I’m honoured to have been interviewed for Digital Web Magazine – it was truly a pleasure. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out: Interview with Derek Featherstone (February 27, 2006)

Thanks to the Digital Web staff who made all of it happen, and special thanks to Krista Stevens, Digital Web’s Editor in Chief for wanting to run the interview in the first place.

Finally – I can’t say enough about Carolyn Wood for her efforts throughout the course of the interview. She is an absolute treat to work with – a breath of fresh air, great with content strategy and an amazing editor. Thank you so much, Carolyn!!

There are a few ways to get your blog “discovered.” A common strategy is to find the blogs that you like that discuss topics in which you’re interested, leave comments, hope people click on your name and visit your site, like what they see – ultimately resulting in them linking to, and commenting on, your site. This is not rocket science.

As blogs gain popularity the way blogs are used is changing. In particular, strategic blog comments are changing. Now we see commenters that are:

1. using their URL with their name (Comment by: David Hasselhoff – baywatchdude.com)
2. using a key phrase with, or in place of, their name (Comment by: David Hasselhoff – swimwear consulting and strategy)
3. using what amounts to a “signature” file at the end of their comments like they would sign an email (All the best, David Hasselhoff, www.baywatchdude.com, Swimwear consulting and strategy)

Continue reading Comment Spam or Branding?

A lot can happen in 24 hours.

In the time since yesterday’s post, Taking Aim at Target(.com), the Target.com web site has been changed to address at least the image based submit buttons on the Target Pharmacy sign in page. It no longer requires a mouse click to submit the forms.

Continue reading Staying on Target

With a name like Target, you would almost think they would have seen it coming, wouldn’t you?

The US National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has brought legal action against Target corporation (a major US-based discount retailer which operates more than 1,300 stores in 47 states) because their web site is not accessible. The NFB has raised the issue with Target Corporation before:

The website is no more accessible today than it was in May of last year, when we first complained to Target.

That’s about 10 months ago. Sorry Target, but that’s just not good enough.
Continue reading Taking Aim at Target(.com)

Step 1

Put the words “Accessibility Consultant” on your business card.

Step 2

Ok, I lied. There is only one step.

Step 3

No, really. There’s only one step.

Step 4

Look, get over it already. The simple fact is that there really is only one step.

Continue reading Four Steps to Becoming an Accessibility Consultant