Web Design For Non-Profits

Web design takes a different approach when creating websites for nonprofit organizations rather than a brick and mortar or eCommerce business. It is more than just driving traffic to a site but getting the visitor to buy into the story that the nonprofit is telling. Picture the ASPCA commercials we all have seen on TV, then convert that into pictures and words. Stories that pull at the heartstrings open the wallets for donations. Providing secure portals to accept not only one-time donations but also subscription based, monthly reoccurring is key. By designing a website that creates emotion and engagement as well as a place to share the stories of the nonprofit. In turn, donations and exposure will increase for the organization as well as their digital reputation.

In this presentation, I will discuss layout, buttons and plugins that I have found that work well for donation-based model websites. I will also share ways to create a user experience that increased donations and awareness. Proper theme selection, SEO, plugins all enhance the way we not only tell the nonprofit’s story but also build brand awareness and in turn a sense of comfort with the donor that they are supporting a cause whose story resonates with them. Whether it be animal welfare, orphans, trafficking, no matter the cause a properly designed site can provide donor dollars and exposure that the organization would likely not have otherwise.

Level-Up Your PHOneTOGRAPHY

Learn how to take better photos with your smartphone and stand out on social media. With a little knowledge and practice, you’ll be taking photos that nobody will even believe were shot on your phone.

Join us as professional photographer Maryann Davidson shows us the Rules, Tools, Tips, & Tricks to level-up your PHOneTOGRAPHY.

Requirements:

  • A smartphone with a camera.
  • Able to find & operate the camera on your phone and download/open apps.

P.S. Last time, 3 people arrived with dead phones. Hey it happens. So don’t forget to juice up your battery. 😉

P.S.S. If there’s something specifically you’ve struggled with or want to improve, bring your questions with you. Maryann will be available afterwards for Q&As.

Agency of One

More recently the freelance landscape has become crowded, but there’s still a chance to be successful if you know how to stand out from the rest. If you are going to survive as a freelancer in today’s climate, you have to combine your creative skill with a business skill.

What’s the difference between a freelancer, agency and consultant? The answer to this question is the key to increasing your value as a freelancer.

In this session, we will uncover the 4 parts of the creative process and discuss the best elements of freelancing to increase the pricing on your unique value proposition.

Why I Redesigned My 2 Year Old Website… and Why You Probably Should Too

WordPress is evolving at high speed, as well as the tools that help us work effectively on the web. High-impact, targeted messaging and effective images are just part of the story. With new page builders, plugins and business processes, it’s time to evaluate your current site (I sure did)!

A 3-step Framework for Accessibility Design Success

Building websites that are fully accessible isn’t easy. And if approached as an after-thought, they can prove to be near impossible. Too often, product teams postpone compliance efforts until the very end, hoping to reverse-engineer their way to an inclusive product.

How can you avoid the competing agendas, missed deadlines, and strained relationships often associated with building WCAG compliant products? That’s a critical question with a surprisingly simple answer.

In this session, I’ll share a 3-step framework you can use to avoid common pitfalls and confidently build products that are accessible for all users. Born from the frustrations of my own troubled projects, this is the methodology I wish I’d had years ago. Join me as I share the strategies, tools, and deliverables you can use immediately to take your inclusive design processes to the next level.

Accessible Websites

Accessibility is essential for developers and organizations that want to create high-quality websites and web tools, and not exclude people from using their products and services.

According to the CDC, 26 % of the US population has difficulty accessing digital information due to living with a disability. Depending on the website and user’s needs, that could mean that some sites are leaving 1 in 4 people behind due to frustrating, inconsistent, or inaccessible user experiences.

In this presentation, we will walk through some of the different components of a website and discuss how we as users, designers, content creators, and developers can bring our websites up to 508/WCAG AA compliance. We will also review some automated testing tools and demonstrate how to use them to manually assess our sites.

What Is Voice Search and How to Prepare for It

Smart Phones and Smart Speakers are changing how people search. Voice Searches are more like questions instead of just keywords. Voice Technology is changing how we access information. The Search Engines (Google, Bing, Yelp, etc.) are all preparing for changes caused by Voice Technology. Voice Search Optimization and Voice SEO are the latest buzzwords. Let’s demystify these terms and talk about how to optimize for Voice.

Not So Scary: SVGs for the Win

SVGs (Scalable Vector Graphics) don’t need to be scary. Anyone can quickly take your WordPress product #beyondpretty to start using SVGs the right way providing better performance and viewability, enhancing microinteractions for frictionless UI, improving accessibility and just plain WOWing your viewers. Get ready to quickly and safely implement SVGs throughout your WordPress workflow by learning:

  • What is SVG and how well is it supported.
  • The benefits of using SVG.
  • The best and safest ways of using SVG on your WordPress site.
  • How to use SVGs in theme and plugin development.
  • How to use SVGs in WordPress Blocks.
  • Animating SVGs: the down and dirty and best practices.

Using Theme Builder in Elementor – The Fastest Way to Launch

Elementor is one the the most popular Visual page builders for WordPress with over 4 million active downloads!  And it’s popular for a reason.  It’s intuitive drag and drop editor will have you designing your site just like a pro in no time flat. 

And today, we’ll learn how to streamline our design process even MORE by using two features inside Elementor Pro called Theme builder and (the brand new) Global Theme Styling.  This powerhouse combo will allow you to launch your new website lightning fast.