Dalton Perry Music https://daltonperry.com/ Make Waves Thu, 05 Oct 2023 13:22:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://daltonperry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cropped-cropped-Co-32x32.png Dalton Perry Music https://daltonperry.com/ 32 32 Top 8 Web Development Best Practices 2024 https://daltonperry.com/web-development-best-practices-2024/ Tue, 03 Oct 2023 12:59:45 +0000 https://daltonperry.com/?p=873 Hello Digital Pioneers, As someone deeply entrenched in the web design sphere, especially within the bustling ecosystem of tech startups, I’ve been fortunate enough to ride the wave of evolution that sweeps through the domain every so often. As we step into 2024, the realm of web design has unfurled new vistas, underpinned by a […]

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Hello Digital Pioneers,

As someone deeply entrenched in the web design sphere, especially within the bustling ecosystem of tech startups, I’ve been fortunate enough to ride the wave of evolution that sweeps through the domain every so often. As we step into 2024, the realm of web design has unfurled new vistas, underpinned by a blend of technology, aesthetics, and user-centric ideologies. Here’s a glimpse into some of the avant-garde web design practices that are making a significant impact this year.

Responsive Design 2.0: The Digital Canvas Reimagined

As we cruise through the digital age, the call for Responsive Design 2.0 echoes through the silicon valleys and code-strewn studios of tech startups. It’s not just about making the digital canvas fit every screen; it’s about crafting an online realm where every pixel is poised with purpose, every animation flows with finesse, and every layout exudes a lucid fluidity across devices.

The quintessence of Responsive Design 2.0 is seen in the digital facade of Koox, a London-based takeaway venture. Here, the layout is not merely a visual spectacle but a dynamic entity that morphs gracefully across devices, ensuring every user a palatable journey through the culinary delights on offer, regardless of their digital doorway.

				
					<!DOCTYPE html>
<!-- Here’s a basic code snippet exemplifying Responsive Design 2.0 utilizing CSS Grid: -->
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
  .grid-container {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(100px, 1fr));
    gap: 10px;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="grid-container">
  <div class="grid-item">1</div>
  <div class="grid-item">2</div>
  <div class="grid-item">3</div>
  <!-- ...more items -->
</div>

</body>
</html>
<!-- In this snippet, we leverage the CSS Grid layout with an auto-fill column template, ensuring a responsive grid that adjusts based on the screen size. -->

Web3 Integration: The Dawn of Decentralized Digital Realms

In the heart of 2023’s tech vanguard, Web3 Integration isn’t just a phrase; it’s a revolution. As the digital realms burgeon beyond the centralized architectures, the essence of blockchain interlacing with web design unfolds a new era of interactive, secure, and transparent digital experiences. Our venture into Ethereum’s decentralized applications exemplifies the boundless potential that lies in melding the principles of blockchain with the core of web design. It’s about creating not just websites, but web ecosystems that thrive on the ethos of decentralization, opening up avenues of trust, engagement, and uncharted innovations.

Explore Ethereum’s official website for insights on decentralized web applications.

				
					// JavaScript
// For Web3 Integration, you might explore utilizing Ethereum smart contracts. Here's a simplified example using the web3.js library:

// Import web3
const Web3 = require('web3');

// Connect to the Ethereum blockchain
const web3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider("https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/YOUR_INFURA_PROJECT_ID"));

// Define the smart contract ABI and address
const contractABI = [...];  // Obtain from your contract compilation
const contractAddress = '0x...';  // Your contract address

// Create a new contract instance
const myContract = new web3.eth.Contract(contractABI, contractAddress);

// Call a function from your smart contract
myContract.methods.yourFunction().call((error, result) => {
  console.log(result);
});

// This snippet demonstrates a basic interaction with a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain.

Dark Mode UI: A Voyage into the Visual Tranquility

The gentle embrace of Dark Mode UI is more than a mere respite for the eyes; it’s a voyage into a realm of visual tranquility and elegance. With tech behemoths like Apple integrating Dark Mode into their interfaces, the aesthetic allure melds seamlessly with user-centric functionality. It’s no longer a fleeting trend, but a testament to how the essence of calmness and focus can be beautifully intertwined with digital aesthetics, guiding users through the night with a serene, yet vibrant visual narrative.

Check out Apple’s dark mode interface for a classic example.

