ZorinWeb is a tiny web development outfit specialising in e-commerce applications, content management systems for websites (CMS), search engine optimisation (SEO), and simple brochure websites.

services – what we do…

Blogs – WordPress Works

Blogging, or web logging, is becoming an increasing important communication medium, both professionally, and for enjoyment. Our preferred blogging tool is without doubt, WordPress. It’s been around awhile now and has a deep and dedicated following. For reasonably straightforward sites, it’s also an excellent CMS tool. This application has much to offer; all you need is a MySQL database and PHP hosting!

Google AdWords and Analytics

Search engine optimisation, or SEO, needs to be underpinned by a good analytics package such as Google Analytics. Used correctly, Google Analytics is an invaluable tool with capabilities far beyond monitoring website traffic and general website use. Google Analytics go hand in hand with Google AdWords, especially when putting together an effective landing page for a pay per click campaign.

To get a pay per click campaign up and running or to make the most of your existing campaign, I can either set these services up for you, or help interpret them.

XML Web Services

Whether it be for affiliate marketing purposes, or just to populate your site with third party data, I can help. I have extensive experience with various APIs, form Google Base (Products) to eBay. If you deal in anything from shoes to cars, setting up a data feed to Google Base would be hugely beneficial. Your merchandise is immediately opened up to a far greater audience, as Google Base syndicates it over the web.

For example, type ’shoes’ or ‘wardrobes‘ into Google. After three ‘paid for’ results, you’ll see ‘Shopping results for shoes’; this link will take you through to Google Base, which is effectively a database of products allowing users to compare and contrast items. This allows traders, regardless of size, to compete head to head with both bigger and more established companies.

eBay’s another example of a big name that provides its own API, amongst others such as Amazon AWS, etc.. Commonly, and like Amazon, eBay’s XML feeds are used for affiliate marketing. XML allows any aspects of its site to be recreated. The affiliate is interested in sending traffic back to eBay in order to earn commission, subject to conversion criteria. In sum, XML is a great way of both populating a site, and syndicating a site’s content, much like the Google Base example used above.

If you’re interested in affiliate marketing or would like your own XML feed, just let me know what area you’re interested in.

Adobe/Macromedia Flash

If you think your site would benefit by having some engaging content, then Flash is the way to go. Used sensibly, this is a powerful advertising/interactivity medium. Web sites wholly constructed from Flash tend to be sluggish and suffer from navigational problems. However, as mentioned above, if used correctly, can bring an otherwise unappealing site to life.

RSS

Syndicate content the easy way, be it for new pages or otherwise, RSS is an all round great method for spreading information. Depending on the version in question, RSS is aptly referred to as ‘Really Simple Syndication’, and is a form of XML (extensible mark-up language), a technology used to efficiently syndicate data over the internet. Some organisations have been known to abandon mass email campaigns in favour of RSS. With the levels of spamming and hackers continuing to harvest email addresses, this comes as no surprise.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Depending on what business category your web site falls in, or of what theme it is, getting up the search rankings is an extremely tricky process; one which needs constant monitoring. I can optimize your web site so it receives more traffic from major search engines, though how far you wish to take this process depends on how much time you’re willing to commit.

Really, search engine optimisation should be viewed as a long term strategy. First of all it pays to understand the basics. If a search engine’s incapable of finding your site itself, then it means the site doesn’t have any inbound links, which brings us to our next point; directories.

Directories are key in respect of getting the search engines to acknowledge your site. The core search engines, Yahoo! and Google, utilise its own and the Open Directory Project (ODP), respectively. Once a site is listed within these directories, it should take within two to three months to be found by the search engines. In short, you’ll greatly increase your site’s transparency by:

1. Ensuring that your site has valid content, i.e., each page containing keywords that accurately reflect its content.
2. Trying to get other sites of similar content to link into yours. As pointed out above, this is how contextual search engines operate.

As SEO is a large and complicated subject, read about how we can help to make your website more noticeable to search engines, or SEO friendly as they say in the business.

SSL

For ecommerce and other uses that require secure web applications, I recommend opting for SSL shared web space. This is widely used throughout the corporate world and utilises full 128-bit encryption. Certificates are issued by the Thawte authority.

Scripting

Though I’m familiar with the ASP.NET 2.0 platform, I much prefer scripting in PHP and mating it with a MySQL database. I’ve learnt through trial and error that it’s both more cost effective and is better suited to jumping in and out of XHTML.

What are Sub-domains?

Sub-domains are useful for splitting your web site into distinctly different sections. Whether personalising for an individual, ‘yourname.yourdomain.com’, or setting up a feedback forum, ‘feedback.yourdomain.com’, sub-domains get the job done. Applicable on both Windows and Linux platforms, sub-domains can be set up instantly, and come with their own professional email facilities.

quotes

If you’d like a quote on a web site build, please fill in the following form. For more info, see below.

As individual site requirements differ, it’s tricky to offer advice before receiving a clear brief, or outline. You might want a simple design, carried throughout the site, or something more complex that varies from page to page.

Then there’s the question of what you want it to do. Will the site simply display information (pictures and text etc.), collect information, or both? As soon as you start collecting information, i.e., customers’ details for selling items, or individual data for a recruitment site, then the site will have to be driven by a database.

For the above reasons, it would be very helpful if you’d complete the following form. Fill in as much as possible, though not every field is compulsory. You’ll receive a sameday reponse, or if sent at night, the following day.