Let’s take a break from our busy day at the office and learn more about our Lead Creative; Web Designer Lindsay Brewer.

Lindsay, thanks for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions; firstly please tell us who you are and what role you play for KOOK?

Well, I’m known as Linz to my friends and I’m a web designer and front-end developer originally from the UK, now living on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. I’ve been involved in web design in one way or another for the last 13 years or so (shhh…now I’m showing my age) and have been designing websites for Kook for the past 2 years. I am a passionate about keeping abreast of new technologies and pushing this into web design in all forms especially HTML5 & CSS3.

20 seconds or less to describe your average day?

1^st cup of tea followed by: Facebook, breakfast, school run, emails, 2^nd cup of tea, morning meeting, Photoshop, front-end coding, 3^rd cup of tea, emails, Google, Illustrator, Photoshop, Adwords, 4^th cup of tea maybe a bit more front-end coding then: School run, bike ride, dinner, Facebook & RELAX!

How you got started in web design? Why did you choose this direction?

In the late nineties I was a programmer managing an IBM AS400 system (big computer the size of a walk-in-robe), when the web started really taking off – I saw my chance to jump ship and undertook a traineeship as a web designer. I soon realised that design came easier to me than RPG programming and have since deepened my studies in this area & continued to grow passionately as a graphic designer.

Please, tell us about the trends that characterise the web of 2011? What will be popular in 2012?

2011 was characterized with the advent of HTML5 and CSS3 and intensive use of mobile, where web designers have started to adapt for mobile and tablet. I think in 2012 we will see continued rapid growth in online shopping via mobile devices & we’ll see more websites re-inventing themselves using HTML5 and CSS3.

What is your opinion about HTML55 & CSS3? How quickly will these technologies be widely used.

Unfortunately, cross-browser support (Internet Explorer) is and always will be a problem for web designers, with IE slower to support HTML5 and CSS3 and many users reluctant or unable to upgrade to a more compliant browser. I am hoping that 2012 will see a growth in users upgrading to IE9, Chrome, Safari etc…so that we can make better websites for our clients!

What are the main tools of your trade?

My pencil & sketchpad, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, a computer (obviously) & music (vital part of the creative process).

What tips would you give a potential client when preparing a design brief?

The biggest tips I could give is research & preparation. Research your likes & dislikes with regards to industry competitor websites and branding. Prepare any brand material you have and pass it to us in a digital format: this can be photos, logos, promotional material, business cards etc. The more information you give us the easier it makes our job. I’d suggest filling in our project planner as a guide to what sort of information we require.

What advice would you offer to the young web designers? How to get started? Where to find inspiration?

I recommend to practice, practice and then practice some more. There are many free resources and tutorials on the web that can help beginners and experts alike. Subscribe to twitter and blogs such as Web Design Ledger, read industry magazines like .Net magazine where articles from world-leading designers and industry experts will get you inspired. Many web design vacancies are calling for multi-talented professionals so it’s as much about your HTML, CSS & JavaScript abilities as your graphic design skills. You need to be a good all-rounder.

What do you do to un-wind?

Enjoy the outdoor lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast with my family & friends. Exercising or just relaxing at the beach.

POSITION FILLED! We currently have a vacancy for a Web Developer with ASP.NET Programming Experience.

Your primary skills should include:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• Windows Hosting Environment experience
• ASP.NET Programming experience
• SQL Server database experience

Other desirable (but not mandatory) skills include:

• Google Analytics
• Experience with traffic providers (AdWords, Affiliate Programs, Comparison Sites)
• Languages such as PHP and VB6

Did you see our client in the My Property Preview Magazine?

Maroochydore development, Emporio launched a full-page advertisement in the ‘My Property Preview Magazine’ to promote the company’s latest phase of the popular Sunshine Cove development. Featured in the ad is a QR Code (Quick Response Code).

What is a QR Code?

We are now seeing QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) storing addresses and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)  appearing in  magazines, on signs, on buses, on business cards, POS, or on almost any object about which users might need information. Users with a camera phone can scan the image of the QR code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the telephone’s browser.