				
					<!--Here's a basic snippet to implement Dark Mode UI using CSS and a bit of JavaScript:-->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
  body {
    transition: background-color 0.3s;
  }
  .dark-mode {
    background-color: #121212;
    color: white;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<button onclick="toggleDarkMode()">Toggle Dark Mode</button>

<script>
  function toggleDarkMode() {
    document.body.classList.toggle('dark-mode');
  }
</script>

</body>
</html>

<!-- In this snippet, a button toggles the dark mode class on the body element, switching between dark and light themes.-->

Advanced Animations and Interactivity: Breathing Life into the Digital Landscape

As the digital realm burgeons, the line between the real and virtual blurs, thanks to the magic wielded by advanced animations and interactivity. The static web pages of yore have evolved into dynamic, living canvases where every scroll, click, and hover unravels a narrative, engages the curious, and satiates the aesthetic hungry. With platforms like Awwwards showcasing the epitome of interactive design, it’s a clarion call for designers to not just think outside the box, but redefine the box in a spectacle of pixels and interactions.

Browse through Awwwards for cutting-edge animation and interactivity examples.

				
					<!--Here's a basic snippet showcasing advanced animations using CSS:-->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
  @keyframes fadeIn {
    from { opacity: 0; }
    to { opacity: 1; }
  }

  .animated-element {
    animation: fadeIn 2s;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="animated-element">I will fade in!</div>

</body>
</html>

<!--In this snippet, a simple fade-in animation is applied to a div element using keyframe animations in CSS.-->

AI and Machine Learning: The Silent Maestros of Modern Web Design

In the silent corners of code, AI and Machine Learning are tirelessly weaving magic, orchestrating a user experience that’s as intuitive as it’s innovative. Through the lens of Adobe’s Sensei, we glimpse the future where design decisions are enlightened by data, user interfaces adapt in real time, and every digital interaction is a step closer to individualized user-centricity. It’s not just smart design; it’s design with a beating heart of code, continually learning, adapting, and enhancing the user journey in a symphony of silent code and vibrant visuals.

Delve into Adobe’s Sensei for AI-powered design capabilities.

				
					//For AI and Machine Learning, you might use libraries like TensorFlow.js. Here's a snippet illustrating a simple model training:

// Import TensorFlow.js
import * as tf from '@tensorflow/tfjs';

// Create a simple model
const model = tf.sequential();
model.add(tf.layers.dense({units: 1, inputShape: [1]}));

// Compile the model
model.compile({loss: 'meanSquaredError', optimizer: 'sgd'});

// Prepare training data
const xs = tf.tensor2d([-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [6, 1]);
const ys = tf.tensor2d([-3, -1, 1, 3, 5, 7], [6, 1]);

// Train the model
model.fit(xs, ys, {epochs: 250}).then(() => {
  // Use the model to do inference on a data point
  model.predict(tf.tensor2d([5], [1, 1])).print();
});

Sustainable Design: Crafting Digital Footprints with a Conscience

In an era where our digital endeavors cast long, often overlooked, shadows on the environment, Sustainable Design emerges as a beacon of responsibility. The practice is not just a technical adjustment, but a moral imperative, weaving the fabric of eco-consciousness into the digital landscapes we create. It’s about optimized performance, minimized data usage, and a holistic approach that echoes the ethos of environmental stewardship. Through platforms like Sustainable Web Design, we’re ushered into creating digital experiences that are not just engaging but tread lightly on our precious blue orb.

Learn from Sustainable Web Design for eco-friendly web practices.

				
					<!--For Sustainable Design, here's a basic snippet to lazy-load images which helps in reducing initial page load time:-->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
</head>
<body>

<img data-src="image.jpg" alt="Description" class="lazyload">

<script>
  document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
    const lazyImages = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll("img.lazyload"));
    lazyImages.forEach(function(img) {
      img.src = img.dataset.src;
    });
  });
</script>

</body>
</html>

<!--In this snippet, images will only load when the document content is fully loaded, which helps in optimizing performance.-->

Inclusive Design: Embracing Every Interaction

In the sprawling digital garden, Inclusive Design sows seeds of accessibility, ensuring every flower of interaction blooms with ease and elegance for all. It’s not merely a design philosophy, but a call for digital empathy. Through tools like Microsoft’s Inclusive Design toolkit, designers are equipped to craft experiences that resonate with a diverse audience, transcending barriers and embracing inclusivity with open arms.

Gain insights from Microsoft’s Inclusive Design toolkit.

				
					/*For Inclusive Design, here's a CSS snippet to ensure text remains accessible by setting a minimum font size:*/

body {
    font-size: calc(1em + 0.5vw);
    line-height: 1.5;
}

/*This CSS snippet uses the calc() function to set a font size that grows with the viewport width, while ensuring a minimum size with the 1em base.*/

Continuous Learning & Adaptation: The Heartbeat of Digital Evolution

In the fast-paced realm of web design, continuous learning, and adaptation are the twin stars guiding the way towards uncharted horizons. It’s a journey of perpetual growth, fueled by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to excel. Platforms like Smashing Magazine are the lighthouses amidst the stormy seas of technological advancements, providing a beacon of knowledge and inspiration. It’s about staying attuned to the pulse of innovation, adapting to the rhythm of change, and dancing to the tune of the digital future.

