1. My Unqualified Friends have different Ideas…
   - Judge the idea on its merits, reasonably explain why it may not work, due to your research, experience, etc.
2. Purple is my favorite color, Why don’t we use that?
   - Backup with documentation, color board, creative specs, etc
3. We need more stuff about the FOLD!!
   - A significant amount of research is available to show that users understand they can scroll for more content
4. There’s so much EMPTY SPACE, can’t you fill it?
   - White space contributes to the general hierarchy of the content. NO.
5. MAKE MY LOGO BIGGER
   –>NO. the content on the page is not the logo.

Establishing the Purpose:
Aesthetics and Function. The two cannot be removed from one another in web design. They exist as your highest priority and business principle.
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“Process of Illumination,” enlightened attendees on the process of Synergy Online Marketing by showing how to implement a successful plan. Tom educated us on the planning for marketing through audience, competative, and keyword analysis, as well as site audits and marketing mix. Other important factors in planning are budgets and goals - proper preparedness can increase your likeliness to have a larger return on your investment.
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My main complaint is the use of Javascript menus. If you will, flash back to 1999… no wait, go back earlier than that, let’s say… 1997. Okay, that’s right. It’s 1997 and P. Diddy was Puff Daddy sampling that Police song. Remember the VMAs? Anyway, look at the web and you will see hundreds of tacky, superfluous IE-only menus.

Now flash forward to 2007. Ten years later and Puff Daddy is P. Diddy (or is it just Diddy? who knows) and he’s probably sampling some other popular song from the 80s. But guess what’s still around? Yes, those superfluous Javascript menus.
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Here’s how: iPhone’s Mobile Safari Compatibility Tips

However, coming in at a close second is “learn more”. This generic phrase screams copywriting laziness and a lack of interest in understanding why a visitor to a page would actually be interested in learning more.

The use of “learn more” seems to be particularly prevalent in home page promo banners.

I see it used so regularly that when someone actually takes the time to write a more meaningful call-to-action, it really stands out.

We all know that “click here” is perhaps the weakest of all calls-to-action, and should be banned from any good copywriter’s vocabulary.

However, coming in at a close second is “learn more”. This generic phrase screams copywriting laziness and a lack of interest in understanding why a visitor to a page would actually be interested in learning more.

The use of “learn more” seems to be particularly prevalent in home page promo banners.

I see it used so regularly that when someone actually takes the time to write a more meaningful call-to-action, it really stands out.

Guilty as charged. As I have become aware of this glaring ugliness of verbage, I have attempted to phase out the use of Click Here to…” but sometimes it takes a really poignant blog to show me the error or my ways.

Here is an example of a good and bad call to action:

Enhance your web knowledge with the rest of this article on SmileyCat.com

I immediately received the token welcome emails from both services - providing me instruction on how to dig in and use their applications. About a day later, after having ignored my new accounts, both services emailed me again. Here’s what each of them said: (more…)

This is not merely a rehashed or repeated combined list. These are in my words, and in no particular order. I believe in all of these and am currently using or have used these techniques for multiple client accounts. Each are split into categories that should help for reference.
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