquia Cloud that can handle the largest site you can think of. Lastly, Drupal Gardens for those quick need solutions and software-as-a-service that can be up and running in a matter of hours.

While the examples are for Drupal, the principles can be applied to every CMS.

Thanks to everyone that spoke, we really learned and hope to implement the knowledge over the next 12 months til we return.

I always find it amazing how many projects we start and how long some projects take to get to completion. I would love to report that the sluggishness is on our side. I wish we were slow. But that isn't the case at all.

There seems to be certain roadblocks or barriers that prevent small businesses completing a web site project. Since we've been through the process a few times, I'd thought I'd put on a magic hat and post the roadblocks ahead of time.

Beginning the Web Site is Often the Most Difficult

Beginning is the most difficult. This is the same roadblock that plauges people from going to the gym or starting a diet. They simple never begin. What's interesting is that if I went and asked most small business owners "How important is a web site?" we would all agree to some level that web sites in today's day and age are very important. Still at the same time, many small businesses don't spend any time on their web site at all.

What About Your Project

So what about your web site? Is it stuck in the 1990's with static pages? Is the design up to date and modern? Appealing to the eye? How long have you spend on your web site this week? Do you need to begin a new project that you've been waiting on?

What if You Began?

Imagine what it would be like if you did. Even though there is probably some items you don't understand and even through it's going to cost some money, think about how much more it'll cost if you never begin.

Final Thought with a Quote

Burrito Brothers is a small burrito shop that we frequent here in Jupiter, FL. The staff posted quotes on the wall. I think the following hanging quote from Theodore Roosevelt sums it up,

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

I know I've covered this before but I want to drive home the point.

You're with some friends and you're talking. Someone mentions some news that sparks everyone to check it out on their phones (iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, Blackberry). They hit a web site and it's a regular web site. The text is tiny on the phone and some of the graphics don't work because they are flash.

What are the chances they will stay on the web site to read it and get the content?

If you have a regular web site, this web site will show on mobile devices but people will have to zoom into the web site to be able to see certain items.

This may be acceptable to you. You might even like this. You get the real web site rather than a watered down version of the real thing.

The problem is that other people don't think like you think. The general public won't read something if it is too small. The gerenal public doesn't know how to zoom. The general public doesn't have the dexerity to look closer at a menu item or use a drop down menu.

Your web site needs to have a mobile version. This is a version of your web site that is easily available on mobile devices such as smart phones.

It isn't enough just have a web site by itself. Your web site needs to have a simple mobile one column version that people can easily see and read.

Imagine what it would be like if you did. People could hit your web site with their phones at dinner parties and your site would be the talk of the town.

I was taking a trip last summer to Hawaii. Ever been? It's awesome. I'm not just saying that, millions of people agree with me. Sadly, many people never go or get the chance to go.

Certainly, I felt like this was a once in a lifetime trip. I may never get the chance to go back. I only get one shot at this. If I make a mistake at choosing what to do, too bad, I choose wrong. So what did I do before I left?

I did just as you do before you go on a trip. I surfed the internet for activities I could do. Things like biking, boating, sailing, luaus and restaurants were all in the mix. I read reviews of hotels, car rentals, transporation to and from the air port.

What's amazing is that we judge businesses by their web sites.

It's true. Even if the reviews were good, if you go to their site and it looks terrible, there's a high chance you will never do business with them.

So what do you think your potential customers are thinking? Here's a hint, they are thinking exactly the same.

What you want and what I want is for the customers to feel at ease. We want them to trust us. If they have to type in a credit card, we don't want them to hesitate because of the design.

If customers judge us by our web sites, yours better look good. Have a design that attracts if they only come your way once in a lifetime.

I remember years ago, a friend asked if I could help setup a web site. "Sure." I said. We put together a few static pages like you would a 5 page brochure. I think he bought me lunch in return.

Then the menu needed changed. Well this stinks," I thought. "Now I have to go through and change the menu on every page." Sure enough, I went through and made the change on every page.

Then I got smarter. I created 1 menu and included it on every page. But there was still a lot of leg work involved if something needed changed. How do I shorten the leg work?

Then my friend wanted to make changes and didn't want to bother me. So I gave him the FTP access. But he called frantic one day as the whole site didn't work. It was a misplaced semicolon in the code. How do I allow changes where a misplaced semicolon can shutdown the entire site?

Then my friend wanted a redesign. "Your kidding me," I thought. I have to go through redesign everything and then re-insert all the text and pictures. Again, a lot of work and I hadn't received a free lunch in quite some time. How do I redesign everything but not have to re-insert everything?

A CMS or content mangement system takes care of all of the questions above. Some people call it a WCMS or web content management system.

One big idea here is to separate out the design of the site with the content of the site.

This has great effects. I can make changes to the menu and it is automatically done on the whole site with little work. The CMS system does the work for me.

My friend can now edit his own content without bothering me. I don't have to worry about him accidentally shutting down the site with misplaced code. The CMS system does the work for me.

I can now redesign the site and the content remains unchanged. The CMS system does the work for me.

If any of the above sounds familiar, imagine what it would be like if your web site was on a CMS. All of the above would be easy. Your whole company could make changes to the web site with little to no technical training.

This is just a short explanation of what a CMS can do. Although I'm done with the free lunches. I learned my lesson on that one too!