Stay updated with the latest in web design through platforms like Smashing Magazine.

				
					<!--For Continuous Learning & Adaptation, one might set up a simple feedback form on their website to gather user insights and adapt designs accordingly:-->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
</head>
<body>
<form action="submit-feedback.php" method="post">
    <label for="feedback">Your Feedback:</label><br>
    <textarea id="feedback" name="feedback" rows="4" cols="50"></textarea><br>
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>
<!--In this snippet, a simple feedback form collects user input which can be analyzed to make design improvements.-->

As we stand on the cusp of digital innovations, the interplay of aesthetics, technology, and empathy in web design crafts the roadmap towards a more engaging, inclusive, and innovative digital future. The 2023 web design frontier is a testament to how far we’ve come and a glimpse into the boundless adventures that lie ahead.

As we continue to explore, adapt, and create, every pixel we place, every animation we craft, and every experience we design is a step closer to a digital realm that resonates with every soul that ventures into it.

If you are looking for more tips and tricks, send me a message or post a comment on this article. I am just sitting at my desk after work and would love the attention frankly. :p

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]]> How to optimize your Ecommerce site https://daltonperry.com/how-to-optimize-your-ecommerce-site/ Mon, 30 Nov 2020 20:48:23 +0000 http://daltonperry.com/?p=742 By Dalton Perry When it comes to Ecommerce there is alot at stake. You have gone through the effort of painstakingly customizing your pages to

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Dalton Perry

By Dalton Perry

When it comes to Ecommerce there is alot at stake. You have gone through the effort of painstakingly customizing your pages to have a uniform style and appearance as well as gotten your products listed for sale. I can understand at this point you may be confused when your items are not flying off the shelf. Take a minute and think about your customers journey. If you have properly represented your product and done SEO optimization in order to get visitors to your page, all that is left is for them to have a seamless checkout process. Let’s focus our efforts here. 

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]]> What is Social Media Optimization (SMO)? https://daltonperry.com/what-is-social-media-optimization-smo/ Sun, 08 Mar 2020 00:06:40 +0000 http://daltonperry.com/?p=688 What is Social Media Optimization (SMO)? What are the essential first steps to evaluating your profiles?  The main goal of SMO or social media optimization

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What is Social Media Optimization (SMO)?

What are the essential first steps to evaluating your profiles? 

The main goal of SMO or social media optimization is to leverage multiple channels and audiences to grow your business’s online presence. As we have found out from this blog post by the Flint Group, there are essential demographics that tend to overpower each platform’s userbase.

Some key takeaways from their article are that platforms like Instagram are for reaching primarily younger audiences anywhere from 18-29-year-olds and has more female users than male users. It is imperative to identify the demographics for each platform as this will help you know where you should invest more of your time and what type of content to produce.

SMO may seem to be a complicated topic, but it’s rather easy. I like to think of SMO in three bullet points to start.  

  • Have a consistent brand image
  • Stick to a content schedule 
  • Produce engaging content  

If you are to do anything in social media, these would be the best places to start. When you build a house or bake a cake, there are a foundation or core ingredients you need to build off. From this foundation, you can spread your wings and let your creativity shine. 

brand management

A consistent brand image is how a person sees your brand across different platforms and media. If you professionally market yourself on one platform but then contradict yourself on another, this reduces your brand’s image. I don’t want to discourage you from trying new things.

You do, however, need to understand that if your message is being a high tech, data-driven company, it may not be wise to post content about how your office still uses windows vista or something along those lines. 

Sticking to a content schedule helps make your job easier. If you are a marketing professional at a company, this is almost required, as that is your job. A business owner that has their hands in multiple activities may not have thought about making a schedule for social media. Often, people treat the platform as a place to the only post when something is happening within the company. I would say that is okay, but how will your audience know that something is happening if you haven’t spent the time to have it grow.

You need to be making efforts to reach new customers and potential partners. Content schedules only take a few days to put together. If you think about how much time in a week, you could save in comparison to not having a plan. You can use a company like Hootsuite to organize and schedule when posts go out. Hootsuite also has a somewhat helpful template for understanding social media and creating a content schedule. I have linked their resource here.

Content Marketing

To produce engaging content, think about what’s popular in your industry. Don’t steal content but think about the keywords they are targeting, and if you can produce more in-depth or higher engagement content, then do it. Video is the king of content. People like to see personality shine through in short informational videos. As a content creator, you have to make something worth a prospect or customer’s time.

If your business is brick and mortar or somewhere local to your customers, highlight your space, and find creative topics that involve your surrounding environment. SaaS companies have a different challenge. Software companies can highlight their staff, their company culture, events taking place, corporate social responsibility actions, and so much more.

