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Last Weeks Twitter Updates for 2009-06-29

June 29th, 2009

  • Busy weekend in Moncton and decent weather hope everyone is enjoying! #
  • So most people don't know what a browser is… Does this surprise you. http://bit.ly/IRrmA #
  • Some quick tips for our friends new to Google Calendar http://bit.ly/Cn428 #
  • Ever wonder what the browser wars kinda looks like… well here it is http://bit.ly/Pj40o #
  • Pizza Hut is now "The HUT" Wonder how this is going to work out. #
  • Over 1 Million iPhone 3G S purchased over the weekend… Did you get one? I know I didn't! #
Posted in Twitter Updates

Is my website ripe for a redesign?

June 24th, 2009

24Mar09 ~ Where's the Time?

Photo Credit: g_kat26

By Matt Cook
Point.Click Media

The title says it all. This is a common question that is asked to us all of the time. How do I know if a redesign is in order? It may be that you’ve had your website running for a few years, or just built or redesigned within the last year. Still the question pops up, and if it hasn’t yet, it will soon.

The first thing you’ll need to ask yourself is “What am I redesigning the site for?” and also “Who am I redesigning the site for?” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Branding Tips

Last Weeks Twitter Updates for 2009-06-22

June 22nd, 2009

  • The members of PETA must have never driven down the highway! Or do they have a small service when they wash their cars? http://bit.ly/AV4Uv #
  • The pics may be from 2006 but wouldn't we all still like to work in a google style workplace!? http://bit.ly/c0M9h #
  • iPhone 3.0 upgrade definatlly worth it for folk who use it for business email! #
  • 3 out of 4 online Canadians don't know about Twitter!? http://bit.ly/WWKSd #
  • Watch the Weather Network? Well even if not you will be paying for it anyway! http://bit.ly/fzYYh #
  • It will be possible to copy blue Ray Discs…. well sorta….. http://bit.ly/1a7Zsi #
Posted in Twitter Updates

Things to consider with Flash

June 17th, 2009

Adobe Flash CS4

photo credit: Thiemo Gillissen

By Matt Cook
Point.Click Media

Flash is a very popular vector-based animation software. The software allows you to draw, create, animate and program complete interactive applications that can either be published to the web or used in various other forms of digital media. However, as with most web development tools, there are some pros and cons to ponder. If you’re thinking about using Flash to develop your website, here are a few items to consider before you begin:

1. The Flash Plugin

Most internet browsers now come with the Flash Player plugin already installed, but people with older versions of browsers may not have the plugin, or they may have no interest in installing it. Also, some portable devices such as the iPod and iPhone are not yet compatible with Flash. Make sure you identify your target audience.

2. Download Time

Flash movies tend to gain large file sizes rather quickly. This can cause items to display improperly, or worse, not at all. The traditional solution is to attach what is commonly called a “pre-loader”. This method effectively loads all of the graphics and files contained within your Flash movie before displaying the end product to the user. The common rule is that you have 3 seconds to grab the users attention before they move on. Do you really want those 3 seconds to be “10% loaded… 20% loaded… 30% loaded”?

3. SEO Capabilities

Flash does not handle text very well. It displays text virtually as an image which search engines have trouble reading. This has been one of the biggest flaws of the Flash software since bursting onto the web. With search engine optimization (SEO) becoming such a key portion of online marketing, more now than ever, if search engines can’t find your text, they’ll have nothing to scan, and therefore nothing to rank you with. Since purchasing Macromedia (the original creators of Flash), Adobe has pushed hard toward making text in Flash readable by search engines. They’ve made progress, but it’s not quite ready for prime time just yet.

4. Non-Vector Images

Non-vector images are very difficult for Flash to process. This includes items such as photographs. Flash has difficulty storing the existing pixel data from photographs. First, Flash quickly becomes mired in attempting to animate photographs, and second, Flash cannot store the memory of these photos. Unlike a browser that can store an image in its memory in a cache for future use, Flash needs to reload the image every time. This will obviously cause additional download time for your users.

