Andi's World, Web Design
July 20th, 2010
We don’t get many web industry conferences around these parts. Hell, we don’t get many conferences around these parts. So I’m supremely excited that Front End Design Conference is going to be right here in our own backyard this Friday, July 23 (at the downtown St. Pete Hilton).
What is Front End Design Conference? It’s a conference geared toward the design of websites. The visuals and aesthetics that make web-based communication possible. The ideas and strategies and thought processes behind why we click where we click (and how to make people click). The “why is this green” or “can we move that next to this?” of building a website. Believe it or not, good web designers don’t just throw things on a page and call it a day. There’s a why and how and a best practice schema to which we adhere in order to help guide visitors and influence click behavior. Gasp! So much to think about! 
Not a web designer? The Front End Conference line-up really encompasses web-based communication of all sorts – not just web design. The topics are relevant to anyone with a website who wants to learn more about how to use visual communication to get a point across or influence action. Marketers, bloggers, small business owners – there’s information relevant to all of you.
Topics include:
- Learning to love ideas: Brainstorming 101
- Taking your designs from wireframe to design
- The art of self-branding
- Design in the details
- CSS organization and workflow (ok, this one might be geared directly toward web designers)
- Fuel your brand (but this one is great for anyone!)
- Principles of UI design
Conference organizer Dan Denney put together a great lineup and an exciting weekend of events. There’s an awesome after-party planned at the Lobby in downtown St. Pete. On Saturday, stick around for a Tampa Ignite meeting at Studio 620. Sunday, he’s got a guided photo walk around downtown St. Pete – sure to be very cool.
Learn more and register:
See you all there! We’ve got a big contingent representing Big Sea (and their own amazing talent) so please say hello.
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Social Media
June 30th, 2010
We all love to get feedback, and online reviews are a great way to get a check on how we’re doing. This great article on Mashable contends that not checking out how your small business is perceived on line is “just plain lazy.” And I agree.
There are so many places your business can be reviewed online – Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, TripAdvisor, LinkedIn – the list is long and growing. If you’re doing something right (or seriously wrong), you’re sure to have at least a few reviews out there.
People are more likely to post online reviews in extreme cases – either they’ve had a really great experience, or something went horribly wrong. A waitress was having a bad day; a hotel room smelled like smoke; a project didn’t flow the way it should have. Whatever the reason, now you’ve got a negative review out there and you can’t do anything about it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: negative PR, online reviews, social media, social media marketing
Posted in Social Media | 1 Comment »
Web Design
June 27th, 2010
You’ve got a sleek website with great graphics and intuitive navigation. (Right?) Now you need to learn how to replace all the lorem ipsum dolor sit with meaningful copy that speaks to your audience. Here’s what to avoid when writing for your business site:
Spelling Errors and Bad Grammar
Almost everyone makes typos. Most people misspell words or mistype them all the time. Despite the frequency, web users are quick to judge. They stop trusting you when they think you can’t spell or simply didn’t take the time to proofread. Have a professional or a trusted partner look over your web copy, especially if you’re selling something.
Marketing Buzzwords
Avoid writing copy that reads like a long advertisement. Basically, don’t sound like a slick-talking salesman. When web users come across clichés and overused sales terms, they start hearing the teacher from Snoopy. Write conversationally and try to be surprising. Be honest and straightforward, and save your marketing-heavy moments for important calls to action.
Too Many Words
Most of the time, you need to write at a fourth grade level. This doesn’t mean your writing should be childish or immature. It simply means that you need to make your points quickly. Use bulleted lists and fairly simple sentences.
- You can be cheeky and interesting, but you can’t write a novel.
- If you absolutely need to share a lot of information, make sure you break the content up with appropriate headings and navigation so that readers can skim to the meaty bits.
- Consider using a blog or newsletter to share ongoing updates and info in bite-sized chunks.
Still struggling? Try starting with a basic outline. If you absolutely hate writing or you’re uncomfortable with the task, take your outline to a pro who can flesh it out to fit the frame of your website.
Maria Mora offers friendly, down-to-earth social media consulting and editorial strategies. You can usually find her messing around on Twitter.
Tags: web content, web copy, writing for the web
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Web Design
June 2nd, 2010
By far one of the most fun designs to work on, Hoola Monsters came in with all kinds of content. Amazing photography, custom videos, calendars and eCommerce. We went crazy with @fontface to give it a grungy, punk feel that fit their performance style well.
Based on where the company was at, we built an affordable WordPress-based website that is fully customized and allows them to sell their hoops through Paypal, We also integrated their Google calendar, added another events listing page, added News posts, Flickr and YouTube galleries.
Visit site »
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Web Design
June 2nd, 2010
This site started from the ground up with a very goal-oriented strategic process and ended up being a major struggle. When we try to design to incite user action, we also have to take client ideas of what’s right and wrong to heart. Everyone ends up with a better site when we can compromise and still feel good about our decisions.
Because the site is on a highly-secured Windows server, we did not have access to integrate a content management system, so we used old-school server-side includes to help their marketing department with maintenance of the dynamic areas of the site.
