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Hi 

Here is your latest issue of Social Business Bites. 3 items this week:

• "Mobile First" for Web Design
• Twitter's New Profile Layout
• LinkedIn's vision for the next 10 years

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Thinking "Mobile First" for Your Website Redesign

Short link: http://bit.ly/1jR4ktm

The other day I used my Android smartphone to check on a local business's website. I'd seen the site previously, on a desktop computer, and it looked very professionally designed.

But it did not work on my mobile device. The whole screen was taken up with an image that looked ok on the desktop but on the mobile device was a total obstruction to any attempt to navigate the site.

This did not pass the "responsive web design (RWD)" test. 

A high proportion of people - as much as 77% - now access websites from their mobile devices, even when they are at home or in the office where they could use a desktop or laptop. What do they see when they punch in your URL?

If you are in the process of setting up or refreshing a website, this post does a good job of explaining the concept of responsive web design.

Getting it right is quite a technical challenge, but your web designer should be able to show you what your new or refreshed site will look like in terms of responsiveness for mobile devices. If not, find a designer who can.

And don't settle for just a "shrunk" version, which can be unwieldy and frustrating to navigate.

I used a responsive design for my website. I don't think it is perfect, but it is easy to read.

How to take advantage of Twitter's new profile page

Short link: http://cnet.co/1rnhva7

If like me you've ever felt frustrated by the design/content limitations of Twitter's layout, you will probably welcome the new full-screen, Facebook-like design. It's optional at present and Twitter have made it possible to test your new design before you go public with it: but in due course everyone will be switched over.

This article is clear, practical and helpful.

If you want some inspiration about possibilities, check out 40 Twitter Profiles Using the New 2014 Profile Design - I liked particularly the one for "FLOTUS" (First Lady of The US).

If you've already implemented the new design or are doing one soon, send me your link and I can share it in a future edition of Social Business Bites.

LinkedIn's Vision for the Next 10 Years - Video

Short link: http://bit.ly/1k7MF2s

One of the main challenges I find in seeking to share with other professionals about the opportunities offered by the social networking platform LinkedIn is that people's picture/concept of the platform is stuck in the past - the "online Rolodex™" concept.

This video of a presentation by LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, explains how LinkedIn works these days, under the three headings of Identity, Network and Knowledge. The Knowledge segment is particularly helpful in explaining the new role of LinkedIn as a publishing-for-all platform. The presentation then offers LinkedIn's vision of its role over the next 10 years, and LinkedIn's concept of a global economic graph - with digital profiles for every professional and every company.

Seriously ambitious. But they already have over 300 million members.

Worth viewing by any professional interested in LinkedIn and how it can serve businesses and individuals - just over 20 minutes. 

Till next time

Be well, be social :)

Des

PS: If you are not on the list yet to receive Social Business Bites in your email inbox, and would like to try it, you can register for that at this link (there is an easy unsubscribe link in every update).

PPS: I'm grateful for some very helpful feedback on my new VIP Days project page - including a recommendation that I do a version more clearly targeted to business owners/CEOs/MDs of businesses with 10-30 staff, that have marketing teams (or agencies) but still lack the understanding of how social media may be relevant to their overall strategy - point taken.

My contact details

Phone: International +61 413 089 355    Australia 0413 089 355

Skype: userid is deswalsh (if you want to connect with me there, just type in "Social Business Bites" - or email me and we can set it up).

Email: deswalsh@webartsco.com

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