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Showing posts from May, 2013

Business Card Design Techniques

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How to design your company's business cards Digital marketing is replacing traditional print advertising for many companies.  However, a professionally designed and printed business card is still a great way to show off your biz.  To "plant seeds" with potential customers and guide them to your website for more information. Here are some tips to help you on your way: It's important to use elements consistent with company branding.  Logos are a great starting point.  I like to use shapes or angles from the logo and incorporate into the card's background.  Be sure to include all relevant contact info including your website address.  Readability is important, so don't go too small with lettering. Dawn of the Digital Press A digital press enables printers to offer "small run" print jobs.  Because of this, set-up time and costs are less. This allows for experimentation, more color and diversity in your card layouts. Business Card Option

Fix your search rank with super glue not duct tape

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Why Duct Tape Isn't a Long-Term Fix for Poor Search Rank Most of my clients, know just enough about SEO to be dangerous. Not meant to be a put down, as I probably know less about their field than they do mine.  They've heard the term SEO, they're not ranking, and they need to do  something .  That something, is to talk with an SEO...this is where I come in. I sit down with a client and they give me the lowdown. Then they throw some questions at me and hope I can give them a sensible answer.  I try my best.  It goes something like this: It's Broke Our Website is "better" than the competition, how come it doesn't rank?  Well turns out the competitor (whether by accident, hard work, or both) has established themselves as an industry authority.  Or they've been lucky...it happens.   Can't you throw a couple of keywords into the meta tags?  Sure, that's a good start, but you need some substance behind it.  Something for the search

Google Sites Web Launch for A Neu Design Interiors, Inc.

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Latest Google Sites design project launches A Neu Design Interiors, Inc. hired us to redesign their company website. Their primary requirement was to have an easy to manage website that showcased their home remodeling work.  Long-term they hope to attract quality leads by implementing a search optimization strategy, centered around social media and content-rich blogging. A Neu's new Google Sites features responsive architecture which adapts to fit the users device Technology summary: Google Sites (CMS) Picasa 3 (image management) SimpleViewer (gallery template) Google Drive (file hosting) Google Analytics (visitor engagement measurement) Google Webmaster Tools (SEO) Site features: Responsive web design (RWD) Social media hooks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest) Micro blog with RSS XML photo gallery Search optimization Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and sear

Manage Google Sites Permissions

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One of the most powerful features of Google Sites is the ability to control user access.  For example, you can create a private site (hidden from the general public).  This private site can be accessed via a secure login as defined in the Sharing and Permissions settings. The workflow we use when developing a new Google Sites website is to initially set permissions to "Private".  This way we can freely collaborate with stakeholders without concern of a random visitor stumbling upon the work-in-progress. We rough-in, then refine the site's content as a team.  When ready to launch, all we have to do is "flip the switch". Here's a tech post on how to make your entire Google Sites visible to the public: https://lajuett.zendesk.com/entries/23826192-Make-your-Google-Sites-public Note, permissions can also be set on a individual page basis. Google Sites permissions - Ready for the world. Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agen

Photo Gallery for Google Sites

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Photo Gallery Solution for Google Sites SimpleViewer Picasa gallery in Google Sites After hours of research, I finally came up with a method for displaying Picasa photo gallery thumbnails in Google Sites.  The default Google Sites Picasa gadgets (single photo and album slideshows) were not flexible enough (in my humble opinion). My solution was to utilize the new html hosting features of Google Drive and linking, via iframe, to the exported Picasa folder.  It requires a few steps, but the final product is impressive.  It even adapts (responsive) to mobile devices! Here are the steps: Get SimpleViewer app Download and install  SimpleViewer Picasa Template In Picasa (desktop version) From Picasa 3.9 , export your photos as HTML Choose the SimpleViewer template In Google Drive Upload the entire folder created in previous step to Google Drive Set the folder permission sharing to public Copy the folder ID In Google Sites Add iframe gadget to page Set URL

Bacon Wrapped Strip Steak

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Bacon Wrapped Strip Steaks My first attempt at cooking bacon-wrapped steaks on my propane-fueled Weber grill.  They turned out great! I started by prepping the steaks. I seasoned them with a bit of salt and pepper. Next, I wrapped each steak with a strip of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. I grilled them for about 6 minutes on each side until the bacon was crispy and the meat cooked to a medium rare temperature. I removed the steaks from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Then, I sliced them into thin strips and served them up. The bacon-wrapped strip steaks were delicious. It was the perfect summertime meal! The bacon added a salty and smoky flavor to the juicy and flavorful meat. PIN RECIPE Bacon Wrapped Strip Steak Recipe These bacon-wrapped strip steaks are juicy and flavorful, with a crispy bacon exterior. Perfect for grilling on a

Logo Design for Custom Jewelry Co. in NYC

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Company Logo Design by LaJuett A New York city based custom jewelry manufacturer hired us to design and develop a new company logo. Logo design and branding for jewelry company in NYC. Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.

Tag...You're It

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Marketing Materials Designed for Valle Baseball We recently completed a glove tag design for Valle Eagle Training Gloves.  The tag will be attached to gloves being sold via storefront as well as their network of Online retailers. Specifications: Size: 3"x3.5" Paper: Double-sided glossy card stock Design Software: Adobe Fireworks CS3, Corel Draw X6, Adobe Acrobat Fonts: Twenty Eight Days Later, Franklin Gothic Output: PDF @ 600dpi For more info about Valle Eagle Training Gloves, visit their Website . Valle training gloves tag Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.

Salmon Creek waking up from winter slumber

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Android 4.2 panorama photo - Salmon Creek in Hilton, NY HDR Camera+ photo for Android 4.2 - Salmon Creek in Hilton, NY HDR Camera+ photo for Android 4.2 - Salmon Creek in Hilton, NY Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.

Responsive Google Sites Website Design

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Responsive Website Design with Google Sites New responsive design website deployed using Google Sites.  The new  Wild Cane Tours  site features an integrated Google Map, micro blog and e-commerce gadget. Utilizing Google Sites' responsive design framework, the site will also detect mobile / handheld devices and render the screens appropriately. What Is Responsive Web Design? Responsive web design (RWD) is a web design method which provides optimal viewing experiences across a wide range of devices (desktop computer monitors, smart phones and tablets). Custom Google Sites website design with responsive template. More Information Check out Google's recommendations for building smartphone-optimized websites: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2012/06/recommendations-for-building-smartphone.html Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strate

Google Apps Marketplace Vendor

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We are officially approved as a Google Apps Marketplace vendor for Google Sites design. The Google Apps Marketplace is a one-stop shop for tools you need to run your business. You can find our Google Sites web design listing and vendor profile in the Custom Application Development section of the Apps Marketplace. - Check out examples of our custom designed Google Sites - Patrick LaJuett operates a website design and marketing agency where he supports his clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.