Visit site »
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Web Design
June 2nd, 2010
This little furniture store with two locations (Sun City Center and Ocala, Florida) needed a site upgrade and the ability to upload their weekly flyer and sale specials.
We delivered, with a classic design built on Expression Engine content management system.
Visit site »
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Wordpress
June 2nd, 2010
Customized Thesis installation with custom headers, Cufon fonts and avatar display. We worked directly with HP to create a customized category for their posts as well and to integrate their advertising.
Visit site »
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Social Media
May 28th, 2010
The past few weeks have been really hectic around here, and I’m finding myself letting my social media presence dim a bit. I know how important it is to keep those relationships going, to be a part of the conversation and to put yourself out there, but I just can’t seem to find the time or energy.
I’m stressing about it.
And I hear this from my clients all the time.
I got to reading, and realized I’m not alone. Social media is just one more thing on our plates; one more tool in our belts. It’s not the make-it-or-break-it key to success that so many evangelists make it out to be. It can be a very powerful tool if you are able to use it, but there are certainly other tools.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed or just tired of being social in social media, here are a few thoughts to help you.
1. When you want to do social media but don’t have the time, use HootSuite: Seriously a life saver. Set up a free account at this web-based social media manager. Load up all of your social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, whatever) and start posting. The best feature of HootSuite? You can schedule your posts. Schedule a few status updates for your business page to post over the weekend or while you’re on vacation or even periodically throughout the week so you don’t lost interested fans. Check in once in a while to respond to comments. Set it and forget it!
2. You don’t need to be everywhere. Read this great post about why you don’t need to be on Twitter, then stick with the social media that you think really fit your market. If your customers aren’t your fans on Facebook, you probably don’t need a page. Social media isn’t right for everyone and every business, and that’s ok. It’s not absolutely necessary to succeed.
3. Give yourself a break. Too much posting is just as annoying as a page that hasn’t been updated in two months, so ease up. Let yourself take a few days away without worry. Jump back in when you’re ready and make sure you reply to comments and start conversations. Set user expectations so that they know not to expect you online all day and night, unless that’s what you want to do.
4. Watch your competitors. There are probably a few of your competitors who are doing an awesome job with social media. They’re posting all day, replying on Twitter, starting really cool conversations with industry leaders. Then, there are probably quite a few who have no social media presence at all. Which of those competitors are most successful? You’ll probably find a balance. There are many ways to stay connected to your clients and customers; social media is just another tool in your belt.
5. Enlist help. Find an employee who has a good handle on social media that can spend 20 minutes a day posting for your business. Buy a cheap netbook (or maybe an iPad!) and let them go at it. Hand over the reigns. You’ll be sharing a much more realistic and genuine view of your business than trying to half-heartedly maintain control doing it yourself. Give your employees a voice and let them build those relationships.
Business owners wear a lot of hats, and marketing has to be one of them, but no one is expecting you to be perfect. Do what’s best for you, keeping an eye on your competitors, and you’ll be fine.
Tags: facebook, hootsuite, social media, twitter, using social media
Posted in Social Media | 1 Comment »
Social Media
May 18th, 2010
While Twitter can be an effective (and free) tool for promoting small businesses, it’s not for everyone. Your time is valuable — and it takes time to maintain an active, useful Twitter account. Find out if you’re better off skipping Twitter or putting it on hold while you develop a solid social media strategy.
Five reasons to skip Twitter:
1. You just don’t get it.
If you just don’t get the “point” of Twitter, you’re not alone. Some users hit the ground running, firing off dozens of tweets a day and amassing hundreds of followers. Others struggle with the structure of the site and the concept of sharing bits of information in 140 characters or less.
Give it a try and nose around for a while. If it’s simply not for you, your efforts will be forced. That’s a waste of your time — and people will be able to tell that your interactions are half-hearted.
2. You only want to promote your business.
Twitter is a social media networking website. Think about it as a room full of people milling around. You can overhear their conversations and introductions if you stand close enough. You might notice a group talking about something that interests you. You may gravitate toward them and enter the conversation.
No one is standing around with a bullhorn making announcements — so don’t be that guy. If you’re not interested in a natural give and take and a good balance between reading and promoting, skip Twitter.
3. You don’t have any free time.
While it’s possible to set up some automated services to update your Twitter account with blog updates or promotional tweets, you’re unlikely to see much benefit from Twitter usage unless you put some real human effort into it. You need to reply to others. You need to follow people with similar interests. If you’re a local business, you really need to follow locals.
These tasks probably won’t require much more than twenty minutes a day as you get started — but if you can’t keep up with that sort of consistent maintenance, wait until you have more time.
4. Your customers don’t use Twitter.
Are your customers likely to be on Twitter? Not sure? Ask some of your regular customers how they use the Internet. Consider their average ages and general level of education, but keep in mind that you don’t need to have a web or technology-related business to interact with your clients online.
If you can’t interact with customers, provide customer service or develop natural leads on Twitter, you probably have no reason to be there in a business capacity. (Try a personal account to test the waters if you want to get a better idea before putting your business out there.)