The other piece of engaging content is to ask your audience to engage with it! Ask a question or have them tell your company their pain points or biggest time wasters. You can use your quality content to see what the market needs. 

Now that you have a better idea of how to get started and work on your social campaigns, profiles, and content, try to build up your brand awareness. Promotion is an essential part of any marketing activity. If you don’t tell people where to find the great content you are making, it becomes much harder for them to find it.

Of course, through SEO, you can try to guide them, but as we know from SEO, there is heavy competition. Leverage your network to get more shares, likes, and comments. If you can get enough engagement, your post has the chance to reach viral status within your market segment or beyond.

Take everything you read or hear with a grain of salt. Not everyone can do marketing the same way; that’s why there are multiple strategies and platforms. Log in to your profiles now, draft something up and send it out. You don’t need to sit around overthinking all of the time; you will never get started if you don’t get started. 

If you found this helpful in any way, I’d appreciate it if you could share this with your network or a friend. If you didn’t see it useful, send me a message, and I will find another way to help you, whether it is with social media optimization, video ideas, the best free resources for graphic design, or another topic.

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]]> How to Grow your Small Social Media Profile https://daltonperry.com/how-to-grow-your-small-social-media-profile/ Tue, 11 Feb 2020 00:21:04 +0000 http://daltonperry.com/?p=598 By Dalton Perry If you were to ask me what the top 7 tips for growing your social media profile were, I would say there aren’t necessarily seven concrete

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Dalton Perry

By Dalton Perry

If you were to ask me what the top 7 tips for growing your social media profile were, I would say there aren’t necessarily seven concrete answers to your problems. I would, however, say that by implementing these quick tips, you will see some growth and begin to build a content schedule. These can work for both smaller profiles with a minimal following and for well-established accounts that may have 10,000+ followers. 

Here is my take on what successful profiles are currently doing to stand out from the crowd. 

Seven Social Media tips for growing a social media profile without having many followers.

Find a niche– Look at what’s getting attention and go deeper. Don’t merely tag your Instagram or Twitter posts with #fitness. Find subcategories within your target market and establish your brand as being the leader in that category. An excellent selection might be something like #veganfitness or #stayfitboston. This second level of tagging will depend on what you see as having relatively excellent traction, but the idea is to keep it unique and niche. 

Post regularly– If you are aggressive in your social posting, you can update your account 2 or 3 times a day. This approach is better if you have actual news or content to provide your followers. A more reserved approach is posting at the very least three times a week. A good tactic for letting your followers know how a project is progressing is posting every other day and allowing for better engagement. 

Be more personal– provide more content with a personal touch or include your face more often. I like it when I see more personality bleed through the digital cloth. I want to know more about the person behind the phone when liking or commenting on a post. It is also true for YouTube, especially, as a video is very intensive on personality and relate-ability. 

Add value– Don’t push products or services. Just try to educate people. The most significant reason why some people come across as being a dick is that they are trying to peddle crappy products. Social media’s purpose is to connect friends in a more enticing environment, don’t make it about earning a quick buck. Don’t get me wrong though, if your profile has a good following and you are influencing purchasing decisions, do reimburse yourself for your time. The ratio should be 70% enjoyment and 30% financial stability. I made this up, but it makes sense to me. If you have an opportunity to collaborate with a brand, don’t pass it up, but consider who you are representing and at what cost. 

Be creative– Be different and take risks. Most people will tell you to think outside the box, and I will say break the box and think from above it. If you edit your photos in a specific way that is tough to copy, then try doing that. If you have a unique writing style, you should run with it. I can’t teach you creativity; the education system has robbed you of this skill. Regaining your creativity is a topic for another day.

Promote– Pay to have your content promoted and visible to your ideal audience. The cost of a modest lunch may be able to get your content in front of 300 people for a brief exchange. The value you place on growing and gaining exposure is only equal to your willingness to buy. Google PPC works the same way, and every social platform can promote your content to specific sub-genres within its user base. 

Network– Online and in-person networking are both very valuable. Try to generate interest through speaking to individuals. One of my favorite things to do is to check Meetup or Eventbrite for things happening near me. I am a reasonably social person, but when confronted with speaking to large groups, I have difficulty. Going out and talking to strangers helps me cope with my fears and to grow on an emotional level. My advice to you would be to look online to see if any of your hobbies may have a local group that meets once a month. I do black-smithing, hiking, and python as a hobby, so I search for these types of groups. You are you, and that is what makes you a great person. 

“why don’t you explain this to me like I am five” -Michael Scott, Dunder Mifflin

If you are looking for more tips and tricks, send me a message on a form or post a comment on this article. I am just sitting at my desk after work and would love the attention frankly. :p

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