The goal of this article is not to deter anyone from using Flash on your website. It is simply to educate. Flash is a fantastic tool that, when used properly, allows you to enhance your website and really give it some punch. As with most things though, Flash is best used in moderation.

If you’re wondering how Flash can help enhance your current website and the possibilities that may exist, contact Point.Click Media.

Posted in Web Tools

Last Weeks Twitter Updates for 2009-06-15

June 15th, 2009

  • Checking out the latest 2.8 Release of Wordpress, Any of our customers who are on 2.7 please backup your data before upgrading. #
  • Back up and tweeting after a a crazy busy week last week! #
Posted in Twitter Updates

Blog Hogs: How do they do it?

June 10th, 2009

lightbulb

photo credit: Jonny Mac / JMc Photo

By Matt Cook
Point.Click Media

As we know, blogs are one of the best communication tools on the web today. Looking at them from a purely business standpoint, they are an outstanding way for a company to offer additional interaction with their clients.

Many business owners love the prospect of writing a blog and keeping in touch with their customers, however they believe they are much too busy to devote serious time to blogging. They like the prospect of writing and keeping a blog but then say to themselves: “I don’t have the time to write a daily article. Not only that, but what am I going to write about?”

What we’re looking at today are just a few common practices that can help make blogging a key marketing tool that anyone can implement into their website even if you’re out pounding the pavement 7 days a week and your company laundry list is longer than the Old Testament. Here are 3 questions that can help you get started:

1. How often should I blog?

A daily blog is really not a necessity, but it does need to be updated regularly. There are people out there who write blogs for a living, but for you that’s probably a little much. Weekly, biweekly or even monthly updates can be sufficient. The idea is to keep your business in the know and to let everyone know that you haven’t fallen off the face of the earth. How often you want to do that is up to you. There’s no set rule that says “I need to update this many times to be successful”. If you truly do have something to tell your customers every day then that’s great! Just make sure that the information is useful to your audience. They may not want to know how many red lights you caught on the way to work that morning.

2. Where do I get ideas?

You’re an expert in your field. People likely come to you with questions about various topics related to your business. You can use these questions as topics. Blogs also don’t need to be full-length articles – they can be as simple as a weekly tip or a company update about a recent fundraiser or contract that was awarded to your business. Anything you believe will interest your clients is a good start.

3. How do I stay dedicated and disciplined?

Let’s be honest. We all fall off the wagon sooner or later. This is why New Years resolutions are not written in stone. Most blogging software today has built-in auto-publishing features that allow you to write a number of blog posts at one time and then schedule them to publish themselves at desired intervals over time. You don’t need to write a new article every day or week. You can sit down one afternoon and write 3 or 4 posts and then set them to publish weekly for the next month. It is also much easier to brainstorm new topics once your creative juices are already flowing.

These are just a few items to show you that anyone can put a blog to good use. Don’t be frightened by the big bad punch clock thinking you’ll never have time for it. You’ll see that once your blog starts producing feedback and results, you’ll make the time and wonder why you were scared of it in the first place.

Now that we’ve chased off the blogging boogeyman and you’re ready to get started, contact Point.Click Media.

Posted in Web Tools

Last Weeks Twitter Updates for 2009-06-08

June 8th, 2009

Posted in Twitter Updates

Part 2: Top 10 SEO Mistakes (6-10)

June 3rd, 2009

Top 10 SEO Mistakes Series – Part 2

Google Images website screenshot

photo credit: Spencer E Holtaway

By Matt Cook
Point.Click Media

In the opening part of this series we showed you the first 5 mistakes that are commonly made with search engine optimization. So let’s see what other SEO mistakes are among the norm on numerous websites: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Branding Tips

Last Weeks Twitter Updates for 2009-06-01

June 1st, 2009

Posted in Twitter Updates