WEST ORANGE, NJ --When Techdesigno started in 1995, most websites were rudimentary at best.
“It was very limiting when it comes to styling and design,” founder John Mitrano recalled in an exclusive interview with NJnewjersey.com
John continued, “The World Wide Web, as it was commonly known back when it first became public in 1993, was still in its infancy stages. Web page designs were very crude and elementary at that time. However, I enjoyed investigating and researching technology that can help us create better designs; Not just for the beauty of a website, but for the functionality, as well.”
Nowadays, Mitrano knows that the key to a successful website is a subtle blend of aesthetics and navigational ease. He tells his students that they should know how to work “under the hood” and understand the mechanics of web design.
While the physical office is located in West Orange, New Jersey, Techdesigno works with clients nationwide. Mitrano was also recently elected as a West Orange Chamber of Commerce board member of trustees. Techdesigno also does the website and digital online marketing for the Livingston Chamber of Commerce.
Techdesigno helps clients at every stage of the web design process, from building the website itself to product photography. One way that Techdesigno helps its clients’ websites stand out is by providing SEO and SEM keywords.
“The types of customers we service know that just having a website is not going to be enough for their business. They need the ability for people to find them on the web. If you can’t find a website, you might as well not have one,” Mitrano explained.
With the advent of social media, I often found that new clients were concerned about which social media channels they should invest their time and energy into. A word of advice from Mitrano: though it’s tempting to try and go viral on TikTok to boost sales, it’s best to choose quality over quantity. I found that some business owners are attracted to the sheer number of users on Social Media sites, like TikTok. But, that's not always the most important thing.
“You want to focus on messaging to a quality marketplace and target your audience where you can communicate with the people who most likely need your product or service and will be willing to buy from you. Essentially, people or customers that will benefit from your product or service,” Mitrano said.
The internet is an ever-changing entity and a living document. But, with the introduction of AI technology, the landscape of the internet as we know it is changing daily. When the OpenAI large language model, such as ChatGPT went public in November 2022, users incorporated it into their lives even faster than Facebook. AI is a generative technology that can help businesses generate ideas and streamline data processing. This increase in productivity would hypothetically lead to an increase in profitability for businesses.
The ChatGPT model was trained with already existing data and content. The language model itself is able to expand upon existing ideas. Mitrano compares it to a conversation, where more information can be gained as time goes on.
“AI’s going to open a great deal of opportunity for the expansion of most businesses to offer new services,” Mitrano added. For Techdesigno, this means working as a consultant for businesses who hope to learn more about how to incorporate AI into their existing workflow.
“It would first be a casual conversation over the phone. As it stands, we’ll be focusing on AI tools that service marketing. We won’t be looking at accounting or bookkeeping,” Mitrano explained.
While it’s natural to be wary of new technologies, Mitrano says that the key to working with AI is to incorporate the technology into one’s already existing workflow rather than fighting against it.
“We need to be open to new ideas and learn how to integrate them into our workflow to see if it makes a difference. If you don’t, you’re liable to lose your competitive edge,” Mitrano said.
However, Mitrano does have some concerns about the ethics of widespread AI usage. “My biggest concern is with imagery and content creation. It might come back and haunt you if you’re using intellectual property (IP) that is copyright-infringed. Sometimes you don’t even know you’re doing it,” Mitrano cautioned.
Ultimately, we’re on a precipice with AI technology, and it’s not going away. “This might be considered a pivotal moment in the marketplace with the introduction of AI for business and personal use,” Mitrano explained. “Some say in the next year to three years, we’ll see the promise of AI come to fruition. We hope to see it do good things.”
Techdesigno is located at 59 Main Street, Suite 345, West Orange, NJ 07052. They offer both online and onsite appointments. Techdesigno is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. They are closed on weekends. If you wish to set up a consultation, you can give them a call (973)736-7973 or email them. www.techdesigno.com
Reported story by Rosie the Writer