Win! Taschen’s new Guidelines for Online Success
By Idealog,
Ever wondered why some websites take off while others crash and burn, leaving only smouldering 404 error messages behind? This is the book for you, particularly if you fall into the latter category rather than the former.
It isn’t often you get a book sent to you that’s wrapped in plastic. It feels kind of naughty, like what’s inside is R16 or could damage your delicate sensibilities if taken without a large glass of water. A sticker on the plastic wrapping does promise the book has “everything you need” to give your website “an edge” – big call.
This includes dos and don’ts of web entrepreneurship, with stacks of advice from interactive agencies around the world, such as Big Spaceship, 2Advanced Studios, Fantasy Interactive and the ironically named WEFAIL.
It runs through advice on everything from interface and design to technical stuff, e-commerce, content management and marketing and communication. (If you’re reading that and thinking, ‘I have to take care of all of that?!’ whilst fanning the smoke away from your face, then this book is definitely for you.)
Some of the dos? Give users an incentive for logging in; inject humour; use professional translation services. Fairly basic advice, at times.
Some of the don’ts? Don’t create interaction just for the sake of it; don’t try too hard (savvy consumers will be put off); don’t include work you’re not confident is your best work. But the most important one is “don’t use comic sans font”, the mere mention of which will have arty types breaking out in hives.
Sites to check out now: roofstudio.com; www.a-to-s.co.uk; mediaboom.com; sqcircle.com.
The ultimate advice in the book? “Work with cool people, because you don’t want other people’s lame personalities rubbing off on you.” Erm, yes. Just be sure to consult a good employment lawyer before you start telling them to clean out their desks.
We have one copy of Guidelines for Online Success to give away, worth $99. Warning: book is heavy; Idealog takes no responsibility for arm strains experienced as a result of holding, reading, or carrying this book (or any other activity you would like to indulge in with this book, which is of course your business and not ours). To enter, email editor@idealog.co.nz with “Taschen giveaway” in the subject line and your contact details in the email, before September 30. Open to NZ residents only. Please note, this giveaway is open to Idealog readers only and competition will close immediately if it is posted on external competition websites.
Rating: Four geeks out of five.
Released: September 2011, Julius Wiedemann & Rob Ford, eds.
Published by Taschen, via New Holland (NZ)
RRP $99.99
Ed: The winner of the book is Michael Daysh. Nice one.
Comments
Nick Rowney
If you can sell a book for $100 in this day and age then you are indeed successful.
My advise for what it is worth is “just do it” only you can make you successful.
Hazel Phillips
Taschen's also recently brought out a new revised edition of the D&AD copy book, and that retails for $125. Maybe ad creatives have more cash to splash…
Elwood
The price is wrong! You can buy this book for $9.99, and not $99.99! Seems like there was a little mistake placing the comma. Better check the facts next time.
@ Hazel Philips:
The Copy Book from D&AD is also just 39.99 $
Hazel Phillips
Elwood, I have fact sheets from the publisher here for both books with those RRPs quoted, and we have cited them correctly.
I doubt Taschen would ever set an RRP for a hardcover book at $9.99! Maybe you need to check your own facts, including the spelling of people's names, and the difference between a full stop and a comma.
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