5. You have nothing to talk about.
Content is king — even on Twitter. Do you have anything to say? If not, you’ll constantly be scrambling for updates. You don’t have to be a professional writer to succeed on Twitter, but you do need to have pertinent things to share. The last thing you want to do is waste time stressing over what to Tweet about.
Upcoming sales, tips related to your line of business, events, and success stories make great Twitter updates. Discussing the local weather can only go so far, so make sure to have a general idea before you get started. It can be as simple as a bulleted list of possible topics. As conversations begin, the update process will become more natural.
Maria Mora offers friendly, down-to-earth social media consulting and editorial strategies. You can usually find her messing around on Twitter.
Tags: small business, small businesses, social media marketing, Twitter tips
Posted in Social Media | 2 Comments »
Social Media
May 11th, 2010
Originally presented as a Lunch-n-Learn last month, I thought I’d share these ten simple steps to success for small businesses on Facebook.
1. Fans – not friends (page not profile)
- Don’t make people ask to friend you – fan pages are public; anyone can become a fan (vendors, clients, employees).
- Fan pages status updates are indexed by Google’s real time search results – use them to post links and it helps SEO for that website.
- Be sure to grab your business name (or something close to it) so you can easily share your Facebook page address.
- Multiple profiles are actually against FB terms and you can be banned.
2. What to post
- Stay on topic (whatever that topic might be) and be present daily.
- Save your rants and tirades for somewhere else.
- Tell your story by sharing some personal information about your business.
- Add value to your fans – share news, links and stories (use Google or Yahoo blog search to find relevant content).
- Applaud your competitors – share good work and good ideas, give credit where credit is due.
- Speak in your own voice, not in business speak.
3. When to post
- When are your visitors online? Chances are you can tell this by looking at your website analytics.
- Daily is not too often. Hourly is too often. Find a balance.
- Too many status updates clogs your fans’ newsfeeds; bores them and bothers them. Don’t be annoying!
- Go slow and steady – don’t overdo it. It takes time to build up the residual returns.
4. Use applications to increase engagement
- At the very least, Networked Blogs should be connecting with your blog.
- Connect your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.
- Polls, contests and sweepstakes (there’s an app for that!).
- Others on Mashable
5. Develop custom tabs specific to your business
- Use Static FBML to create a custom landing tabs for your page – add your email subscription form, links to pages on your website – anything you can do with HTML/CSS you can do on this tab.
- Use boxes to add your business information, polls and surveys.
- If your wall is nothing to write home about (lacking comments or updates), use one of these tabs as your landing tab for new visitors.
- Hire a web designer if you need help – this is a quick and easy project that helps make your profile sticky and fun.
6. Join the conversation – but don’t control it.
- Respond to comments and make comments on your fan’s profiles and pages
- Add their businesses to your fan’s “favorites.”
- Allow natural commenting and questions to happen (Dell is a great example).
- Respond kindly and swiftly to negative comments; don’t delete them, but use them as feedback to improve your business – show your fans that you care enough to change.
7. Offer discounts and specials to your Facebook fans.
- Give people a reason to recommend you to their friends.
- Say thank you once in awhile!
- Track this and use the information to improve the offer.
- Offer a choice of discount (which would you prefer?).
- Solicit feedback from your fans on your business decisions (would you rather see us open a new location in North Pinellas or add two more professionals to our current location?).
- Which incentives you use depend on the type of business you are running.
8. Leverage the power of Facebook Events
- Use events only for the notable, big events you’re hosting or involved in – not your weekly or daily specials.
- Only invite fans/friends to whom the event is relevant! (Local, likely to attend or interested in your business/topic).
- Promote your events with Facebook ads.
- Decide whether or not to show the guest list (small events = no; big events = yes).
- Enable the wall if it’ll spark good discussion, not just RSVPs.
- Add links to related pages on your website or partnering businesses.
9. Use your Facebook URL everywhere, like a website.
- Many brands have started using it instead of their website in print and web advertising
- Creates more of a relationship than a website does
- Fresher content and more easily editable than your website
- Add to business cards and especially email signatures
10. Use Facebook ads!
- They’re cheap, targeted and you can help build your fan base very affordably.
- Run campaigns that are compelling and promote your Facebook page, a promotion or an event instead of trying to sell something
- If you build a good FBML tab with good content, you can use ads to bring people to your uploaded presentations, white papers, even your events.
- Figure that you’d spend a few hundred dollars on a Yellow Pages advertisement so be willing to test out a similar budget on Facebook
- Use the ‘social ads’ – show the connections between your page and specific users who are fans
More tips and tricks
- Remember that Facebook statuses update mobile platforms (notifications are free mobile advertising!)
- Use FB to research business prospects/partners/clients/employees
- Combine with your other social media initiatives (Twitter, blogging)
- Use Facebook to find guest bloggers and connect with others in your industry
- Use FB to syndicate other web content, links to articles and news stories
Facebook Resources
Tags: facebook, online advertising, promotion, social media
Posted in Social Media | 1 Comment »
