Big Sea Baitshop

I keep putting off posting more of the 7,000 projects I’m working on because I’m redesigning this site (finally). If you know me, you know I can’t stay in one spot very long (I’ve moved 11 times in the 9 years I’ve lived in St. Pete). I like to change things up!

Also, though, it’s time for something new.

We have so much going on at Big Sea. And I don’t just mean “I have so much going on.” I mean “we.” I’m proud to say that over the past year, I’ve amassed a team of web-geeks that puts other big-name agencies to shame. At least, in the Tampa Bay area. I’m quite proud to be working closely with folks who bring so many amazing talents to the table for our clients (who you’ll be hearing from directly on our new site!).

Designers, developers, a fantastic copywriter and social media goddess, her hubby the videographer - if it’s digital, we can do it. We’re just revving up, and the engines are humming, so stay tuned. There are big things in the works for Big Sea. (Of course, I’ll still be your go-to-girl for all things web - from simple to complex - but I now have a group of folks to bring to the table on the bigger jobs or those I might otherwise put off.)

Here are a few thumbnails of the things I (and we) have been working on . . . to whet your appetite as it were.

We’ve been working on this for a month or more now, and we’re finally adding content and getting her ready for launch! UMC-SCC is a large church located in a mostly retirement-age community. They needed a site that will help them attract the younger families in the area to their congregation, emphasizing the enormous amount of energy and vitality of their community. We put together a sophisticated yet classic and easy-to-maneuver front end design, built on an even easier-to-use content management system so that the client can make updates and edits when they need.

This site features a calendar of events, online donations, easily editable photo slideshows and will also incorporate video and audio versions of their Sunday sermons.

Whew! It’s been quite a past couple months. I welcomed a new daughter into the world, and work revolved around me . . . Big Sea kept on trucking while I was able to spend a couple month getting to know my new little one. So much work, in fact, that we happily launched not one, but two brand new sites and a pretty complex online class also.

Aromahead.com was launched with a lot of help from our PHP king, Alex Vasarab. Alex stepped up to the plate while I was out to get the design implemented and also, to greatly enhance the registration and student accounts system at the site. We also launched the complex online Aromatherapy Certification Program that includes integrated video components, exams, references and learning materials; all administered by the client.

Also exciting is the launch of MannyPuig.com. You probably recognize Manny ‘The Sharkman’ Puig from MTV’s Jackass and Wildboyz. Through a tangled web, Manny’s new management team asked Big Sea to build something 1. fast and 2. well. We put together a comprehensive and scalable site that they can add to and edit at their leisure, and have big plans for the future. They intend to sell advertising and also, to add sponsorships to their videos, blogs and galleries. Stay tuned for a lot more cool features here - we’ve got some grand ideas.

A new site Big Sea launched in October, 5minutemystery.com, is getting a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and even some broadcast TV news airtime. We’ve been featured in Australia, Germany and Japan as well as numerous US-based technology and education blogs and websites.

• ABC’s ‘TechBytes’ segment, aired across the country on local ABC affiliates.
• TechCrunch really started the buzz a few weeks ago.
• Aussie Geek Podcast featured us in their ‘From the Wire.”
• Families.com blogged about us in their ‘fun’ department.
• Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op is partnering with us to share the service with their 33,000 members

Since we were expecting a soft-launch without a lot of hoopla, we were quite surprised and pleased at the immediate response. ABC.com asked for our ‘media relations team’ when they called - and were quite surprised to find out that we are but a team of 2 working on this project!

We’re really excited about all kinds of new features we’ll be adding to the site, making improvements and adding capabilities. Stay tuned!

Referred to Big Sea through 5 Minute Mystery, ROK Brothers needed a new site that will be able to grow and expand with their business. A leader in fleet brake parts for police, municipal and commercial fleets, ROK has a goal to eventually start an ecommerce/retail side of the business on the web.

We set up a very easy content management system for ROK to be able to add new products and change their content. The site is structured with flexibility and SEO in mind so that adding retail capabilities in the future will be a simple add-on.