I just completed a course at UCDavis on Optimizing a Website for (Organic) Search. There was a ton of valuable information conveyed in the course, but an area that I found particularly helpful was the section on Local Search. This is valuable for many of my clients that are local businesses that target almost exclusively...
First, I’ll start with a definition: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or web page in organic search results. The organic results are all the unpaid links that show up when you type in a request in a search engine like Google. Why is it important? If...
I was reading a very engaging story on infographics in the current issue of Smithsonian and thought it might be relevant to share my perspective on this subject. The story begins with a summary of how infographics and data visualization have influenced events throughout history. Incredibly, it’s a very old, dating back 8,000 years. However,...
Last year, digital marketing accounted for 25% of all marketing dollars spent. And according to a Gartner survey, that will rise to 33% this year. As a nonprofit, it’s essential to plan and implement your digital marketing strategies in areas considered most important in 2015. Based on an article in the Huffington Post, here are some predicted areas for...
Second in a series of posts highlighting the importance of strategic design in today’s economy. It is inspired by the book “the Strategic Designer” by David Holston. The title says it all. It’s all about the client and the problem he/she wants to solve. As a designer, this can be challenging. We put our years...
Email marketing can give you a ROI that exceeds any other marketing channel — $43 in return for every dollar invested. For a comparison, non-catalog direct mail returns about $15 for every dollar and catalog direct mail returns about $7 (according to DMA’s Power of Direct economic impact study). For tips and in-depth email marketing...
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking...
Third in a series of posts highlighting the importance of strategic design in today’s economy. It is inspired by the book “the Strategic Designer” by David Holston. Charles Eames, one of the most influential designers of the 20th century, stated that effective design cannot depend solely on a designer’s preferences. Instead, it should be strongly...
Online media is certainly a cost-effective way to reach new customers. The interactive nature of online media gives you rich insights into your website traffic and marketing effectiveness. The design and metrics employed on your website and other online media can determine online brand recall and behavioral responses. The influential effects of clear, effective and...
A brand is more than just a logo. It is the sum total of everything a company does that creates an identity in the consumer’s mind. However, the logo can be the key linchpin that keeps the wheels of the brand rolling in the same direction. And if your logo does not stand out from...