Posts

Social Media for Small Business

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Social Media for Small Business - Don't Over Complicate Things! I get a lot of questions from customers regarding social networking. The majority of them feel it is something they should be doing.  But many have a fear of taking the plunge... due in part to concerns with not having enough time. Being active on social media doesn't have to be overly complex.  A few minutes a day can get the job done for 99% of the small businesses out there.  Here are some thoughts on how a small business can benefit from being "social". What Is Social Media? According to Wikipedia, "social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. It introduces substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals." Why Small Business Should Incorporate Social Into their Marketing Efforts Audience Reach + Relationship

Google Sites Not Indexing? Try This SEO Fix

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I recently received this question from a client needing SEO help: "I have a website for my company XYZ...the site is a Google Site. For some reason, my site is not indexed at all. Can you help?" Diagnosing the Problem Using Google Webmaster Tools, it became quickly apparent that Google was aware of the website (site was verified and an XML sitemap was uploaded).  But for some reason the search engine was not indexing it. The first thing I looked at was the robots.txt file to make sure no-follow wasn't blocking the Google bot.  Seemed OK.  Next I took a look at the page's source code...here's what I found: Page Source (Before):   HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 X-Robots-Tag: noindex, nofollow, nosnippet Last-Modified: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:27:23 GMT ... This is a problem!  Digging deeper...when I looked at the Google Sites Sharing and Permissions settings, it was set to " Anyone who has link can view ". This was

Google Web Designer Review

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Quick Review of Google's New Web Designer Google Web Designer user interface Yesterday, Google announced the launch of Web Designer, a new tool for building interactive HTML5 sites and ads.  The beta version is available for download here . I have kicked the tires a bit.  Overall, I am excited with Google's foray into the world of HTML5 editors. Here are my initial thoughts: The Good: Cost:  It's free to download, at least the Beta version is. Animation Timeline : Keyframes are used to "tween" animation points on the timeline. (Size, rotation, XYZ coordinates, etc.). It reminds me of an old Flash animation app called  Swish .  Hooks:  Using the Components menu, you can link to external iframes, galleries, maps, tap areas, and videos. Preview : Ability to preview the ads directly within the UI.  You can also preview in local browsers. Publishing : Quick process with "zip" option (contains all related files for easy upload). The Bad:

CMS Site Launch: Advanced Technical Solutions - DNN 7

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NEW WEBSITE POWERED BY DNN 7 ATS The Brief (i.e., Requirements): Internet showcase for local IT services Reach new customers via Web search Define Online brand identity Establish credibility and authority and in IT space The Method: Design: Modified skin with custom graphics and CSS tweaks Platform: DNN 7 with add-on extensions (Blog, JotForm, Nivo Slider, JQuery) SEO: Author unique page titles/descriptions, XML sitemap, Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics Social: Integrate blog, add hooks to Twitter, add links to Google+, Facebook and RSS The Result: Marketing vehicle will reach potential clients in local area Clean UX parallels the feel of client's print collateral Content is managed via DNN 7 cloud hosted CMS Visit the ATS Website Patrick LaJuett manages a website design agency : + LaJuett.com , where he supports clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.

Summary of Webmaster Tools Search Appearance Overview pop-up

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A look at the new "Search Appearance Overview" pop-up window that appears in the updated Webmaster Tools UI. I didn't catch this until recently, but Google has added a nifty little tool to help explain search results elements, and how we can influence the data they contain. Next time you login to Webmaster Tools , look for the Search Appearance interactive pop-up tool. It's accessed via the information (i) icon located in the left-hand menu: Webmaster Tools Search Appearance Overview When you hover over and click specific elements, a bubble will reveal helper text along with clickable links over to Google's Webmaster Tools help screens. Source: Google Webmaster Tools Title Element Write informative, relevant descriptions in the HTML title tag for each webpage. In Webmaster Tools use the HTML Improvements feature to help optimize the title tags on your site. Snippet  Element Provide an accurate, succinct summary of the page’s content in its m