So, in order to make use of this clever little code;  you’ll need a smartphone equipped with the correct reader application installed – who doesn’t have one of those these days right? Some platforms such as; Google’s Android have the software pre-installed.

What does the QR Code do?

In this example Kook Multimedia (that’s us) developed a little system so that when the code is scanned, the reader of the ad is brought to a webpage where they can view the latest html5 video TV commercial and are then prompted to register for updates & news on the Emporio website.

We’ve also seen a leading retail company include QR Codes at POS (point of sale).  In-store customers can scan the code to receive information such as current stock levels and are given the option to ‘beat the queues’ by buying online via the mobile optimised website, thus having large items delivered directly to the door. Genius!

Talk to us

Talk to the experts at Kook about using QR Codes to drive traffic to your website today »

It’s easy!  Simply follow the link to Facebook on the bottom of this article (or the home page of our site), and ‘Like’ us!

Problem:

Poor website engagement, low search engine rankings and low traffic.

Strategy:

Develop an effective online presence whilst increasing and strengthening the search-engine rankings

Solution:

Search Engine Optimisation, Website re-development.

Results:

75% Increase in Traffic

The search-engine optimisation strategy involved developing the website through content and structure, whilst promoting the website through discussions, engagement and link building.

The search-engine optimisation efforts led to real results with strong increases in traffic and visitor engagement, including a substantial increase in visitor conversions.

By focusing on the structure and content of the website, we were able to transform the website to provide more value to the business, customers and visitors. This value was communicated through the addition of several sections to the website, including news, an itinerary and a blog. Organic (unpaid) search-engine traffic saw levels of website engagement double and website traffic increase more than 75%.

Google is world famous for offering an innovative, creative, fun work-place environment working to cultivate employee satisfaction every step of the way. Here at Kook we are striving to achieve a similar work-life balance and believe this can be accomplished in many ways; regular informal team ‘scrums’, occasional group morning tea (paid for by the bosses and always greatly appreciated), a good old-fashioned Christmas knees-up and of course flexible working hours.

Although we don’t have the industry giant’s laundry list of perks including free food at any of its cafeterias, a climbing wall, and, well, free laundry, we are still quite cool! Look some of our employees have been cycling to work & reducing the carbon footprint.

Cycling to work is one mode of transportation Google strongly encourage among it’s workforce. This year, 56 Google offices and 2,500 Googlers around the world participated in the Google Bike to Work Day; Google’s way of celebrating cycling commuters and introducing new riders to this transport option. We’re proud that like so many Googlers we choose a carbon-free commute of their own accord. How cool is that!

How does your company help the environment?

Why not tell us about where you work and why you are just as cool as Google. Why not try cycling to work?

Brief

The Quilters Store came to us looking for improvements to their successful e-commerce stores with new functionality requirements and a design ‘face-lift’ to keep the site fresh & improve useability.

Solution

Having designed the previous website for this Brisbane based Quilting & Embroidery supply company in 2007 and maintained a great relationship since, Kook was the logical choice to create The Quilters Store’s brand-new online presence.

As well as a clean, crisp design and layout that highlights their new arrivals, the site also incorporates several elements of Ajax & JavaScript based functionality for improved usability especially when adding items to the shopping cart. An improved category structure and new wishlist feature completes the re-design for this site.

Results

Initial feedback regarding the new look of the site is very positive. The site has experienced an decrease in bounce rate and in increase in the amount of time visitors spend on the site and the number of pages viewed.

Brief

Kook were approached by a Brisbane based client to design and develop a fully functioning eCommerce store selling catering clearance items.

Having previously worked in successful partnership with this client on the www.kenco.com.au website, Kook was the natural choice for web design & web development.

Solution

Kook created a professional web design to reflect the new catering clearance brand. Custom development of an ASP.NET eCommerce platform has far exceeded the client’s expectations.

Our Breif

A distinctive logo was required for the newly formed Alexandra Headland Community Association. Our brief was to reflect the sun the surf and the trees lining the beach.

Solution

A bright, modern logo was created using colours to depict the beautiful coastline which Alexandra Headland is famous for.