New websites developed using DNN portal solutions

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New family of websites powered by DNN 6 AutoCrafting Solutions in Rochester, New York The website redesign for AutoCrafting.com was recently completed. We took three existing html based websites and migrated them into a single installation of DNN 6 as "child portals". DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is evolving rapidly.  DNN  has been my "go to" web CMS platform for a few years, and it's getting better with every update. Here are a few takeaways. DNN Strengths: Portals allow you to host and manage multiple websites under one CMS installation MS Office style editor seems to be more intuitive for corporate clients Vast library of add-on modules (plugins) Scalability for enterprise level websites DNN Weaknesses: Native blogging engine is not as feature rich as Wordpress No single-click updates Hosting is a bit more pricey ($20/mo versus $8/mo) Skins a.k.a. themes tend to be more "corporate" versus "creative"...but

New Google Sites for Stowe Law

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Stowe Law Firm website overhauled using Google Sites CMS New Google Sites website designed and deployed for local law firm The Brief: Internet showcase for local legal services Reach new customers via Web search Solidify Online brand ID The Method: Design:  Custom graphics designed in Adobe Fireworks CS3 Google Apps:  Google Sites framework with Google Docs and Google Maps Search Engine Optimization:  Author unique page titles/descriptions, XML sitemap, Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics Social Media : Integrate Google+, Facebook, and micro-blogging gadget The Result: Marketing tool will reach local audience and attract new business Site style is clean and professional which parallels the client's existing brand Content maintenance is accomplished via Google Sites browser-based Web CMS Patrick LaJuett manages a website design agency : + LaJuett.com , where he supports clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advis

ICON Creations Custom Google Sites Deployed

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The Brief: Online showcase for new bridal line of wedding rings and custom jewelry services Site needs to attract new wholesale customers as well as a motivated sales team The Method: UI Design:  Custom graphics developed in Adobe Fireworks CS3 Google Apps: Google Sites framework with Google Docs and Google Drive Photo Gallery : Implement SimpleViewer Flash/mobile HTML5 gallery linked to multiple Flickr sets SEO : Author unique page titles/descriptions, XML sitemap, Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics. The Result: Website features custom UI which ties into the client's cutting edge jewelry theme Site updates are facilitated via linked Google Docs, Google Drive and Flickr XML feed Marketing tool will reach national audience and help recruit top level sales force Visit the ICON Creations Custom website: http://www.iconcreationscustom.com Patrick LaJuett manages a website design agency : + LaJuett.com , where he supports clients as a Web techno

Making the Cut - Karl Driesel's New Google Sites Website

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The Brief: Create a website that is easy to find via keyword search Site will attract new customers and sell products The Method: Design wood grain theme using Adobe Fireworks CS3 Utilize Google Apps platform: Google Sites, Gmail, Google Docs Implement E-Commerce: JotForm with secure PayPal backend Search optimization: Keyword rich page titles and descriptions, micro-blogging gadget, XML sitemap, Webmaster Tools, Analytics. The Result: Website features custom UI which ties into the client's wood crafting theme E-Commerce enables client an inexpensive method of reaching and selling to national client base Patrick LaJuett manages a website design agency : + LaJuett.com , where he supports clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.

Summertime Logos

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Here are a few summertime logos designed for clients. Folk Foto - Sports Photographer Usage: Facebook page, photo proof watermark Software: CorelDraw X6 Fonts: Highway Gothic American Legion Baseball Team - Hiscock Fishbaugh Usage: Uniform logo Software: CorelDraw X6 Fonts: Marketing Script ProMuscle Nutrition - Supplements, diet books and custom nutrition plans Usage: Brand marketing Software: CorelDraw X6 Fonts: Masque Team Valle - 14U Travel Baseball Usage: Baseball uniform, signage Software: Adobe Fireworks CS3 Fonts: MLB Tuscan Patrick LaJuett manages a website design agency : + LaJuett.com , where he supports clients as a Web technology consultant and search marketing strategy advisor.